Important — Pakistani nationals need a visa for all Spain trips
Pakistani passport holders are not visa-exempt for Spain. Unlike nationals of the US, UK, Australia and Canada who can enter Spain visa-free for short stays, Pakistani nationals require a Schengen short-stay visa (Category C) for any visit under 90 days. For language or study courses lasting more than 90 days, you need a separate national student visa (Category D). The Embassy runs these as separate channels — use the national-visa email emb.islamabad.NAC@maec.es for study visas, not the Schengen address.
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.
Is Islamabad the right consulate for you?
The Embassy of Spain in Islamabad is the only Spanish mission in Pakistan. It covers the whole of Pakistan — there is no separate Spanish Consulate General for visa processing. You do not choose by proximity to Islamabad: you submit at whichever Intiana application centre serves your area, in one of three cities.
There is no Spanish Consulate General in Karachi or Lahore — those cities have Intiana application centres only. The Embassy in Islamabad is the sole visa-issuing mission. All three centres feed applications to the same Embassy.
Use thespainvisa.com to confirm the current centre address before you travel. The Karachi and Lahore street addresses circulating on older third-party guides are legacy addresses from the previous provider (BLS) and may no longer be current. Book and verify through the official partner site rather than relying on cached listings.
Document checklist
Submit originals and photocopies of all documents. All documents not in Spanish must be accompanied by a sworn Spanish translation. Confirm the exact list against the current embassy / thespainvisa.com checklist before your appointment.
1
National visa application form
The national (long-stay) visa application form. 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
Recent passport-size colour photographs. Light background, facing forward, no dark glasses or face coverings.
3
Valid passport
Original + photocopy of all pages containing biometric data, previous visas and 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.
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, €7,200/year). Options:
Self-funded: Original bank statements signed and stamped by the bank, showing sufficient and consistent balance.
Sponsored by family: Letter of sponsorship + copy of the sponsor's ID/passport + the sponsor's 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 signed and stamped by the bank, showing sufficient and consistent balance.
Sponsored by family: Letter of sponsorship + copy of the sponsor's ID/passport + the sponsor's 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.
Pakistan is a high-scrutiny post for Spain: prepare thorough, well-documented financials and be ready to evidence the source of funds. An interview is possible. (Practical guidance, not an official rule.)
6
Spanish health insurance
From a DGSFP-authorised Spanish insurer. Must cover all risks with no copayments, no deductibles and a minimum €30,000 cover, for the full duration of your stay. Travel insurance is not accepted.
We partner with Atlántida — a DGSFP-registered insurer. Get a quote →
7
Police Character Certificate (PCC) Stays over 180 days
The Pakistani Police Character Certificate (issued via the Special Branch / NADRA-linked process). Required for applicants aged 18+. Must cover all countries where you have resided for the past 5 years. Must be apostilled by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA), then accompanied by a sworn Spanish translation.
In practice the PCC often needs internal attestation by the issuing authority before MOFA can apostille it — allow extra lead time.
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). Where required, apostille via MOFA and provide a sworn Spanish translation.
9
Proof of residence in Pakistan
A recent document (no older than 6 months) showing your full name and current address — utility bill, tenancy agreement, or similar official correspondence — to establish your application belongs to the Pakistan jurisdiction.
Pakistan's apostille process — MOFA
Pakistan acceded to the Hague Apostille Convention, which entered into force for Pakistan on 9 March 2023. Pakistani public documents for use in Spain now require a MOFA apostille — not the old chain-legalisation route through the Spanish embassy. Spain and Pakistan are both Convention parties, so a MOFA apostille is accepted with no further Spanish-embassy legalisation. This is an apostille, not a legalisation.
1
Obtain the original document
Police Character Certificate via the Special Branch / NADRA process; medical certificate from a registered doctor. In practice these often need internal attestation by the issuing authority first.
2
Get the MOFA apostille
Apply for the Hague Apostille through the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) — MOFA headquarters in Islamabad plus liaison / camp offices in Karachi, Lahore, Quetta, Peshawar and Gujrat. Online / QR verification is available at apostille.mofa.gov.pk. The apostille is the final step for foreign use.
