₦airaland Forum

Quincy07:
Hello all,

I finally applied for my visa some days ago.

New update: you can apply for visa at least 3 months to the start of your program. To avoid confusion and visiting the embassy several times. Start early and follow the threads on this topic from page 1. It is very helpful.

Visa fee - N24,800 (make sure you go with the exact amount) they don’t usually have change in the embassy.

Concerning insurance... AIICO is not the only acceptable Insurance company. If you ask me, it’s a little too expensive. Allianz is quite cheap and the embassy accepts their insurance.

Will revert with any more updates.

Good luck

Quincy07:
Hello all,

I finally applied for my visa some days ago.

New update: you can apply for visa at least 3 months to the start of your program. To avoid confusion and visiting the embassy several times. Start early and follow the threads on this topic from page 1. It is very helpful.

Visa fee - N24,800 (make sure you go with the exact amount) they don’t usually have change in the embassy.

Concerning insurance... AIICO is not the only acceptable Insurance company. If you ask me, it’s a little too expensive. Allianz is quite cheap and the embassy accepts their insurance.

Will revert with any more updates.

Good luck

Ladeeey:
How much do you need to show as proof of funds to apply for Spanish student visa ?

tiptoe1:
Patiently waiting for the good news bro.

rodrigomencia:
please how can I contact you?

Hi, I am Rodrigo, one of the translators mentioned in this thread. Yes, I am still alive and kicking. By reading the thread, I realise about certain things that you should take into account when requesting Sworn translations:

1) A Sworn Translation is a certified translation in Spain, but only Sworn Translators can issue it. Any company or person can certify a translation, for instance, by adding their stamp to it. However, that is not legal in Spain unless such translations are stamped by a SPANISH sworn translator. Thus, be very WARY of companies trying to offer you a "certified" translation in Spain or other people from other countries different than Spain offering you sworn translations, as Spain's policy is to ONLY accept sworn translations from Spanish sworn translators duly appointed by the Spanish Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

2) NIPOST is unsafe. I had a bad experience with a client who wanted to have a cheaper delivery to Nigeria from Spain and it ended up badly. Since then, I only send my translations through DHL and they arrive within 48 hours since picked up. Currently I am also issuing my sworn translations with the digital signature of the Official National Mint & Stamp Factory of Spain. If the Consulate accepts them, that could speed things up and avoid the DHL fees.

3) I read a comment about someone complaining that someone (not me) was offering a low rate for his/her translations but was "money hungry" because he/she was charging a lot for the DHL delivery. This is not true (at least in my case) and, if you hire me, I can send you the DHL invoice so that you can see that I have exactly spent what I told you. In fact, after reading these comments about another translator, I will do this by default to avoid problems. I have more than 15 years of experience and have been working with Nigeria for a long time, so I think it is better to put all the cards on the table to prove honesty and good intentions, even if it is not explicitly required. It is also possible for you to arrange your own courier at your expense from Nigeria. If you or the company you work for has agreement with DHL or Fedex or other ones, you can instruct them to pick it up at my office and take the translation to you.

4) I receive documents from clients which have NOT been stamped by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Nigeria and then by the Spanish Consulate in Nigeria (in that order). It is VERY important that you ask the Spanish Consulate if your documents need to be legalised/apostilled. If so, that is how you have to do it and I need to receive the final documents, not the ones without those important stamps, as otherwise you will lose time and money.

5) It is extremely important that you verify your original documents before sending them to me. If your name is wrong, or any other particular is wrong, I CANNOT correct it, even if you provide me with your ID or affidavits. I can only translate what's on the original and I cannot add, modify or delete information. This also applies when scanning big documents. Check if you are cutting them with the scanner. If they don't fit, you can go to a photocopies place and ask for a reduction of the page into A4 format or you can scan it at home in two parts (first the upper part, then the lower part).

6) Normally, Spain requires that all official papers have been issued within the last 3 months. For instance, if you file your papers today but your Criminal Records Certificate was issued 6 months ago, you will need to request a new one. Save time and money by considering this before you send me your papers to translate, as I always try to help my clients but sometimes I cannot realise if a document will be valid or not (depends on when you are going to file the application, if you are here in Spain or still in Nigeria, etc.).

