Jurisdiction — does the Rio consulate cover you?
The Rio consulate's jurisdiction is larger than most people expect. Check carefully — particularly if you live in Bahia (Salvador city goes to the Salvador consulate, the rest of Bahia goes to Rio) or in the Centre-West states.
| Consulate | States covered |
|---|---|
| Rio de Janeiro | Rio de Janeiro, Minas Gerais, Espírito Santo, Bahia (interior only — not Salvador city), Goiás, Tocantins, Maranhão, Piauí |
| São Paulo | São Paulo, Paraná, Mato Grosso do Sul |
| Salvador | Salvador city + Sergipe, Alagoas, Pernambuco, Paraíba, RN, Ceará |
| Brasília (Embassy) | DF, Goiás (Brasília area), Tocantins, Rondônia, Acre, Amazonas, Roraima, Amapá, Pará |
| Porto Alegre | Rio Grande do Sul, Santa Catarina, Mato Grosso |
⚠️ If you live in Minas Gerais or Espírito Santo, there is no Spanish consulate in your state — you must travel to Rio de Janeiro for your appointment. Plan accordingly.
How to book your appointment
Unlike São Paulo (which uses email), the Rio consulate uses the Spanish Ministry's standard online appointment system (cita previa). Book at the official exteriores.gob.es consular appointment portal.
Book online at the official cita previa system. Go to sede.maec.gob.es/citaprevia and select the Consulate General of Spain in Rio de Janeiro. Choose "Visados" as the service type and follow the prompts. Appointment availability can be limited — book as early as possible.
For visa queries: cog.riodejaneiro.vis@maec.es. For general queries: cog.riodejaneiro@maec.es. Phone: +55 21 2553-5454 (Mon–Fri 09:00–13:00).
The consulate is on the 28th floor. Arrive 15 minutes early. Present your ID to security in the building lobby — they will authorise access to the floor. Use the commercial block elevators. No food or drink is permitted in the consular area. Companions must wait in reception (except minors). Bring a ballpoint pen.
Required documents
Submit originals and A4 copies of all documents. Portuguese-language documents are accepted without translation. The criminal record check is the exception — it requires a sworn Spanish translation even though it's in Portuguese. Documents in other languages need sworn Spanish translations.
1
Visa application form (formulário de solicitação)
Original only — no copy required. Complete on a computer (not handwritten). Attach a 3x4cm colour passport photo on a white background. Include your full address with CEP, Brazilian state, email, and phone. Include planned travel dates and exact course start and end dates. Sign at the bottom.
Use our form helper tool for field-by-field guidance.
2
Passport
Valid for the entire planned stay in Spain. Original plus one A4 photocopy of the biographic data page. Must have at least two blank pages.
3
RG or RNE
Registro Geral (RG) for Brazilian citizens, or Registro Nacional de Estrangeiros (RNE) for foreign residents. Original plus A4 copy. Must be valid for at least 180 days after the end of the visa period.
4
School acceptance letter (carta de admissão / matrícula)
From your Instituto Cervantes accredited school in Spain. Must be original or digitally signed. Must clearly state: exact course start and end dates, course value (tuition fee), timetable and class hours (minimum 20 classroom hours per week), and that the course leads to a certificate or qualification. For language courses, must explicitly mention Instituto Cervantes accreditation.
All schools on this site are Instituto Cervantes accredited. Enrol and save €500 →
5
Proof of financial means (comprovação econômica)
Minimum €600/month for the full stay. Submit all of the following that apply to you: income tax return (declaração de IR — copy only); last 3 months' payslips (holerites) if employed; last 3 months' bank statements for all accounts (conta corrente, poupança, investimentos) — originals stamped and signed by bank staff at a physical branch. Internet banking statements are not accepted for banks with physical offices.
If a family member is sponsoring you: they provide a notarised Declaração de Manutenção plus their own complete financial documentation. The declaration must have the family member's signature recognised at a cartório.
⚠️ Go to your bank branch in person for stamped statements — do not print from internet banking.
6
Health insurance (seguro de saúde)
From a DGSFP-authorised Spanish insurer. Must cover all risks of Spain's public health system — no copayments, no deductibles, no waiting periods. Travel insurance is not accepted. Must cover your entire stay from entry to return. Original plus A4 copy.
Verify your insurer at rrpp.dgsfp.mineco.es. We partner with Atlántida — DGSFP-registered. Get a quote →
7
Criminal record check — certidão de antecedentes penais Stays over 180 days
For courses over 180 days. From the Polícia Federal (pf.gov.br). Must include your passport number plus CPF/RG (Brazilians) or RNE (foreign residents). Online certificates accepted if they include these numbers. Apostille at a cartório. Submit: apostilled original + A4 copy of apostilled original + sworn Spanish translation + A4 copy of translation. If you've lived outside Brazil for 6+ months in the last 5 years, also provide apostilled checks from those countries.
⚠️ The criminal record check requires a sworn Spanish translation even though it's issued in Portuguese — this is the main exception to the no-translation rule.
8
Medical certificate — atestado médico Stays over 180 days
For courses over 180 days. Issued by a licensed Brazilian doctor with a legible CRM number. Signature must be cartório-recognised. Must state: "não padece de nenhuma das enfermidades que podem ter grave impacto sobre a saúde pública de acordo com o estabelecido no Regulamento Sanitário Internacional de 2005." Apostille the document (on the doctor's signature) at a cartório, then make an A4 copy. Valid for 90 days from issue date.
