Important — Nigerian nationals need a visa for all Spain trips
Nigerian passport holders are not visa-exempt for Spain. Nigeria is on the EU visa-required list (Annex I of Regulation (EU) 2018/1806). Unlike nationals of the US, UK, Australia and Canada who can enter Spain visa-free for short stays, Nigerian nationals require a Schengen short-stay visa (Category C) for any visit — including tourist trips under 90 days. For language courses lasting more than 90 days, you need a separate national student visa (Category D). Both are processed through BLS International in Lekki.
May 2025 reform — RD 1155/2024
Spain's student visa rules changed significantly on 20 May 2025. Key requirements now in force: apply at least 2 months before your course start date; your acceptance letter must confirm tuition has been paid in full; your passport must be valid for the full duration of your planned stay and not older than 10 years; for Spanish language courses the school must hold Instituto Cervantes accreditation. New rights: student visa holders can work up to 30 hours per week without a separate permit (higher-education students only; language-school students need a separate work authorisation); a 1-year post-study job-search visa is available to university graduates on completion.
Lagos covers all of Nigeria — Abuja does not issue visas
Unlike some countries where jurisdiction is split by state or region, there is a single consular jurisdiction for the whole of Nigeria. The Consulate General of Spain in Lagos handles all consular affairs and visas; the Spanish Embassy in Abuja handles diplomatic relations only and has no visa desk.
The official Abuja embassy page states that consular affairs "fall within the purview of the Consulate General of Spain in Lagos, whose area of jurisdiction includes the whole of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and the Republic of Benin." So whether you live in Lagos, Abuja/FCT, Kano, Port Harcourt or anywhere else in Nigeria — or in Benin — your student visa is filed and decided via Lagos and the BLS centre in Lekki.
Do not travel to Abuja to apply. The Embassy in Abuja does not accept or issue student visas. If you are researching an "Abuja" route, it still leads back to Lagos — see our Abuja routing page for the explanation.
⚠️ Ignore the mislabeled Schengen figures on the BLS site
The BLS "long_term_student.php" page currently shows the wrong figures. It displays a short-stay Schengen template — "3 months passport validity", a "€30,000 travel/medical insurance" line, and a round-trip ticket requirement. Those are Schengen tourist-visa rules and are NOT correct for a national (Type D) student visa. For the student visa the national rules apply: passport valid for the full duration of your stay, full DGSFP-authorised Spanish health insurance with no copayments (travel insurance is not accepted), and no return-ticket requirement. For the correct fee use the SLU page (long student visa, over 6 months), not the generic long-term page.
Document checklist
Submit originals and photocopies of all documents. Civil, police and education documents must be legalized (see the legalization section below) and accompanied by an official/sworn Spanish translation.
1
National visa application form
Download from the consulate / BLS website. Complete every section and sign it. If a minor, a parent or accredited representative must sign.
Use our form helper tool for field-by-field guidance.
2
Passport photograph
Two recent passport-size colour photographs. Light background, facing forward, no dark glasses or face coverings.
3
Valid passport
Original + photocopy of the biometric data page and any pages with previous visas or migration stamps. Must be valid for the full duration of your planned stay and have at least 2 blank pages. Passports issued more than 10 years ago are not accepted. (Ignore any "3 months validity" note on the BLS short-stay template — that is the Schengen rule, not the student-visa rule.)
4
School acceptance letter + proof of paid tuition
From an Instituto Cervantes-accredited school. Must state the programme name, start and end dates, total cost, and confirm that tuition has been paid in full. Must be in Spanish or with a sworn Spanish translation.
All schools on this site hold Cervantes accreditation. Enrol and save €500 →
5
Proof of financial means
Minimum €600 per month for the full duration of your stay (100% IPREM 2025). BLS Nigeria asks for 6 months of bank statements, passbook or fixed-deposit statements in the applicant's name. Options:
Self-funded: Original bank statements for the last 6 months, signed and stamped by the bank, showing sufficient balance.
