Question
I am trying to go for residency in 2 years (Filipino). I am planning to go about it through a Spanish student visa and taking my studies at a language school, then possibly shifting it into a work permit. Is this a valid route? I read somewhere that the time on a student visa would not count towards citizenship.
Answers
These are the answers of Spainguru’s Facebook group members:
“This would be a valid route and the 2 years would count once you get the work permit…the student visa time would not count.”
“No, because student visas don’t count for any time at all towards residency. They are permiso de estancia, permission to stay not residency. And getting a work visa is extremely difficult because they’d have to prove that, you, a non Spanish/EU citizen can only do the job, that’s a litmus test that is cumbersome and most employers don’t even want to bother.”
“Some options to earn the two years are: Spain Non lucrative visa (but you can’t work on it) or Spanish digital nomad visa.”
“If you’re planning to study, I suggest something highly technical like data science as companies are more willing to hire/sponsor work permits for people with this background (you could also qualify for a highly qualified professional work permit).”
“The thing is, you will be studying for a language course. It is not valid to switch to a work permit after a year. The ones that are only valid are the official master diplomas, after your studies you can switch it to a job search visa or a work permit without proving other Spanish/EU national can do the job.”
“Those in Spain on an estancia por estudios, such as language school students, absolutely CAN modify from student stay to residence & employment or self-employment, provided they can present proof of having completed their studies. It isn’t exclusive to university students.”
“If you mean Spanish Citizenship, student permits don’t count toward the 2 years. You can modify from student to residence and work permit. If you take an official Spanish course that gives you at least a Spanish A2 level you won’t need to take the language exam required for Spanish nationality.”
“If you can do a master’s instead, you’ll qualify for the búsqueda de empleo visa which is considered residencia. That will give you time that accrues toward citizenship.”
“I will take the DNV or Digital nomad visa this can qualify for residence.”
“Make sure as well that your masters is from a public university.”
Related read: I am a Filipino student for four years in Spain. Am I eligible for Spanish citizenship or larga duración UE residence permit?
Conclusion
The conversation reveals diverse perspectives on the potential for a student visa to transition into a residency and work permit in Spain.
Key takeaways include the clarification that time spent under a student visa does not directly contribute towards Spanish citizenship by residency requirements.
However, certain pathways, such as a shift from a student to a work visa, pursuing highly technical studies, or obtaining specific types of visas like the digital nomad, non lucrative visa or job search visas post-masters, could facilitate the process.
Notably, the success of these transitions can depend on the type of studies undertaken and the ability to fulfill specific conditions set by Spanish immigration law.
