PLEASE READ THIS PAGE UNTIL THE END.
There are 2 modes of application:
1) Through university/batch. The minimum number of applications requested for batch is 15. Applications under this number must be submitted through BLS (see 2) below). The deadline for receiving the package has finished on October 18 and packages containing wrong or uncompleted applications will be automatically returned, once revised.
2) Individual, in person, by appointment only: You need to leave your passport during the process and you will get it back after your visa is approved, because we must affix your visa to the inside of your passport. Make sure you bring every document required the day of your appointment, as incomplete/incorrect applications will automatically be returned. Request your appointment at https://usa.blsspainglobal.com/Global/account/login . Once the appointment is confirmed by BLS, the application must be submitted at BLS Boston: 15 Court Square, suite 520, Boston MA 02108. Once the visa is ready, it will be picked up by the applicant at BLS and not at the Consulate. If you do not see appointments available, it means the slots are full so please do not try to contact the Consulate to get an earlier appoinment because we will not reply. Spain has not paid appointments or expedited processes and the study visa process takes around 8 weeks. PLEASE CONSIDER THAT APPOINTMENTS ARE NOT UNLIMITED.
The applicant must be a permanent student at an educational institution OR a legal resident in Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, Vermont or Maine.
STUDENT VISAS are for stays longer than 90 days to carry out studies, training, internships or volunteering. They can only be issued once the Consulate receives the authorization from Spain, which may take several weeks. Take this into consideration when submitting your application as the Consulate is not able to expedite this authorization process.
Stays for studies shorter than 90 days do not require a study visa for holders of United States passports. Depending on your nationality, a short-stay visa may be required (see “Schengen visas").
The visa will be issued considering the dates of studies stated in the letter of the Spanish university, but it will start 5 days before the studies start and it will be valid until 5 days after the studies are finished, so that the student can settle down and package at the end of the stay. You must be covered by the health insurance these 10 extra days, otherwise the visa will be only valid from the dame day of start of the studies until the last day of the classes.
GIVEN THE EXTREMELY HIGH WORKLOAD, PLEASE PREPARE THE APPLICATION AS NEATLY AS POSSIBLE. Every application in a folder with a sticker with the name of the applicant. It will be very helpful for us to go faster.
DOCUMENTS REQUIRED: PLEASE READ CAREFULLY. ORIGINALS + COPIES.
1. One national visa application form
. Each applicant will complete all sections and sign one application form. If the applicant is a minor, one of his/her parents or a duly accredited representative will sign the application, either through a notarized letter from the applicant or through a letter from the university or educational center. Fill correctly your date of birth: DAY/MONTH/YEAR (Spanish manner) and do not forget to write your email address and to sign the form.
2. One photograph. A RECENT passport-size, in color, with a light background, taken from the front, without dark glasses, reflections, or clothing that hides the oval of the face. Please send a photo with all these requirements. Copies of photos will NOT be accepted. Do not paste/staple the photo in the form.
3. Payment of the visa fee:
-BLS: only cash or debit card.
-Batches: only money order.
The visa fee is non refundable. The fee is USD 160 for American citizens.
If you are Australian, Briton, Mauritanian, Ethiopian or Bengali please contact the Consulate.
For the rest of nationalities the fee is USD 99.
Appart from the visa fee, a BLS Service Fee will be charged to the applicant. If the applicant wishes to purchase an additional/optional service, another fee will be added.
4. Valid and current passport with at least 2 blank pages and valid for at least the entire duration of the intended stay and have two blank pages. Passports issued more than 10 years ago are not accepted. They must also be valid at least until 3 months after the end of the stay in Spain. In addition, send us also a normal copy (not notarized) of the passport. Emergency passports are not accepted. THE CONSULATE WILL KEEP YOUR PASSPORT DURING THE WHOLE PROCESS. American students with other nationality MUST apply with their U.S passport.
5. Proof of residence in this jurisdiction. The visa applicant must be legally residing or studying on-site in the consular jurisdiction of this Consulate General (states of Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, Maine and Vermont). As a proof, both enrolment and student card ID in your U.S university are accepted but they must show your name and the address in our jurisdiction. For applicants living here but studying in another jurisdiction, we will accept recent utility bills or lease contracts if they include the name and address of the applicant. In case the applicant lives with his/her parents, a birth certificate will show the relationship, it does not need to be translated but it must be apostilled.
