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Researcher Visa

​Visa to engage in training, research, development and innovation activities at public or private entities in the following cases: 

  • Research staff referred ​to in article 13 and additional provision one of Act 14/2011 of 1 June on Science, Technology and Innovation.
  • Scientific and technical staff carrying out scientific research, development and technological innovation work at business entities or R&D&i centres established in Spain.
  • Researchers hosted, in the framework of an agreement, by public or private research bodies.
  • Teaching staff hired by universities, higher education and research bodies or centres, or business schools established in Spain. 

The following family members of the researcher may also obtain the visa: 

  • The spouse or unmarried partner.
  • Children and adult children who are financially dependent on the researcher and who have not created a family unit of their own.
  • Relatives in the ascending line in the researcher's care.

 

REQUIRED DOCUMENTS FOR THE RESEARCHER

1.- One Application form (National Visa Application form): Each applicant must complete and sign a national visa application, filling out every section. It can be filled out electronically or handwritten in capital letters. If the applicant is a minor, one of their parents or a duly accredited representative must sign the application.​

Please do not forget to fill out numbers 17 (your address, email and telephone number), 21 (intended date of entry) and 27 (complete information about the employer or research center in Spain) on the application form.

2.- One photograph: Glued ​or clipped (not stapled) onto visa application form. Photo specifications: Passport-size, color photograph, recent (taken within the last 6 months to reflect your current appearance), printed on matte/glossy paper, taken against a white, light, clear, uniform background, facing forward, without dark or reflective glasses, or any garments concealing the applicant’s full oval of the face. 

Photos with a dark background or with objects or people that can be seen behind your head will not be accepted. Photographs of babies must not show any part of the adult holding them.

3.- Valid, unexpired passport: Original and photocopy of the page or pages of the passport that contain biometric data. The passport must be valid for at least the requested time of stay and must contain at least two free pages for visas. Passports issued more than 10 years ago will not be accepted.

If the passport does not meet the requirements, it must be renewed before applying for the visa.

4.- Proof of legal residence in the United States. Non-U.S. citizens must also submit proof of legal residence in the United States: A photocopy of the valid U.S. long term Visa or a notarized copy of the U.S. Resident Card (Green card; please do not submit the original document).

B1/B2 visa holders do not qualify to apply for a visa at this Consular Office. They must apply for a visa in their country of residence or country of origin.

5.- Proof of residence or study in the consular district.  The applicant must be a legal resident or be enrolled in in-person studies in a center within our consular jurisdiction (Washington, D.C., Maryland, Virginia, West Virginia and North Carolina).

​Residence must be proved by one of the following, valid documents: Photocopy of U.S. Driver’s license, State ID, University Student ID. Please do not submit the original document. 

If you do not have a U.S. Driver's license or State ID it is possible to prove residence in our consular district by other documents, e.g. a copy of a lease agreement or utility bill.

6.- Residence authorization. Authorization of Initial Residence for Research (“Autorización de residencia inicial para investigación"). The authorization is issued by the UGECE (“Unidad de Grandes Empresas y Colectivos Estratégicos", del “Ministerio de Inclusión, Seguridad Social y Migraciones" de España – “Large Companies and Strategic Groups Unit", of the “Ministry of Inclusion, Social Security and Migration" of Spain).

Each family member accompanying the researcher must submit a Residence authorization issued in favor of the family member.

7.- Criminal record check certificate: Applicants of legal age (18 years old and older) must submit the original and a photocopy (not notarized) of their criminal background check(s) issued by their country or countries of residence in the past 2 years. The criminal background check must be issued by the U.S. Department of Justice – Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI). We do not accept State or Local Police Background Checks. 

  • The background check must be issued within the 6 months preceding the submission of the visa application.
  • Criminal background checks must be authenticated with the Hague Apostille. We do not accept background checks without the Hague Apostille. 
  • The apostille must certify the signature on the Criminal Background check, not other signatures (e.g. we don’t accept apostilles that certify the signature of a notary that stamps a seal on the criminal background check). 
  • Criminal background checks must be accompanied by an official translation into Spanish by a sworn/certified translator. The official translation can include the translation of the Apostille as well, but it is not necessary (the translation does not need an Apostille and the Apostille does not need a translation). You can find certified translators through the AMERICAN TRANSLATORS ASSOCIATION
  • The criminal background check will not be accepted if it has been altered or damaged in any way, including damage caused by removing staples. 
If the applicant has spent more than 6 months (more than 180 days) during the last 2 years in another country (outside the USA) an additional criminal background check from every country of residence must be provided. The criminal background checks must be authenticated with the Apostille of The Hague, unless it is issued by an EU member state. The criminal background check issued by an EU authority does not need to be apostilled to be accepted. If the country in which the applicant has lived in the past 5 years does not subscribe to The Hague Convention of 1961, the background check must by authenticated by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the issuing country and then by the Consulate of Spain in this country. The background check must be accompanied by an official translation into Spanish (if the original is not written in Spanish).

Please submit the original and a photocopy of all the documents: Background check, Apostille and official translation.

8.- Responsible Declaration (original and a photocopy) of the absence of criminal records in the countries where you have resided during the previous 5 years.

9.- ​Proof of the representative's identity and capacity. If the visa application is submitted through a representative, a copy of the identity document or passport of the representative and of the power of attorney or document accrediting representation must be submitted. The originals must be shown when submitting the application. Foreign documents must be legalized or apostilled and, where applicable, must be submitted together with an official translation into Spanish. 

