Do you need a student visa?
Irish citizens and EU/EEA nationals do not need a student visa. If you hold an Irish, European, or EEA passport, you can move to Spain to study without any visa. Register at the Oficina de Extranjeros within 3 months of arrival to get your green NIE certificate.
This page is for non-EU nationals residing in Ireland. If you hold a non-EU passport (Brazilian, American, Indian, Chinese, Filipino, etc.) and are legally resident in Ireland with a valid IRP/GNIB card, apply here. Your IRP card must be valid through your planned stay in Spain.
UK nationals living in Ireland no longer have EU free movement rights and must apply for a student visa. Since UK nationals in Ireland don't hold a GNIB/IRP card, use your driving licence or tax receipts as proof of Irish residence.
Jurisdiction
The Spanish Embassy in Dublin covers all of Ireland — Republic of Ireland and, for UK nationals residing there, Northern Ireland residents should apply at the UK consulates (Edinburgh or London depending on their home address).
Visa fees
Fees are paid in cash or by card (3% surcharge applies for card payments) at BLS on the day of your appointment.
| Nationality | Fee |
|---|---|
| Most nationalities | €90 |
| Australia, Bangladesh, Canada, USA, UK | Confirm with embassy — reciprocity rates apply |
All fees are non-refundable. Card payments incur a 3% surcharge — cash is preferred.
Required documents
Bring originals and photocopies of everything. A key advantage in Ireland: documents issued by EU countries do not need to be apostilled or translated — only documents from non-EU countries require legalisation and sworn translation.
1
National visa application form
Download from the Embassy website. Complete every section and sign it. If a minor, one parent or accredited representative must sign.
Use our form helper tool for field-by-field guidance.
2
Passport photograph
Recent passport-size colour photograph taken within the last 6 months. Light background, facing forward, no dark glasses or face coverings.
3
Valid passport
Original and photocopy of the biometric data page(s). Must be valid for at least 1 year from the date of application and contain two blank pages. Passports issued more than 10 years ago are not accepted.
4
School acceptance letter and proof of tuition payment
From your Instituto Cervantes accredited school in Spain. Must confirm admission, programme dates, and fees paid. A single document may satisfy both admission and payment requirements.
All schools on this site are Instituto Cervantes accredited. Enrol here →
5
Proof of financial means
Minimum €600/month for the duration of your stay. Dublin requires 6 months of bank statements — originals, stamped by your bank. Alternatively: a scholarship letter, a university letter covering all costs, or a parent sponsorship letter (notarised, apostilled if from a non-EU country, translated) with their 6 months of stamped bank statements, employer letter, and your birth certificate.
⚠️ Bank statements must be originals stamped by your bank. If your bank account is held in a non-EU country, the statements may need to be apostilled and translated. Irish and EU bank statements do not need apostilling.
6
Health insurance
From a Spanish DGSFP-authorised insurer. Must cover all risks of Spain's public health system with no copayments, no deductibles, no waiting periods. Travel insurance is not accepted. Valid for the full duration of stay.
We partner with Atlántida — a DGSFP-registered Spanish insurer. Get a quote →
7
Criminal record check Stays over 180 days
For stays exceeding 180 days: criminal record certificate from every country you've resided in for the past 5 years. Documents from EU countries do not need apostilling or translation. Documents from non-EU countries must be apostilled and translated into Spanish by a sworn translator. Must not be older than 6 months.
✓ In Ireland, request your criminal record check from An Garda Síochána (Garda National Vetting Bureau or Garda Central Vetting Unit). As an Irish-issued document, no apostille is required.
8
Medical certificate Stays over 180 days
For stays exceeding 180 days: a medical certificate from your GP stating you do not suffer from diseases that may have serious public health repercussions under the International Health Regulations of 2005. Irish GP certificates do not need apostilling. Non-EU issued certificates must be apostilled and translated.
✓ A certificate issued by your Irish GP does not need apostilling — one fewer step than applicants in non-EU countries.
9
Proof of legal residence in Ireland
Your current IRP card (Irish Residence Permit / GNIB card), valid through your planned stay in Spain. If you are a UK national residing in Ireland (who does not hold an IRP card), submit your Irish driving licence or recent Irish tax receipts as proof of residence instead.
⚠️ Your IRP card must be valid for the entire duration of your planned stay in Spain. If it expires before your return date, renew it before applying for your visa.
10
Visa fee payment
€90 for most nationalities, paid in cash or by card at BLS (3% card surcharge). US, UK, Australian and Canadian nationals — confirm the reciprocity rate with the embassy before your appointment. All fees are non-refundable.
Step-by-step process
1
Check your IRP card validity
Your IRP card must be valid through your entire planned stay in Spain. If it expires before your return date, renew it at the INIS (Irish Naturalisation and Immigration Service) before applying for your student visa.
