General Student visa

GENERAL INFORMATION

Visa for stays longer than 90 days with the purpose of carrying out studies, internships or volunteering.

Stays of 90 days or less for study purposes do not require a study visa. Depending on your nationality, a short-stay visa may be required (see Schengen Visas tab). Holders of a US passport (or any other nationality that does not require a visa to stay in the Schengen area 90 days in a period of 180 days) do not require any visa for stays of up to 90 days (including for study purposes).

Activities that merit a General Student visa:

Full-time (minimum of 20 hours per week) studies at an accredited school or educational center that will result in a degree, diploma, or certificate;
Doctoral studies;
Secondary school (middle or high school) exchange programs with an accredited school or scientific centerInternships or trainings at public or private entities that do not qualify for an internship visa (see Internship visa tab);
Volunteer services for programs working in areas of general and/or public interest.

Family members: The following family members may obtain a visa to accompany the student:

The spouse or unmarried partner with whom they maintain a union equivalent to marriage;
Children who are minors or who have a disability.

Visas for students' family members do not constitute work permits.

JURISDICTION: Washington, D.C., Maryland, Virginia, West Virginia, North Carolina

This Consular Office is competent to accept visa applications from legal residents or students enrolled in in-person studies at a center in our jurisdiction.

Please note that you must submit your visa application according to your jurisdiction. We do not accept applications from outside of our jurisdiction: Consular jurisdictions

BLS VISA APPLICATION CENTER

Applications for student visas must be submitted in person by appointment only to the BLS Spain Visa Application Center in Washington DC.

To find more information and schedule an appointment for a Study visa at BLS Spain Visa Application Center in Washington DC, please follow the link: BLS Spain Visa Application Center

BLS Visa Application Center: 1660 L Street. NW, Suite 216, Washington, D.C., 20036

Email: info.wases@blsinternational.net

Phone number: 516-888-1169 (BLS call-center for USA)

The collection of the visa and/or documents must be in person at the BLS office once BLS notifies the applicant that the visa or documents are ready for pick up.

BATCH VISA APPLICATIONS

Universities from our jurisdiction may submit student visa applications from its students in batches to the BLS Spain Visa Application Center providing a due power of attorney or letter from the University. The letter from the University must indicate the names of the students and the person responsible to submit the visa applications to BLS and pick up the passports and other documentation from BLS.

In the case that a University is interested in submitting batch applications and has not yet scheduled an appointment, please send an e-mail requesting an appointment to: info.wases@blsinternational.net and cog.washington.vis@maec.es

Please submit the required documents in the same order in every application.

SUBMIT IN ADVANCE

Please submit your visa application sufficiently in advance of the start of your studies. It is possible to apply for a Study visa from 6 months before the intended date of your travel or the beginning of the study program.

BLS starts the process and delivers the application to the Consular Section of the Embassy. Once the application is accepted as complete in the Consular Section, the procedure involves consultations with other authorities that can take up to 1 month from the day the Consular Section forwards the documents through the visa system (not from the day the applicant submits the application at the BLS office). The time frame to receive a resolution may be extended and is not possible to expedite.

Please allow a minimum of 6 weeks between the day the complete application with all the required documents is submitted at BLS and the day you expect to collect your visa from BLS.

The Consular Section does not provide information about the status of a visa. If extra documents are needed you will be contacted.

It is highly recommended not to purchase travel tickets until you receive your visa.

REQUIRED DOCUMENTS

Please note that we do not accept incomplete visa applications. Only complete applications with all the required documents will be admitted and processed.

1.- One Application form (National Visa Application form): Each applicant must complete and sign a national visa application, filling out every section. It can be filled out electronically or handwritten in capital letters. If the applicant is a minor, one of their parents or a duly accredited representative must sign the application.

Please do not forget to fill out numbers 17 (your address, email and telephone number), 28 (complete information related to the university or education center in Spain) and 21 (intended date of entry) on the application form.

The intended day of entry can be, for example, 15 days before the beginning of the studies; in this case, make sure that your insurance policy covers your whole period of intended stay in Spain.

2.- One photograph: Glued or clipped (not stapled) onto visa application form. Photo specifications: Passport-size, color photograph, recent (taken within the last 6 months to reflect your current appearance), printed on matte/glossy paper, taken against a white, light, clear, uniform background, facing forward, without dark or reflective glasses, or any garments concealing the applicant’s full oval of the face.

Photos with a dark background or with objects or people that can be seen behind your head will not be accepted. Photographs of babies must not show any part of the adult holding them.

