This guide is specifically designed for Profex applicants in the NALCAP program, but the information is useful for applicants of the auxiliary program through many other organizations.
Warning
The Spanish Government has signed a contract with an external company (BLS International) for processing visas for Spanish Consular Offices in the United States. New York is included in the group of consulates that are using BLS.
Last year, there were multiple issues with information from BLS and the consulate contradicting. NALCAP applicants have a different set of requirements than typical student visa requirements, but some applicants were wrongly turned away at BLS despite having all the requirements necessary. The requirements on the NALCAP visa guide and consulate page are correct, but you may have trouble regardless. The consulate information should always have priority over the BLS information if there is ever any contradicting information. Regardless, it is important to check both webpages when completing your application.
Full Official Guide from NALCAP
This page was last updated on April 13, 2024. Small changes to visa requirements can and do occur, so please double check everything on the official website below.
New York City Consulate Official List of Requirements
BLS Webpage List of Requirements
New York City Consulate Contact Page
Fighting Bureaucracy – Home
My Journey to Residency
- 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 - Making a Notarized Copy
- Visa Application Form
- Photograph
- Passport
- Carta de Nombramiento
- Medical Certificate
- Proof of Residence in the Consular District
- Visa Application Payment
- Disclaimer Form
- Making an Appointment
- Collecting the Visa
Before submitting!!! (Check List)
Important Dates and Deadlines:
Program start: October 1st
Visa Processing Time: 3-6 weeks
Acceptance letter (Carta de Nombramiento): Around July
Suggested visa application dates: After receiving acceptance letter-August 7 (There are often backlogs at consulates, so the earlier, the better.)
Expiration date of documents (the expiration date pertains to the date of your visa appointment):
Medical form – 90 days
FBI background check – 6 months
Suggested start time: After you receive “Plaza Aceptada” status and after April 15th
In past years, the apostille has taken up to 11 weeks to process. START EARLY! (11 weeks after April 15th would be July 1st. Giving you plenty of time.)
Once you have collected all the necessary documentation, you can get an appointment for your visa application.
FOR 2024-2025 The Consulate of Spain in New York City will require an in-person appointment for the visa application.
Your bottleneck will be the FBI background check. The FBI background check is only valid for 6 months, so after you start, the timer starts. If the document expires, you have to apply for a new one. All the of other documents can be collected in the meantime. I will give an organized timeline for the entire process.
I received my “plaza aceptada” status mid May, but you can start your background check earlier. (This will prevent you from encountering issues getting your documents on time, but with the risk of wasting your money if you aren’t accepted into the program or receive a very late placement)
FBI Background Check Timeline
≈April 16 Complete the FBI online request and register for a fingerprinting appointment through the USPS.
≈April 16/17 Go to a participating USPS fingerprinting location and have your digital fingerprints taken and sent to the FBI.
≈April 17/18 receive your FBI background check (by email or online) the same day if you sent digital fingerprints and about a week to three weeks later if you sent a fingerprint card. You should also receive it physically through the mail about a week after you get the digital copy.
≈April17/18 Apply for apostille. This is a way to certify state and federal documents for international use. Do not wait for your FBI background check to come through the mail. Make a high quality printout of the FBI background check PDF and send that instead.
≈June 8/June 28 Receive the apostille in the mail. When you scan all your documents for safekeeping, scan each page without removing the apostille attached to the FBI background check (Just fold the ear). Send the document to be translated into Spanish by a sworn translator. I recommend only getting a translation after receiving “Aceptada” status.
≈June 15/July 6 Receive the sworn translation. Congratulations! You have finished the most lengthy part!
In-Depth List of Requirements
Official List of Requirements from New York City Consulate
New York City Consulate Official List of Requirements
BLS Webpage List of Requirements
Now that you have an idea of the deadlines and important dates, I will walk you through the full list of requirements for the New York City Consulate starting with the bottleneck requirements of the Apostilled and translated FBI background check.
Apostilled and Translated FBI Background Check
“Applicants of legal age who apply for a visa for a stay of more than 180 days must submit the original and a copy of the criminal record check certificate(s) issued by their country or countries of residence for the past 5 years. Foreign documents must be legalized or apostilled and, where applicable, must be submitted together with an official translation into Spanish.”
Step 1 – Fingerprints and FBI Background Check
≈April 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. (this process can also be done while in Spain)
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).
Fingerprinting Locations for those of you Currently Residing in Spain (you can also always fill out a fingerprint card and mail it in)
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.
Step 2 Getting the Apostille
≈April 24/April 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)
- “One self-addressed, prepaid envelope for return of your document.” Use USPS. Here it is online (link). Do not purchase it online, though. For the apostille, you will need 2 USPS Pre-paid Express Mail Envelopes. Go directly to a USPS post office, and purchase the 2 necessary pre-paid express mail envelopes:
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
Make sure that the envelope that is addressed to you is accurate! - The FBI background check document. Remember, make sure the FBI seal is visible in the background.
