STAY VISA (SCHENGEN VISA)
IMPORTANT NOTICE: The Spanish Government has signed a contract with an external company (BLS International) for processing visas for Spanish Consular Offices in the United States.
IT IS MANDATORY TO REQUEST AN APPOINTMENT
For SCHENGEN (Tourism) VISAS, must request an appointment through this website: http://usa.blsspainglobal.com.
or https://usa.blsspainvisa.com/sanfrancisco/
Place of submission: Applications must be submitted in person at BLS Visa service for Spain:
Address: 717 Market St, Suite 425, San Francisco CA 94103.
Email: info.sfoes@blsinternational.net
Phone: 516-888-1169
General information
The Schengen visa is issued to third-country nationals listed in Annex I of Regulation (EU) 2018/1806 . This visa allows the holder to stay in the Schengen area for up to 90 days (in any 180-day period) for the purposes of tourism, business, visiting family, medical treatment, studies, training placements, volunteer activities, other non-gainful activities and transit through the territory and airports.
The 29 Schengen countries are Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Czech Republic, Croatia, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Italy, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, and Switzerland.
- The main destination of the applicant´s trip must be Spain
- If the applicant is visiting several Schengen countries (tours, cruises) but do not have a main destination , the application must be present at the Consulate of the country of the first entry as long as the spend of days in each country will be the same amount.
- The Consulate of Spain in San Francisco will consider applications for residents in this jurisdiction: North California, Nevada, Oregon, Idaho, Wyoming, Montana, Washington, Alaska and Hawaii..
- Applications are in person by appointment only.
Required documents
1. ![]()
Schengen Visa Application form 20240701.pdf Applicants must legally reside within the jurisdiction of the Consulate General of Spain in San Francisco. The application form must be thoroughly filled out and signed. For minors, the form must be signed by all their parents/legal guardians.
2. ![]()
Photograph.pdf. Recently issued (not older than 6 months).An updated photo-paper picture, passport size, facing forward, light/white background, without dark or reflective glasses, or any garments concealing the oval of the face.Photographs of toddlers or babies must not show any part of the adult holding them.
3. Valid, unexpired passport. (Original and a Photocopy): Passport should be no older than 10 years and be valid for a minimum of 90 days after your expected departure date from the Schengen zone. The passport must have at least two blank pages in it.Passports issued more than 10 years ago will not be accepted.
4. Proof of residence in the consular jurisdiction: that proves residence within the jurisdiction of the Consulate of Spain in San Francisco (original and photocopy). Any of the following forms of identification are acceptable, always when and where they are valid the day of the appointment: driver's license with current address, state identity card, voter registration card, student ID.
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.
5. Proof of legal residence in the United States(Original and a Photocopy).
Must present one of the following documents:
- Original and copy of Permanent Resident Card (Green card)
- Valid US long-term Visa
- F1 student visas must also submit original and copy of I-20 form
- Holders of B-1/B-2 visas cannot apply in the United States; they must apply in their country of permanent residence.
6. Travel insurance. Certificate of Insurance Company specifying:
- Name of applicant
- Dates of coverage
- Repatriation coverage
- Minimum coverage €30.000 or $50.000. No deductibles
- An Insurance card will NOT be accepted as proof of coverage.
Insurance must be valid for the complete duration of your time while in Schengen territory.
If you are requesting a multiple entry visa, travel insurance must be valid from the first day that the travel starts and provide either proof of coverage for one year or a signed declaration that will have the required insurance when travelling in all future trips.
7. Payment of the visa fee: Payments are made at the time of your appointment, only money order or exact cash are accepted (no credit cards, no debit cards, no personal checks). Money orders are to be addressed to the "Consulate General of Spain San Francisco".
Payment of the visa fee :
- General fee (citizens age 12 and over): $99.00
- Children of 6-12 years: $49.00
- Children aged 5 and under: Exempt.
Different fees are applied for others nationalities. Please visit our website to check the complete most recent visa Fees 2024
The visa fee will not be reimbursed even if the visa is not granted or is cancelled.
8. Round trip ticket reservations; Printout of the Round Trip Flights reservation showing:
- Arrival and departure from the Schengen area
- Departure and arrival to the United States of America
- For travel-tours or cruise, include the complete itinerary trip (cities, hotels) issued by the Travel Agent.
9. For Business trip: Invitation letter from the Spanish company or local company indicating (Original and a Photocopy). An original letter from the applicant's employer with letterhead and original signature and/or stamp, with the following information: type of job, length of time employed and annual salary.
10. Accommodation: Present one of the following:
11. Proof of Financial means: Printed support with at least aprox. USD $122/day per person for the stay in the Schengen area. Present one of the following:
- Last 3 bank statements :all pages obtained directly from the bank (with signature or stamp from the bank), with your name on each statement and an ending balance that meets the minimum requirements for the length of your stay. Each adult applicant must provide their own individual bank statements under their name (even if travelling with their spouse).
