₦airaland Forum

jahbenedict:
A senior colleague was at BLS on Monday for a business visa appointment. He said, they only accept manually stamped bank statements, i.e statements printed off by the bank and physically stamped. They rejected the emailed statements he got from his bank. Fortunately, both banks had branches nearby, so he was able to get the statements printed off and stamped.

Also the arrival and departure dates on your flight itinerary must match the dates of your hotel booking. He said people were asked to go back and rebook their hotels and flights.

They said to wait at least 20 days for the final visa decision.

femicephas:
Email your school (perhaps their international office) -- they might be able to help. I also got Feb 2027 appointment. My school mailed the embassy, and they brought it forward to July 6.

Ikoko30:
Thanks. For the legalization, roughly how much would it cost 6 documents.
Is legalisation per page or document

femicephas:
Legalization is around 68,000 naira per page (all my docs were 1 page each, though). Ensure your school sends your school certificate/transcripts to the embassy to avoid the 2-month investigation, which incurs an extra cost.

femicephas:
Is this applicable only to non-study visas? I submitted the electronically signed statement, and it was accepted.

jahbenedict:
Good question, not sure I have the answer.

My colleague applied for a business visa, he and others were told to go get physically stamped bank statements. Not sure if this was what whomever they met that day at BLS wanted or if it is a new requirement from the Spanish embassy.

This system of using 3rd party visa centers in my opinion causes some ambiguity and unnecessary delays.

Hakeez674:
“The applicant has not demonstrated sufficient financial means to cover the costs of tuition, living expenses, and return travel to their country.”

As stated

Even after after showing bank statements that there is enough funds in the account

Judeaz10:
I doubt if Spain is giving Visas (Study) this time around ooo..

The amount of rejections is alarming. I too had a rejection barely two weeks ago over not having sufficient funds to cover Tuition, Stay and Return which I find very funny because I paid my full tuition, had enough to cover my stay during the course of my study.

It is very heartbreaking considering how meticulous I took the process from start to finish. They should have come out the same way Portugal did some few months ago to say they've suspended applications so people stop wasting time and money applying to their country..

I wish anyone applying good luck!

Judeaz10:
I doubt if Spain is giving Visas (Study) this time around ooo..

The amount of rejections is alarming. I too had a rejection barely two weeks ago over not having sufficient funds to cover Tuition, Stay and Return which I find very funny because I paid my full tuition, had enough to cover my stay during the course of my study.

It is very heartbreaking considering how meticulous I took the process from start to finish. They should have come out the same way Portugal did some few months ago to say they've suspended applications so people stop wasting time and money applying to their country..

I wish anyone applying good luck!

dreaH:
I'll advise that you appeal if you still have some time before your school resumes. It looks like everyone was rejected for study visa this year except those with scholarship but they are currently taking appeal.

Your school can also help you with the appeal. I heard some schools are helping. They'll send you the letter to submit

femicephas:
Hey guys, I submitted my Spain student visa application at BLS Lagos on 3 August and got my passport back today, 4 September. It was approved.

I thought I’d share a bit about my process because there isn’t much recent information on student visa applications from Nigeria. This is obviously just my own experience and not a guarantee that the same approach will work for everyone.

I’m a Computer Vision Engineer with over three years of professional experience, and I was admitted to the Master in Computer Vision at Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona (UAB). The programme is directly related to the work and research I’ve already been doing, so my study plan was quite easy to connect to my existing career.

One major issue I faced before the visa stage was document legalisation. When I initially contacted the Spanish Consulate for an appointment, I was given February 2027, which would have made it impossible to join the programme this year. After intervention from my university’s international office, the Consulate later moved my appointment forward to July, which allowed me to complete the legalisation and proceed with the visa application.

Before submitting my visa application, I tried to remove as much financial uncertainty as possible:

- I paid my full tuition fee.
- I paid for one full year of university accommodation.
- I obtained ASISA health insurance covering the full period of my stay.
- My brother, who lives and works in the UK, sponsored my living expenses and provided the required sponsorship and financial documents.

Before committing that much money, I first got confirmation from UAB that my tuition/enrolment payments would be refunded in the event of a documented visa refusal. I would recommend doing something similar where possible instead of paying large amounts without knowing the refund conditions.

