Four steps to getting your VISA

Getting a VISA can seem like a very daunting task. Trying to figure out what it is that you need and how to get it can be pretty overwhelming, it can be hard to know where to start. So, we at the Instituto Hemingway thought that we’d provide a helping hand to get you on the right path.

At the Instituto Hemingway, we are more than happy to help our students navigate their way through the process. We have a wonderful in-house lawyer who specialises in helping students get their VISAs. If you are at all concerned about the VISA process, please get in touch and we will be able to offer you support.

This article is going to focus primarily on the requirements for applicants from the United Kingdom as VISAs for entering the European Union are a very new process for most British citizens. However, the requirements are similar for other countries as well. You can find the website for the Spanish Consulate in your country here. This will have VISA information specific to your country.

There are 4 steps to follow for getting your VISA: finding out if you need one to enter Spain, learning which one you need specifically, compiling the documents you need, and booking and attending your VISA appointment.

Step 1: Checking if you need a VISA to enter Spain

It is vital that you are aware of whether Spain requires people from your country to have a VISA as if you travel without the proper documentation, you may struggle with entering the country. It is therefore a good idea to see what your own country’s guidance on travelling to Spain is. For British citizens, the British government provides information here.

It is, however, good to note that in 2018 Spain brought in a new law which allows students to enter the country as a tourist, sign up for a study program, and then obtain their VISA in Spain. In order to do this, you must apply before the last 30 days that you are legally allowed in the country as a tourist. So, for British citizens, that would mean applying before day 60 of the 90 days you are legally allowed in Spain without a VISA. If you plan on doing this, please talk to the Instituto Hemingway who can offer advice about the process.

Step 2: Knowing which VISA you need

If you are planning a trip to Spain to study with the Instituto Hemingway from a country which needs a VISA, it is very likely that you will require a STUDENT VISA. This covers both studies and volunteering in Spain. The official information for British citizens about who is eligible to apply for this type of VISA can be found here, in both English and Spanish.

For those of you planning an internship, it is important to be aware of what your internship involves. If you are simultaneously completing your studies and completing an unpaid internship, it is possible to obtain a STUDENT VISA. However, your total study and work time must come to a maximum of 40 hours per week and you cannot exceed 20 hours per week working as an intern. In other words, you can do a maximum of 20 hours of studying and 20 hours working.

Another requirement that must be met is that you are applying for this VISA within two years of graduating from higher education. If you or your internship do not fit these requirements, you will have to apply for an INTERNSHIP VISA. Information about the requirements for British citizens applying for an INTERSHIP VISA can be found here, in both English and Spanish. Please contact the Instituto Hemingway if you are unsure of which type of VISA to apply for.

Step 3: Collecting the documents you need for your appointment

We have focused here on the documents needed for a STUDENT VISA. If you are a British citizen applying for an INTERNSHIP VISA, information about the documentation you need can be found here.

For British citizens, the official information about what documents you need to compile for your STUDENT VISA appointment can be found here. Please read this document for more detailed and complete information. We have, however, made a quick summary of this information below.

It is important to note that you will need photocopies of your documents. The documents must be presented at the appointment in the following order:

For those staying between 90 and 180 days

1)        National VISA form. The Spanish version can be found here. The English version can be found here. You are only required to fill out one form

2)        A recent passport photograph

3)        A passport that is valid for your whole stay

4)        (If you are a non-UK National) a valid UK residence permit

5)        Specific documents depending on your activities in Spain:

    a)    Studying:

        i) Letter of acceptance from the Instituto Hemingway

     b)    Volunteering:

        i)    Copy of the official agreement signed by yourself and the organisation running the volunteer programme

        ii)    Civil liability insurance

    c)    Unpaid internship:

        i)    Letter of acceptance from the company you will be working with

        ii)    Copy of the official contract

6)        Proof of financial means showing you have at your disposal 564,90 euros for every month you are in Spain. This can be demonstrated in one of the following ways:

    a)    Proof of the university covering your costs

    b)    Proof of a scholarship

    c)    Letter from your parents assuming the costs

    d)    Bank statements dating back 6 months

7)    For underage students there are further requirements. Please see the official STUDENT VISA document for more specifics

8)    Medical insurance for the duration of your stay

For those staying over 180 days

You shall require further documentation:

9)    ACRO criminal record certificate which must be legalised and translated by a sworn translator (see below)

10)    Medical certificate. This can be obtained in either Spain or the UK, but must be written in a specific way (please see the document in Step 2), and must be legalised if it is produced in the UK

Sworn translators

The list of sworn translators linked in Step 3 contains, in alphabetical order, translators who translate official documents from various different languages. To find a translator who specialises in your language, look for the white box on the right of each page. This states which language that page of translators is qualified in. For example, English language translators will be on pages with inglés in this box.

Step 4: Appointments

Once you have all your documents in place, the next step is to get a VISA appointment.

You can only apply for your VISA appointment 90 days before you plan to begin your studies/volunteering/internship.

For British citizens, it is important you apply to the Consulate nearest to your place of residence. We have put links to the websites for all the Spanish Consulates in the UK:

London

Edinburgh

Manchester

The only way you can obtain a VISA is with a face-to-face appointment. However, you do not necessarily have to be the person to go to the meeting, it is possible to have a legal representative attend instead.

You must pay the official VISA fee during your appointment. The breakdown of the fees for British citizens can be found here.

We hope that the information provided in this article will help you begin the process of obtaining your VISA! Once you’ve got this sorted, you’ll be able to have an incredible time in Spain with the Instituto Hemingway!