Passports and Visas

Some of your documents may need to be notarized, translated into Spanish, and/or legalized with an Apostille of the Hague. See Step 2 for more information. All forms must be filled out with a pen. The consulate will not accept forms filled out with a pencil.

Required Documents for All Students:

• Passport (original and two copies of the photo/information page) Make sure your passport is signed, in good condition, and valid for at least six months after your program ends. It must have at least one empty page for the visa to be stamped inside. Scan or take a picture of your passport before submitting it with your visa application so you will have a copy for your records.
• Proof of Residency in Consular Jurisdiction - For students who attend Berklee in Boston, our study abroad team will obtain a notarized Enrollment Verification Letter on your behalf; you do not need to obtain it separately. Students who do not attend Berklee in Boston will need to either submit a notarized color photocopy of their driver’s license or state ID (from Massachusetts, Maine, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, or Vermont) or a notarized enrollment verification letter from the local college or university that they attend. 
• Application For National Visa (original) Fill out the Application for National Visa. Sign and date the form! You must use a pen (no pencil).
• Color Photo (original) You can get a “passport photo” at most drugstores including CVS and Walgreens, or at a post office. Your photo must have a white background. Write your name on the back of your photo in case it gets separated from the rest of your documents.

• Proof of Financial Means (original and one copy) -Option 1: Parent/Guardian Financial Support Letter, parent bank statements, and student's birth certificate. The parent letter should be notarized in the United States. If the letter is notarized outside the U.S., it must also be legalized with an Apostille. You must also provide the same parent's last three bank statements.* A copy of the student's birth certificate is also required. -Option 2: Student's bank statements from a U.S. bank: You must provide your last three bank statements.* 

  *All bank statements must have an ending balance of at least $700 multiplied by the number of calendar months you will be in Spain. For example, each statement must have an ending balance of at least $2,800 (for one semester in Spain) or $6,300 (for two semesters). 

• Consulate Authorization Letter (original) Fill out the Consulate Authorization Letter. The letter must be notarized. 
• Payment for the Visa Fee (original) The consulate in Boston only accepts money orders and cashier's checks. Personal checks are not accepted. You can get a money order from a post office or a cashier’s check from a bank. Address the money order to "Consulado General de España" and write your name in the “from” section. The visa fee is non-refundable. Your visa fee depends on your passport country and you should check the website of your specific consulate. --USA: $160 --Australia: $420 --Canada: $92 --UK: $214 --Most others: $85
• The Study Abroad department will provide students with the following required documents translated into Spanish: Certificate of Admission (includes proof of housing) and Spanish Insurance Letter. The department will also provide students with a Proof of Enrollment letter to serve as proof of residency in the consular district.
• Consulate Disclaimer Form Include the location, date, and your signature on the Consulate Disclaimer Form. While this form will not pertain to students who submit their applications through Berklee, it is a listed requirement of the Consulate of Spain. We ask that you include this in your application packet, understanding that the consulate will not mail your materials back to you. Instead, a representative from Berklee will collect your materials once processed and will reach out to you to establish a pick-up or delivery time. 
• Immigration Documents (original and one copy) Required only for non-U.S. citizens. If you are an international student, you must provide a notarized photocopy of your F-1 visa or green card, along with a copy of your I-20. Your I-20 must be signed (by you) on the first page.

Required only for students studying abroad for a full academic year:

• Medical Certificate (original and one copy) Students studying abroad for one semester do not need a doctor's letter. Original and 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." Use this template. The certificate must have been issued within 90 days prior to the visa application, and must include a doctor's signature and stamp/letterhead. If it is written in English, it must be accompanied by a translation into Spanish. Medical certificates do not need to be apostilled.
• FBI Background Check (original and one copy)Students studying abroad for just one semester do not need a background check. When studying in Spain for two semesters, you must obtain a Criminal Record History report from the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), which must be obtained by applying directly with the FBI (not through a channeler). The Apostille for the FBI Background Check must come from the U.S. Department of State, Office of Authentications. If you have also lived in another country during the past five years, you will also need to obtain a criminal record check from the national law enforcement agency in that country and it must be apostilled by the appropriate foreign affairs department of that country's national government. The translation must be completed by a “sworn translator” registered with the Spanish consulate. This is often the document which takes the longest amount of time to receive so we encourage you to begin working on it immediately.

Refer to the visa application checklist in Step 1 to see which documents need to be notarized, translated, and/or legalized.

Getting a Document Notarized

To get a document notarized, the person signing the document must sign it in front of a notary public. The notary then also signs and adds their stamp/seal to the document. You can find a notary at many places in your community, including local public libraries, banks, UPS or FedEx stores, and city halls or other government offices. 

Getting a Document Translated

Translations must be from a "sworn" translator. You may find translators in this list from the Spanish Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

Getting a Document Legalized (Apostille of the Hague)

If your document(s) need to be legalized with an apostille, it must be done in the place where it was issued (signed and/or notarized). An apostille is an additional stamp which goes on the document, affirming its authenticity for international use. A federally issued United States document, such as the FBI Background Check, must be apostilled by the U.S. Department of State. See Apostille Requirements for more information. If a document from outside the U.S. must be legalized with an postille, you should check with your country’s international affairs department for further information. Review the following list of countries for instructions on how to get an postille in each country.

