Jurisdiction — does the Salvador consulate cover you?
The Salvador consulate covers the entire northeast of Brazil. If you're in any of these states, this is your consulate:
| Consulate | States covered |
|---|---|
| Salvador | Bahia, Sergipe, Alagoas, Pernambuco, Paraíba, Ceará, Rio Grande do Norte, Piauí, Maranhão |
| Rio de Janeiro | RJ, MG, ES, interior of Bahia*, GO, TO |
| São Paulo | SP, PR, MS |
| Porto Alegre | RS, SC, MT |
| Brasília (Embassy) | DF, Rondônia, Acre, Amazonas, Roraima, Amapá, Pará |
* There is some inconsistency between sources over whether Piauí and Maranhão fall under Salvador or Rio de Janeiro. The official Embassy of Spain in Brazil website lists both PI and MA under Salvador. Verify with the Salvador consulate directly before booking if you live in either of these states.
How to book your appointment
Salvador uses a third-party platform called Bookitit for consular appointments — different from São Paulo (email) and Rio de Janeiro (cita previa portal). The booking link is on the official consulate homepage.
Book via Bookitit. Go to the consulate's appointment page and click the Bookitit link. Select "Visados" as the service and follow the prompts to secure your slot. Book as early as possible — availability can be limited.
For visa queries: email cog.salvador.vis@maec.es. For general consulate queries: cog.salvadorbahia@maec.es. Phone: +55 71 3336-9055 / 3337-3112.
Required documents
Submit originals and A4 photocopies of all documents. Portuguese-language documents are accepted without translation — the criminal record check is the exception. Documents in other languages require a sworn Spanish translation (tradução juramentada).
1
Visa application form (formulário de solicitação)
Original only — no copy required. Complete on a computer, not by hand. Attach a 3x4cm colour passport photo on a white background. Include your full address with CEP, state, email and phone. Note your 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. Minimum two blank pages.
3
RG or RNE
Registro Geral (RG) for Brazilian citizens, Registro Nacional de Estrangeiros (RNE) for foreign residents in Brazil. Original plus A4 copy. Must be valid for at least 180 days after the visa end date.
4
School acceptance letter (carta de admissão)
From your Instituto Cervantes accredited school in Spain. Original or digitally signed. Must clearly state: exact course start and end dates, tuition value, class timetable (minimum 20 hours/week in person), and confirmation of Instituto Cervantes accreditation for language courses.
All schools on this site are Instituto Cervantes accredited. Enrol and save €500 →
5
Proof of financial means (comprovação econômica)
Minimum €600/month for your full stay. Submit all of the following that apply: income tax return (IR — copy only); last 3 months' payslips (holerites) if employed (original + copy); last 3 months' bank statements for all accounts — current (corrente), savings (poupança), investments — signed and stamped at a physical bank branch (original + copy). Internet banking printouts are not accepted for banks with physical offices.
⚠️ Get bank statements stamped in person at a branch — do not print from online banking.
If sponsored by a family member: they need a notarised Declaração de Manutenção with cartório-recognised signature, plus their full financial documentation.
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 entry date to return to Brazil. Original + 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 passport number plus CPF/RG (Brazilians) or RNE (foreign residents). Apostille at a cartório. Submit: apostilled original + A4 copy + sworn Spanish translation + A4 copy of translation. If you've lived outside Brazil for 6+ months in the past 5 years, also provide apostilled checks from those countries.
⚠️ The PF criminal record check requires a sworn Spanish translation even though it's 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. From any licensed doctor with a legible CRM number. Signature must be cartório-recognised before apostilling. Must state that the applicant does not suffer from diseases with serious public health repercussions under IHR 2005. Apostille at a cartório (on the doctor's signature). Valid 90 days from issue. Submit: apostilled original + A4 copy.
Apostille first, then copy — always. Do not copy the document before apostilling.
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 nine states covered by the Salvador consulate.
10
Visa fee payment
Paid in BRL at the consulate on the day of your appointment. Confirm the current BRL rate and accepted payment methods (cash/PIX) with the consulate or check the official fees page before attending.
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 course start
2
Get your Polícia Federal criminal check and apostille (stays over 180 days)
Request at pf.gov.br with passport number and CPF/RG. Apostille at a cartório. Commission sworn Spanish translation.
⏰ Allow 2–3 weeks — start immediately
3
Get your medical certificate and apostille (stays over 180 days)
From any registered doctor with CRM. Cartório-recognised signature, then apostille. Valid 90 days from issue date.
⏰ Within 90 days of your appointment
4
Collect stamped bank statements from your branch
Visit your bank in person for 3 months of statements on all accounts, stamped and signed by a bank employee.
⏰ Close to your appointment — must be recent
5
Purchase Spanish health insurance
DGSFP-authorised insurer. No travel insurance. Covers entry date to return.
⏰ Before booking your appointment
6
Book via Bookitit
Go to the consulate's appointment page and click the Bookitit link. Select "Visados". At least 2 months before your course start date.
⏰ At least 2 months before course start
7
Attend your appointment — Av. Oceânica 8, Barra
Edifício Farol Praia Center, Salas 102/103, Barra, Salvador. Bring originals and A4 copies of all documents. Pay fee in BRL.
⏰ Day of appointment
8
Wait for processing — allow 6–8 weeks
Track at sutramiteconsular.maec.es. Student visas require Madrid authorisation. Do not buy non-refundable flights until the visa is in hand.
⏰ Do not book flights early
Frequently asked questions
I live in Recife (PE) — which consulate do I use? +
Salvador. The Salvador consulate covers all of Pernambuco — including Recife, Caruaru, Petrolina and everywhere else in the state. The same applies to Fortaleza (Ceará), Maceió (Alagoas), Natal (Rio Grande do Norte), João Pessoa (Paraíba), Aracaju (Sergipe), São Luís (Maranhão), and Teresina (Piauí).
How does the Bookitit booking system work? +
Bookitit is a third-party appointment management platform. Go to the consulate website, click the Agendamento link, and you'll be redirected to Bookitit. Create an account if required, select the visa appointment type, choose your date and time, and confirm. You'll receive a confirmation email with a reference code — bring this to your appointment. Bookitit is different from the cita previa system used by other Spanish consulates globally.
Do I need to translate my documents into Spanish? +
No — documents in Portuguese are accepted without translation. The main exception is the Polícia Federal criminal record check, which requires a sworn Spanish translation despite being in Portuguese. Any document in another language (not Portuguese or Spanish) also needs a sworn translation.
I live in Fortaleza — is there a consulate there? +
There is a Spanish honorary consulate in Fortaleza but it cannot process student visas. For student visa applications, residents of Ceará (including Fortaleza) must apply at the Consulate General in Salvador. Contact the Salvador consulate to confirm and plan your travel accordingly.
How long does the process take? +
Student visas require prior authorisation from Madrid's central immigration services, which adds time beyond the standard 1-month window. Allow 6–8 weeks total from your appointment date. Apply at least 2–3 months before your course start and do not buy non-refundable flights until you have the visa physically in hand.