My cover letter was also quite short and direct. I explained my professional background, why the Computer Vision programme was a natural continuation of what I already do, and why I specifically wanted this programme. I also mentioned that I had known about/followed the programme since 2023, so the application wasn’t something I had randomly decided on just for the purpose of travelling to Spain.

I can’t say which particular factor led to the approval, but my approach was to make the application as coherent as possible: relevant professional background → relevant master’s programme → recognised university → tuition and accommodation already secured → clear funding for living expenses → insurance covering the full stay.

My visa timeline:
- Application submitted: 3 August 2026
- Visa issued: 2 September 2026
- Passport dispatched: 3 September 2026
- Passport received: 4 September 2026
- Outcome: Approved

Some of my major costs were:
- Tuition: €4,867
- Accommodation: €6,276
- Insurance: €1,184

My main recommendation would be to build an application that makes sense as a whole. Get admitted into a legitimate programme that fits your academic/professional background, document your finances properly, and make sure the purpose of study is easy for whoever reviews the application to understand.

Hopefully this helps someone currently preparing their application. Good luck to everyone still waiting!

femicephas:
Legalization is around 68,000 naira per page (all my docs were 1 page each, though). Ensure your school sends your school certificate/transcripts to the embassy to avoid the 2-month investigation, which incurs an extra cost.

femicephas:
Hey guys, I submitted my Spain student visa application at BLS Lagos on 3 August and got my passport back today, 4 September. It was approved.

I thought I’d share a bit about my process because there isn’t much recent information on student visa applications from Nigeria. This is obviously just my own experience and not a guarantee that the same approach will work for everyone.

I’m a Computer Vision Engineer with over three years of professional experience, and I was admitted to the Master in Computer Vision at Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona (UAB). The programme is directly related to the work and research I’ve already been doing, so my study plan was quite easy to connect to my existing career.

One major issue I faced before the visa stage was document legalisation. When I initially contacted the Spanish Consulate for an appointment, I was given February 2027, which would have made it impossible to join the programme this year. After intervention from my university’s international office, the Consulate later moved my appointment forward to July, which allowed me to complete the legalisation and proceed with the visa application.

Before submitting my visa application, I tried to remove as much financial uncertainty as possible:

- I paid my full tuition fee.
- I paid for one full year of university accommodation.
- I obtained ASISA health insurance covering the full period of my stay.
- My brother, who lives and works in the UK, sponsored my living expenses and provided the required sponsorship and financial documents.

Before committing that much money, I first got confirmation from UAB that my tuition/enrolment payments would be refunded in the event of a documented visa refusal. I would recommend doing something similar where possible instead of paying large amounts without knowing the refund conditions.

My cover letter was also quite short and direct. I explained my professional background, why the Computer Vision programme was a natural continuation of what I already do, and why I specifically wanted this programme. I also mentioned that I had known about/followed the programme since 2023, so the application wasn’t something I had randomly decided on just for the purpose of travelling to Spain.

I can’t say which particular factor led to the approval, but my approach was to make the application as coherent as possible: relevant professional background → relevant master’s programme → recognised university → tuition and accommodation already secured → clear funding for living expenses → insurance covering the full stay.

My visa timeline:
- Application submitted: 3 August 2026
- Visa issued: 2 September 2026
- Passport dispatched: 3 September 2026
- Passport received: 4 September 2026
- Outcome: Approved

Some of my major costs were:
- Tuition: €4,867
- Accommodation: €6,276
- Insurance: €1,184

My main recommendation would be to build an application that makes sense as a whole. Get admitted into a legitimate programme that fits your academic/professional background, document your finances properly, and make sure the purpose of study is easy for whoever reviews the application to understand.

Hopefully this helps someone currently preparing their application. Good luck to everyone still waiting!

MadamShe:
Everything you mentioned, is exactly my story. My sister in the UK was my sponsor with over 36,000 pounds. Paid Everything that needed to be paid. I studied English Education and was going for Bilingual Education. Still i was refused on the basis of insufficient funds. Na God just favour you, because you never be too prepared. Congratulations, may Spain favour you 🙏

femicephas:
Hey guys, I submitted my Spain student visa application at BLS Lagos on 3 August and got my passport back today, 4 September. It was approved.