Apostille first, then copy — always. The consulate's official template is available on the São Paulo requirements PDF and applies across Brazilian consulates.
9
Proof of residence in the consular jurisdiction
A utility bill (electricity, water, gas, landline, internet) or rental contract showing your name and address in one of the states covered by the Rio consulate.
If you live in MG or ES and must travel to Rio for your appointment: your home address document (from MG or ES) is your proof of residence — it is within the Rio consulate's jurisdiction.
10
Visa fee payment
Paid in Brazilian reais (BRL) at the consulate on the day of your appointment. Check the current BRL equivalent on the consulate's fees page before attending. Confirm accepted payment methods (cash and/or PIX) when booking your appointment.
The apostille process
Brazil is a Hague Convention signatory — apostilles are done at a cartório. The key rule: apostille first, then copy. Submit the apostilled original plus one A4 copy of the apostilled document.
Medical certificate — cartório recognises doctor's signature → apostille → A4 copy
Criminal record check — apostille → A4 copy → sworn Spanish translation → A4 copy of translation
Academic transcript (if required) — apostille → A4 copy
Declaração de Manutenção (if using family sponsorship) — cartório signature recognition → apostille → A4 copy
Step-by-step process
1
Enrol at an Instituto Cervantes accredited school
Get your carta de admissão confirming course dates, timetable, tuition value, and Cervantes accreditation.
⏰ At least 3 months before your course start date
2
Get your Polícia Federal criminal check and apostille (stays over 180 days)
Request at pf.gov.br including passport number and CPF/RG. Apostille at a cartório. Commission sworn Spanish translation. Present: apostilled original + copy + translation + copy of translation.
⏰ Allow 2–3 weeks — start immediately
3
Get your medical certificate and apostille (stays over 180 days)
From any registered doctor with CRM. Signature must be cartório-recognised first. Apostille. Valid 90 days from issue — time this close to your appointment.
⏰ Within 90 days of your appointment
4
Gather financial documents
Visit your bank branch for stamped 3-month statements on all accounts. Collect payslips, tax return copy, and company documents if applicable.
⏰ Collect close to your appointment — statements must be recent
5
Purchase Spanish health insurance
DGSFP-authorised insurer. No travel insurance. Covers entry date to return to Brazil.
⏰ Before booking your appointment
6
Book your cita previa online
At sede.maec.gob.es/citaprevia — select the Rio de Janeiro consulate and "Visados". Book at least 2 months before your course start date. Appointment slots can be limited.
⏰ At least 2 months before course start
7
Attend your appointment — 28th floor, Torre Rio Sul, Botafogo
Rua Lauro Müller 116. Present ID at building security to access 28th floor. Arrive 15 minutes early. Bring originals and A4 copies of all documents plus a ballpoint pen. Pay fee in BRL.
⏰ Mon–Fri 09:00–14:00
8
Wait for processing — allow 1–2 months
Track at sutramiteconsular.maec.es with your receipt code. Student visas require Madrid authorisation — process takes 1–2 months in total. Do not book non-refundable flights until the visa is in hand.
⏰ Do not book flights early
Frequently asked questions
I live in Belo Horizonte (Minas Gerais) — do I have to travel to Rio? +
Yes. There is no Spanish consulate in Minas Gerais. The Rio de Janeiro consulate covers all of MG, so residents of Belo Horizonte, Uberlândia, Juiz de Fora, and everywhere else in the state must submit their visa applications in person at the Rio consulate. Plan your trip to Rio accordingly — you'll need to be there in person for the appointment.
I live in Bahia — which consulate do I use? +
It depends on whether you're in Salvador city. Residents of Salvador city apply at the Salvador consulate. Residents of the rest of Bahia (the interior, including Feira de Santana, Vitória da Conquista, Ilhéus etc.) apply at the Rio de Janeiro consulate. If in doubt, check with both consulates.
Do I need to translate my documents into Spanish? +
Generally no — documents in Portuguese are accepted without translation. The main exception is the Polícia Federal criminal record check, which requires a sworn Spanish translation (tradução juramentada) despite being in Portuguese. Any document in a language other than Portuguese or Spanish needs a sworn Spanish translation.
How long does processing take at the Rio consulate? +
Student visas require prior authorisation from the central immigration services in Madrid, which adds time beyond the standard 1-month window. In practice, allow 6–8 weeks from the day of your appointment to receiving your passport back. The Rio consulate's own guidance suggests 1–2 months. Apply at least 2–3 months before your course start date and do not buy non-refundable flights until you have the visa.
Can someone else attend the appointment for me? +
Yes, through a duly authorised representative with a notarised power of attorney. However, if you use a representative, you must collect the visa yourself in person at the consulate (not through the representative). If you are a minor, a parent must attend the appointment.
Is the consulate really on the 28th floor? +
Yes — the consulate is currently on the 28th floor of Torre Rio Sul (Sala 2802). Older sources reference the 16th floor — the consulate has moved within the building. Present your ID at building security in the ground floor lobby; they will authorise lift access to the consular floor. Confirm the floor on the official consulate website before visiting, as it may change.