Visa for stays exceeding 90 days to participate in the North American Language and Cultural Assistant program (NALCAP) sponsored by the Spanish Ministry of Education or a Regional Education Authority.
The following family members may obtain a visa to accompany a NALCAP applicant:
Visas for an applicant's family members do not constitute work permits.
Required documents
1. National visa application form
. Each applicant must complete and sign a visa application, 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. One (1) recent full-face color photograph passport-size, taken in person against a light background, facing forward, without dark or reflective glasses, or any garments concealing the oval of the face taken by a commercial photographer or studio no more than six months before the date you submit your application. It should also meet the requirements pictured on this link.
Photographs of minors must not show any part of the adult holding them.
3. Valid, unexpired passport. Original and a photocopy of the page or pages of the passport that contain biometric data. The passport must be valid at least for the duration of the planned stay and contain two blank pages. Passports issued more than 10 years ago will not be accepted.
4. Acceptance letter by the Spanish Ministry of Education or Regional Education Authorities. This letter must provide information on the school an applicant has been appointed to (address, phone number, contact email), information about the monthly allowance or grant, duration of the program and the insurance policy assigned by the Spanish Ministry of Education or Regional Education Authorities. If you are uninsured, you will need to have a medical insurance covering your entire stay in Spain.
5. Proof of financial means. Original and a copy of the documents proving that an applicant (or their legal representative or the family member supporting them) has sufficient financial means to cover an applicant's expenses to stay and return, as well as the stay and return of the family members accompanying him/her. The minimum required monthly amount for 2024 is € 600.00 (CAN $879.00). To this amount must be added € 450.00 (CAN $659.00) for the first family member and € 300.00 (CAN $440.00) for each additional family member. If proof is provided that accommodation for the entire stay has been paid for in advance, this amount will be deducted.
The grant from the Regional Education Authority will contribute to meet the required monthly amount.
If an applicant`s parents are helping to cover the costs, he/she must present a notarized letter signed by them indicating their consent and a copy of their bank statement for the last two months.
6. Health insurance. In the case you do not have a medical insurance from your Regional Education Authority, you must provide a copy of the certificate accrediting public or private health insurance provided by an insurance company authorized to operate in Spain. It has to be a health insurance, not a travel insurance. For this reason, it does not need to cover repatriations and/or evacuations.
Coverage period must be throughout the validity of the stay and should contain all risks normally covered to Spaniards in the Spanish National Health System benefits list.
Medical insurance must not have a deductible, co-payment or coverage limit, that is, it must cover 100% of medical, hospital and extra-hospital expenses. Spanish companies such as Sanitas, Adeslas, Axa, etc. offer unlimited expenses coverage.
Exceptionally, a medical insurance from a foreign company that sets a maximum coverage limit may be accepted if it meets the rest of the requirements. As a benchmark, insurance coverage up to a maximum of US$500,000.00 may be accepted.
In any case, the insurance company must be authorized to operate in Spain. There is a list of them at http://rrpp.dgsfp.mineco.es/.
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 the country or countries of residence in the past 5 years.
In the case of Canada, only the negative criminal record certificate issued by the RCMP containing the visa applicant's fingerprints will be accepted. You will find more information about how to obtain it here.
Criminal records certificates from local police stations will not be accepted.
The Canadian Criminal Record Certificate must be authenticated with the Hague Apostille Certification, and must be accompanied by an official translation into Spanish by a sworn/certified translator.
The visa will not be issued without the Criminal Record Certificate apostilled by Global Affairs Canada, so it is recommended that you carry out this procedure with the Canadian authorities well in advance.
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 a certified translator through The Association of Translators and Interpreters of Ontario.
The background check must be issued within 6 months preceding the submission of the visa application.
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 public that stamps a seal on the criminal background check).
If the applicant has spent more than 6 months (more than 180 days) during the last 5 years in another country (outside Canada) 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. You can check the list of the countries signing the Hague Convention here.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 Spanish Consulate in that country. The background check must be accompanied by an official translation into Spanish (if the original is not written in Spanish).
8. Medical certificate. Applicants requiring a visa for a stay of more than 180 days must submit the original and a copy of a medical certificate issued by your family doctor worded as follows:
“This medical certificate states that Mr./Mrs. ….. does not suffer from any diseases that may have serious consequences on public health in accordance with the provisions contained in the 2005 International Health Regulations."
9. Proof of residence in the consular district. An applicant must provide proof of their legal residence in the National Capital Region (Ottawa and Gatineau) or that they are attending classes, in person, in the National Capital Region.
If you live in a city other than Ottawa and Gatineau, you should apply for your visa at the Spanish Consulate General in Toronto or Montreal according to their consular jurisdictions.
10. Payment of the visa fee. Please refer to the consular fee chart.
Only cash, money order or certified cheque payable to the "Embassy of Spain" will be accepted.
11. If an applicant is not a Canadian citizen, he/she must provide documentation proving his/her residence status in Canada (a permanent residence card, work permit or study permit with transcript)
12. Proof of accommodation. Hotel reservation or lease contract. Private housing must be accompanied by an invitation.
Required documents for family members
For each family member accompanying the student, the following must be submitted:
- All documents listed above, except 4.
Moreover, the certificates proving kinship with an applicant (marriage certificate, common law certificate, or birth certificate, as applicable) must be provided.
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.
A Spanish translation of all documents submitted may be required in accordance to the provisions of article 15 of "Act 39/2015 on Uniform Administrative Procedures of the Spanish Public Administration". It may also be required that all foreign documents be legalized or apostilled, where applicable.
Procedure
This Consular Office is competent to accept visa applications from individuals residing in the National Capital Region or who are regularly in the National Capital Region for work or study purposes, even if they are not residents.
Applying for a NALCAP visa also entails applying for a stay permit.
Who can apply for a visa: Visa applications must be submitted in person by the applicant or by one of their parents if the applicant is a minor. They may also be submitted through a duly accredited representative.
Place of submission: Applicants must obtain an IN PERSON appointment to submit his/her application. To book an appointment, click HERE. On-line applications are NOT accepted.
The embassy’s address is the following:
Embassy of Spain in Ottawa
Consular Section
74 Stanley Avenue
Ottawa, ON
K1M 1P4
Collecting the visa: The visa must be collected in person by the applicant or by their representative (if the applicant is a minor) within a maximum period of 2 months, counted as of the day after the date on which the favourable decision is notified.
To find out about the outcome of your visa application, click HERE and input your personal data on your proof of receipt. You may pick up your passport/visa any working Friday from 9:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m.
Appeals: If a NALCAP 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 served. 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.
This information is not binding and does not alter or replace the relevant regulations, which shall always prevail.