My Visa Experience in Spain

      Before I committed to teach abroad with CIEE, the first thing I did was obsessively read others’ blog posts from their time in Spain. What would the process be like? How do we find housing? How do we make friends? What do I need to do before I leave? These were all questions I felt like I absolutely had to have before I forked over that commitment deposit. One of the main topics of conversation throughout the blog posts regarding preparation was the Visa process.

“We have to get a Visa. This should be a breeze!” I thought, scrolling through the posts. I wondered why everybody was so worried about it. I figured we could just send in a couple of forms and be on our way. The program I was researching – and ultimately decided on—was the short-term teach abroad program in Spain. This is the first time CIEE is offering this program, and it was wildly popular! I actually was almost unable to secure a spot, and I squeezed in at the last minute. The typical teach abroad program is 10 months long, beginning in September or October, while this one begins in early January.  However, the more I read, I realized what a process it would be. We had to travel to another city (for me, it was Washington, D.C. -- I live in North Carolina!), make an appointment ASAP, bring all of the proper forms, and make sure that it was done in a timely manner. There are only a certain number of consulates in the entire country – so the likelihood that you will have a consulate actually in your state is actually pretty slim! Consulates are located in the major cities of the US (off the top of my head, I can think of DC, NYC, Houston, LA, etc.) I realized that I needed to get it figured out and have the ball rolling as soon as I possibly could.

After I made the deposit, I immediately began doing the research on what I would need for the Visa. Thankfully, the office in D.C. takes applicants on a walk-in basis, so no appointment was needed. For this office, I needed: the filled out application, a passport photo, my passport, $160 in cash, a stamped an addressed return envelope for them to mail my passport back, proof of financial means (CIEE provides this) and proof of employment (CIEE provides this as well). The 10 month long term program actually requires more documents, such as the background check and a medical certificate at the appointment. Although it is different per office, I was applying for a long-stay student visa. A regular Visa would only allow us 90 days in the Schengen territory, while this one allows us 6 months. I double checked that I had the right papers dozens of times, put it all in a laminated and secure folder, and made my way to Washington, D.C. in mid November (I am departing in January for Spain).

The process was absolutely….painless. I got there around 9 am, as the office closed at 1 and I was afraid I would be waiting for hours. I waited for a total of ten minutes, only for a rushed woman to grab all of my paperwork, flip through it in 30 seconds, and tell me I was good to go and that it would be mailed to me in a month. I had to have the $160 in cash and exact change, which is definitely an important part. That was seriously it! I don’t know if it is this easy in every office, but the amount of anxiety I had leading up to this day was completely uncalled for.

I was able to make a weekend out of it, too. I saw the White House, the National Mall, the Lincoln Memorial, etc., while also experiencing the delicious food and the fun nightlife in DC. Thankfully, my cousin lives in the heart of the city and allowed me to stay with him for free, or else I may have been a little upset to pay for an Airbnb.

My advice is to just be prepared! Read the website of the specific Visa office you will be going to, as some of them have different requirements. Fill out the forms exactly as they instruct you on the CIEE website. Bring extras of everything -- I didn’t personally need it, but it sure made me feel a lot better to have. I made a “Spain” folder that has copies of everything I sent in for my Visa, as well as passport pictures, copies of my passport, ID, credit card, etc. Again, it is possible that other offices will want copies of your documents, but the D.C. office was very straightforward.

Getting your Visa doesn’t have to be so bad. If you have the means, make a weekend out of it and turn it into a fun getaway before you leave.