Submit your complete visa application to the study abroad office in Boston. 

Schedule an in-person meeting to submit your application documents. Please do not submit your documents without an appointment. (Email studyabroad@berklee.edu to schedule an appointment if you do not have a Berklee login.) 

Students who are unable to personally come to our office due to distance or physical limitations should contact us at studyabroad@berklee.edu to make alternative arrangements for the submission of their completed visa application.

You must apply for your visa at the Spanish consulate or embassy that corresponds to your legal residence. In the U.S., for example, there are several Spanish consulates, and you will need to find the one that corresponds to the state you live in. See here for a list of Spanish consulates and embassies.

Some consulates require you to make an appointment to submit your student visa application, while others only accept applications by mail. Some consulates require you to include a prepaid self-addressed envelope with your application so your passport and visa can be mailed back to you, while other consulates require you to bring your passport to the consulate in-person later to retrieve your visa.

You must check your consulate's website for the specific documents necessary for a student visa application. Each individual Spanish consulate has its own process for receiving student visa applications and issuing visas. You will need to review the website of your particular consulate to follow their specific procedure. Around the world, the following are some standard items which everyone needs to submit:

1) National Visa Application -- The consulate's application form for the student visa, available on their website.

2) Photograph -- You can get "passport-type ID photos" printed at most pharmacies and photo shops; be sure to write your name on the back.

3) Valid Passport -- Your passport should be valid for at least six months beyond your intended First Year Abroad period of time.

4) Proof of Acceptance for Study -- This letter, written in Spanish, will be sent to you from Berklee approximately two to three months before your departure for Spain. Contact us if you have questions about it. The acceptance letter includes confirmation of your housing in Valencia. 

5) Proof of Financial Means -- You need to print out three months of bank statements in which each month shows access to at least USD $2,800 (EUR €2,400) or equivalent for one semester, or USD $6,300 (EUR €5,800) or equivalent for two semesters. If you don't have that money in a bank account under your own name, it could be in a parent's bank account. If submitting parents’ bank statements, also attach a copy of your birth certificate (proving the family relationship) and a notarized parent/guardian financial support letter (which should include writing in Spanish) from your parent stating that they will financially support you during your studies abroad.

6) Proof of Spanish Health Insurance -- This document, written in Spanish, will be sent to you from Berklee approximately two to three months before your departure for Spain. Contact us if you have questions about it. 

7) Criminal Record Check Certificate (apostilled and translated to Spanish) -- If you live in the United States, this item must come from the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and be obtained by applying directly with the FBI (not through a channeler). The apostille for the FBI background check must come from the U.S. Department of State, Office of Authentications. If you live in another country, you will obtain your criminal record check from your national law enforcement agency and it must be apostilled by the appropriate foreign affairs department of your national government. The translation must be completed by a “sworn translator” registered with the Spanish consulate. This is often the document which takes the longest amount of time to receive so we encourage you to begin working on it immediately.

8) Medical Certificate -- Contact your doctor's office to obtain a letter, written on the office's official letterhead and signed by an MD or DO. See the attached sample certificate for more information.

9) Proof of Residence in Consular District -- Make a copy of your government-issued ID or documentation proving the place where you live.

10) Payment of the Visa Fee -- The Spanish student visa fee varies depending on your country of citizenship; the fee is currently USD $160 for United States citizens. Check the specific consulate website to verify the exact fee you must pay. The Spanish consulates normally require that this visa fee payment be made by certified check or money order. 

Arrive to your consulate appointment early and with all the required documents, including copies. (If an appointment is not required, be sure to check your consulate's visa drop-in hours.)

• Remember, you will be asked to leave your passport at the consulate, along with the rest of your documents, while your visa is being processed.
• Be prepared to pay the visa fee. Only certain forms of payment will be accepted (see Step 3).
• Before you leave the consulate, ask how long it will take to process your visa, how you will know when it is ready, and how you can pick it up. (Most consulates do not require another appointment and will allow you to pick it up during their business hours.) Some consulates will mail your passport back you (if you provide a prepaid envelope). Each consulate has a different process, and you must confirm with them in advance.

You will either go to the consulate to pick up your passport (with visa inside) or it will be mailed to you. Remember to ask about this process during your appointment (see Step 4).

As you go through the passport control area upon entering the Schengen Area, an immigrations officer should stamp your passport. Make sure your passport gets stamped!

If you are studying abroad for one semester only, you don't need to do anything. You will not get a student residency card. If you are studying abroad for an academic year, you will need to apply for your student residency card within 30 days of your arrival into the Schengen Area. It will take approximately two months to complete the residency card process. Your residency card will be your national identification card while in Spain. It's valid for up to one year and renewable if you continue to meet the student visa conditions. You will receive information on how to apply for the residency card during orientation in Valencia.