May 2025 reform — RD 1155/2024
Morocco's consulate checklists sometimes lag the rules introduced in May 2025. The following apply regardless: submit before your course start date; your acceptance letter must confirm tuition has been paid in full; your passport must be valid for at least 1 year from the application date; for Spanish language courses the school must hold recognised accreditation (Instituto Cervantes / SACIC). The Extranjería office in Spain decides the stay authorisation within 30 days, and the consulate then issues the visa within 1 month of a favourable decision. For stays over 6 months the visa is valid for 365 days, after which you collect a TIE card within 30 days of arrival.
Area covered by the Rabat consular section
You must apply at the post for the area where you reside. The Rabat consular section covers the Rabat region.
Fez and Meknes — please confirm. The reference to Fez (Fès) and Meknes (Meknès) comes from an emergency-line note rather than a published demarcation list, so confirm your jurisdiction on exteriores.gob.es before booking. Morocco has other posts — Casablanca, Tánger, Tetuán, Nador, Agadir and Larache — each covering different provinces. Apply where you reside, not at the geographically nearest post.
Document checklist (study visa over 90 days)
For language courses, university degrees, master's programmes, and other full-time study lasting more than 90 days. Bring originals plus photocopies of every document. The exact list and formatting are set out on the BLS Rabat checklist — the items below reflect the Spanish national framework under RD 1155/2024.
1
National visa application form
Completed and signed. Available in Spanish. Download from the BLS website or collect it at the centre.
2
Passport photograph
Recent passport-style photo(s), white background. Confirm the exact count and size on the BLS Rabat checklist.
3
Valid passport
Original + photocopy of the biographical page. Must be valid for at least 1 year from the application date (RD 1155/2024) and have blank pages available.
4
School acceptance letter + proof of paid tuition
From an authorised, accredited school (Instituto Cervantes / SIELE / SACIC). Must confirm tuition has been paid in full — a letter confirming admission or a deposit only is not sufficient (RD 1155/2024). The Rabat study-visa page is explicit: without proof of paid tuition the visa will not be released.
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5
Proof of financial means
Funds of 100% of IPREM — €600.00 per month (€7,200/year), the statutory minimum frozen at this level for 2023–2026. Show bank statements or equivalent proof for the length of your stay.
6
Spanish health insurance
Full cover from a DGSFP-authorised Spanish insurer, minimum €30,000, with no copayments and no waiting periods. Standard travel insurance and Schengen health policies are not accepted. Verify the insurer on the DGSFP register (rrpp.dgsfp.mineco.es).
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7
Criminal record certificate Stays over 180 days · age over 16
The Moroccan Bulletin n°3, obtained via casierjudiciaire.justice.gov.ma. Must cover every country you have lived in over the past 5 years, be no more than 3 months old, and carry the Hague Apostille + a sworn Spanish translation.
8
Medical certificate Stays over 180 days
Issued by a doctor from the consulate's approved-doctor list, no more than 3 months old, stating the applicant is free of any disease that could pose a public health risk per the 2005 International Health Regulations. Requires the Hague Apostille + sworn Spanish translation.
9
Proof of accommodation in Spain
Hotel reservation, signed lease, or a letter from the school confirming your accommodation address.
10
Proof of residence in the Rabat area
Document proving you reside in the Rabat consular section's area. Non-Moroccan nationals should also show a valid Moroccan residence permit.
Foreign documents must be in Spanish. The Rabat study-visa page states that documents issued abroad must be translated into Spanish and carry the Hague Apostille. Use a MAEC-accredited sworn (jurado) translator — local translation agencies are commonly rejected by Spanish consulates.
Apostille + sworn translation — the correct sequence
Morocco is a Hague Apostille country, so foreign public documents are apostilled (not consular-legalised). For the criminal record and medical certificate, follow this exact sequence:
1
Obtain the original document
Criminal record = Bulletin n°3 via the online portal casierjudiciaire.justice.gov.ma (National Centre of Criminal Record at the Ministry of Justice / local first-instance courts). Medical certificate from a doctor on the consulate's approved list.
2
Get the Hague Apostille
Competent authorities in Morocco include the King's Public Prosecutor at the Court of Cassation, public prosecutors at the courts of first instance, the Secretary-General of the Ministry of Justice, and the walis/governors of prefectures and provinces.
3
Sworn Spanish translation
Have the apostilled document translated by a MAEC-accredited sworn (jurado) translator.
4
Submit at BLS Rabat
Original + Apostille + Spanish translation, plus photocopies of each. The certificate should be no more than 3 months old at submission.
BLS Rabat submission tips
- Study visas are filed through BLS International in Rabat — never pay third parties for appointment access
- BLS Rabat captures your fingerprints as part of the biometric step
- The visa fee is 881 MAD, paid in cash — bring the exact amount
- Foreign documents must be translated into Spanish and carry the Hague Apostille
- Confirm your jurisdiction on exteriores.gob.es before booking — apply where you reside
- Bring originals plus photocopies of every document
- Start the criminal-record + apostille + translation chain early — it has the longest lead time
- Time-sensitive documents (medical certificate, criminal record) expire within 3 months, so don't prepare them too far ahead
Frequently asked questions
Does the Rabat post cover Fez and Meknes? +
The Rabat consular section covers the Rabat region, and an emergency-line note indicates it also covers Fez (Fès) and Meknes (Meknès). Because that comes from an emergency-line note rather than a published demarcation list, confirm your jurisdiction on exteriores.gob.es before booking.
How much is the visa fee and how do I pay? +
The Rabat study-visa fee is 881 MAD, paid in cash. Bring the exact amount to your BLS appointment.
Do my documents need to be in Spanish? +
Yes. The Rabat study-visa page states that documents issued abroad must be translated into Spanish and carry the Hague Apostille. Use a MAEC-accredited sworn (jurado) translator; local agency translations are commonly rejected.
How do I get my criminal record certificate? +
It is the Moroccan Bulletin n°3, requested through the online portal casierjudiciaire.justice.gov.ma (National Centre of Criminal Record / local first-instance courts). It is required for stays over 180 days if you are over 16, must cover your countries of residence over the last 5 years, be no more than 3 months old, and carry the Hague Apostille plus a sworn Spanish translation.
How much money do I need to show? +
The financial requirement is 100% of IPREM — €600.00 per month (€7,200 per year), frozen at this level for 2023–2026. Show proof for the length of your stay.
How long does the decision take? +
The stay authorisation is decided at the Extranjería office in Spain (a 30-day rule), and the consulate issues the visa within 1 month of a favourable decision. Apply well ahead of your course start date, and start the apostille and sworn-translation chain first because it takes the longest.