Sheet 45: Temporary Travel of Foreign Minors for School Purposes

* The content of this page is for guidance only. Only the provisions of the regulations in force at the time of submission of the application are applicable.

Last Updated: August 2025

Index of contents

  • Type of Application
  • Basic regulations
  • Requirements
  • Exigible documentation
  • Procedure

TYPE OF APPLICATION

It is the stay resulting from the temporary displacement of minors, from the age of twelve, for the purpose of schooling within the framework of a humanitarian programme.

Temporary travel for the purpose of schooling under a humanitarian programme will have a legal nature of stay for studies.

In advance, it will be necessary to obtain a favourable preliminary report from the Subdelegate or Delegate of the Government for this temporary and humanitarian displacement of foreign minors to Spain for the purpose of schooling.

BASIC REGULATIONS

  • Organic Law 4/2000 of 11 January on the Rights and Freedoms of Foreigners in Spain and their Social Integration (articles 25 bis and 30).
  • Royal Decree 1155/2024, of 19 November, approving the Regulations of Organic Law 4/2000, of 11 January, on the rights and freedoms of foreigners in Spain and their social integration (article 164).

REQUIREMENTS

    • The temporary movement of foreign minors for the purpose of schooling needs to be part of a humanitarian programme:
    • It is considered a humanitarian program when there are at least some of the following circumstances:
      • when the country of origin has been in a situation of war or in social difficulty because of it,
      • where the country of origin is affected by natural or man-made disasters or disasters,
      • when the minor is in refugee camps,
      • when in the country of origin specialized medical treatment or surgical intervention cannot be developed.
    • The entity or person promoting and financing the programme shall be deemed to be interested in the procedure and may be one of the following:
      • Public Administrations.
      • Non-profit associations or foundations registered in public registers.
  • The minor must be at least 12 years old.
    • It must be accredited that the minor has been admitted to a teaching centre officially recognized in Spain.
    • The request for the previous report on temporary displacement shall be made at a minimum of three months and a maximum of four months in advance of the scheduled date.
  • The entity promoting the program must present before the Government Delegation or Subdelegation:
      • Report issued by the competent regional body in the field of protection of minors indicating that it is a humanitarian programme and that the certificate of criminal record has been verified as the certificate of crimes of a sexual nature issued by the Ministry of the Presidency, Justice and Relations with the Courts, referring to all persons over 14 years of age who are going to live with the minor.
      • The commitment on the part of the Spanish authorities (autonomous, provincial or local body for the protection of minors) to ensure the adequate care of the minor foreign person, and the Spanish authorities may apply monitoring and control mechanisms to protect them from any situation of deprotection that may affect them.
  • Prior express authorization of persons holding parental authority, guardianship or guardianship and custody.
      • Written commitment of the promoter to facilitate the return to the country of origin of minors and that the said return does not imply a cost to the public purse, unless said cost has been expressly and previously assumed by the competent body.
  • The program must be recorded of the requirements and authorizations required in Spain, provided for the end of stay and its duration, both in health matter and legal protection of the minor in relation to the stated purpose and of that duration, in order to guarantee the absence of risk of deprotection of the latter.
  • If foreign minors are to remain with families or individuals, they must express in writing their knowledge that the displacement of the minor is not intended for adoption and their commitment to encourage the return to their country of origin or provenance.
    • The non-profit associations or foundations or the natural person or family with whom the foreign minor is going to stay must not have failed in any of the editions of the program their commitment to favor the return of the minor to his place of origin, except in cases of permanence derived from the need to receive specialized health care in Spain duly communicated to the Delegation or Subdelegation of the competent Government and authorized by them.
    • For the issuance of the corresponding visas, the Consular Office in the country of origin of the foreign minor must verify that there is a favourable prior report from the Delegate or the Subdelegate of the Government, the express authorization of the person exercising parental authority or guardianship, as well as everything related to the requirements of individual or collective passports, safe-conduct or other travel documentation of minors.
  • The stay will end at the end of the academic year, at which time, unless exceptional reasons prevent it, the minor must return to his country.
  • In the event that the minor person is desired to continue with the studies for more than one academic year, the minor must be included in a new program humanitarian, leading to the delivery of all documentation and compliance with the requirements again.
  • Pay the fee for the processing of the procedure.

