Student visa Renewal
As you know, one of the conditions for the renewal of the student visa is that the applicant must continue to study in a Spanish school, so when applying for the extension of the residence permit you need to submit the registration form for the new school year. However, what if the residence permit expires before the start of the new school year?
Note: In Spanish the registration form is called informe de matrícula, certificado de matrícula or justificante de matrícula.
Students can apply for an extension of their stay up to 90 days after it expires .
The start of the academic season for undergraduate degrees in Spain is usually mid-September, while for master’s or doctoral degrees it is usually October. In some Spanish universities, the deadline for registering for the new academic year is set a week or two before the start of the academic year, which means that students will have to wait until September or even October before they can officially register and get their registration forms. What should I do if my residency has expired by the time I get my registration form?
Article 40 of the Spanish Aliens Act states that a student’s residence can be extended within 60 days before or 90 days after the expiration date. In other words, even if your stay has expired, you can apply for an extension within 90 days after the expiration date. It is important to note that the law provides for 90 days, not 3 months. In most cases, this extra 90 days is enough time for the student to get a registration slip for the new academic year.
What should I do if I want to leave Spain in the meantime?
First of all, you should know that, according to article 7 of the Spanish Aliens Statute, after the expiration of the residence permit, it is not possible to enter the Spanish territory by virtue of it, and you can only apply for another visa. If you are traveling and expect to return on the date of expiration of your residence permit, the only way to do so is to apply for a Regreso (also known as a Return Permit), in accordance with Article 5 of the Aliens Act. The only way to enter Spain is to apply for a Home Visit Permit (also known as a Re-entry Permit) in accordance with the procedure set out in Article 5 of the Aliens Act.
Related article: Spanish return permit (regreso) application guide
