DISCLAIMER: This blog only’s only intention is to serve as a general guideline for getting your visa for the Spain Language Assistant program. I am from Nevada and applied for my visa during the summer of 2018 through the San Francisco consulate, so please make sure you are correctly following this year’s directions from your own consulate. If any of this information is incorrect or outdated, please let me know!

You’re going to Spain! You should be so excited! Spain is a lovely country and I know you’re anxiously awaiting your city placement, figuring out where to live, and when you should buy your plane ticket… But before any of this happens, you MUST first receive your visa to live in Spain for the year. If you are from the state of Alaska, California (excluding the counties of San Luis Obispo, Kern, San Bernardino, Santa Bárbara, Ventura, Los Angeles, Orange, Riverside, San Diego, and Imperial), Hawaii, Idaho, Guam, Montana, Nevada, Oregon, Washington or Wyoming you must go through the San Francisco consulate to get your visa.

What visa am I applying for?

All language assistants doing the Auxiliares de Conversación program in Spain must apply for a long-stay student visa. You are not working because you are not an actual teacher (and I pray you don’t have to teach whole lesson plans at your school… good luck!), rather an assistant in the classroom. Your salary is technically referred to as a stipend from the Spanish government, rather than an actual employer. So, basically, you are a student in Spain. If you’ve studied abroad in Spain or any other country in the Schengen area for more than 90 days, the visa process will be extremely similar.

What You Will Need

You cannot go to your visa appointment without the following documents and all documents must be presented in-person. All documents must be no older than 90 days of your visa appointment. 

1.) Carta de Nombramiento

This is the letter you will receive by email stating which school you will be in, your monthly stipend amount, and your insurance information for the school year. This fulfills the insurance and financial part of your visa application. I accepted my first preference of Madrid (with an inscrita of 590), on May 15 and later received my carta de nombramiento on June 18. It appears that placements are being rewarded a tad bit earlier this year.

2.) A Legalized Background Check: State or FBI

Both of these require finger prints to be sent off from the police station. Just a heads up, state background checks are cheaper, but can take up to several weeks depending on your state. Please follow your state’s guidelines to obtain your background check. I originally sent off for my state background check in late June, but after realizing I was cutting it close with timing, I chose to get an expedited FBI background check through National Background Information (formally known as My FBI Report). I was mailed my report back within a week, which was a huge lifesaver because I didn’t receive my Nevada state background check until late July (I applied in mid-June). I legalized my FBI background check through Monument Visa Service and received it also within a week. I cannot reccomend this company enough if you are pressed for time!

And remember, if you’ve lived in a country for more than three months, you must get a background check from that country as well.

3.) Medical Certificate

This medical check must be done by a licensed M.D. or D.O.  To save yourself the trouble, please just print out the medical certificate on the program’s website and have your doctor sign where required. It is absolutely necessary that the line, “‘the student has been examined and found free of any contagious diseases according to the International Health Regulations 2005” is included in the letter, otherwise it may be rejected. This was the most stressful part of the entire visa process for me because out of the dozen doctors I’ve called visited, none of them knew exactly what the “specifications of the International Health Regulations of 2005” were. Some even wanted to run $200 blood tests, and I was like NOPE. If you have a regular doctor you should be fine as they know your medical history. Make sure the certificate is signed, dated, stamped.

4.) Visa Application

Once you have the information from your carta de nombramiento, you can begin filling out your visa application form. All future language assistants must fill out the national visa application form.

5.) Passport and state I.D. (Original and Copy)

This is self explanatory. Make sure your passport for the duration of the program.

6.) Two Passport-Sized Photos

Photographs must be on a white, 2×2 background.

7.) Flight Itinerary

You do not need an actual confirmed flight itinerary, just have something printed that shows your projected departure date with any airline.

Remember to make at least two colored copies of each document!

F.A.Q.

Based on my own personal experience.

When should I make my visa appointment?

Right now!!! Here is the link to schedule your visa appointment. I would reccomend making a mid-July appointment if you have your shit together. Did you send your finger prints off for your background check? Have you received your carta de nomramiento yet? The instructions for the background checks will tell you approximately how long it will take you to receive it, so base your appointment around this time framing. Don’t panic if you don’t see any open appointments, just keep refreshing and you’ll find one eventually.

Should I take the risk and buy my plane ticket now?

Yes and no. Answers may vary depending on who you ask, but I was bringing my dog with me, so I was limited to only a few airlines. I could not afford to purchase my plane ticket last minute, and saving money for this move was very important to me. I’ll just say, if you know for a fact that you’ll have your documents together by a certain time, I would schedule your flight at least two weeks after you’re expected to pick up your visa. I picked up my visa mid-September and my flight to Madrid left September 25, so it worked out perfectly. Be sure to give yourself some wiggle room, and if you’re extra paranoid just purchase flight insurance.

Does the San Francisco Consulate accept walk-ins? Can I mail in my application?

No and no. I freaking wish they would, but they don’t, despite doing so in the past.

How long did it take you to get your visa?

My visa appointment was August 14, and two weeks later my visa was ready for pick up. I was able to walk in, pick it up from the window, and leave.

How did your visa appointment go?

It was pretty simple, despite the drama from the walk-ins who didn’t have an appointment. I arrived a half an hour early before my scheduled time, waited in the waited room until my name was called, and gave them my documents.

Should I get a state background or an FBI background report?

If you’ve lived in multiple states, I believe you need an FBI background report. If you’ve only lived in one state, just get the state because it’s cheaper and easier to get.

Where do you get your background check legalized?

If you have a state background check, it must be legalized with the Apostille of The Hague Convention through your Secretary of State. If you have an FBI background check, it must be legalized through the Apostille of The Hague Convention with the U.S. Department of State in Washington DC.

Have fun and enjoy Spain!

Important Links

Program website

San Francisco Consulate of Spain

Visa Instructions (San Francisco Consulate)

National Visa Application

Medical Certificate Template