3.- Valid, unexpired passport: Original and photocopy of the page or pages of the passport that contain biometric data. The passport must be valid for at least the requested time of stay and must contain at least two free pages for visas. Passports issued more than 10 years ago will not be accepted.

If the passport does not meet the requirements, it must be renewed before applying for the visa.

4.- Proof of legal residence in the United States. Non-U.S. citizens must also submit proof of legal residence in the United States: A photocopy of the valid U.S. long term Visa or a notarized copy of the U.S. Resident Card (Green card; please do not submit the original document).

F1 student visa holders must submit a photocopy of the I-20 certificate.

B1/B2 visa holders do not qualify to apply for a visa at this Consular Office. They must apply for a visa in their country of residence or country of origin.

5.- Proof of residence or study in the consular district. The applicant must be a legal resident or be enrolled in in-person studies in a center within our consular jurisdiction (Washington, D.C., Maryland, Virginia, West Virginia and North Carolina).

Residence must be proved by one of the following, valid documents: Photocopy of U.S. Driver’s license, State ID, University Student ID. Please do not submit the original document.

If you do not have a U.S. Driver's license or State ID it is possible to prove residence in our consular district by other documents, e.g. a copy of a lease agreement or utility bill.

6.- Proof of admission in the study program, training or volunteer activity: Please submit one printed copy if it is an electronically-signed document. If it is not an electronically-signed document, please submit the original document and one photocopy.

The letter of acceptance or certificate of admission must certify the enrollment of the student in the study program. We do not accept letters of acceptance that offer the possibility to enroll while indicating that admission is subject to conditions.

The document must be written in Spanish and be issued in Spain by the authorized university, school or education center.

The document must prove enrollment in:

Full-time (minimum 20 hours per week) studies;
At an authorized university, school, research or education center;
Leading to obtain a degree, diploma or certificate.

The document must indicate:

Name of the authorized university, school or education center;
Address, contact e-mail and telephone number of the education center;
Student’s full name;
Name of the program;
Start and ending dates of the program;
Name, e-mail and telephone number of the person in charge of the program.

In the case of a student exchange or mobility program for secondary school at an officially recognized teaching center: The letter of acceptance must indicate proof of accommodation with a family or at an institution, and the organizer’s commitment that the expenses are covered (see “Student visa for minors”).

In the case of unpaid training (as part of the study program) that does not entitle an Internship visa: Please submit the letter of acceptance and the signed contract.

If the applicant is participating in a volunteer program, in addition to the letter of acceptance, he/she must also provide the signed contract with the volunteering organization. If you need it back, please provide the original and a photocopy.

7.- Proof of financial means: The applicant must provide documents certifying that he/she (or the legal representative or relative that supports him/her) has sufficient financial means to cover the expenses of student’s stay and return, as well as that of any family members accompanying him/her.

The minimum required amount is equivalent to 100% of Spain's IPREM (Public Multiple Effects Income Indicator) for the student. 75% of the IPREM must be added for the first accompanying family member and 50% for each additional family member.

If the student is traveling to Spain alone, the minimum required amount in 2023 is 700 USD per month.

The IPREM indicator changes every year. In 2023 the IPREM is:

100% = 600€ (approx. $700)
75% = 450€ (approx. $500)
50% = 300€ (approx. $350)

If the provided documentation certifies that accommodation for the entire length of the student’s stay has been paid for in advance, this amount will be deducted from the minimum required amount.

If the letter of acceptance or certificate of admission (point 6) certifies that the applicant’s U.S. or Spanish university or school assumes full financial responsibility for room and board, it is not necessary to provide any additional proof of financial means.

If not, at least one of the following documents must be submitted:

Documentation proving the issuance of financial aid, loans, scholarships, or other economic aid that covers the minimum amount required for room and board. If the original documents are in English, a translation into Spanish must be submitted.
If the applicant him/herself bears full financial responsibility for his/her room and board: His/her three most recent monthly bank statements, including the applicant’s full name and a final balance that covers the required minimum funds. The bank statements in English do not need to be translated into Spanish.
Notarized letter (original and copy) from at least one of the applicant’s parents or guardians, in which they assume full financial responsibility for the applicant’s room and board.

Suggested wording: "I hereby certify that I, [full name of parent of guardian], [mother, father, legal guardian] of [full name of applicant], assume full financial responsibility for his/her round-trip ticket between Spain and the United States, as well as his/her monthly room and board expenses while he/she is in Spain, and any addition emergency expenses that may arise during his/her stay."