EXIGIBLE DOCUMENTATION

Note: in general, copies of the documents must be provided and the originals must be displayed at the time of submitting the application:

  • Prior report request form, in official model (EX-25) duly completed and signed by the entity promoting the programme.
  • Copy of the complete passport of the minor or travel title valid for more than the period for which the stay is requested.
  • Accreditation through the Report issued by the autonomous body competent in matters of protection of minors indicating that it is a humanitarian program and that the certificate of criminal record has been verified as the certificate of crimes of a sexual nature issued by the Ministry of the Presidency, Justice and Relations with the Courts referring to all persons over 14 years of age who are going to live with the minor.
  • Documentary accreditation of the commitment by the Spanish authorities (autonomous, provincial or local body for the protection of minors) to ensure the adequate care of the minor foreign person, and the Spanish authorities may apply monitoring and control mechanisms to protect them from any situation of deprotection that may affect them.
  • Documentary accreditation of the express prior authorization of the persons who hold the parental authority, guardianship or custody and custody of the minor who will move.
  • Documentary proof of the written commitment of the promoter to facilitate the return to the country of origin of the minor and that the said return does not imply a cost to the public treasury, unless said cost has been expressly and previously assumed by the competent body.
  • Documentary proof that the program meets the requirements and authorizations required in Spain, provided for the end of the stay and its duration, both in health matter and legal protection of the minor in relation to the stated purpose and of that duration, in order to guarantee the absence of risk of deprotection of the latter (health coverage must also cover travel not only the stay).
  • Documentary proof that, if the foreign minor is to remain with a family or individual, they must have expressed in writing their knowledge that the displacement of the minor is not intended for adoption and their commitment to promote the return to their country of origin or provenance.
  • Copy of the NIF of the Entity, as well as the document that proves that the signer of the application has the legal representation or if applicable, as well as his ID or NIE, or consent to check the identity data through the Identity and Residence Data Verification System.
  • It will be established that the non-profit association or foundation or the natural person or family with whom the minor is going to stay have not in any of the editions of the program breached their commitment to favor the return of the minor to his place of origin, except in cases of permanence derived from the need to receive specialized health care in Spain duly communicated to the Delegation or Subdelegation of the competent Government and authorized by them.

Important note: when documents are provided from other countries, they must be translated into Spanish or co-official language of the territory where the application is submitted by a sworn translator.

List of sworn translators.

On the other hand, any foreign public document must be previously legalized by the Consular Office of Spain with jurisdiction in the country in which the document has been issued or, where appropriate, by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, European Union and Cooperation except in the case where the document has been apostilled by the competent authority of the issuing country in accordance with the Hague Convention of 5 October 1961 and unless the document is exempt from legalization under the International Convention.

Information on the translation and legalization of documents.

PROCEDURE

  • Subject entitled to submit the request for a preliminary report: the representative of the entity promoting the program, personally:
  • Place of presentation:
  • Corresponding fee: it will accrue at the time of the application, and must be paid within ten working days, are:
    • Modelo 790 código 052, epígrafe 5.13 “certificados o informes emitidos a instancia del interesado”.

The subscription form can be downloaded from this page.

  • The expiration of the maximum of one month without having notified a resolution expressly, legitimises to understand it rejected by administrative silence.
  • Temporary travel for the purpose of schooling shall take place at least three months in advance and at most four months in advance of the scheduled date.
  • For the issuance of the corresponding visas, the Consular Office in the country of origin of the foreign minor must verify that there is a favourable prior report from the Delegate or the Subdelegate of the Government, the express authorization of the person exercising parental authority or guardianship, as well as everything related to the requirements of the individual or collective passports, safe-conduct or other travel documentation of the minor.
  • The stay resulting from travel for the purpose of schooling will have the legal nature of stay for studies.
  • The stay will end at the end of the academic year, at which time, the child must return to his or her country. In the event that the student wishes to continue his/her studies for more than one year, the minor must be included in a new program, that is, a new favourable previous report of the Subdelegate or Delegate of the Government must be requested, as well as the other requirements.