- The latest complete statement from a major Credit Card. Each adult applicant must provide their own individual bank statements under their name (even if travelling with their spouse).
The availability of means of living can also be presented by means of cash, convertible monies, certified checks, traveler checks or letters of payment. Neither letters from bank entities, nor printed statements obtained online will be accepted. ALL PROOF OF FUNDS MUST BE IN ORIGINAL FORM.
12. Proof of Income:
- For employee: Updated Employer letter indicating position, length of employed and salary or the latest 3 payment stubs.
- For students: Registration letter from school, college or university.
- Self-employed: Last year Income Tax Return and a “Good Standing Certificate" issued by the Secretary of State.
- Financial dependent: Last joint Income Tax Return or joint bank statements
Under 18 years of age: The physical presence of the applicant is mandatory in every case. Applicants under 18 years of age must submit a notarized authorization letter from their parents or legal guardians.
If traveling with both parents/guardians, copy of birth certificate.
If traveling with only one parent/guardian:
Guardian with sole custody: original proof and copy of birth certificate.
Guardians with shared custody: notarized letter of the parent/guardian that is not traveling giving permission for minor to travel with the traveling parent/guardian, and copy of birth certificate.
The Consulate Administration has full authority to evaluate and request more documents than those listed above. Please be informed that submitting the mentioned documents does NOT guarantee issuance of the visa. Documents presented for the visa application will not be returned.
Relatives of European Union citizens. : Applications are in person by appointment only. Request an appointment through this website:
http://usa.blsspainglobal.com .
A Schengen visa is issued free of charge for these applicants who must provide ALL of the following:
- The applicant must present points 1 to 5 describe above
- Spouse of the EU citizen should present original and copy of marriage certificate (issued in the last 6 months), and duly translated into Spanish .
- Round Trip Flight reservation of the applicant/s and the EU spouse/children travelling together.
- Original and one photocopy of EU citizen's passport.
- Children of the EU citizen should present a birth certificate.
- Dependant relatives in the ascending line should present the documents proving the relationship, original and copy and duly translated into Spanish .
PROCEDURE
- Who can apply for a visa: Third-country nationals residing in the consular district who are travelling to Spain as their only or main destination.
- Place of submission: Applications must be submitted in person by appotiment at BLS International Office, located 717 Market St, Suite 425, San Francisco CA 94103. Appointments must be requested through the following link: http://usa.blsspainglobal.com
- Visa application period: Visa applications must be submitted between 6 months and 20 days before the scheduled date of travel. Seafarers may apply for the visa up to 9 months before the date of travel.
- Biometric data capturing: The applicant's facial image and fingerprints will be captured during the visa application procedure. Applicants under 12 and applicants whose fingerprints have been taken in the last 59 months are exempt from fingerprint taking. However, in the latter case, if the applicant's prints are of poor quality, the Consular Office will request that they come back in to have their fingerprints retaken.
- 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 of 15 calendar days as of the day after the application submission date, but this period may be extended to 45 calendar days if an interview or additional documents are requested.
Visa applications submitted by nationals of certain States require consultation with the central authorities that could affect the duration of the visa procedure.
- Return of passport and other documentation. BLS International will inform the applicant regarding the procedure for the return of the passport and any other original documentation.
- Permission granted by the visa: A visa does not automatically entitle someone to enter the Schengen area. The traveller must meet all legal entry requirements (see section "Conditions for entry into Spain").
- Visa refusal: Visa refusals will always be notified in writing, setting forth the grounds on which the decision adopted was 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 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.
Data protection
The processing of personal data of visa applicants is done in accordance with the General Data Protection Regulation
.
Persons wishing to exercise their rights of access, rectification and erasure of their personal data in the Visa Information System (VIS) may do so by addressing the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the European Union and Cooperation:
Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the European Union and Cooperation
Inspección General de Servicios
Postal address: Plaza de la Provincia, 1, Madrid, España
Email: dpd@maec.es
The following forms may be used to do so:
Persons whose visa application has been refused because they are banned from entering the Schengen area may exercise their rights of access, rectification and erasure of their personal data in the Schengen Information System (SIS) by addressing the Ministry of the Interior.
To obtain more information on your rights and duties and on how to exercise your rights of access, rectification and erasure of data included in the SIS, please refer to the website of the Spanish Data Protection Agency.
Basic legislation
Community Code on Visas
- Regulation (EC) No 810/2009 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 13 July 2009 establishing a Community Code on Visas (Visa Code).
- Regulation (EU) 2019/1155 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 20 June 2019 amending Regulation (EC) No 810/2009 establishing a Community Code on Visas (Visa Code).