Kingdom of Spain · study
Residence for qualifying internships
By Sam Parks · Last reviewed:
Guidance updated 15 November 2026. Full-review date shown above.
Residence for a qualifying higher-education internship under additional provision 18 of Ley 14/2013, using an eligible training agreement or employment-training contract and a host-filed application.
- Processing time
- Thirty working days for the residence decision, with positive administrative silence under the statutory procedure and applicable counting/suspension rules. A person outside Spain needs the separate visa process; appointments, requests for evidence and card issue are additional.
- Government fees
- Residence for internships: initial EUR 10.94 under 790 code 052 category 2.1.7; the applicable agreement-based renewal tariff is EUR 16.40. Separate first TIE EUR 16.08 or renewal card EUR 19.30 where payable. Any consular visa, insurance, documents and service-provider costs are additional and jurisdiction-specific.
- Typical duration
- For a training agreement: its duration up to 12 months initially, renewable once with a maximum initial-plus-renewal total of two years. For an employment-training contract: the period allowed by the actual contract and current labour law.
- Required support
- Eligible higher-education history, matching training agreement or employment-training contract and host-filed application
- Leads to permanent residency
- No
In short
Residence for a qualifying higher-education internship under additional provision 18 of Ley 14/2013, using an eligible training agreement or employment-training contract and a host-filed application. Guidance updated 15 November 2026. Costs, application stages and eligibility conditions are set out with their sources below.
Cite this: https://visaatlas.org/visas/spain/internship-residence#answer
What is the Residence for qualifying internships in Kingdom of Spain?
Eligible higher-education history, matching training agreement or employment-training contract and host-filed application. Follow the actual procedure, lawful status and issued activity conditions. Indicative government fees are Residence for internships: initial EUR 10.94 under 790 code 052 category 2.1.7; the applicable agreement-based renewal tariff is EUR 16.40. Separate first TIE EUR 16.08 or renewal card EUR 19.30 where payable. Any consular visa, insurance, documents and service-provider costs are additional and jurisdiction-specific; indicative processing time is Thirty working days for the residence decision, with positive administrative silence under the statutory procedure and applicable counting/suspension rules. A person outside Spain needs the separate visa process; appointments, requests for evidence and card issue are additional; typical duration is For a training agreement: its duration up to 12 months initially, renewable once with a maximum initial-plus-renewal total of two years. For an employment-training contract: the period allowed by the actual contract and current labour law. This route does not lead to permanent residence.
Primary guidance checked with Spanish Ministry of Inclusion, Social Security and Migrations on 15 November 2026.
Overview
The applicant must have obtained a higher-education qualification during the previous two years or be studying towards one in Spain or abroad. The internship must match the field and qualification level. The host entity files electronically through Mercurio to the provincial authority. Agreement-based training and an employment-training contract have different financial, insurance, duration and employment conditions; neither is a generic right to take any paid job.
Additional sources
Primary source
Ley 14/2013 — current international mobility, investor transitions and graduate/internship permissions ↗ · Spanish Official State Gazette (BOE)
Link last verified:
Primary source
Ley 39/2015 — Article 30 administrative time limits ↗ · Spanish Official State Gazette (BOE)
Link last verified:
Primary source
Orden PJC/617/2025 — current residence, study and identity-card fee schedule ↗ · Spanish Official State Gazette (BOE)
Link last verified:
Primary source
National Police — current 790 code 012 card fees ↗ · Spanish National Police
Link last verified:
Eligibility
Typical criteria
- ✓Higher-education completion during the two years before application, or current study towards a higher-education qualification. If studying in Spain, the applicable study permission must be held. The internship matches the academic field and qualification level.Spanish Official State Gazette (BOE) ↗
- ✓An eligible public or private host, admission under a training agreement or employment-training contract, and a structured theoretical/practical programme with objectives, duration, supervision, hours and legal relationship.Spanish Ministry of Inclusion, Social Security and Migrations ↗
- ✓Lawful status and the applicable five-year criminal-record/public-order conditions. Agreement-based applicants need sufficient maintenance/return resources and insurance; employment-contract cases have the actual wage, employer and labour-law requirements.Spanish Ministry of Inclusion, Social Security and Migrations ↗
Common blockers
- !An unrelated placement, a qualification outside the two-year window without current qualifying study, or a host unwilling to submit and support the application.Spanish Ministry of Inclusion, Social Security and Migrations ↗
- !Treating agreement-based training as unrestricted employment or applying its 12-month/two-year limits to every employment-contract branch.Spanish Official State Gazette (BOE) ↗
Typical evidence
- ·Host-signed EX04, valid passport, degree or current study evidence, the detailed signed agreement or contract, host NIF/incorporation and representation, tax/Social Security compliance and fee proof.Spanish Ministry of Inclusion, Social Security and Migrations ↗
- ·Agreement branch: accepted resources and insurance. Employment-contract branch: signed contract and employer resources for the project and wage obligations; applicable police evidence and properly translated/authenticated documents.Spanish Ministry of Inclusion, Social Security and Migrations ↗
Application pathway
Match the qualification and proposed internship
Confirm current study or recent completion, academic level and field.