I thought I’d share a bit about my process because there isn’t much recent information on student visa applications from Nigeria. This is obviously just my own experience and not a guarantee that the same approach will work for everyone.

I’m a Computer Vision Engineer with over three years of professional experience, and I was admitted to the Master in Computer Vision at Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona (UAB). The programme is directly related to the work and research I’ve already been doing, so my study plan was quite easy to connect to my existing career.

One major issue I faced before the visa stage was document legalisation. When I initially contacted the Spanish Consulate for an appointment, I was given February 2027, which would have made it impossible to join the programme this year. After intervention from my university’s international office, the Consulate later moved my appointment forward to July, which allowed me to complete the legalisation and proceed with the visa application.

Before submitting my visa application, I tried to remove as much financial uncertainty as possible:

- I paid my full tuition fee.
- I paid for one full year of university accommodation.
- I obtained ASISA health insurance covering the full period of my stay.
- My brother, who lives and works in the UK, sponsored my living expenses and provided the required sponsorship and financial documents.

Before committing that much money, I first got confirmation from UAB that my tuition/enrolment payments would be refunded in the event of a documented visa refusal. I would recommend doing something similar where possible instead of paying large amounts without knowing the refund conditions.

My cover letter was also quite short and direct. I explained my professional background, why the Computer Vision programme was a natural continuation of what I already do, and why I specifically wanted this programme. I also mentioned that I had known about/followed the programme since 2023, so the application wasn’t something I had randomly decided on just for the purpose of travelling to Spain.

I can’t say which particular factor led to the approval, but my approach was to make the application as coherent as possible: relevant professional background → relevant master’s programme → recognised university → tuition and accommodation already secured → clear funding for living expenses → insurance covering the full stay.

My visa timeline:
- Application submitted: 3 August 2026
- Visa issued: 2 September 2026
- Passport dispatched: 3 September 2026
- Passport received: 4 September 2026
- Outcome: Approved

Some of my major costs were:
- Tuition: €4,867
- Accommodation: €6,276
- Insurance: €1,184

My main recommendation would be to build an application that makes sense as a whole. Get admitted into a legitimate programme that fits your academic/professional background, document your finances properly, and make sure the purpose of study is easy for whoever reviews the application to understand.

Hopefully this helps someone currently preparing their application. Good luck to everyone still waiting!

MadamShe:
Everything you mentioned, is exactly my story. My sister in the UK was my sponsor with over 36,000 pounds. Paid Everything that needed to be paid. I studied English Education and was going for Bilingual Education. Still i was refused on the basis of insufficient funds. Na God just favour you, because you never be too prepared. Congratulations, may Spain favour you 🙏

dreaH:
Congratulations brother, I'm also going to UAB

dreaH:
Like I said before, if your school has not resumed yet make sure you appeal. I heard a rumour that there's a new consulate

I was initially rejected too

Judeaz10:
It is the new Consulate who signed on our letters na 😂💔 José Ramos Garcia, though he took over last month or so.

Hopefully they consider the appeal.

How long did it take them before they contacted you after you appealed?

dreaH:
My wild theory is that the guy just denied everybody because of the short time he had to review the applications when he came in.

Maybe he's now settled in and can take his time to check very well

Judeaz10:
Probably..
How long did it take to over turn your appeal? Did you get a call or an email?

femicephas:
Hey guys, I submitted my Spain student visa application at BLS Lagos on 3 August and got my passport back today, 4 September. It was approved.

I thought I’d share a bit about my process because there isn’t much recent information on student visa applications from Nigeria. This is obviously just my own experience and not a guarantee that the same approach will work for everyone.

I’m a Computer Vision Engineer with over three years of professional experience, and I was admitted to the Master in Computer Vision at Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona (UAB). The programme is directly related to the work and research I’ve already been doing, so my study plan was quite easy to connect to my existing career.

One major issue I faced before the visa stage was document legalisation. When I initially contacted the Spanish Consulate for an appointment, I was given February 2027, which would have made it impossible to join the programme this year. After intervention from my university’s international office, the Consulate later moved my appointment forward to July, which allowed me to complete the legalisation and proceed with the visa application.