7) If you get your application rejected for any legal reason, I know 2 amazing lawyers that could sort most problems for you. They are not cheap but they solve your problem and charge you if they solve it. I know there are other lawyers that are cheap and that say a lot of things, but I've met many clients who were crying because they had been ripped off so much money for nothing by careless lawyers. If you wouldn't trust your teeth to a bad or extremely cheap dentist, don't trust your future to a bad lawyer (or your papers to a bad translator :p ). Always look for guarantees.

(from hereon I reply to questions posted below, updating my reply)
8 ) You DO NOT need to send the originals and I suggest that whoever you work with, even if you can, you NEVER leave your originals with them. The Spanish legislation requires that we attach "duly stamped and dated photocopy" (I also sign it), but we can never touch an original. Suppose you give me your original university degree and I stamp it... It would be ruined. NEVER hand your originals to anyone except at the Consulate or Ministry, as they are going to give them back to you and they are official authorities.

9) If you have stamps on the reverse side of the documents, you MUST ALSO SCAN IT. Even if it is a small signature or a small addendum. Always scan the full document as we, sworn translators, need to include everything.

10) Payment can be made through wire transfer (bank transfer or Paypal). If you know someone living in Spain, you could also instruct this person to make the payment for you and then you give the money to them (as sometimes clients don't have or don't want to use Paypal). If you use Paypal, I would be very very very grateful if you could use the option "send money to friends", as with the option "Pay for services/products" I end up paying Paypal around 3,5% of the total amount. The quality and guarantee of my services are guaranteed through my quote and, in case of any problem, I will always be there through Whatsapp, email or phone.

11) Always make sure you're dealing with the authorised Sworn Translator himself/herself. If it is a third party named X and you receive a stamp from Z, BEWARE, as there are some scams in which a person makes a copy of our official stamp and starts issuing fake translations. In the end this is found out by the police (they ask us if we have signed the translations from time to time) and the status of all the people affected by this is immediately reverted to ILLEGAL until they provide the legal versions of their translations. This happened in the past with Pakistan and these people are already being chased by Interpol, apart from having been assaulted by angry clients who destroyed their offices for getting them in trouble with their papers. If in doubt, contact the Spanish Ministry of Affairs and find out the official particulars of the translator you deal with. Make sure you always write to such email address or make phone calls to such phone number. In Spain there are agencies which subhire sworn translators, yes, and that is not illegal. But it's up to the client to make sure who they are dealing with.

12) Last but not least, thank you so much for your recommendations and kind words.

If you have any doubt or comment, you can send me WhatsApp messages, call me through Skype or WhatsApp or send me an email. I will gladly try to solve your doubts.

Kind regards.

Rodrigo
Sworn Translator

ollins:
please how can I contact you?

tiptoe1:
Patiently waiting for the good news bro.

Waiting here too

Zenith12345:
Hello house please do I need medical report when applying for Spain study visa

okokkk:
Hello,

Please what is first step to take in this application process?
Do I need to apply for the Visa, then book a legalisation appointment afterwards, or do I need to gather my documents, apply, then book a legalisation appointment?

I saw some post in one of the pages where someone advised that the degree certificate, transcripts and attestation letter be forwarded to the Consul by/through the office of the Registrar. Do I need to do this before applying formally, or must I apply before sending the aforementioned documents. I heard it would help save the time and money spent on investigation.

Do I need to keep a certified copy of the degree certificate for authentication at the Federal Ministry of Education?

Also, I lost my birth certificate some years ago. I was born after 1992. Will an attestation of birth from the NPC and a Sworn Age Declaration suffice? Or do I need to get a new birth certificate.


Thank you very much.

Josephvixion:
Let me explain better. I have gotten admission to study a 3 years bsc degree in a business school in Spain and I have paid my tuition fee of €5000 for the first year. I am using the employee option. I have a bank current balance of 5.3m with other documents except the payment slip. I actually told a registered company M.D to help me with an employment letter and leave letter and also to manipulate a payment slip of 6 months with 200k monthly for me in order meet the visa requirements? Please what’s your take on this? I have my accommodation, receipt of tuition, acceptance letter, insurance worth €30,000, Pcc, medical certificate and all. It’s just that proof of financial means that am worried about. My account statement is genuine and it reflects 300k to 600k monthly paid at once but it’s not stable.

