How to get a Student Visa to go to Spain…

The next step in preparing for the scholarship that I have been awarded is to apply for a Student Visa to go to Spain.  I have studied abroad in Spain before so this is actually the second time that I have had to apply for a Student Visa.  I’d like to outline the general process for applying for a visa to study abroad in Spain in this post.  Please remember that this information is just a guide which was written in June of 2008 – always check with your local consulate for updated information before applying for a visa. 

Find a Spanish Consulate in the USA:
In most cases, you must apply for a visa in person at the appropriate Spanish Consulate.  There are several Consulate Generals of Spain throughout the USA.  Each consulate has a different jurisdiction and it is your responsibility to get to the one that serves your state.  You can use this webpage (in Spanish) to look up the consulate in your jurisdiction.  Remember to make sure that you go to the right consulate – you may want to call and make sure that the one you are planning to use serves your state.  Also remember that you may be required to make an appointment before showing up at a consulate.  Call to find out.

Once you find the consulate in your jurisdiction, you can go to their webpage and get specific instructions for obtaining a student visa.  I’m going to outline the general procedure below….

General requirements for a Spanish Student Visa:
My nearest consulate is located in New York City; thus, these requirements are from their website.  You may need to check with the consulate in your jurisdiction for more specific, updated requirements.  Basically, you need the following documents to apply for a Student Visa:

• Two Schengen Visa Forms: You can get these from the consulate’s website.  Remember that both forms must be filled out and signed by hand.  You cannot fill out one form and then simply photocopy it to get the second one.  Also, these forms are two pages long and must be printed back-to-back.  Do not print the two pages of the form on two separate sheets of paper and then staple page one to page two. 
• Passport and Secondary ID: You will need to bring a valid passport (that is valid the entire period of study) to the consulate along with a secondary form of ID (your driver’s license or ID card, in most cases).  They will give your secondary ID back to you; however, they will keep your passport so that they can affix the visa to it.  Your passport will be returned to you in the mail with the visa affixed. 
• Two Recent Passport Photos: You can get passport photos at drugstore chains like CVS and Rite Aid.  They are also available at most photography stores and travel agents.  A set of two typically costs between $10.00 and $15.00.  You need to staple one passport photo on each of the two Schengen Visa Forms.  There is a spot on the form where you should staple them. 
• Study Abroad Acceptance Letter: This is a letter from your school or university that tells the good people at the consulate that you’re really going to Spain for studies and not for some other purpose.  You should get this letter from the school you’re planning on attending in Spain or, in my case, I’ll get the letter from the people who are giving me the scholarship.  There are certain things that must be stated in this letter, but it’s the school’s responsibility to include everything… not yours. 
• Proof of Medical Insurance: Americans are not covered by the Spanish Health System; thus, you need to buy private insurance in order to live in Spain to study.  In most cases, insurance is provided by the university or program through which you’re studying and usually proof of health insurance is included in the previously-mentioned “Study Abroad Acceptance Letter” (see above).  If your acceptance letter doesn’t mention that you’ll have health insurance, you’ll need to provide some other form of proof.
• Proof of Financial Means: You need to prove to them that you’ll have money to study abroad in Spain.  Normally, there is a statement in the previously-mentioned “Study Abroad Acceptance Letter” that says that everything is pre-paid or that you’re receiving a scholarship, etc.  If your acceptance letter doesn’t state that, you’ll need bank statements to prove that you have enough money to live in Spain or a letter from some other person assuming financial responsibility for you in Spain.  Contact your consulate for more specific details if you have questions.
• Medical Statement: This document is only required if you’re staying over six months in Spain.  You need to have your doctor write you a statement on doctor’s office stationary (with a letterhead).  The letter should say that the student is physically and mentally able to study abroad and that he or she does not have any contagious diseases, drug addiction, severe mental illness, or any other disease that would prohibit him or her from studying abroad.  Remember that your doctor must hand sign this letter (no rubber stamps allowed). 
• Certificate of Absence of Police Records: This document is only required if you’re staying over six months in Spain.  Basically, you need a criminal background check and it must be notarized and sealed with the Apostille of the Hague.  See my post on obtaining a Criminal Record check with the Apostille of the Hague for more details. 
• Prepaid, Self-Addressed “Express Mail” Envelope: As I mentioned above, the consulate will keep your passport and mail it back to you with the visa affixed; thus, you will need to supply the consulate with a pre-paid, SASE in which to return the visa to you.  The only type of envelope accepted is a USPS Express Mail Envelope.  Go to your local post office and ask for one of the flat rate express mail envelopes.  They cost about $16.50 but ensure that you will have enough postage.  Once you buy the envelope you’ll have to address it to yourself and bring it with you to the consulate. 
• Money Order for Visa Fee: The visa costs $100.00 and must be paid by a money order made out to the “Consulado de España.” 

**If you’re under 18, you may need a letter from your parents (notarized) that says you’re allowed to study abroad.  Contact the consulate for details.

Submit the documents and wait:
Once you gather all of the above-mentioned documents, you need to go trotting off to the consulate.  Remember to bring the original and two photocopies of any of the papers you are submitting (police records, health statements, acceptance letters, insurance papers, etc.).   They do keep the originals and photocopies of the legal documents.  I always like to bring a couple extra passport photos as well and extras of anything else I think they may need. 

As I mentioned above, they will keep your passport and all your photocopies and mail back your passport and visa once it has been processed (the visa is nothing more than a little slip of paper they put inside your passport).  It typically takes at least two months to process the visa so be sure to apply ahead of time.  In most consulates you can apply for a visa up to four months before the date you are entering Spain and no later than seven weeks early.  Check with the consulate in your jurisdiction for specific times. 

One last note about visa duration:
If you are planning on studying abroad in Spain for three to six months, you will be issued a visa for the amount of time requested (up to six months) and that visa will be mailed to you with your passport as I mentioned above; however, if you are going to be in Spain to study for more than six months, you will apply for a year-long visa but will only be granted a three-month provisionary visa (this is what they’ll send to you when they send your passport back in the SASE).  You will use that provisionary visa to enter Spain and once in Spain you will have to apply for an extension at the local police station or an Oficina de Extranjería.  The extension is basically always granted and you will receive a NIE card which will allow you to be in Spain to study for up to a year.  Your NIE number is almost like an American Social Security number and will let you open a bank account, etc.  Remember, you cannot work in Spain on a Student Visa. 

I hope that this information has been helpful to you.  If you have any comments or questions, be sure to leave them on this post and maybe I (or someone else) will have an answer.  Please remember, I am not a visa expert and I have posted this information as a guide to try to be helpful.  I cannot guarantee that this information is 100% accurate or up-to-date and I recommend that you check with your consulate before applying for a visa.  I wish you luck in your visa process… it really isn’t as hard as it looks. 

Hasta luego,
–Chris
http://abroadinspain.com