This visa is issued for stays for NALCAP / auxiliares de conversación.
The following family members may obtain a visa to accompany the applicant:
- The spouse or unmarried partner.
- Children who are minors or who have a disability.
Canadian citizens (or any other nationality that does not require visa to enter in Spain) visiting for less than 90 days for studies purposes do not need to apply for this visa.
All foreign public documents must be translated into Spanish and apostilled by the competent Authority of the issuing country according to the Hague Convention of October 5, 1961, unless said document is exempt from legalization under the International Convention.
Place of submission: The application for authorization to stay for studies may be submitted in person or representation, requesting a prior appointment to the email cog.toronto.citasvis@maec.es with the subject STUDY VISA APPOINTMENT. Visa applications must be submitted sufficiently in advance of the beginning of the pertinent study programmes, as the procedure entails consultations with other authorities. The process to get this type of visa might take approximately 4 weeks or more. This General Consulate recommends not purchasing plane tickets until your visa has been granted. The validity of the stay authorization will coincide with the official duration of the studies or the activity to be carried out.
Required documents for the student
1. National visa application form
. Each applicant must complete and sign a visa application, filling in each of its sections.
2. Photograph. A recent, passport-size, colour photograph, taken against a light background, facing forward, without dark or reflective glasses, or any garments concealing the oval of the face. It must conform to ICAO standards, stamped with date and place where the photo was taken.
3. Valid, unexpired passport. Original and a photocopy of the page or pages of the passport that contain biometric data. The passport must be valid at least for the duration of the planned stay and contain two blank pages. Passports issued more than 10 years ago will not be accepted.
4. Acceptance letter of the Comunidad Autónoma in Spain. The acceptance letter must indicate the amount of your monthly allowance and whether you are medically insured by your Comunidad Autónoma. If you are uninsured, you need to have a medical insurance covering your entire stay in Spain.
5. Proof of residence in the consular district. 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. (Accepted documents, * dirver´s licence, * school, college, or university report card or transcript, * residential lease (rental agreement lease), mortgage statement, or Agreement of Purchase and Sale, * vehicle ownership or insurance document, * recent utility bill (telephone, cable, hydro/power, gas, or water)
6. Criminal record check certificate no more than five months before the application date (Legalized with the Hague Apostille Certification and translated into Spanish). 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. It must be a negative criminal record issued by the RCMP containing fingerprints and photo of visa applicant. If in the last five years, you have resided in another country, a criminal record from the authorities of that country.
7. Medical certificate. (Legalized with the Hague Apostille Certification and translated into Spanish). Applicants requiring a visa for a stay of more than 180 days must submit the original and a copy of a medical certificate accrediting that they do not suffer from any disease that could cause serious repercussions for public health pursuant to the 2005 International Health Regulations. The medical certificate must say: "This medical certificate confirms that Mr./ Ms. […...] does not suffer from any of the diseases that can have serious implications for public health in accordance with the provisions of the 2005 International Health Regulations”.
8. Proof of accommodation. Sometimes the institutions where you are going to be NALCAP / Auxiliar de conversación include in their letter of admittance that they will provide you with accommodation. That is enough. Otherwise, you need to prove that you have arranged a place to stay in Spain. Private housing must be accompanied by a letter of invitation issued at a police station in Spain. Your host will know how to obtain it.
9. Payment of the visa fee. CHECK THE VISA FEE HERE. We ONLY accept cash, money order or certified cheque payable to the Consulate General of Spain in Toronto. For nationals of Australia, Bangladesh, Canada, the United States of America and the United Kingdom different rates are applied for reasons of reciprocity.
NOTE FOR APPLICANT TRAVELLING WITH MINORS:
PLEASE NOTE: The applicant needs to submit:
- Enrolment letter for the minor(s) in a school or a educational institution.
- Proof of financial means to cover the expenses of the minor(s). It must amount to €289.51 per month or the equivalent in Canadian dollars.
- Medical insurance of the minor(s) to cover the expenses during the entire stay.
In this case, the parent who is not travelling to Spain will have to sign a letter of consent in front of a Notary, after that the letter has to be authenticated by Global Affairs Canada and after it has to be legalized by our Consulate.
If the parent who travels with the minor has share custody of the child, they will have to submit a legal document in which the parent not travelling states to be aware that the child is going to Spain with the other parent and gives the permission for this. This needs to be a court sentence and has to be authenticated by Global Affairs Canada and then legalized by the Consulate.
If the custody is not shared custody, that document needs to be a court sentence and has to be authenticated by Global Affairs Canada and then legalized by the Consulate. For more information about the legalization process, check this LINK.
Required documents for family members
For each family member accompanying the applicant, the following must be submitted:
- The documents listed above as 1, 2, 3, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9 and 10. Where applicable, 5 must also be provided.
Moreover, the certificates proving kinship with the student (marriage certificate, unmarried couple certificate, or birth certificate, as applicable) must be provided. Foreign documents must be legalized or apostilled and, where applicable, must be submitted together with an official translation into Spanish.
In the case of adult children, documents proving financial dependence, the adult child's civil status and that they continue to form part of the family unit.
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.
Applying for a NALCAP / Auxiliar de conversación visa also entails applying for a stay permit.
- Who can apply for a visa: Visa applications must be submitted in person by the applicant or by an authorized representative just in cases of long distances or proven difficulties in traveling. Appointment must be requested in advance by sending an email to cog.toronto.vis@maec.es. If the applicant is a minor, the application must be submitted by his/her parents or legal guardian.
- Visa application period: Visa applications must be submitted sufficiently in advance of the beginning of the pertinent start of the NALCAP / Auxiliar de conversación program, as the procedure entails consultations with other authorities.
- 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 1 month from the day after the application submission date, but this period may be extended if an interview or additional documents are requested.
- Collecting the visa: The visa must be collected in person by the applicant or by their authorized representative (if the applicant is a minor) within a maximum period of 2 months, counted as of the day after the date on which the favourable decision is notified. The Consular Office will inform the applicant regarding the procedure for the return of the passport and any other original documentation.
- Refusal of the visa or study stay permit: Refusals of the visa or stay permit will always be notified in writing, setting forth the grounds on which the decision adopted was based.
- Appeals: If a stay permit or 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 of 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: If the stay does not exceed 6 months, the visa will be valid for the entire stay and it will not be necessary to obtain a Foreigner Identity Card.
If the stay is for longer than 6 months, the visa will be valid for a 90-day stay. The applicant must apply for a Foreigner Identity Card within a period of 1 month from their entry into Spain, at the Foreign Nationals' Office or the Police Station of the province in which the permit was processed.