Fighting Bureaucracy – Home
My Journey to Residency

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• Important Dates and Deadlines
• FBI Background Check Timeline
• In-depth List of Requirements
• Apostilled and Translated FBI Background Check
  Step 1: Fingerprints and FBI Check
  Step 2: Getting the Apostille
  Step 3: Getting the Translation
  Step 4: Making a Notarized Copy
• Visa Application Form
• Photograph
• Passport
• Carta de Nombramiento
• Medical Certificate
• Proof of Residence in the Consular District
• Visa Application Payment
• USPS Pre-paid express mail envelope
• Collecting the Visa

Before submitting!!! (Check List)

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In-Depth List of Requirements

Official List of Requirements from Boston Consulate (here)

Now that you have an idea of the deadlines and important dates, I will walk you through the full list of requirements for the Spanish Consulate starting with the bottleneck requirements of the Apostilled and translated FBI background check + notarized copies.

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Apostilled and Translated FBI Background Check

Criminal record certificate​ if the applicant is not a minor: original and copy of the criminal record certificate issued by the country or countries of residence in the last 5 years.

In the US the criminal record certificate must be issued by the US Department of Justice – Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI). Certificates issued at the state level by the Department of Law Enforcement, nor those issued at the local level, are not accepted.

The certificate must have been issued in the 5 months prior to the visa application. It must be legalized with the Hague Apostille and translated into Spanish.

Any criminal record certificate that has been tampered with or damaged (including staple removal damage) will not be accepted under any pretext.

If you have lived outside the United States for the last five years, you must also submit a criminal record certificate (legalized with the Hague Apostille) and its translation into Spanish (and a notarized copy of both documents). If you have lived in countries that are not part of the 1961 Hague Convention, the certificate must be legalized by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of that country and then by the Consulate of Spain in that country.

Step 1 – Fingerprints and FBI Background Check

≈May 16 Request an FBI background check by submitting an online application along with your fingerprints (digital or physical). Follow the steps provided by the FBI for an online background check request. It is the fastest and most effective way to receive your FBI background check. Read steps 1 through 7 and then enter your e-mail address in the box to the right.

After you click submit, you should receive an automated email with a PIN and a link to your request.

Click on the link and enter your PIN to continue. There you will have to agree to a privacy statement before you continue. The webpage has 5 steps to follow. I’ll walk you through them, but they are very simple.

Step 1 – Personal Information: Enter your personal information.

Step 2 – Mailing Address: Enter your mailing address and phone number.

Step 3 – Preferences: Q1 – Yes, Q2 – Yes, via e-mail (enter e-mail address), Q3 – Yes.

Step 4 – Fingerprint Card:

Have this done electronically. It avoids the needless delay of sending an application by mail (sometimes the delays are up to 3 weeks).

If for whatever reason, you can not get this done electronically, click on the mail option and follow the steps there. You will need to fill out a fingerprint card and send it by mail. To get a fingerprint card properly filled out, print out the fingerprinting template and bring it to your local police station. There, you can pay a small fee and request to have fingerprinting done for an FBI background check.

After selecting Electronic submissions, a box will pop up giving Third-Party Fingerprinting Locations near you. There is also an option to expand your search radius if the options provided are not convenient for you.

In my situation, I would check all the options in the List of Participating U.S. Post Office Locations without providing my zip code.

If there are no suitable options, you can also contact an FBI-Approved Channeler for assistance. You do not have to complete the FBI order form if you use the service of a channeler. Each channeler will have their own instructions, digital fingerprinting location, and pricing.

If you choose to use one of the location options offered by the FBI, keep the electronic submission option checked and continue to step 5.

Step 5 – Payment: Confirm your information and continue with payment. The cost will be $18. Complete your payment details. Don’t forget! You will pay an additional $50 as a fingerprinting fee at a participating USPS location. Check for an email confirmation, and save the order number. This will be used to register for the fingerprinting services.

Finally – register and have your fingerprints taken: Using your order number, register for fingerprinting service through the USPS.

https://ips.usps.com/IdentityCapture/

Check the fingerprinting hours of your USPS location, and show up during that time with a printed copy of your FBI payment confirmation email.

You should receive your FBI background check within a day or two. You can check the status by using the FBI link from the original email along with the PIN provided to you. When the results are ready, you should receive an email from the FBI. The FBI background check will either be attached in the email, or you could download it at the status page. Start the Apostille of the Hague process as soon as you have a downloaded copy of the FBI background check.