10.- Payment of the visa fee. Different rates are applied due to reciprocity. In 2024: 

  • U.S. citizens: $190
  • Citizens of Australia: $3.111
  • Citizens of Bangladesh: $99
  • Citizens of Canada: $811
  • Citizens of Ethiopia: $508
  • Citizens of Mauritania: $263
  • Citizens of the UK: $913
  • All other nationalities: $88

Visa fees are revised quarterly according to current exchange rates and can be subject to changes.

11​.- USPS Self-addressed and Pre-Paid Priority Mail Express envelope from the Post Office to have the passport returned by mail, if the applicant wishes for their Passport to be mailed back to them once the visa has been issued. We do not accept any other type of courier or messenger service (no FEDEX or UPS). Tracking of mailed items is the sole responsibility of the applicant.

​

Required documents for family members​​

For each family member accompanying the researcher, the following must be submitted: 

  • All the required documents specified in sections 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 10 and 11. Where applicable, those specified in section 7, 8, 9 also. In the case of minors, the visa application must be signed by one of their parents or by a duly accredited representative.  
Please note that in case of accompanying family members, each applicant must submit a different residence authorization (point 6). That means every residence authorization must indicate the name of the family member.

  • Documents proving family relationship with the researcher: Birth certificate, marriage certificate issued by the civil registry, certificate of registration as an unmarried couple. 
  • In case of an unregistered couple with a stable emotional relationship equivalent to a registered couple: notarized declaration stating that you are an unregistered unmarried couple with an stable emotional relationship equivalent to a registered couple, and any other document proving the unregistered partnership with the applicant for at least 1 year, for evaluation.
  • In case of adult children (18 y.o. and older): Documents proving financial dependence, the adult child's civil status and that they continue to form part of the family unit. It can be certificates of disability, of single status, of cohabitation at the same address, of studies, etc.
  • In case of relatives in the ascending line (65 y.o. and older parents): documents proving financial dependence and that they form part of the family unit.
Foreign official documents must be apostilled or legalized and must be submitted together with an official translation into Spanish. 

Please submit the original and a copy of all the documents proving family relationship.


When necessary to assess the application, the Consular Office may request additional documents or data and may also ask the applicant to come in for a personal interview.

PROCEDURE

This Consular Office is competent to accept visa applications from individuals residing in the consular district. (Washington, D.C., Maryland, Virginia, West Virginia and North Carolina). 

  • Who can apply for a visa: Visa applications must be submitted in person by the applicant or by one of their parents if they are a minor. They may also be submitted through a duly accredited representative. 
  • Place of submission: Applications must be submitted in person at the Consular Office by appointment only.
Once you have all the required documents you must scan and e-mail them to cog.washington.vis@maec.es. If there is not enough space to include all the attached documents, you can send them in different, numbered emails. Please write the email subject as follows: “APPOINTMENT REQUEST. Visa Type. Given Name FAMILY NAME. Email Number”

Please do not send emails if you do not have all the required documents yet. Please be sure that you have all the required documents before scheduling an appointment, as only complete applications with all requirements will be admitted.

When we receive all the required documents, we will answer your mail and schedule an appointment to come in person to the Consular Section of the Embassy to submit the application.

If the researcher is accompanied by his/her family members, the researcher (or the representative) can submit the applications for all the family members. It is not necessary that the family members come to the BLS Office to submit their application.

  • Proof of receipt: The Consular Office will provide the applicant with proof of receipt of the application with a code that enables them to check the status of the dossier through the following link: https://sutramiteconsular.maec.es/Home.aspx 
  • Rectifying the application: The Consular Office may ask the applicant to submit any missing documents, or to provide additional documents or data that are necessary for a decision regarding the application. The applicant may also be called in for a personal interview. 
  • Decision period: The legal period for reaching a decision is 10 days as of the day after the submission date of the application, but this period may be extended when an interview or additional documents are requested. 
  • Collecting the visa: 
    • If the applicant wants to have the passport returned by mail: Please submit a USPS Self-addressed and Pre-Paid Priority Mail Express envelope.
    • If the applicant prefers to collect the visa in person: The visa can be collected in person by the applicant or by their representative within a maximum period of 1 month, counted as of the day after the date on which the favorable decision is notified. The Consular Office will inform the applicant regarding the procedure for the return of the passport and any other original documentation.
  • Visa refusal: Visa refusals will always be notified in writing, setting forth the grounds on which the decision adopted was based. 
  • Appeals: If a visa is refused, the applicant may submit an appeal for reconsideration to this Consular Office in Spanish within 1 month of the day following the date on which notification of the refusal is received. An application for judicial review may also be filed with the High Court Justice of Madrid within the 2-month period beginning the day after the date on which the applicant receives notification of the visa refusal or of the dismissal of the reconsideration appeal. 
  • Validity period of the visa: The visa is valid for 1 year, or for the same period as the residence authorization granted (if the residence authorization is valid for less than 1 year).
    The visa accredits residence in Spain during its validity period, making it unnecessary for the worker to obtain a Foreigner Identity Card. However, it is advisable to apply for a Foreigner Identity Card (T.I.E., Tarjeta de Identificación de Extranjeros) after the worker’s entry into Spain, especially if the residence authorization is valid for more than 1 year. The TIE is renewable, and it is possible to initiate the TIE renewal procedure within 60 days before the expiration of the card.