Schengen visas

GENERAL INFORMATION

The Schengen visa is issued to third-country nationals listed in Annex I of Regulation (EU) 2018/1806. This visa allows the holder to stay in the Schengen area for up to 90 days (in any 180-day period) for the purposes of tourism, business, visiting family, medical treatment, studies, training placements or volunteer activities that last under 3 months, or for other non-gainful activities. It also allows transit through the territory and airports. The Schengen area encompasses 29 European countries without border controls between them: Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Czech Republic, Croatia, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Italy, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, the Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden and Switzerland. 

The Schengen visa allows the holder to travel to any of the Schengen States and to transit through their territory, but it does not automatically entitle them to enter the Schengen area. The border authorities can refuse entry if proof of the reason and conditions of the trip are not provided or if the rest of the entry conditions are not fulfilled. 

• The main destination of the applicant's trip must be Spain.
• If the applicant is visiting several Schengen countries (tours, cruises) but do not have a main destination, the application must be submitted at the Consulate of the country of the first entry as long as the amount of days in each country is the same. 

The Consulate of Spain in Los Angeles will consider applications for residents in its jurisdiction: Southern California (Imperial, Inyo, Kern, Los Angeles, Orange, Riverside, San Bernardino, San Diego, San Luis Obispo, Santa Barbara and Ventura counties), Arizona, Colorado and Utah.

Applications are in person by appointment only at BLS: 

BLS International Office

5455 Wilshire Boulevard, suite 1011

Los Angeles, CA 90036

Required documents

​1.Schengen visa application form.pdf. The applicant must complete and sign a visa application form, filling in each of its sections. If the applicant is a minor, one of their parents must sign the application. 

2. Photograph. Glued to the application form. A recent color photo-paper picture, passport-size, taken against a white background, facing forward, without dark or reflective glasses, or any garments concealing the oval of the face.

3. Valid, unexpired passport. Original and a photocopy of the page or pages of the passport that contain biometric data. The passport must have a minimum validity period of 90 days after your expected departure from the Schengen area, and contain two blank pages. Passports issued more than 10 years ago will not be accepted.​​​

4. Proof of residence in the Consular jurisdiction. State ID, Diver's license or student ID.

5. Proof of legal residence in the United States (Non-Americans). Must present one of the following documents: 

• Original and copy of the permanent residence card (Green card).
  
• Valid US long term visa.
  
• Holders of B1/B2 visas cannot apply in the United States, they must apply in their country of permanent residence.
  

6. Travel medical insurance. The insurance must cover the costs of repatriation for medical reasons or death, as well as for urgent healthcare and/or emergency hospital treatment for the entire stay and throughout the Schengen area. Coverage must be of at least € 30,000 or its equivalent in local currency. It has to be with zero deductible, no co payment and no waiting period.

If the applications is for multiple entry visa, the medical insurance must be valid for the first planned trip. 

7. Visa fee: The Schengen visa fee is $ 106.00. Different fees applied depending on your nationality. Please check here the complete most recent Visa fees.pdf.​ Fees must be paid by money order on the day of the appointment.

The visa fee will not be refunded even if the visa is not granted or is cancelled.

BLS International will charge their additional services.

8. Documents proving the reason for the trip and the specifics of the stay, that the applicant has sufficient financial means, as well as the intention to leave the Schengen area before the expiration of the visa.

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. 

• Who can apply for a visa: Third-country nationals residing in the consular district who are traveling to Spain as their only or main destination.

• Place of submission: Applications must be submitted in person by appointment only at BLS  International Office, 5455 Wilshire Boulevard, suite 1011. Los Ángeles, CA 90036.   

• Visa application period: Visa applications must be submitted between 6 months and 20 days before the scheduled date of travel. Seafarers may apply for the visa up to 9 months before the date of travel. 
   
• Proof of receipt: BLS will provide the applicant with proof of receipt of the application. 
  

• Biometric data capturing: The applicant's facial image and fingerprints will be captured during the visa application procedure. Applicants under 12 and applicants whose fingerprints have been taken in the last 59 months are exempt from fingerprint taking. However, in the latter case, if the applicant's prints are of poor quality, the Consular Office will request that they come back in to have their fingerprints retaken. 

• 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 of 15 calendar days as of the day after the application submission date, but this period may be extended to 45 calendar days if an interview or additional documents are requested.
  Visa applications submitted by nationals of certain States require consultation with the central authorities that could affect the duration of the visa procedure. 

• ​Return of passport and other documentation: BLS International will inform the applicant regarding the procedure for the return of the passport and any other original documentation.  

• Permission granted by the visa: A visa does not automatically entitle someone to enter the Schengen area. The traveller must meet all legal entry requirements (see section "Conditions for entry into Spain"). 

• 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 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. 
  

​The processing of personal data of visa applicants is done in accordance with the General Data Pr​otection Regulation. 

Persons wishing to exercise their rights of access​, rectification and erasure of their personal data in the Visa Information System (VIS) may do so by addressing the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the European Union and Cooperation: 

Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the European Union and Cooperation

Inspección General de Servicios

Postal address: Plaza de la Provincia, 1, Madrid, España

Email: dpd@maec.es​ 

The following forms may be used to do so: 

• Right of access (Spanish-English version)
• Right to rectification (Spanish-English version)
• Right to erasure (Spanish-English version) 

Persons whose visa application has been refused because they are banned from entering the Schengen area may exercise their rights of access, rectification and erasure of their personal data in the Schengen Information System (SIS) by addressing the Ministry of the Interior.   

To obtain more information on your rights and duties and on how to exercise your rights of access, rectification and erasure of data included in the SIS, please refer to the website of the Spanish Data Protection Agency.

Basic Legislation

​ Community Code on Visas 

• Regulation (EC) No 810/2009 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 13 July 2009 establishing a Community Code on Visas (Visa Code). 

• Regulation (EU) 2019/1155 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 20 June 2019 amending Regulation (EC) No 810/2009 establishing a Community Code on Visas (Visa Code).

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