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Step 2 Getting the Apostille

≈May 24/May 25 As soon as you get the email with your FBI background check results, you can apply for Apostille of the Hague. You do not have to wait for the hard-copy through the mail, but it is important that your printed copy has the large FBI seal in the background.

Because the Federal Bureau of Investigation background check is a federal document, you need to have a federal apostille.

Requirements: (link)

1. “One self-addressed, prepaid envelope for return of your document.” Use USPS. Here it is online (link). Do not purchase it online. Throughout the entire visa process, you will need 4 USPS Pre-paid Express Mail Envelopes. Go directly to a USPS post office, and purchase the 4 necessary pre-paid express mail envelopes. Use the following guide. Make sure that the envelopes that are addressed to you are accurate!
   
   Send your self addressed prepaid envelope and the rest of your apostille documents to the following address:
   
   Office of Authentications
   U.S. Department of State
   CA/PPT/S/TO/AUT
   44132 Mercure Circle
   P.O. Box 1206
   Sterling, VA 20166-1206
   
   
2. The FBI background check document. Remember, make sure the FBI seal is visible in the background.
   
3. A $20 check or money order addressed to the U.S. Department of State. This is a per document fee for the apostille, not per page. You may see on the DS-4194 form and online that the fee is only $8, but that is outdated.
   
4. A completed Request of Authentications Service DS-4194 form.
   Section 1 fill out your personal information.
   Section 2 leave blank – you do not have a courier or representative.
   Section 3 fill out your delivery method, tracking number, and address
   (this comes from the self-addressed, prepaid envelope purchased
   beforehand).
   Section 4 Country: Spain, Number of Documents: 1, Document Type:
   FBI Criminal Background Record.
   
   Finally, place your FBI background check, DS-4194 Form, $20 Check, and self-addressed prepaid priority USPS envelope (you can fold it so it fits) in your prepaid priority USPS envelope addressed to the office of authentications.

To make an inquiry about the status of your Apostille, you can call the Office of Authentications at 202-485-8000 on Monday through Friday from 8:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. Before calling, read the instructions on the “Check your Document Status” tab on the right hand side of their webpage (link here).

If you need to rush the apostille process, you can contact your member of congress. The Office of Authentications frequently has backlogs, and members of congress can give applications priority. Not every member of congress will help you, but some will, and it doesn’t hurt to ask.

https://www.house.gov/representatives/find-your-representative

*Your FBI background check is already certified by the FBI, and the apostille is a form of notarization, so getting the original documents notarized is not necessary. The Boston consulate, however, requires notarized copies. This will be covered later.

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Step 3 Getting the Translation

≈June 15/July 6 Scan the apostilled document without removing the affixed apostille, and have it prepared to be translated. You can do this by folding the corner where the apostille is attached to the background check (again, make sure the FBI logo is visible in your scan). Save it as a PDF and have the page count or word count prepared (the linked “certified translation (when I applied)” charges by the page and the linked “recommended certified translation (Chicago consulate)” and “sworn translators list” charge by the word). This information will give you the final cost of the translation. The Boston consulate requires an official translation into Spanish. They do not state that they require a sworn translation.

What makes a translation “official”?

Official translation documents carry a stamp and/or a statement by the certified or sworn translator.

Recommended Certified Translation (Chicago consulate) – search for certified translators and get in contact. The translator can give you their rates, availability, and turn-around-time. This is the offical recommendation from the Chicago consulate.

Certified Translation (when I applied) – $24.95 per page and 1 day delivery. It wasn’t the highest quality translation, but it was good enough for me when I applied for my visa.

Q&A – Digital or Physical Copy of the Translation?

Sworn Translators List (2022) – Each translator will have their own rates and turn-around-time. It is considered a more official translation, and a few consulates require a sworn translator. Sworn translations are more expensive, but luckily for you, Boston only requires an “official translation”. If you want to have a sworn translation, you can use the official list offered by the L.A. consulate.

Link to the List of Sworn Translators from the L.A. Consulate Website (List is from 2021)

Updated 2022 Official List of Sworn Translators

I recommend getting a translation from a translator near you.

How to get the sworn translation: Get into contact with a sworn translator (you may need to contact multiple. Translators aren´t always responsive/actively looking for work). Give the relevant information such as the type of documents being translated, the word count, preferred payment method, translation delivery method (physically by mail and attached in an email), and the expected turn-around-time.

After the translation is completed, you should receive something like this.

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Step 4 Making a Notarized Copy

What is a notarized copy, and how do I get one?

A notarized copy is a copy of your document that is stamped and signed by a notary to authenticate that it is a true, unaltered copy of the original document.