The applicant must attach all of the following documentation to this notarized letter:

Notarized copy of the parent or guardian’s ID;
Notarized copy of the student’s birth certificate, demonstrating parental link, or the ruling or decision by which a legal guardian was determined;
The parent or guardian’s three most recent monthly bank statements, showing his/her full name and a final balance that covers the required minimum funds (which must cover the student’s room and board, as well as the cost of the student’s studies or tuition). The bank statements in English do not need to be translated into Spanish.

8.- Health insurance: Proof of public or private health insurance contracted with an insurance entity authorized to operate in Spain. The insurance policy must cover all the risks insured by Spain's public health system and must cover the entire period of the stay. It should have no coverage limits (Spanish companies offer unlimited coverage), no grace periods for certain benefits, no co-payments, and no deductibles. Nevertheless, if the policy has a coverage limited to a specific amount, this limit must not be less than 30,000 euros.

Travel insurance is not accepted.

An Insurance card will not be accepted as proof of coverage.

If the applicant is participating in a volunteer program, in addition to the health insurance, he/she must also provide a copy of the organization’s civil liability insurance policy.

WHEN LENGTH OF STAY EXCEEDS 180 DAYS (for stays of more than 180 days, points 9 and 10 must also be submitted):

9.- Medical certificate: Applicants who apply for a visa for a stay of more than 180 days must submit the original and a copy of the medical certificate demonstrating the applicant does not suffer from any diseases that could have serious repercussions for public health in accordance with the International Health Regulations of 2005.

The certificate must be issued in the 3 months preceding the submission of the visa application.
The certificate must include a stamp from the issuing Medical Center, doctor’s name and signature, doctor’s License Number and date of expedition.
The certificate must be written on letterhead paper from hospital/doctor’s office or directly on the provided template. The recommended model can be found here: MEDICAL CERTIFICATE
If the certificate does not include the text in Spanish, an official or certified translation into Spanish is required. In the case of using the bilingual model from our website, the Spanish translation is not necessary.

Please include a photocopy (not notarized) of the medical certificate with your submitted documents.

10.- Criminal record check certificate: Applicants of legal age (18 years old and older) who apply for a student visa for a stay of more than 180 days must submit the original and a photocopy (not notarized) of their criminal background check(s) issued by their country or countries of residence in the past five years. The criminal background check must be issued by the U.S. Department of Justice – Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI). We do not accept State or Local Police Background Checks.

The background check must be issued within the 6 months preceding the submission of the visa application.
Criminal background checks must be authenticated with the Hague Apostille. We do not accept background checks without the Hague Apostille.
The apostille must certify the signature on the Criminal Background check, not other signatures (e.g. we don’t accept apostilles that certify the signature of a notary that stamps a seal on the criminal background check).
Criminal background checks must be accompanied by an official translation into Spanish by a sworn/certified translator. The official translation can include the translation of the Apostille as well, but it is not necessary (the translation does not need an Apostille and the Apostille does not need a translation).
You can find certified translators through the AMERICAN TRANSLATORS ASSOCIATION
The criminal background check will not be accepted if it has been altered or damaged in any way, including damage caused by removing staples.

If the applicant has spent more than 6 months (more than 180 days) during the last 5 years in another country (outside the USA) an additional criminal background check from every country of residence must be provided. The criminal background checks must be authenticated with the Apostille of The Hague, unless it is issued by an EU member state. The criminal background check issued by an EU authority does not need to be apostilled to be accepted. If the country in which the applicant has lived in the past 5 years does not subscribe to The Hague Convention of 1961, the background check must by authenticated by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the issuing country and then by the Consulate of Spain in this country. The background check must be accompanied by an official translation into Spanish (if the original is not written in Spanish).

Please submit the original and a photocopy of all the documents: Background check, Apostille and official translation.

11.- Disclaimer form (

DISCLAIMER.pdf )

12.- Payment of the visa fee: Payment made to BLS. Non-refundable.

For US citizens: $160
For citizens of Australia: $476
For citizens of the UK:

For stays shorter than 180 days: $88
For stays longer than 180 days: $440

For citizens of Bangladesh: $99
For citizens of Ethiopia:

For stays shorter than 180 days: $88
For stays longer than 180 days: $510

For citizens of Mauritania: $263
For all other citizens: $88

Visa fees are revised quarterly according to current exchange rates and can be subject to changes.

REQUIRED DOCUMENTS FOR FAMILY MEMBERS OF A GENERAL STUDENT VISA HOLDER:

For this purpose, a “family member” or “relative” is: the spouse or civil union partner and children under eighteen or children with disabilities and not objectively able to provide for their own needs due to their health status.

