₦airaland Forum

Hello Fellow Nairalanders,

I'm Timothy. First of all, I'd like to appreciate the initiator of this thread and everyone who has contributed positively over the years. I recently stumbled on this thread and read through all 20 pages. Clearly, this thread is still relevant 3 years down the line and considering the insufficient information available online with regards to the Spanish student visa, this thread is probably the best source of information for this topic. I went through the rigorous application process in Nigeria last year (gosh, i dont even want to think about it again), and by September 2017 I eventually arrived Barcelona for my masters degree program. Wish I knew about this nairaland thread much earlier, I would have avoided some errors I made last year during my study visa application process.

When i arrived Barcelona last year, I went through the process of getting my TIE (the student resident card...for simplicity sake, NIE & TIE are often used interchangeably). Surprisingly, when i got my TIE card,
the expiry date was less than 1 year (that is another long story for another day)... Anyway, i had to go through the process of renewing my student TIE when it expired and I successfully concluded the process here in Barcelona only just last week. Based on my experience, i have to say that the TIE renewal process isn't any easier than what I experienced at the embassy in Lagos... especially with the language barrier (my Spanish still sucks). However, it is not all bad news. With the right guidance and support network (like nairaland), it can be less overwhelming.

I clearly understand how lonely the process can be without any support or accurate information. Having successfully gone through the most of the processes (the application for study visa at Spanish embassy in Lagos, the application for the TIE upon arrival in Barcelona, and the renewal process for expired TIE in Barcelona), I will be happy to join the more experienced gurus of this forum to offer guidance based on my experience. I am still relatively new in Spain (only just 10 months in Barcelona), so i am not yet an expert. But i have a more recent perspective and i'm willing to share lessons from my experience, if needed. I am usually not on nairaland (i actually just created an account today), but i think i will get email notification if anyone sends me a message here. Will try to respond as best and as fast as I can.

Special thanks to Rodrigo (the translator) for his detailed explanation on this thread. Someone recommended him to me last year while i was still in Lagos and i am glad i used his service back then. Based on my experience, he is very professional, responds timely, and delivers quality work...highly recommended by me!

On a final note, please do not be discouraged at the study visa process in Lagos. Trust me, when you arrive in Spain, it will be worth all the trouble. I can speak for Barcelona, because that is where I live, and so far, i have found Barcelona to be an amazing city (if you know, you know).

Cheers and Goodluck

Tim.