INSTRUCTIONS FOR VISA APPLICATION (only for those who got a grant as Language Assistants by

the Spanish Ministry of Education for next academic year)

Dear Visa applicant,

Once you have been admitted to take part in the program and in order to apply for your Student Visa,
you need to receive an original acceptance letter from the Autonomous Community (no faxed letters are
accepted). Then you can proceed to apply for your Visa. Pay attention to the documents required and
bear in mind that you must submit all of them correctly. We appreciate your careful reading of the
following guidelines to help us speed up the process and save everybodys time.

IMPORTANT:
Bear in mind that these instructions are only for those participating in the program of Language and
Culture Assistants or Visiting Teachers. That is why there are minor differences. For example, the
placement letter you will receive from your school will replace the proof of funds required to obtain a
standard student visa
PROCEDURE:

- JURISDICTION OF LOS ANGELES: Citizens who live in Southern California (Counties of Imperial, Inyo,
Kern, Los Angeles, Orange, Riverside, San Bernardino, San Diego, San Luis Obispo, Santa Brbara y
Ventura), Arizona, Colorado, Utah.

- JURISDICTION OF SAN FRANCISCO: Citizens who live in Northern California, (others counties in
California), Alaska, Hawaii, Idaho, Montana, Nevada, Oregon, Washington, Wyoming, and the Pacific
Island.

1. If you live in California:

You will have to make an online appointment and apply for your Student Visa in person at your nearest
Consulate General of Spain:


Consulates location:

Consulado General de Espaa Los ngeles
5055 Wilshire Blvd., Suite 860
Los Angeles, CA 90036
Tel. (323) 938-0158/0166
Fax: (323) 938-2502
E-mail: cog.losangeles@maec.es
Web: http://www.maec.es/Consulados/LosAngeles/en/Home/

Consulado General de Espaa San Francisco
1405 Sutter St.
San Francisco, CA 94109
Tel. (415) 922-2995/96
Fax: (415) 931-9706
E-mail: cog.sanfrancisco@maec.es
Web: http://www.maec.es/Consulados/sanfrancisco/es/Home/


2. If you do not live in California:
In order to avoid delays or trips to the Consulates, you may send your visa application and the required
documents to either one of the following addresses:

a) From: Alaska, Hawaii, Idaho, Montana, Nevada, Oregon, Washington, Wyoming, and the Pacific
Islands:
To: LANGUAGE AND CULTURE ASSISTANTS VISA
Josefa Salvador Hernndez
Consulate General of Spain in San Francisco, Education Office
1405 Sutter St.
San Francisco, CA 94109
b) From: Arizona, Colorado, Utah:

To: LANGUAGE AND CULTURE ASSISTANTS VISA
Carmen Fernndez Sants
Consulate General of Spain, Education Office
6300 Wilshire Blvd, suite 830
Los Angeles, CA 90048

Please send all the required documents in the same package. Tracking of mailed items is the
responsibility of the applicant.


LIST OF DOCUMENTS YOU NEED TO PROVIDE TO OBTAIN A STUDENT VISA:


1. Two application forms: Download the National visa application form by clicking the name of your
Consulate:

San Francisco Aplication form


Los Angeles Application Form


Please notice that the application forms must be signed and filled out in print. (Original + 1 photocopy
).



2. Original and 1 photocopy of passport and a photocopy of ID: Passport valid for a minimum of 6
months after the indented date of departure to Spain, with at least one blank page to affix the visa.
Your passport remains at the Consulate until your visa is mailed to you. Provide proof of residency with
a copy of either the following: US Drivers license, US State ID card, Voters Registration Card, current
Student ID.

3. Two passport size photos (White Background, 2x2in, click here for further info)


4. Original acceptance letter: The original letter (+ one copy) from the Autonomous Community offering
you a position in Spain (remember that faxed letters are not accepted). This letter is EXTREMELY
IMPORTANT as it contains information about your grant, the duration of your stay in Spain and about
the insurance policy. It must also provide information on the school that you have been appointed to
(address, phone number, contact email).

5. Print out of the trip itinerary with estimated departure date. You can get that just with an online
prebooking that you must print and enclose with the rest of the docs. Please dont buy your ticket at
this stage. Then, once you get your visa, you will have to purchase the ticket to fly to Spain for the
same day or after the approved date in your visa

6. Visa fee: $ 160. Please check our Website to check the processing fee.
Money Order. No personal check, no credit cards. The visa fee is not refundable.

Since fees are subject to change, please click the name of your Consulate just in case it has been
recently updated:

San Francisco


Los Angeles


7. Original medical certificate (for stays over 180 days only): A doctors recent statement (not older
than three months) in doctors or medical centers letterhead, indicating that the student has been
examined and found free of any contagious diseases according to the International Health Regulation
2005. Must be signed by a M.D. (original + 1 photocopy) . LA Consulate requires a notorized translation
into Spanish.

8. Police Criminal Record clearance (for stays over 180 days) must be verified by fingerprints. It cannot
be older than 3 months from the application date. The certificate within the USA must be either:

a) Department of State clearance (from the States where you have lived during the past 5 years). It
must be legalized with the Apostille of the Hague Convention from the corresponding Secretary of the
State. (original + 1 photocopy)
b) FBI Records for international purposes, issued by the US Department of Justice Federal Bureau of
Investigation. They must be legalized with the Apostille of the Hague Convention from the US
Department of State in Washington DC. (original + 1 photocopy)

Also, you must get a police record from the countries where you have lived during the past 5 years.

9. Self-addressed USPS envelope: Your passport will returned by mail. Bring a pre-paid self-addressed
express mail envelope of the US Postal Service with $18.95 in stamps. Not metered stamp. No other
courier service is accepted

UPON ARRIVAL IN SPAIN
The visa you will get is ONLY VALID FOR 90 DAYS. Within the first 30 days after your arrival in Spain
you need to take this visa, your original acceptance letter, your original health certificate and the
original FBI background check to the closest police station or immigration office (Oficina de Extranjera)
and request your temporary resident alien ID card and number (NIE -Nmero de Identificacin de
Extranjero). Please ask for assistance at your school or from your regional education officers in Spain.
This NIE will cover the full stay in the country. APPLY FOR IT AS SOON AS YOU GET THERE. It may take
a few weeks to get an appointment. Do not let your visa expire or you will have to return to the USA or
Canada and apply for a new one.



http://www.educacion.gob.es/exterior/centros/losangeles/es/normativa/visado.s
html