Before submitting my visa application, I tried to remove as much financial uncertainty as possible:

- I paid my full tuition fee.
- I paid for one full year of university accommodation.
- I obtained ASISA health insurance covering the full period of my stay.
- My brother, who lives and works in the UK, sponsored my living expenses and provided the required sponsorship and financial documents.

Before committing that much money, I first got confirmation from UAB that my tuition/enrolment payments would be refunded in the event of a documented visa refusal. I would recommend doing something similar where possible instead of paying large amounts without knowing the refund conditions.

My cover letter was also quite short and direct. I explained my professional background, why the Computer Vision programme was a natural continuation of what I already do, and why I specifically wanted this programme. I also mentioned that I had known about/followed the programme since 2023, so the application wasn’t something I had randomly decided on just for the purpose of travelling to Spain.

I can’t say which particular factor led to the approval, but my approach was to make the application as coherent as possible: relevant professional background → relevant master’s programme → recognised university → tuition and accommodation already secured → clear funding for living expenses → insurance covering the full stay.

My visa timeline:
- Application submitted: 3 August 2026
- Visa issued: 2 September 2026
- Passport dispatched: 3 September 2026
- Passport received: 4 September 2026
- Outcome: Approved

Some of my major costs were:
- Tuition: €4,867
- Accommodation: €6,276
- Insurance: €1,184

My main recommendation would be to build an application that makes sense as a whole. Get admitted into a legitimate programme that fits your academic/professional background, document your finances properly, and make sure the purpose of study is easy for whoever reviews the application to understand.

Hopefully this helps someone currently preparing their application. Good luck to everyone still waiting!

Ikoko30:
Wow that's amazing. Congrats to you.
Regarding the major cost, is the Insurance & Accommodation refundable incase of any refusal?

Probably the Spanish govt now want to be assure students can fund their living cost by them seeing a proof of entire course Accommodation payment.

Hopefully more visa approval comes in 💃.

femicephas:
Yes, it is refundable. I first confirmed with all the parties that they all have a refund policy in case of visa refusal before making payments and all.

I want to believe paying tuition, accommodation and all reduces the amount of scrutiny on the POF.

dreaH:
Like I said before, if your school has not resumed yet make sure you appeal. I heard a rumour that there's a new consulate

I was initially rejected too

femicephas:
Hey guys, I submitted my Spain student visa application at BLS Lagos on 3 August and got my passport back today, 4 September. It was approved.

I thought I’d share a bit about my process because there isn’t much recent information on student visa applications from Nigeria. This is obviously just my own experience and not a guarantee that the same approach will work for everyone.


I’m a Computer Vision Engineer with over three years of professional experience, and I was admitted to the Master in Computer Vision at Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona (UAB). The programme is directly related to the work and research I’ve already been doing, so my study plan was quite easy to connect to my existing career.

One major issue I faced before the visa stage was document legalisation. When I initially contacted the Spanish Consulate for an appointment, I was given February 2027, which would have made it impossible to join the programme this year. After intervention from my university’s international office, the Consulate later moved my appointment forward to July, which allowed me to complete the legalisation and proceed with the visa application.

Before submitting my visa application, I tried to remove as much financial uncertainty as possible:

- I paid my full tuition fee.
- I paid for one full year of university accommodation.
- I obtained ASISA health insurance covering the full period of my stay.
- My brother, who lives and works in the UK, sponsored my living expenses and provided the required sponsorship and financial documents.

Before committing that much money, I first got confirmation from UAB that my tuition/enrolment payments would be refunded in the event of a documented visa refusal. I would recommend doing something similar where possible instead of paying large amounts without knowing the refund conditions.

My cover letter was also quite short and direct. I explained my professional background, why the Computer Vision programme was a natural continuation of what I already do, and why I specifically wanted this programme. I also mentioned that I had known about/followed the programme since 2023, so the application wasn’t something I had randomly decided on just for the purpose of travelling to Spain.

I can’t say which particular factor led to the approval, but my approach was to make the application as coherent as possible: relevant professional background → relevant master’s programme → recognised university → tuition and accommodation already secured → clear funding for living expenses → insurance covering the full stay.