- 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.
- A completed Request of Authentications Service DS-4194 form.
Section 1 fill out your personal information.
Section 2 fill out your delivery method and tracking number (found on the self-addressed, prepaid envelope)
Section 3 leave blank – you do not have a courier or representative.
Section 4 Country of Use: Spain, Document Type: FBI Criminal Background Record, Number of Documents: 1, Processing Fee per Document: $20.
Complete Section 5 where you estimate the total cost ($20), and then 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. Members of congress are authorized to give applications priority in the case of a backlog. Most representatives have a website with information about making a request (either an official request form or specific instructions.) If there is no information available, you can simply contact them with your request. Include all the necessary information from them to identify your apostille order and when you need it. 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
Here is an example of what you might find:
After clicking on “Services” and “Help with a Federal Agency”, I am directed to a webpage with specific instructions on how to enter my information to receive help.
*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. Some consulates require a notarized copy of the original document and the translation, but New York City does not mention any notarization requirements.
Step 3 Getting the Translation
≈June 8/June 28 (and after getting “aceptada” status) Send the FBI background check to be translated. You can do this by sending a PDF of your scanned FBI background check and apostille.
The New York consulate requires a translation into Spanish by a sworn translator. A sworn translation is different from a standard translation, so USE A SWORN TRANSLATOR.
The BLS office states that you do not need to translate the Apostille, but the Spanish consulate itself does not mention such exception, so I recommend getting both the apostille and FBI background check translated.
Make a scan of each page without removing the apostille attached to the FBI background check (Just fold the ear). Send the document to be translated into Spanish by a sworn translator. Again, make sure the FBI logo is visible in your scan.
What makes a sworn translator “official”?
A sworn translator is a translator who has been licensed by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Not all translators are sworn translators. A sworn translation is required for legal purposes such as getting a visa. Here is an example of a sworn translation below:
How to get the sworn translation: Get into contact with a sworn translator. Give the relevant information such as the type of documents being translated, preferred payment method*, translation delivery method (physically by mail or attached in an email), and the expected turn-around-time.
*Making an international money transfer to pay your sworn translator can be expensive if done through your bank. For international money transfers, I highly recommend Wise. It is what most auxiliaries use because it has lower fees, higher transparency on costs, and reliable, fast transfers. Feel free to compare for yourself.
For a fee free transfer, use the following referral link: Wise Referral Link
(although Wise also offers banking services, you do not need to open a bank account to send a money transfer)
For the 99% of you who are getting English to Spanish translations, I highly recommend working with Alba:
alba.fernandez.c.residency2sp@gmail.com
She has experience working with auxiliaries and helping individuals get through difficult bureaucratic processes in Spain which means she will be highly responsive and helpful while also providing budget-friendly pricing.
What if I need a translation from a non-English language to Spanish?
You can search for sworn translators that work for other language pairs in the webpage below. It’s the same process, but you may have more difficulties finding responsive translators. Not everyone is actively looking for work.
Link to the List of Sworn Translators from the L.A. Consulate Website
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.
Making a Notarized Copy
“Please provide a duly notarized copy of School ID or US driver license/State ID.“
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:
- Your proof of residence in the consular district
Visa Application Form
Form link (here)
*Very important: Please keep in mind that the date format in Europe is:
Day/Month/Year DD/MM/YYYY
Foto/Photo – The New York City consulate requests that you glue 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
Photograph
You need a recently taken, professional 2″x2″ passport photo. The New York City consulate instructs you to glue it to the application form. 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.
Valid, Unexpired Passport
“The original and a photocopy of the page or pages of the passport that contain biometric data must be submitted. The passport must have a minimum validity period of 1 year and contain two blank pages. Passports issued more than 10 years ago will not be accepted.”
NALCAP recommends that your passport is valid for at least 6 months past the end date of your visa, but it is not a requirement. The program (and visa) is typically from October – end of May or June.
Getting a Passport (U.S.)
Renewing Your Passport (U.S.)
If you are a non US passport holder, you need to provide your passport and a Permanent Resident Card or US Immigrant Visa.
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 2 copies).
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.”
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 the template is not used).
This template comes from the consulate of Spain in Chicago, 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), 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 officially translated into Spanish. Follow the instructions carefully.
Instructions on page 2:
Written on letterhead paper from hospital´s/doctor’s office:
“See a doctor (MD) 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 letter head 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.”
Written on template:
“This template can also be signed and filled out by the doctor, with doctor´s stamp; without the stamp,
the template is not valid. So if your doctor doesn’t have a stamp, in order to be accepted, the doctor must write the information from the template to a letter with a letterhead of the hospital or doctor’s office, so it can be accepted at the Consulate (Information provided in first paragraph).”
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.
Proof of Residence in the Consular District
The New York City consulate only services certain states, so show proof that you live in one of those states.