⏰ Do this first
2
Enrol at an accredited school and get your acceptance letter
Your school must be Instituto Cervantes accredited. The letter must confirm admission, course dates, full-time attendance, and fees paid.
⏰ As soon as you decide to go
3
Get your Garda criminal record check if needed (stays over 180 days)
Request from An Garda Síochána. No apostille needed — it's an Irish document. If you've lived outside Ireland for 6+ months in the past 5 years, also get a check from that country (apostilled if non-EU, translated if not in Spanish/English).
⏰ Allow 2–4 weeks
4
Get your GP medical certificate if needed (stays over 180 days)
Ask your Irish GP for a certificate with the required IHR 2005 wording. Irish GP certificates do not need apostilling. Have it translated into Spanish by a sworn translator.
⏰ Within 3 months of your appointment
5
Purchase health insurance
From a DGSFP-authorised Spanish insurer. No travel insurance. Must cover the full stay including 1 month before and 15 days after course.
⏰ Before booking your BLS appointment
6
Book your BLS appointment
Book at ireland.blsspainvisa.com. Apply at least 2 months before your course start date. Walk-in appointments are available during submission hours — check the BLS website for current times.
⏰ At least 2 months before course start
7
Attend your BLS appointment in Drumcondra
At 2A Chamberlain Court, Richmond Avenue, Drumcondra, Dublin D03 DY93. Bring originals and copies of everything. Pay the fee by cash or card.
⏰ Day of appointment
8
Receive your passport by courier
The Embassy's legal decision period is just 10 days — the fastest of any Spanish mission. Your passport will be returned by courier once processed. Track your application at sutramiteconsular.maec.es with your receipt code. Do not book non-refundable travel until your visa is in hand.
⏰ Legal decision within 10 days
Dublin-specific quirks
10-day legal decision period — the fastest Spanish mission we cover. Most Spanish consulates have a 1-month legal decision window. Dublin's Embassy operates on a 10-day period. In practice this means significantly faster turnaround for routine applications, though complex cases or those requiring additional documents will take longer. Don't book non-refundable travel until you have the visa regardless.
EU documents don't need apostilling or translation. This is a major practical advantage for Ireland-based applicants. Your Irish bank statements, GP certificate, Garda criminal record check, and IRP card are all accepted as-is — no apostille, no translation required. Only documents issued by non-EU countries need those extra steps.
Passport returned by courier — no in-person collection. Unlike some BLS centres, the Dublin office does not offer collection in person. Your passport is dispatched by courier once the Embassy has processed your application. Make sure you have a reliable delivery address. BLS also offers tracked courier options — check their additional services page.
Your IRP card must cover your full stay in Spain. The Embassy checks that your Irish residence permit is valid through your planned return date from Spain. If your IRP card expires before then, it will likely cause delays or a refusal. Renew it before applying for your student visa.
UK nationals in Ireland: use driving licence or tax receipts for residence proof. Since UK nationals in Ireland don't hold a GNIB/IRP card, the Embassy specifically accepts a driving licence or Irish tax receipts as proof of residence. This is the only Spanish embassy/consulate to explicitly list these alternatives.
Frequently asked questions
I'm Irish — do I need a student visa for Spain? +
No. Irish citizens are EU nationals and have full freedom of movement in Spain. You can move to Spain to study without any visa, for any duration. You should register at the local Oficina de Extranjeros (foreigners' office) within 3 months of arriving to get your green NIE certificate, but this is a registration requirement, not a visa.
I'm Brazilian / American / Indian and living in Ireland — do I apply here? +
Yes. If you hold a non-EU passport and are legally resident in Ireland with a valid IRP card, the Spanish Embassy in Dublin is your consulate. You cannot apply at the Spanish Embassy in your home country — you must apply from your country of current legal residence.
My IRP card expires before my course ends — what do I do? +
Renew your IRP card before applying for the student visa. The Embassy needs to see that your Irish residency is valid through your planned return from Spain. Contact INIS (the Irish Naturalisation and Immigration Service) to renew your IRP at inis.gov.ie.
Does my Irish GP certificate need apostilling? +
No. Documents issued in Ireland and other EU countries are accepted without apostilling at the Spanish Embassy in Dublin. Your Irish GP certificate just needs to contain the correct IHR 2005 wording and optionally a sworn translation into Spanish (though many Dublin applicants report that English-language certificates are accepted — verify with BLS when booking).
How fast is processing really? +
The legal decision period is 10 days from submission — by far the fastest of any Spanish mission. In practice, straightforward applications are often turned around within this window. However, if the Embassy requests additional documents or calls you for an interview, the clock pauses and the process takes longer. Always apply at least 2 months before your course start date regardless.
I'm a UK national living in Northern Ireland — do I apply here or in the UK? +
You apply at the UK consulate based on your home address — Edinburgh covers Northern Ireland. The Spanish Embassy in Dublin only covers residents of the Republic of Ireland.