You’ve filled out the application, done the skype interview, received your acceptance letter, paid your deposit (if you applied to the BEDA program) now what?
Time to apply for that student visa!
Here are 5 steps for a easy and mistake proof route to applying for a visa to Spain with the New York City consulate. The NYC consulate serves citizens from the following states:*Connecticut
*New Jersey
*Pennsylvania
*Delaware
*and of course New York!
*New Jersey
*Pennsylvania
*Delaware
*and of course New York!
What you will not find here is any nonsensical banter or overly descriptive stories. Just 5 easy steps to getting your visa.
Now let’s begin!
Step 1: As soon as you get into your specified program, for me it is the BEDA Spain program, go to the consulate website and make an appointment.
Here is the exact link for the NYC consulate : make an appointment now!
Did you write down your appointment date and time?…Yes?…OK Great!
Step 2: Gather your documents! You will need the following:
a. The National Visa application (The original and 1 Copy)
b. Police Records Certificate with and apostille*
*This can be either a state or FBI background check
The FBI check takes about 2 months to process so plan accordingly. They will only accept STATE or FBI, not LOCAL.
Once you receive the record take it to your bank to get it notarized (you can go to any notary but your bank should do it for free), then take it to the secretary of state office to get it apostilled.
In CT the apostille process is a whopping $40 per document. I’ll do a tally of how much I spent at the end.
c. Passport sized photos (to be glued on the visa application): do them yourself (if you are camera savy) or go to a photo place to take them. I don’t recommend Walgreens. They messed my pictures up!. Luckily I found my extra pictures I did in Korea last year when I applied for my new passport. I returned my pictures to Walgreens and got a refund. You should to if you are unhappy with the quality at photoshop.
d. Copy of a valid ID: I used my drivers license. You can find acceptable forms here.
e. Your original passport and 1 copy of the information page
f. Carta de nombrameinto a.k.a. your placement letter (Just 1 copy)*
You can bring the original but they will only (and should only) take the copy. You will need the original when you arrive in Spain and apply for your NIE card.
g. Medical certificate with apostille *
*The are examples online of what it should say but if you don’t find any, have your doctor print this on the office letterhead.
This health certificate verifies that ______________________________ has been examinedand is free of addiction, mental illness and does not suffer from any disease that could cause
serious repercussions to public health according to the specifications of the international
sanitary regulation of 2005.
___________________ has no pre-existing medical conditions, and she/he is capable of traveling abroad
for work and or study purposes.
**Get this letter notarized and then apostilled!!!!
h. $160 money order (made to the Consulate General of Spain)
i. 1 UPS Express mail envelope (if you will not return to pick up the passport)*
*You will need to self address it and choose next day or 2nd day delivery.
I chose 2nd because it was cheaper ^__^
j. Special**
a copy of your bank statement showing you have $1000 for every month you will live abroad
a copy of your bank statement showing you have $1000 for every month you will live abroad
and a notarized letter from your parents*
*You may or may not need this depending on the program
Step 3: Once you’ve gathered all the documents, make copies of everything for yourself and store all
your documents in a secure binder until the day of your appointment.
Step 4: The day of your appointment leave early incase of any traffic delays or subways problems. I used Hop Stop to get to the building which is located at:
150 East 58th St., 30th floor
New York, N.Y.10155
When you arrive, go up to the 30th floor, sign in with the security, take a seat and wait for them to call your name! When you hear your name, go up to the window, give them all your documents and wait.
The consulate worker will take what they need and give you back the rest.
For me they took all my copies and gave me back the originals.
Again you will need the originals to apply for your NIE, so make sure you get them back.
You will get back your copy of the application with a receipt for the fees paid. Your application should now be stamped and have a 90 day date range written on the side. These are the dates that your visa will be valid for.
Step 5: Wait! Yup wait. My visa was ready in 14 days. I received it in the mail on the 16th day (from the day of the appointment)
Now you know all you need to know to get your visa at the Spain consulate in New York City! If you have any questions feel free to email me, email them cog.nuevayork@maec.es,
Total cost for my visa:
Visa fee ————————————————— $160.00
UPS express envelope —————————— $ 19.99
USPS express mail envelope———————–$19.99 wrong one 🙁
Round trip bus ticket to NYC———————- $35.00
Medical certificate apostille————————-$40.00
FBI background check apostille ——————-$8.00
Total —————————————————-$282.98
¯\_(ツ)_/¯
I hope these 5 steps for student visa with the NYC consulate were helpful! Let me know if you have any questions.
Hi Tamara,
Thank you for writing about your experience applying for a student visa for Spain in NYC. I was wondering, did you have original hard copies of your acceptance letters? Or were you OK with just using copies of all the documents?
My acceptance package was only sent by email, for the letters that include my admission to the program, health insurance coverage, and proof of the finances I’ll need.
I hope they don’t send me away because I didn’t receive hard copies in the mail!
Thanks for your input,
Adam
Hey Adam! I don’t think I had received the original for the acceptance letter in the mail yet. I used the copy. They took all my copies anyway and gave me back the originals. So you should be fine. If they ask just tell them that you don’t have the originals yet. No worries! No te preocupes^_^ Let me know if you have anymore questions!
Hello Tamara, thank you for all the information that you’ve provided about your journey. I have a question about filling out the address portion (section 28 of the visa application). Is there a how-to pertaining to what information should be added there? I’ve searched the BEDA group board, but I don’t see it on there. If you can steer me in the right direction, I’d appreciate your help.
Thank you
Hi Dahimie! Yes write the address for the BEDA office. It should be in your acceptance letter 🙂 Let me know if you have more questions!
Thank you, I follow you on bloglovin and I noticed that it doesn’t have your updated postings on there. I’m not sure if you were aware.
hmmm…thanks for alerting me! I will check it out now 🙂
hey Tamara, pls I don’t know how to get the universities and colleges that can give student visa in new York city. I am in Nigeria and I what to study in new York city. pls I need your advice and direction.
Sorry I have no idea. You can make a list of schools you are interested in, then contact them with this question. Hope this helps!