6. Certificate of admission issued in Spain by any authorized university or school, verifying enrollment as a full-time student, leading to obtaining a degree or certificate. The certificate must detail: name of the program, duration (start and end dates), address, phone number, name of the person in charge of the program (the certificate of admission must be presented in Spanish) and his/her signature (handwritten or electronically). It must be translated into Spanish if the original is in English. Please take into account that we will consider the dates stated in the letter of the Spanish center in order to issue the visa (please check requirement #8) . Do not submit a letter of your U.S university with different dates as they will not be considered.
7. Proof of the availability of financial means. Original and copy, to cover the expenses of stay and return to your country, and, where appropriate, those of your relatives. For the applicant’s support, a minimum amount of $700 per month unless it is duly accredited to have the accommodation paid in advance for the entire duration of the stay. For the support of family members during their stay in Spain: a minimum amount of $525 for the first family member and $350 per month for each of the remaining family members who will integrate the family unit in Spain.
Please provide at least one of the following:
a) Letter from the university or school in Spain or in the US assuming full financial responsibility during your stay (this is often included in the admission letter).
b) Proof of financial aid or scholarship for at least $700 per month for room and board.
c) Notarized letter from the parents or legal guardians assuming full financial responsibility for at least $700 per month for room and board. Suggested wording: “I hereby certify that I'm the (father/mother/other) of (...), will support him/her with a monthly allowance of at least $700 while he/she is in Spain and that I'm financially responsible for any emergency that may arise", along with their bank statements and applicant’s Birth certificate.
d) Personal bank account statements showing at least $700 per month of stay.
This amount is in addition to the amount used or to be used to cover cost of studies.
8. Health insurance from an insurer recognized and authorized to operate in Spain. ORIGINAL AND COPY. The insurance must cover all risks normally covered for nationals and must be valid FOR THE WHOLE STAY IN SPAIN, including the 10 extra dayts if you need to arrive before and leave after the studies have finished. It must cover at least all the preventive, diagnostic, treatment and rehabilitation assistance activities that are carried out in health centers or socio-health centers, as well as urgent health transport. The health insurance must not have a deficiency, copayment, or coverage limit, that is, it must cover 100% of the medical, hospital, and out-of-hospital expenses.
It must be health insurance. Travel insurances and insurance cards are not accepted.
The health insurance must cover your whole stay in Spain, from 5 days before your studies start until 5 days after your studies finish because the visa will be valid from these dates in order to facilitate the arrival and departure of the student. DO NOT PURCHASE YOUR FLIGHT FOR ANOTHER DATES as your stay is justified by the studies, not longer.
If the student's letter of admission does not indicate it, the student must bring a letter from their private health insurance indicating that they are insured internationally at no additional cost.
The document from your health insurance company must show that covers you:
- At least 30,000 euros.
- Without deductibles, copays or waiting periods
- 100% of medical/hospital/out-of-hospital expenses (all risks insured by the Public Health System in Spain).
- The entire length of your stay in Spain.
If the applicant is participating in a volunteer programme, in addition to the medical insurance, they must provide a copy of the civil liability insurance policy taken out by the organization.
9. Disclaimer form signed. Only for individual applications and not for batch groups.
10. NOTARIZED COPY of Immigration status in the US IF THE APPLICANT IS A NON US CITIZEN: permanent resident card, valid US student visa along with Form I-20, Work Permit, passport stamp or parole.
11. Prove the identity and capacity of the representative IF THE APPLICANT IS A MINOR: a copy of the identity document or passport of the parent and the document that proves the relationship will be presented. The originals will be shown at the time of submitting the application. If the visa is requested through a representative, a copy of the identity document or passport of the representative and the power of attorney or document proving the representation must be presented. The originals will be shown at the time of submitting the application. To prove kinship, the original and a notarized copy of the applicant's birth certificate must be presented, proving the parental bond, or of the sentence or decision of the competent authority that establishes the applicant's guardianship (these documents must have been issued a maximum of 90 days before the visa application). Foreign documents must be translated and legalized with the Hague apostille. Copies of identity documents must be notarized. If the visa application has been made by post, the original of the identity documents must be presented at the time of collecting the passport with the visa.
12. Authorization of legal representatives IF THE APPLICANT IS A MINOR: the original and a copy of the notarial act of the parents or guardians authorizing the minor's travel to Spain and identifying the person who will take care of the minor in Spain must be provided. This authorization must expressly declare the details of the person (or persons) who will take charge of the minor once they are in Spain, specifying their name, surnames, DNI or NIE number and address. A notarized copy of that person (or persons) who will take care of the minor in Spain must be provided.
