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We can assist you with acquiring a visa to live and work in Barcelona.
Oxford TEFL provides a visa support service for trainees who wish to stay in Spain after completing our TEFL courses to teach English. Unlike many other course providers, we offer assistance from within the school rather than outsourcing to another company. Our Spanish Visa Advisor, James, helps our non-EU trainees obtain visas quickly and reliably while keeping costs low.
James, originally from the U.S., has firsthand knowledge of every aspect of the visa application process and common problems that may occur. We have a success rate of nearly 100% in obtaining visas for those from countries such as the US, UK, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand.
Note: Starting 1st January 2021, UK passport holders must follow the same regulations as other non-EU countries (see the table below for more information).
Visa requirements depend on your passport. You can check your country’s requirements here.
Note that if you come to Spain without a visa under the 90-day rule, you cannot apply for a visa or extend your stay further. To stay in Spain for more than 90 days, you must apply for a long-term visa before leaving your home country or country of residence.
If you are a Canadian, Australian, or New Zealand citizen, you may be eligible to apply for a one-year Youth Mobility Visa/Working Holiday visa.
These are the most common options for our non-EU applicants:
No Visa Required* (up to 90 days) | Schengen Visa (1 month) Basic Option | Long-Term Student Visa (7 months) Most Popular | Long-Term Student Visa (12 months) Best Value | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Who is it for? | *Citizens of many countries (e.g., Australia, Brazil, Singapore, UK, USA) can visit Spain for up to 90 days without a visa. Click here to see the full list. | Those who require a visa to visit Spain, but only plan to take the CELTA course before moving back home, or before moving on to another country. | Those who want to live and work in Barcelona with as much flexibility as possible, but aren’t ready to commit to a full year. | Those who want to live and work in Barcelona for at least a year, and are committed to professional development. |
Where do I apply? | N/A | At BLS International in your country of residence (NOT in Spain) | At the Spanish consulate in your country of residence (NOT in Spain) | |
Can I work? | ❌ | ❌ | ✅ | ✅ |
Can I extend/renew if I decide to stay longer? | ❌ | ❌ | ✅ | ✅ |
Course Requirements | N/A | CELTA (face-to-face in Barcelona, full-time) + 6 months of our Developing Teacher Course with Spanish + Oxford TEFL Visa Service | CELTA (face-to-face in Barcelona, full-time) + 11 months of our Developing Teacher Course with Spanish + Oxford TEFL Visa Service | |
Time Needed to Apply (approx.) | N/A | 4–6 weeks (2 weeks to gather the required documents + 2–4 weeks for BLS International to process your visa application) | 3 months (2 months to gather the required documents + 1 month for the consulate to process your visa application) | |
Fees | Starting from €1550 CELTA course: €1550* | Starting from €1610 CELTA course: €1550* Schengen Visa Support: €60 | Starting from €3530 CELTA course: €1550* 6 months DTCS: €1800 Long-Term Visa Support: €180 | Starting from CELTA course: €1550* 11 months DTCS: €3300 Long-Term Visa Support: |
Payment Deadline (FULL Fees) | 1 week before your start date | 6 weeks before your start date | 3 months before your start date | |
Notes | — | The full fees listed above must be paid before we can provide visa support or prepare a letter of enrolment for your visa application. | ||
*CELTA course fee includes early bird discount.
Finding an employer to sponsor a work visa as a non-EU national without EU citizenship or residency through birth, ancestry, or marriage is unlikely due to EU hiring laws. Employers must prove that no suitably qualified EU citizens could do the job before hiring a non-EU citizen, making it more feasible in areas of labour shortage (e.g., the nautical and maritime sector) but highly unlikely in foreign language education.
A long-term student visa is a possible alternative. As a full-time student, you can apply for student work authorisation and work up to 30 hours per week, which is more than full-time for a newly qualified teacher. Employers do not have to prove that there were no EU citizens who could do the job to hire a full-time student.
Before arriving in Spain:
Unlimited support by email with replies in one business day
Step-by-step guidance applying for a student visa:
Helping you determine where to send your application
Confirming what documentation is required
Support filling in forms for the different processes required
Providing bilingual templates to help you save time and reduce translation costs
Making medical insurance recommendations
After arriving in Spain:
Unlimited support by email with replies in one business day
Step-by-step guidance applying for legally required documentation:
Empadronamiento (Housing Registration)
NIE and TIE (ID Number and ID Card)
Social Security Number
Support with translation, filling in forms and making appointments
Liaising with potential TEFL employers to help them sponsor your student work authorisation
Before your visa expires:
Step-by-step guidance renewing your student visa (if you are taking another course with us)
For most applicants, the first step is to apply for our Cambridge CELTA course in Barcelona. At the bottom of your application, in the “message” section, please be sure to note that you are interested in applying for a student visa.
Get a long-term student visa to teach English in Spain: If you’re a non-EU citizen, we offer a combination of our top-rated CELTA course in our modern school in the centre of the city plus our Developing Teacher Course with Spanish for your chance to live, study and work in Barcelona legally as a qualified TEFL teacher for 1 year.
If you already have a CELTA or a similar qualification, you can apply directly to the Developing Teacher Course with Spanish.
James, our Spanish Visa Advisor, is from Missouri, USA. He started his TESOL career in France in 2014 before moving to Japan, where he worked as an English teacher from 2015 to 2019. In 2020, he came to Barcelona to do a Master of Applied Linguistics at the University of Barcelona, after which he joined the team at Oxford House.
As a non-EU citizen, James has gone through the visa process himself and is passionate about helping others legally live and work in Barcelona. His first-hand experience with the potential challenges of moving to Spain enables him to better assist non-EU trainees in their journey, ensuring they receive fast, reliable, and cost-effective service.
Download our Barcelona Visa Service Infopack now!
Would you like to stay in Spain to teach English? Receive information straight into your inbox about how our visa support service can help you live that dream.
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