Foreigners who have applied for a student visa or who are in Spain with a General student visa may apply for the corresponding visas for their relatives so that they can legally enter and stay in Spain for the duration of such studies. The visas may be requested simultaneously with the application for a General student visa or at any subsequent time during the period of validity of the authorized General student visa.

Relatives will not be entitled to work during their stay in Spain.

The following required documents must be submitted for each family member accompanying the student:

1.- Documents listed above under numbers 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 11 and 12, and, if applicable, 9, 10.

2.- Documentation proving relationship to the student (marriage, civil union, or birth certificate, or other documentation, depending on the relationship): This documentation must be authenticated with the Hague Apostille and officially translated into Spanish.

For married couples: Original and notarized copy of marriage certificate.
For civil partners: Original and notarized copy of certificate confirming that the relationship is accounted for in a civil registry or documentation proving that the couple qualifies for a civil partnership, even if not legally registered as such.
For children: Original and notarized copy of the birth certificate.
For children of divorced parents: The final divorce and custody filings for the minor, authenticated with the Hague Apostille and translated into Spanish.

Note: Documentation issued by government authorities of countries that do not subscribe to The Hague Convention of 1961 must be authenticated by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the issuing country and then by the Consulate of Spain in said country.

PROCEDURE

Who can apply for a visa: This Consular Office is competent to accept visa applications from legal residents or students enrolled in in-person studies within our consular jurisdiction (Washington, D.C., Maryland, Virginia, West Virginia and North Carolina).

Please note that if you are a minor (less than 18 years old) in the moment you are applying for the visa, you must apply as a minor. If you are 18 years old (or more) in the moment you are applying for the visa, you must apply as an adult. Different required documents apply if you submit the application as a minor or as an adult.

Visa application period: Visa applications must be submitted sufficiently in advance of the beginning of the study programs, as the procedure entails consultations with other authorities.

It is possible to apply for a Student visa from 6 months before the beginning of the study program.

The complete process time can take 1 month since the application is received in the Consular Office. Please allow a minimum of 5 weeks between the day you submit the complete application with all the required documents to BLS and the day you expect to collect the visa in BLS.

The intended day of entry can be several days before the beginning of the studies, in this case, make sure that your insurance policy covers your whole period of stay in Spain.

It is highly recommended not to purchase the travel tickets until you receive your visa.

Place of submission: The student application must be submitted in person by appointment only to the BLS Spain Visa Application Center for Spain in Washington DC.

To find more information and schedule an appointment for Student visas in BLS Spain Visa Application Center in Washington DC, please follow the link: BLS Spain Visa Application Center

Please note that there are different sections for Schengen visas and for National visas appointments.

Decision period: BLS starts the visa process and delivers the application to the Consular Office in the Embassy. Once the application is accepted as complete in the Consular Office, the procedure involves consultations with other authorities that can take 1 month from the day after the Consular Office forwards the documents in the visa system (not 1 month after the day the applicant submits the application at the BLS office). The time frame to receive a resolution may be extended and is not possible to expedite.

The Consular Section does not provide information about the status of a visa.

If extra documents are needed you will be contacted.

Rectifying the application: The Consular Office may ask the applicant to submit additional documents or data that are necessary for a decision regarding the application. The applicant may also be called in for a personal interview.

Collecting the visa: The applicant must collect the visa and/or other documents in person in BLS after BLS notifies (by SMS text) the applicant that the visa or documents are ready to pick up.

Refusal of the visa or study stay permit: Applying for a study visa also entails applying for a study stay permit. Refusals of the visa or study stay permit will always be notified in writing, setting forth the grounds on which the decision adopted was based.

Appeals: If a visa or a study stay permit are refused, the applicant may submit an appeal for reconsideration in Spanish to this Consular Office or the Office that denied the request 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:

If the duration of the studies does not exceed 180 days (180 days or less), the visa will be sufficient to document the stay and it will not be necessary to obtain a Foreigner Identity Card.
If the duration of the studies exceeds 180 days (more than 180 days), the visa will be valid for 90 days. You must enter Spain during the period of validity of the visa. Upon entry and within the first 30 days, applicants must request a Foreigner Identity Card or TIE (“Tarjeta de Identificación de Extranjeros”) at the Immigration Office ("Oficina de Extranjería") in Police Headquarters of the city where class is being attended. The TIE will be valid for as long as the student is enrolled in the program in Spain. In the case of minors, a representative may carry out this procedure.