3
Sworn Spanish translation
Have the apostilled document translated into Spanish by a sworn translator (traductor jurado) recognised by Spain's Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MAEC). Apostille first, then translate the document together with the apostille.
4
Submit
Original document + MOFA apostille + sworn Spanish translation, plus a photocopy of each. Build in several weeks of lead time for the full attestation → apostille → translation chain. Confirm exact wording on the current embassy / thespainvisa.com checklist, as some published checklists still use older "legalization" language.
Booking through Intiana (thespainvisa.com)
- The official partner is Intiana (Pvt.) Ltd, operating the Spain Visa Application Centre at thespainvisa.com — not BLS. Ignore any legacy BLS references you find in older online guides
- Book your appointment at appointment.thespainvisa.com — the partner advises booking around 1 month in advance
- Centres operate in Islamabad, Karachi and Lahore. Confirm the current centre address on thespainvisa.com before travelling — older addresses online may be out of date
- Study-visa fee: PKR 29,578 (same for adults and children), plus a separate PKR 5,519 Intiana service fee. That is roughly €90, but confirm — the payable amount is the PKR figure and exchange rates move
- Fees are cash only and non-refundable. Do not confuse the PKR 29,578 study-visa fee with the separate Schengen short-stay fee
- Direct any question about the study visa itself to the Embassy's national-visa email emb.islamabad.NAC@maec.es
- Because the outsourcing partner changed (BLS → Intiana), online guides are frequently out of date — rely on thespainvisa.com and the embassy emails
Frequently asked questions
Do I need a visa just to visit Spain as a tourist? +
Yes. Pakistani nationals require a Schengen short-stay visa (Category C) for any trip to Spain, even for stays under 90 days. This is different from nationals of the US, UK, Australia and Canada, who can enter Spain visa-free for short stays. For a course of more than 90 days you need a national student visa (Category D) instead.
Do I apply at BLS? +
No. The current official partner in Pakistan is Intiana (Pvt.) Ltd, operating the Spain Visa Application Centre at thespainvisa.com — not BLS. Book your appointment at appointment.thespainvisa.com. Many older online guides still reference BLS; those are out of date, so use thespainvisa.com and the Embassy's own emails.
Which city do I submit my application in? +
There are Intiana application centres in Islamabad, Karachi and Lahore. The Embassy in Islamabad is the only Spanish visa-issuing mission and covers the whole of Pakistan; the Karachi and Lahore centres are application centres only. Confirm the current centre address on thespainvisa.com before travelling, as some addresses circulating online are legacy BLS addresses.
How much is the student visa fee? +
The national study-visa fee is PKR 29,578 (the same for adults and children), plus a separate Intiana service fee of PKR 5,519. Payment is cash only and non-refundable. That is roughly €90, but confirm — the payable figure is the PKR amount and the euro equivalent moves with exchange rates. Do not confuse it with the separate Schengen short-stay fee.
Do I need an apostille or a legalisation on my documents? +
An apostille. Pakistan joined the Hague Apostille Convention, which entered into force for Pakistan on 9 March 2023. Pakistani public documents for use in Spain now carry a MOFA apostille (verifiable at apostille.mofa.gov.pk) instead of the old chain legalisation. After the apostille, you still need a sworn Spanish translation. Some published checklists still use older "legalization" wording, so confirm the current text on the embassy / thespainvisa.com checklist.
What is the Police Character Certificate and how do I attest it? +
The PCC is Pakistan's criminal record check (via the Special Branch / NADRA-linked process), required for student stays over 180 days for applicants aged 18+. In practice it often needs internal attestation by the issuing authority first, then a MOFA apostille, then a sworn Spanish translation. Allow several weeks for the full chain.
How long does a decision take? +
Secondary sources commonly cite around 15–30 working days for Pakistan, and the national framework targets roughly one month at consulate level (longer if Spain's immigration office is involved). No exact figure is published on the official Islamabad embassy page, so treat this as a guide and apply well ahead — at least 2 months before your course start, more if your documents still need apostille and translation.
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.