YOU DO NOT NOTARIZE YOUR ORIGINAL DOCUMENTS!

Not every state allows copy certification by a notary. The map below indicates which states allow copy certifications.

Depending on your state, you may complete option 1 or 2 to get a notarized copy.

Bring the following to your notary: the original document(s), an unaltered photocopy of the original document(s) (the notary may prefer that the copy is made in their presence. Please ask.), and a valid ID.

How to find a notary: your local bank is your best bet. Call ahead of time to make sure the notary will be available when you visit, and schedule an appointment.

Option 1 (state allows copy certification): State that you need a notarized copy for your visa, and request a copy certification of your unaltered copy. The notary will write ‘TRUE COPY’ and put their signature, seal and stamp on the copy itself.

Option 2 (state does not allow copy certification): State that you need a notarized copy for your visa, and bring the following statement to be completed.

You need a notarized copy of the following:

• The original FBI background check with apostille (“If you have lived outside the United States for the last five years”)
• The Spanish translation of your FBI background check with apostille (“If you have lived outside the United States for the last five years”)
• Your proof of residence in the consular district
• Your valid and current passport

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During the wait times throughout this process, you can complete the other requirements. The other parts are much easier, I promise! These requirements are single step parts and not too involved.

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Visa Application Form

Form link (here)

Foto/Photo – With a paperclip attach your recent, professionally done passport photo (2″x2″) onto the space provided in the Visa Application Form.

Sections 1-9 – Fill in your personal information. All questions are given in Spanish and in English

Section 10 – If you’re not a minor, write N/A

Section 11 – N/A (You do not have a Spanish National ID Number)

Section 12 – Type of travel document – Ordinary Passport

Section 13 – Passport number

Section 14 – Date issued

Section 15 – Expiration date (make sure it is valid for the entirety of your stay in Spain.)

Section 16 – “US Department of State”

Section 17-19 – Fill in your personal information.

Section 20 – “Studies”

Section 21 – Anticipated date of entry into Spain.

Section 22 – “Multi” or “more than 2”

Section 23 – Address of school or regional education office

Section 24 – If you lived in Spain previously and have a NIE, put it in. If not, leave it N/A.

Section 25 – If you lived in Spain previously and have a NIE, write the date of issuance. If not, leave it N/A.

Section 26-27 – N/A

Section 28 – Information from your Carta de Nombramiento

DONT FORGET TO COMPLETE SECTION 30 AND 31 – Section 30 – Place and Date Section 31 – Signature.

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Photograph

You need a recently taken, professional 2″x2″ passport photo. I recommend making extra copies. You can use it for things such as an abono transport card, and it costs minimally extra to have additional passport photos.

You can get this done at various pharmacies, retail stores, and select shipping centers: CVS, Walgreens, Target, Wal-Mart, USPS offices, and FedEx. Don’t try to do it yourself. Just pay for the service because there are many requirements.

A simple mistake that really made my visa appointment stressful: I got my picture done at a supermarket. In my picture a few stray hairs went out of frame in the picture. This made the passport photo invalid, so I had to quickly get another one taken at the CVS across the street from the consulate during my visa appointment.

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Valid, Unexpired Passport

“NOTARIZED COPY of valid and current passport with at least 2 blank pages and valid for at least the entire duration of the intended stay and have two blank pages. Passports issued more than 10 years ago are not accepted. The original passport will be required at the appointment once the visa has been approved.”

Make sure that your passport is valid for at least 6 months past the end date of your visa. The program (and visa) is typically from October – end of May or June.

Getting a notarized copy (link)

Getting a Passport (U.S.)
Renewing Your Passport (U.S.)

If you are a non US passport holder, you need to provide a notarized copy of your passport and a Residence Card or a long term US Immigrant Visa. 

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Carta de Nombramiento

The Carta de Nombramiento is the school placement letter you receive stating what specific school you are assigned to. You are typically sent an email when you finally receive the Carta de Nombramiento. This file can be accessed in your communidad’s web portal: Auxmadrid, Auxand@, and many others. Provide the original and a copy of the document. (You will not receive a “true original” in the mail. Just print a copy and make a notarized copy).

If you haven’t received this letter yet and are curious about the process/wait, check out (Checking on Your Application)

NOTE: The carta de nombramiento covers any financial means and health insurance requirements. You do NOT need to provide any additional documents for these requirements.

This letter must provide information on the school the applicant has been appointed to (address, phone number, contact email). It must also contain information about the grant, the duration of the program and the insurance policy.

