There are not paid appointments or expedited processes. If you do not see appointments available, it means the slots are full.
This Consulate will not answer emails regarding appointments with the BLS company.
Visa for foreigners who have obtained a university degree in the past two years or who are pursuing studies that will lead to their obtaining a university degree in Spain or abroad, and who are participating in an internship programme in Spain (through the signature of an internship agreement or of a trainee contract) with the purpose of improving their knowledge, their skills and their experience in a professional environment.
If these conditions are not met, it is possible to apply for a study visa for the undertaking of other internships in Spain (see “study visas").
Required documents:
1. National visa application form
. Each applicant, or their representative, must complete and sign a visa application form, filling in each of its sections. If the applicant is a minor, one of their parents or a duly accredited representative must sign the application.
2. Photograph. A recent, passport-size, colour photograph, taken against a light background, facing forward, without dark or reflective glasses, or any garments concealing the oval of the face.
3. Valid, unexpired passport. Original and a photocopy of the page or pages of the passport that contain biometric data. The passport must have a minimum validity period of 1 year and contain two blank pages. Passports issued more than 10 years ago will not be accepted.
4. Residence permit. Original and a copy of the permit issued by the Delegation or Sub-delegation of the Government in the province in which the internship will be carried out.
5. Criminal record check certificate dated no more than six months before the application date, stating that the applicant does not have criminal record 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 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.6. Proof of residence in the consular district.
7. Proof of the representative's identity and capacity. If the applicant is a minor, it will be necessary to present originals and submit copies of the identity document or passport of one of their parents, as well as of the document constituting proof of kinship. Original documents must be shown when submitting the application. If the visa application is submitted through a representative, a copy of the identity document or passport of the representative and of the power of attorney or document accrediting representation must be submitted. The originals must be shown when submitting the application. Foreign documents must be legalized or apostilled and, if necessary, submitted together with an official translation into Spanish.
8. Payment of the visa fee. Money order of $190 for U.S citizens. For nationals of Australia, Bangladesh, Canada, United Kingdom, Ethiopia, Mauritania, different rates are applied for reasons of reciprocity. In these cases, the amount of the fee must be consulted with the Consular Office.
When necessary to assess the application, the Consular Office may request additional documents or data and may also ask the applicant to come in for a personal interview. Since January 1 2024, applicants must be registered in the Spanish Social Security, for both paid and unpaid internships.
Procedure
This Consular Office is competent to accept visa applications from individuals residing in the consular district.
- Who can apply for a visa: The visa application must be submitted in person by the applicant, or by one of their parents if they are a minor. It may also be submitted through a duly accredited representative.
Place of submission: Applications must be submitted in-person at the corresponding BLS International Services Ltd. offices (Visa Application Center): 15 Court Square, suite 520, Boston MA 02108. A previous appointment is always required.
- Proof of receipt: provided by BLS.
- Rectifying the application: The Consular Office may ask the applicant to submit any missing documents, or to provide additional documents or data that are necessary for a decision regarding the application. The applicant may also be called in for a personal interview.
- Decision period: The legal period for reaching a decision is 10 days as of the day after the submission date of the application, but this period may be extended when additional documents are requested or the applicant is called in for an interview.
- Visa collection: Passports with issued visa and other original documents submitted will be available for in-person pick-up by the applicant or a duly accredited legal representative at the corresponding BLS International Services Ltd. office.
- Visa refusal: Visa refusals will always be notified in writing, setting forth the grounds on which the decision adopted is based.
- Appeals: If a visa is refused, the applicant may submit an appeal for reconsideration to this Consular Office within 1 month of the day following the date on which notification of the refusal is received. An application for judicial review may also be filed with the High Court of Justice of Madrid within the 2-month period beginning the day after the date on which the applicant receives notification of the visa refusal or of the dismissal of the reconsideration appeal.
- Validity period of the visa: The visa will be valid for the authorized internship period, with a maximum validity period of 6 months (in the case of an internship hosting agreement) or of 1 year (in the case of a trainee contract). The visa accredits legal residence in Spain. If the authorized internship period is longer than 6 months, it is possible to apply for a Foreigner Identity Card from the Foreign Nationals' Office or the corresponding Police Station.