Choose the real agreement or employment-contract basis
Document programme content, supervision, hours, funding/insurance or lawful contractual pay and host capacity.
Have the host file electronically
The host submits through Mercurio to the authority where the activity takes place, using EX04 and the correct fee.
Complete visa and residence documentation
If abroad, obtain the appropriate visa. Hoja 21 specifies a TIE request within one month of entry, or the relevant domestic notification for a holder of study stay. Work only within the actual authorised arrangement.
After approval: prepare for your next step
For Residence for qualifying internships, use the actual decision and the issuing authority’s instructions to establish what has been granted. A successful application, permission to enter, permission to work and a residence document are not interchangeable.
- 1. Check the decision. Confirm the name, passport, status granted, start date and any next action. Resolve an error with the authority before relying on the document for travel or employment.
- 2. Establish the travel step. Read any entry window, activation, collection or in-country registration instruction. For an extension or change of status, do not assume leaving the country is required or safe while a further step remains pending.
- 3. Confirm what you may do. Coordinate enrolment and attendance with the institution. Check the actual work conditions before accepting a job or freelance work.
- 4. Organise the household. Check each accompanying person’s permission separately, then arrange healthcare, accommodation, access to money and the relevant local registrations. A tax number or bank account does not by itself prove a right to work.
- 5. Keep the ongoing conditions visible. Record the actual expiry, renewal process, permitted absences and any duty to report changes. An initial grant does not automatically establish permanent residence or citizenship.
Plan the practical side of your stay
Once you have checked the official route, you can prepare for day-to-day life in Spain. These optional services are separate from the application and do not establish visa eligibility.
Official application links
Where to actually go next
These are the official pages to use for this route. Open them before preparing documents: the forms, fees, appointment systems, and sponsor steps can change without warning.
- Official guidanceApplicantCheck the host-filed internship procedure ↗
Distinguish an agreement from an employment-training contract, and prepare EX04 and host documents.
Spanish Ministry of Inclusion, Social Security and Migrations · verified
- Official guidanceApplicantCheck the specific internship tariff ↗
The current schedule separately lists initial internship residence and its applicable renewal.
Spanish Official State Gazette (BOE) · verified
- Official guidanceApplicantCheck the identity-card transaction ↗
Confirm the actual police checklist and deadline following entry or a qualifying domestic grant.
Spanish National Police · verified
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Related routes
Higher education and post-compulsory secondary study stay
Long-stay permission for qualifying full-time higher education or post-compulsory secondary study, with distinct admission, domestic filing, work and family rules under the current regulation.
Graduate residence for job search or business preparation
Up to 24 non-renewable months in Spain after qualifying higher-education completion to seek suitable work or prepare a business. This permission does not authorise work.
National highly qualified professional residence — Article 71.2(b)
National residence for an eligible highly qualified job or professional role, with its own qualification and salary requirements. It is distinct from Spain’s EU Blue Card branch.
Frequently asked questions
Must I already have graduated?+
No. Current study leading to a higher-education qualification can qualify, as can completion within the previous two years. The placement must match the field and qualification level.
Who files the residence application?+
The host entity files electronically, whatever its legal form. The applicant still supplies the personal, study and financial documents relevant to the branch.
Can an unpaid training agreement support the route?+
An eligible training agreement can qualify without an employment contract, but the applicant must meet the applicable resources and health-insurance conditions. The agreement must provide the required structured training details.
Is there a labour-market test for an employment-training contract?+
Additional provision 18 says the national employment situation does not apply to that qualifying contract. Current labour law and the substantive internship, employer and residence conditions still apply.
Can I bring new family members or take a second job?+
Hoja 21 does not provide new family reunification through this permission; it distinguishes family who already accompanied a student. Nor does the internship grant an unrestricted right to unrelated employment. Any other permission or activity requires its own applicable basis.
Need tailored advice?
We do not provide legal advice. For an application that depends on your exact circumstances, consult a regulator-listed immigration advisor.
Find a regulated advisor in SpainHow we verified this
We check every figure on this page against the primary government source, record the date it was last checked, and re-check it on a regular schedule. Rules change, so always confirm time-sensitive details with the official source before you rely on them. Visa Atlas is an information-only publication and does not give legal advice.
Primary source: Spanish Ministry of Inclusion, Social Security and Migrations
Last checked: 15 November 2026