How do I extend my student stay in Spain?

Checked on 2026-10-25

Spain's immigration regulation lets you apply online for an extension (prórroga) in the two months before your student visa or authorisation expires, proving you still meet the study, passport, money and insurance requirements. Applying in time keeps your stay valid until the decision. Spain has one month; no answer means refusal. Each extension lasts up to one year.

Key facts

What	The law says	Source
How long the first authorisation lasts	The length of the activity, up to one year; for higher education, the official length of the studies	RD 1155/2024, art. 55.1
Multi-year authorisation	Show proof of enrolment at the start of each academic year	RD 1155/2024, art. 55.2
When to apply for an extension	In the two months before your visa or authorisation expires	RD 1155/2024, art. 55.3
Who can extend	Higher education, secondary education, volunteering, training activities (not student mobility programmes)	RD 1155/2024, art. 55.3
What to prove	Study requirements, no public-order threat, valid passport, enough money, health insurance	RD 1155/2024, art. 55.3
How	Online, on the official form, to the immigration office of the province that granted the first authorisation	RD 1155/2024, art. 55.4
Late application	Up to three months after expiry still keeps you covered, but you may face a penalty procedure	RD 1155/2024, art. 55.4
Decision time	One month; no answer means refused	RD 1155/2024, art. 55.4
Length and number of extensions	Up to one year each; one for volunteering and training, up to two for higher and secondary education	RD 1155/2024, art. 55.5

Do you need an extension at all?

Spain’s immigration regulation (Real Decreto 1155/2024) sets the student authorisation for the length of your studies or activity, up to one year. For higher education, it matches the official length of the studies instead (art. 55.1). When the authorisation is granted for more than one year, you or your school must show proof each year, at the start of the course, that you are still enrolled (art. 55.2).

When and how to apply

You can ask for an extension (prórroga) in the two months before your visa or authorisation expires. This applies to higher education, post-compulsory secondary education, volunteering and training activities; the regulation doesn’t list student mobility programmes here (art. 55.3).

You must show that you still meet (art. 55.3):

the study requirements for your type of stay, such as admission and payment of enrolment fees (art. 53.1);
that you are not a threat to public order, security or health (art. 53.2);
a valid passport, enough money and health insurance (art. 35.b, h and i).

The application goes online, by you or a representative, on the official form, to the immigration office of the province where you got your first authorisation (art. 55.4).

While you wait

Applying within the two-month window keeps your current authorisation valid until the decision. Applying within three months after it expired also keeps it valid until the decision, but the regulation says a penalty procedure may be opened for that infraction. If one month passes without a decision being notified, the application counts as refused (art. 55.4).

How long and how often

Each extension covers the course you’re enrolled in, the volunteering service or the training activity, up to one year. Volunteering and training stays can be extended once; higher and secondary education stays up to twice (art. 55.5).

For Spanish or co-official language courses, you need to have passed your course at an official language school (Escuela Oficial de Idiomas) or, in other schools, to hold a DELE diploma, have registered for the DELE exam, or hold a diploma from the Servicio Internacional de Evaluación de la Lengua Española (art. 55.5).

Sources

Real Decreto 1155/2024, de 19 de noviembre, Reglamento de la Ley Orgánica 4/2000, arts. 35, 52, 53 and 55 (consolidated text, BOE) checked 2026-10-25

Change history

2026-10-25: Page created

This is general information, not legal advice, and Lumen is not a law firm. Rules change and offices differ: check the official sources above before you act. Found something wrong or out of date? Write to support@lumen.observer.