My visa timeline:
- Application submitted: 3 August 2026
- Visa issued: 2 September 2026
- Passport dispatched: 3 September 2026
- Passport received: 4 September 2026
- Outcome: Approved

Some of my major costs were:
- Tuition: €4,867
- Accommodation: €6,276
- Insurance: €1,184

My main recommendation would be to build an application that makes sense as a whole. Get admitted into a legitimate programme that fits your academic/professional background, document your finances properly, and make sure the purpose of study is easy for whoever reviews the application to understand.

Hopefully this helps someone currently preparing their application. Good luck to everyone still waiting!

femicephas:
Hey guys, I submitted my Spain student visa application at BLS Lagos on 3 August and got my passport back today, 4 September. It was approved.

I thought I’d share a bit about my process because there isn’t much recent information on student visa applications from Nigeria. This is obviously just my own experience and not a guarantee that the same approach will work for everyone.

I’m a Computer Vision Engineer with over three years of professional experience, and I was admitted to the Master in Computer Vision at Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona (UAB). The programme is directly related to the work and research I’ve already been doing, so my study plan was quite easy to connect to my existing career.

One major issue I faced before the visa stage was document legalisation. When I initially contacted the Spanish Consulate for an appointment, I was given February 2027, which would have made it impossible to join the programme this year. After intervention from my university’s international office, the Consulate later moved my appointment forward to July, which allowed me to complete the legalisation and proceed with the visa application.

Before submitting my visa application, I tried to remove as much financial uncertainty as possible:

- I paid my full tuition fee.
- I paid for one full year of university accommodation.
- I obtained ASISA health insurance covering the full period of my stay.
- My brother, who lives and works in the UK, sponsored my living expenses and provided the required sponsorship and financial documents.

Before committing that much money, I first got confirmation from UAB that my tuition/enrolment payments would be refunded in the event of a documented visa refusal. I would recommend doing something similar where possible instead of paying large amounts without knowing the refund conditions.

My cover letter was also quite short and direct. I explained my professional background, why the Computer Vision programme was a natural continuation of what I already do, and why I specifically wanted this programme. I also mentioned that I had known about/followed the programme since 2023, so the application wasn’t something I had randomly decided on just for the purpose of travelling to Spain.

I can’t say which particular factor led to the approval, but my approach was to make the application as coherent as possible: relevant professional background → relevant master’s programme → recognised university → tuition and accommodation already secured → clear funding for living expenses → insurance covering the full stay.

My visa timeline:
- Application submitted: 3 August 2026
- Visa issued: 2 September 2026
- Passport dispatched: 3 September 2026
- Passport received: 4 September 2026
- Outcome: Approved

Some of my major costs were:
- Tuition: €4,867
- Accommodation: €6,276
- Insurance: €1,184

My main recommendation would be to build an application that makes sense as a whole. Get admitted into a legitimate programme that fits your academic/professional background, document your finances properly, and make sure the purpose of study is easy for whoever reviews the application to understand.

Hopefully this helps someone currently preparing their application. Good luck to everyone still waiting!

Ikoko30:
Pls can you kindly list mandatory documents you authenticated, legalised and translated for your application.

Lastly for your WAEC statement of result, was it sent directly to Spanish consulate?

Thanks

femicephas:
I handled the documents in three groups. My Birth Certificate, Police Character Certificate, and Medical Fitness Certificate were authenticated at MFA, legalized at the Spanish Embassy, and then sworn translated. My BSc degree went through Ministry of Education authentication first, then MFA, Embassy legalization and sworn translation.

My sponsorship letter was apostilled in the UK because my sponsor is based there, although that wasn’t strictly required, and I also had it sworn translated. The personal statement didn’t need authentication or legalization; I just translated it to Spanish using ChatGPT.

I didn’t submit WAEC. I used my BSc degree certificate, and I also had my university send my degree certificate and transcript directly to the Spanish Consulate before my appointment.

Also note that the Police Character Certificate and Medical Fitness Certificate expire after 3 months, so time your legalization and visa application carefully.

Ikoko30:
Thanks for the great explanation and steps.
The Police and Medical certificate which validity is 3months.
That means someone need to request for it same month of legalisation appointment.

If legalisation appointment is June 2026 and submission of visa applications is July 2027 why school Resumption is January 2028.
Does it mean one need a new Police & Medical certificate?