“The applicant must provide proof of their legal residence in the consular district or that they are attending classes, in person, in the consular district.”
“Please provide a duly notarized copy of School ID or US driver license/State ID.”
The BLS webpage specifically requests a notarized copy.
Getting a Notarized Copy (Link)
“What if I have a Driver’s license from New York City, but my State ID card is in Alabama?”
Use whatever valid proof of residence you have that is within the jurisdiction of the consulate. These are bureaucrats, not detectives.
Payment of the Visa Fee
Only money orders issued by the USPS are accepted (link)
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 the USPS and request a money order following the instructions in the link. (link)
Amount: $160
Payable to: “Consulate of Spain”
Address: 150 East 58th St., 30th Floor New York, NY 10155
Memo: Visado de Estudiante / Student Visa Fee
In addition to the fee for the Spanish consulate, BLS charges an $18 processing fee. BLS does not specify how to pay the processing fee, so make sure to bring cash and card just in case.
Disclaimer Form
Print and sign the disclaimer form provided by BLS. (Link)
For now the disclaimer form provided by BLS provides a 404 error. They are already informed about this, so I’m hoping that it gets resolved before people start booking visa appointments. If this isn’t resolved, I’ll take a copy of another BLS disclaimer form from a different city/office and make appropriate changes to the form such as changing city names and addresses.
Making an Appointment
How to find an appointment:
Before you start: Triple check both the consulate page and BLS page for changes.
Go to the BLS NALCAP page for New York.
https://usa.blsspainvisa.com/nyc/national_nalcap.php
Next, register an account using your email address.
Afte completing your registration, log in and complete the Appointment Booking form.
Afterwards, you will be sent an email to book an appointment.
Using the booking link, proceed to make an appointment. Choose your center and “Study Visa”.
Using the booking link, proceed to make an appointment. Choose your center and “national visa – NALCAP”.
From there, you can choose a date and time. Make sure to include all the personal information requested and click “book appointment”
Don’t be picky about your date! It can often be very difficult to find an available appointment.
Bring your appointment reservation to the appointment
Address:
55 W 39th St, 18th Floor, New York NY 10018.
Extra help: it may be difficult to get an appointment. A good trick is to look for openings around midnight Eastern time.
Take your appointment reservation to the visa application. Bring everything in the check list/all the necessary documents to this appointment. It’s also a good idea to wear something business casual. It’s not a job interview, but your first impression can be impactful, especially if you made a small mistake.
Collecting the Visa
You will be informed of the pickup procedure during your appointment. Inquiry and collection time is from 15:00 to 16:00 hrs (Monday to Friday) at the BLS office, so plan your visit accordingly when picking up your visa.
Make sure to frequently check your status after receiving your application receipt. Look for status, Visa: resuelto.
https://usa.blsspainvisa.com/nyc/track_application.php
Check List
Before sending your application, go through the entire check list (here)
“I did everything right, and I only suffered a lot. At least I have my visa.”
Jane Doe
If you found the website useful, please Support the Page. Every little bit helps.
Back to Navigation
-
How I Accidentally Became an Actor in Spain
“Quiet on set, roll cameras, and action!” I desperately choke for breath while grasping at my wounds. With a WW2-era revolver aimed at the entryway of an abandoned farm shed, I am slowly bleeding out while waiting for my enemies to finish me off. Suddenly, I hear noises just outside. It sounds like footsteps, and…
-
NALCAP Webinar 2022 – Highlights
July 28, 2022 Will new regulations affect auxiliares who receive supplemental income in Spain? What should I do before leaving for Spain? How do I find an apartment? What steps should I take first when I arrive in Spain? The 2022 NALCAP webinar covers topics that can help new auxiliaries and returning auxiliaries. Find out…
-
Fun Trips around Madrid
Cercedilla Cercedilla is a mountainside municipality Northwest of Madrid. It is about an hour train ride away with the cercanía trains from Atocha (the main train station). The mountainside is filled with nature, flowers, and there is a small ranch with a herd of cows living their best lives grazing on the mountainside. The cows…
-
Budgeting in Spain
The cost of living is much cheaper in Spain, but the salaries are also much lower. How do I budget? What should I expect to spend and save? Just like the U.S, some places in Spain are more expensive than others. Madrid is one of the most expensive cities in Spain, so if you live…
-
The debate of the century: with or without onion.
Spanish tortilla is a traditional dish in Spain similar to an omelette. It has eggs, potatoes, and sometimes diced onions. In Spain people are passionate about food, especially traditional food, and there is a fierce debate in Spain about which type of tortilla is better: with or without onions. Traditionalists will claim that putting onions…
-
So, you want to move to Spain?
There are many reasons to want to live in Spain. The climate is warm and pleasant. The natural landscapes are breathtaking, and with a guaranteed 22 vacation days a year, you have the time to enjoy them. Culturally, Spanish people are kind, welcoming, and outgoing. This generosity also includes the public services offered. Spain has…