Sponsored by family: Letter of sponsorship signed by the sponsor + copy of sponsor's ID + sponsor's 6 months of original bank statements, signed and stamped by the bank.
If accommodation for the full stay is paid in advance, that amount may be deducted from the required funds.
Self-funded: Original bank statements for the last 6 months, signed and stamped by the bank, showing sufficient balance.
Sponsored by family: Letter of sponsorship signed by the sponsor + copy of sponsor's ID + sponsor's 6 months of original bank statements, signed and stamped by the bank.
If accommodation for the full stay is paid in advance, that amount may be deducted from the required funds.
Nigeria is a high-scrutiny post for genuineness of funds — expect close review of source-of-funds and sponsor evidence.
6
Spanish health insurance
From a DGSFP-authorised Spanish insurer. Must cover all risks of Spain's public health system with no copayments, no deductibles, and no coverage limits. Travel insurance is not accepted — the "€30,000 travel/medical insurance" figure shown on the BLS short-stay template is the Schengen rule and is not sufficient for a Type D student visa. Must cover the full duration of your stay.
We partner with Atlántida — a DGSFP-registered insurer. Get a quote →
7
Police character certificate Stays over 180 days
The Nigeria Police character certificate (also called a Police Clearance Certificate), issued by the Nigeria Police Force (Force Criminal Investigation Department). Must cover all countries where you have resided for the past 5 years. Because Nigeria is not a Hague Apostille country, it must be legalized through the full chain (see below), then accompanied by a sworn Spanish translation.
Apply through the Nigeria Police Force. Allow several weeks for issuance plus the legalization chain — start early.
8
Medical certificate Stays over 180 days
Issued by a registered medical practitioner. Must certify the applicant does not suffer from any disease with serious public health implications per the WHO International Health Regulations (2005). Must be legalized (non-Hague chain) and accompanied by a sworn Spanish translation.
9
Birth certificate + highest school certificate
BLS Nigeria's student checklist also names your birth certificate and highest school/education certificate. Both must be legalized (non-Hague chain) and accompanied by a sworn Spanish translation. A marriage certificate is also required if a spouse accompanies you.
This is a heavier document set than at visa-exempt posts — plan the legalization lead time for each document.
10
Proof of residence in Nigeria / Benin
A recent document (no older than 6 months) showing your full name and current address within the Lagos consular jurisdiction — utility bill, tenancy agreement, or similar official correspondence.
Nigeria's legalization chain — NOT an apostille
Nigeria is not a party to the Hague Apostille Convention, so there is no apostille. Public documents for use in Spain must be super-legalized through a chain, and then translated into Spanish. Do this before the sworn translation — the translator translates the fully legalized document.
1
Obtain and notarize the document
Get the original — e.g. the Nigeria Police character certificate from the Nigeria Police Force, the medical certificate from a registered doctor, or the birth/education certificate. Have it notarized by a Notary Public where required.
2
Authenticate at the Nigerian Federal Ministry of Foreign Affairs
Authenticate the document at the Federal Ministry of Foreign Affairs (Consular / Legal Department, Abuja). This step replaces the apostille for a non-Hague country.
3
Legalize at the Consulate General of Spain in Lagos
Take the MFA-authenticated document to the Consulate General of Spain in Lagos for legalization (legalization enquiries: cog.lagos.leg@maec.es).
4
Sworn Spanish translation
Have the fully legalized document translated into Spanish by an official/sworn translator (traductor jurado) recognised by the Spanish Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Submit the original + legalization + sworn translation, plus a photocopy of each.
Repeat this chain for every civil, police and education document (police certificate, medical certificate, birth certificate, highest school certificate). This is the single longest part of a Nigerian application — allow a generous lead time and start as early as possible.
Fees
From the BLS SLU page (long student visa, over 6 months). Paid in cash at the BLS centre.
€
Visa fee — NGN 153,400
The national long-stay student visa fee, listed across all age bands on the SLU page. The naira amount is repriced to the exchange rate and, in BLS's words, "is subject to change without notice". At mid-2026 rates this is roughly €80–90 — treat the euro figure as approximate and confirm the current naira amount at BLS before your appointment.
