Internship Visa

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.

In order to apply for an internship visa, you must have an “Authorization of Initial Residence for Internship” issued by the Delegation or Sub-delegation of the Government of the province in which the internship will be carried out.

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 Visa tab).

REQUIRED DOCUMENTS

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.

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).

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.- Authorization of Initial Residence for Internship (“Autorización de residencia inicial para practicas”). Original and a copy of the Authorization issued by the Delegation or Sub-delegation of the Government of the province in which the internship will be carried out. The company is the institution in charge to ask about this document.

7.- Criminal record check certificate: Applicants of legal age (18 years old and older) 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 2 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 do not 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 2 years in another country (outside the USA or Spain) 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 2 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.

8.- Responsible Declaration (original and a photocopy) of the absence of criminal records in the countries where you have resided during the previous 5 years.

9.- 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.

11.- Payment of the visa fee. Different rates are applied due to reciprocity. In 2024:

U.S. citizens: $190
Citizens of Australia: $3.111
Citizens of Bangladesh: $99
Citizens of Canada: $1.020
Citizens of Ethiopia: $508
Citizens of Mauritania: $263
Citizens of the UK: $380
All other citizens: $88

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

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.

PROCEDURE

This Consular Office is competent to accept visa applications from individuals residing in the consular district. (Washington, D.C., Maryland, Virginia, West Virginia and North Carolina).

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 Consular Office by appointment only.

Once you have all the required documents you must scan and email them to cog.washington.vis@maec.es. If there is not enough space to include all the attached documents, you can send them in different, numbered emails. Please do not send emails if you do not have all the required documents yet. When we receive all the required documents, we will answer your mail and schedule an appointment to come in person to the Consular Section of the Embassy to submit the application.

Please write the email subject as follows: “APPOINTMENT REQUEST. Visa Type. Given Name FAMILY NAME. Email Number”

Proof of receipt: The Consular Office will provide the applicant with proof of receipt of the application with a code that enables them to check the status of the dossier through the following link: https://sutramiteconsular.maec.es/Home.aspx

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.

Collecting the visa: The visa must be collected in person by the applicant or by their representative within a maximum period of 1 month, counted as of the day after the date on which the favourable decision is notified. The Consular Office will inform the applicant regarding the procedure for the return of the passport and any other original documentation.

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 (T.I.E., Tarjeta de Identificación de Extranjeros) from the Foreign Nationals' Office or the corresponding Police Station.