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Medical Certificate

The Medical Form is only valid for 90 days, so plan accordingly

Medical form template Original and a copy of a medical certificate accrediting that “the applicant does not suffer from any disease that could cause serious repercussions for public health pursuant to the 2005 International Health Regulations“. The medical certificate must have the Doctor’s Stamp (in Spanish or translated into Spanish if our template is not used).

This template comes from the consulate of Spain in Los Angeles, and it fulfills all the requirements for the Medical Certificate.

Book a check-up with your doctor (not nurse, nurse practicioner, or anything other than an MD or DO), and have the template filled out. Please, make sure that all the requirements of the form are completed. If your doctor does not fill out the Spanish section, you need to have the form translated by a certified translator. Follow the instructions carefully.

Instructions on page 2:

Written on letterhead paper from hospital´s/doctor’s office:

“See a doctor (MD or DO) and they will determine if you are of good health according to
the International Health Regulation (2005). This PDF file can be sent electronically in
order to be printed out on letterhead paper. The doctor may also use this sample as a
guide to write their own certificate. Remember that it must specifically mention the
International Health Regulations (2005). The doctor should then print out, sign, date
and stamp the Medical Certificate. Make sure your name is filled out in both the Spanish
and English portions. Bring the original Medical Certificate and a photocopy to your visa
application appointment. We will seal and return your original document so that you can
later present it in Spain. We will keep the photocopy to process your visa.”

Make sure your name is filled out in both the Spanish and English portions

*When you send the Medical Certificate, include the original and a photocopy.

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Proof of Residence in the Consular District

The Boston consulate only services certain states/regions of states, so show proof that you live in one of those states/regions.

Residence must be demonstrated by way of one of the following, valid documents: U.S. Driver license, State I.D. card, or current Student I.D. You need to send a notarized copy.

“[Non-U.S. citizens] must also present a notarized copy of their residence card in the United States (in our jurisdiction) or a long-term visa.”

Getting a notarized copy (link)

“What if I don’t have a Driver’s license?”

Bring official ID that proves your legal residence in the consular district.

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Payment of the Visa Fee

Only money orders are accepted

The American citizen fee is $160. You can check their website for the most recent visa fees (here)

You are applying for the long term student visa EE.UU (USA). To get a money order, go to your bank or the USPS and request a money order. Another option is having the USPS issue a money order. (link)

Amount: $160
Payable to: “CONSULADO GENERAL DE ESPAÑA”
Address: 31 Saint James Avenue, Suite 905 Boston, MA 02116
Memo: Visado de Estudiante / Student Visa Fee

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USPS Pre-paid Express Mail Envelope

Here it is online (link). Do not purchase online. Go to a USPS office and purchase them there. In total, you require 4 pre-paid express mail envelopes. The Apostille step requires 2, and the visa application requires 2. From these 4, 2 of the pre-paid express envelopes are addressed to you! These 2 pre-paid express envelopes are used to send your apostille or visa application back to your home address, so make sure it is correctly self addressed to you! Here is the list of addresses you need.

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1 USPS Prepaid express mail envelope to send the FBI background check to be apostilled.

Office of Authentications
U.S. Department of State
CA/PPT/S/TO/AUT
44132 Mercure Circle
P.O. Box 1206
Sterling, VA 20166-1206

1 USPS Prepaid express mail envelope included in the FBI background check/apostille letter with a return address, so the apostille can be sent back to you.

Return name
Home address
Your Address
Still your address

1 USPS Prepaid express mail envelope to send your visa application to the Boston consulate as of the current rules stated (here). *Rules subject to changes, please check frequently. (2022-2023).

Visa Office – Consulate General of Spain in Boston
31 Saint James Avenue, Suite 905
Boston, MA 02116

1 USPS Prepaid express mail envelope included in the visa application letter with a return address, so your application can be sent back to you if it is incomplete.

Return name
Home address
Your Address
Still your address

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Collecting the Visa

The Boston consulate website states that “ALL THE APPLICATIONS MUST BE SUBMITTED BY REGULAR MAIL OR COURIER. ONCE YOUR APPLICATION IS REVIEWED AND APPROVED, YOU WILL BE NOTIFIED VIA EMAIL AND AN APPOINTMENT WILL BE ASSIGNED TO THE APPLICANT TO COME IN PERSON WITH HIS/HER PASSPORT AND THE VISA WILL BE STAMPED ON IT.”

So plan on making a trip to Boston once you receive your appointment to collect your visa. DON’T FORGET YOUR PASSPORT!

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Check List

Before sending your application, go through the entire check list (here)

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