Josephvixion:
I would like an advice from y’all. Am an employee and I have obtained every other documents as regards to the visa application. Paid my full tuition for one year and I have 5.3million naira in my current bank statement. I am going for a 3 years undergraduate program which requires €5000 per year. Do I have a problem with respect to my finances? Just to be on the safe side. And secondly my leave letter states that I have been granted an approval for leave on the basis of study for a duration of my study period. Is that a good way to have the leave letter addressed? My pay is 200k monthly too and hv been working since for 30 months. I need someone who applied for a study visa as an employee to explain to me how his/her process went.

Quincy07:
Amen. Thank you.

Quincy07:
My visa has been granted.

Picking it up soon. It took over five weeks as I applied really early. Good luck to every other person applying.

efeturi3:
Dear All,
This thread has been very helpful. I am in Barcelona for almost 6 months , courtesy of this forum. Nothing has changed. Most of the questions have been answered. Just read all the pages of the thread.
Experience:
1. Accommodation is part of the visa requirements. I would advice you to request from your school an accommodation letter. Just beg them that you want to use it for visa application. If you are given, that is better. I paid about 228k for accommodation in 2018, and i was denied visa. 228k lost ������.

2. Make sure you have enough money (not less than 5M) in your personal account. For me I have 9M � � � � � �.

3. You are not allowed to work as a student in Spain.

4. Upon arrival, and you don't have accommodation, you can look for cheap hostel to stay b4 you get accommodation. If you are in Barcelona, you can stay at St Christopher inn at carrer de Bergara, placa Catalunya, Barcelona.

5. If you are in Barcelona and you want to share a room with someone to reduce cost, please send me a mail.

Thanks

Quincy07:
Thank you


Hello,

First of all get a CTC of your first Degree Certificate from your school. Then take that same copy along with your transcripts and WAEC Cert to Min of Education to authenticate before going to Min of Foreign Affairs for stamping.

Min of Foreign Affairs will stamp your educational documents along side PCC and Birth Certificate or Age Declaration. Afterwards, book an appointment for legalization of documents.

Also you can get an attestation of birth plus age declaration in place of your birth certificate.

If possible have your school (where you completed your first degree) send a copy of your transcripts and a reference letter to the embassy before your legalization date to avoid investigation. Do this two weeks before you legalize. You can also write to the Embassy to confirm if they have received it.


I hope this helps.

Quincy07:
Hello,

First of all get a CTC of your first Degree Certificate from your school. Then take that same copy along with your transcripts and WAEC Cert to Min of Education to authenticate before going to Min of Foreign Affairs for stamping.

Min of Foreign Affairs will stamp your educational documents along side PCC and Birth Certificate or Age Declaration. Afterwards, book an appointment for legalization of documents.

Also you can get an attestation of birth plus age declaration in place of your birth certificate.

If possible have your school (where you completed your first degree) send a copy of your transcripts and a reference letter to the embassy before your legalization date to avoid investigation. Do this two weeks before you legalize. You can also write to the Embassy to confirm if they have received it.


I hope this helps.

BarristerAlarig:
Since when?? International students are allowed to work 20hrs/week.

efeturi3:
Are you in Spain. Spanish laws are different from other EU country. I am talking from experience.

Chuksido:
Please my case is totally different I got enrolled to a secondary school in Spain I'm 16 I just have my primary school testimonial and the school I enrolled into doesn't give receipts but they've sent a letter of proof of my payment ,I've legalized my birth certificate and primary school testimonial etc at foreign affairs and about the accommodation fees I have a family friend I'll be staying with so I don't know how to go about it , do I go on legalizing at the consulate then apply for visa , the letter for proof of payment from the school is with me and the application letter ,would the still ask for receipts ?

Theuglygram:
Hey bro how did it go with the embassy?