Foreign documents must be legalized with the Hague apostille and, where appropriate, must be accompanied by a translation into Spanish. Copies of documents must be notarized.
If the applicant is a minor, the person or persons designated to take charge of the applicant during their stay in Spain must provide a certificate of Sexual Offenses issued by the Central Registry of Sexual Offenders of the Ministry of Justice or express authorization for the Administration obtain said certification. That person (or persons) must also provide a declaration before a Spanish notary public, taking charge of the minor.
In the event that a minor travels alone or with an authorized person, a notarized power of attorney (original and notarized copy) signed by both parents/legal guardians and legalized with the Hague apostille must be provided, together with a copy of their passport. parents/guardians. If you are traveling with an authorized person, that authorization must indicate the following mass data: full name, passport or DNI or NIE number, address, date and route of travel.
In the event that the minor travels with only one of the parents, a power of attorney (original and notarized copy) signed by the parent who does not travel must be provided, authorizing the trip of the other parent with the minor.
WHEN THE STAY OF STUDIES EXCEEDS 180 DAYS applicants must also send 2 additional documents:
1. Criminal record check certificate dated no more than six months before the arrival into Spain, stating that the applicant does not have criminal records where he has lived in the last five years. Not applicable for students under 18 years old.
You must request a background check verified by fingerprint comparison. The criminal background check must be issued by the US Department of Justice - Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI). We do not accept state or local police criminal certificates.
The criminal record must be legalized with the FBI Apostille certification and translated into Spanish by a sworn/certified translator. The translation does not need an Apostille and the Apostille does not need a translation.
INFO FBI BACKGROUND CHECK DEPARTMENT OF STATE
INFO AMERICAN TRANSLATORS ASSOCIATION:
INFO DEPARTMENT OF STATE APOSTILLE:
If the applicant has spent six month or more during the last five years in another country/State, he/she must submit the police records from that country/State, legalized with the Apostille Certification and translated into Spanish. If the country is not part of the Hague Convention the document must be legalized by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and then by the Spanish Consulate in that country.
Any criminal record certificate that has been tampered with or damaged (including staple removal damage) will not be accepted under any pretext.
2. Medical certificate. Original and copy of a medical certificate accrediting that "the applicant does not suffer from any disease that could cause serious repercussions for public health pursuant to the 2005 International Health Regulations". Use this template.
The certificate must have been issued within 90 days prior to the visa application, and must include a doctor's signature and stamp/letterhead. If it is written in English, it must be accompanied by a translation into Spanish. Medical certificates do not need to be apostilled.
PLEASE DOUBLE CHECK THE REQUIREMENTS. YOUR APPLICATION WILL BE IMMEDIATELY RETURNED IF INCOMPLETE OR WRONG AND YOU WILL REQUIRE A NEW APPOINTMENT.
Visa validity period: The applicant must enter the Spanish territory during the period of validity of the visa. The visa must be stamped upon entry into the Schengen area.
If the stay is shorter than 6 months, the visa will be valid for the whole stay and it will not be necessary to obtain a Foreigner Identity Card.
If the stay is longer than 6 months, the visa will be valid for a 90-day stay and the applicant will need to apply for a Foreigner Identity Card (TIE) within the first month in Spain, at the Comisaría de Extranjería y Documentación in the city where the applicant will stay.
IF YOU WANT TO STAY AFTER YOUR STUDIES HAVE FINISHED + 5 EXTRA DAYS (FOR TOURISM PURPOSES): YOU WILL NEED TO LEAVE THE SCHENGEN TERRITORY AND RE-ENTER IN SPAIN WITH A SCHENGEN VISA OR NO VISA IF YOU HAVE A U.S PASSPORT.
IF YOU WANT TO ENTER MORE THAN 5 DAYS BEFORE THE START OF THE STUDIES (FOR TOURISM PURPOSES): YOU WILL NEED TO ENTER WITH A SCHENGEN VISA OR NO VISA IF YOU HAVE A U.S PASSPORT; LEAVE THE SCHENGEN TERRITORY AND RE-ENTER IN SPAIN WITH YOUR STUDY VISA.
Please do not contact us the first 8 following weeks after having submitted your application, we will not reply these emails. Those students who submitted their applications through batch must contact their representative directly. Only representatives are authorized to collect their passports with the visas.
The visa process may last around 2 months as one part of the process does not depend on this Consulate as we need to receive the authorization from Spain, which can take several weeks.
There is not expedited service.