+
BLS service charge — NGN 28,800
Charged per application on top of the visa fee, also in cash.
BLS submission tips
- Book your appointment at nigeria.blsspainglobal.com — slots can fill up weeks in advance
- The BLS centre is at 8 Professor Gabriel Olusanya Street, off QMB Builders Mart Road, Elf Bus Stop, Lekki, Lagos
- Applications are submitted at the BLS centre, not directly at the consulate
- Use the SLU page (long student visa, over 6 months) for the correct fee and checklist — the generic long_term_student.php page shows a mislabeled Schengen template
- Fees are paid in cash at the centre: NGN 153,400 visa fee + NGN 28,800 service charge (confirm the current naira amounts)
- Biometrics (fingerprints and photo) are collected in person at the BLS centre
- BLS says applications take around 2–4 days to reach the consulate after submission — that is only the courier hand-off, not the decision time
- Track your application at nigeria.blsspainglobal.com after submission
Frequently asked questions
Do I apply in Lagos or Abuja? +
Lagos. There is a single consular jurisdiction for the whole of Nigeria (all 36 states + the FCT) plus the Republic of Benin, and it belongs to the Consulate General of Spain in Lagos. The Embassy in Abuja handles diplomatic matters only and does not issue visas. Wherever you live in Nigeria, your student visa is filed through BLS in Lekki and decided via Lagos.
Do I need a visa just to visit Spain as a tourist? +
Yes. Nigeria is on the EU visa-required list, so Nigerian nationals need a Schengen short-stay visa (Category C) for any trip to Spain, even for stays under 90 days. For a course longer than 90 days you need a national (Type D) student visa. Both are processed through BLS International.
Does Nigeria use an apostille? +
No. Nigeria is not a party to the Hague Apostille Convention, so there is no apostille. Documents must be super-legalized through a chain: notarize where required → authenticate at the Nigerian Federal Ministry of Foreign Affairs (Abuja) → legalize at the Consulate General of Spain in Lagos → then translate into Spanish by a sworn translator. This chain is the longest part of the process, so start early.
Where do I get the police certificate? +
The Nigeria Police character certificate (Police Clearance Certificate) is issued by the Nigeria Police Force (Force Criminal Investigation Department). It is required for student stays over 180 days and must cover the countries where you have lived for the past 5 years. Once issued, it goes through the full legalization chain and then a sworn Spanish translation. Allow several weeks in total.
How much is the visa fee? +
On the BLS SLU page (long student visa, over 6 months) the visa fee is NGN 153,400, plus a NGN 28,800 BLS service charge, both paid in cash. In euros that is roughly €80–90, but the naira amount is repriced to the exchange rate and can change without notice — confirm the current figure at the BLS centre before your appointment. Ignore the SGD/Schengen figures that appear on the mislabeled generic long-term page.
Why do the BLS figures look like tourist-visa rules? +
Because the BLS "long_term_student.php" page currently shows a short-stay Schengen template by mistake — 3-month passport validity, €30,000 travel insurance, a round-trip ticket. Those are not correct for a Type D student visa. For the student visa, your passport must be valid for the full duration of your stay, you need full DGSFP-authorised Spanish health insurance with no copayments (not travel insurance), and there is no return-ticket requirement. Use the SLU page for the fee.
How early should I apply? +
Start preparing several months before your course start date. The legalization chain (Police cert / medical / birth / school certificate → notary → Federal MFA → Spanish Consulate → sworn translation) is slow and must be repeated for each document. Apply at least 2 months before the course starts; the file is decided within about a month once complete. Do not book non-refundable flights until your visa is in hand.
Can I work in Spain on a student visa? +
Yes — since the May 2025 reform (RD 1155/2024), university / higher-education students can work up to 30 hours per week without a separate work permit (students at language schools still need a work authorisation). You still need to demonstrate sufficient financial means at the application stage — work rights don't replace the financial proof requirement.