Spanish Consulate Boston – 4 Easy Steps to Apply for Spain Schengen Visa

Spain is known for its welcoming people, delicious cuisine, and world-famous festivals like the Running of the Bulls. With thriving cities, that are great for exploring and awash with fantastic museums and architecture, there’s plenty to do and see. Not only that, the country has a spectacular coastline with great beaches and heavenly islands just offshore. It’s vibrant, it’s fun, and it’s a destination that you’ll love from the moment you touch down. Spain is one of the most loved Schengen countries to visit. In this article learn more about how to apply for Spain Visa at the Spanish consulate in Boston, Spanish visa appointment booking, Processing time at the Spanish visa application center and Spain Visa Application Process at the Boston consulate.

Schengen Visa

In 2017, there were 1,624,276 Spanish Schengen visa applications and 8.27% of these were rejected. The Consulate of Spain in Boston processed 1,123 and of these, all applications for uniform and air transit visas were issued.

Applying for Schengen Visa from the United States

You should apply for a Spanish Schengen visa if you are a non-US citizen and/or a permanent resident of the US. You must not hold a B1/B2 visa. If you do, you are only eligible to apply for an Airport Transit visa which must be applied for in your home country.

You have to make sure you apply at the right Spanish embassy and consulates.  If you are applying for a Spanish Schengen visa, you should lodge your application at the Consulate of Spain in Boston only if you reside in the following areas:

– Massachusetts

– New Hampshire

– Rhode Island

– Vermont

– Maine

Types of Schengen Visas Offered at the Spanish Consulate in Boston, Massachusetts

There are 2 types of Schengen visas available:

1. Short stay – for trips up to a maximum of 90 days
2. Long stay – for trips over 90 days

The reason for travel will determine which category you belong to and you must ensure that you apply for the correct one when you begin the application process.

a) Tourist – Vacation only

b) Business – Business related to your profession

c) Study – Study and/or training

d) Family purpose – Visit family

e) Medical – Receive medical treatment

f) Cultural/Sports/Religious – Participation in events

g) Airport Transit Visa (ATV) – Change planes on Spanish territory

Each of these visas can be:

1) Single entry – Maximum of 1 entry during 90 day period

2) Double entry – Maximum of 2 entries during the 90 day period

3) Multiple entry – Unlimited entries during the 90 day period

Schengen Visa Application Process at the Spanish Consulate in Boston

The process for applying for a Spanish Schengen visa at the Consulate of Spain in Boston is simple. It’s very important that you follow each step in order to ensure that your application gets accepted.

Step 1: Make an appointment

To apply for a Spanish Schengen visa at the Spanish Consulate in Boston, you must have a confirmed appointment and you can do this on the consulate’s website. You should make one appointment per person and appointments cannot be made by phone, so it’s important to remember that.

If this is the first time that you have applied for a visa, you’ll need to register before you can use the appointment booking system. Once you’ve made the appointment, you’ll receive confirmation by email. This should be presented, along with your other documents, when you go for your visa interview.

You should allow plenty of time for your Spanish visa application to be processed. The consulate recommends that you apply at least 16 days prior and not more than 90 days before your trip.

Making appointments with the embassy or visa application center is generally free and can be done yourself. However, If you are running short of time or not sure which consulate to apply to or have no idea on how to get this done yourself then not to worry, we will make the appointment for you for a small service fee!

Step 2: Preparing your documents

Once your appointment has been booked, you should prepare your documentation in preparation for submitting your application. Please note that any foreign documents should be legalized.

1) Fully completed and signed Schengen Visa application form

– Double-sided sheet

2) Supplement application form

3) Passport

– Valid for 3 months after the trip

– Issued within the last 10 years.

– 2 free pages

4) Alien Residence Card (Green-Card) or residence visa valid in USA with I-20/IAP-66 (except B-1,B-2)

– Valid for a minimum of three months from the expiration date of your visa.

5) Proof of residence

6) 2 color photos

– Passport-size, 3.5 x 4.5 cm

– White background

– Not older than 6 months

– Close up of head and top of shoulders

– Good quality

7) Reservation of round-trip airline ticket

8) Hotel reservation

9) Letter of invitation

10) Proof of financial status

– Last 3 credit card statements

– Last 3 bank statements

11) Travel medical insurance

– 30,000 cover for medical emergencies and repatriation

12) Socio-professional situation

– Employed: Employer letter and/or proof of business

– Self-employed: Business license

– Students: Certificate of attendance/Proof of financial means

– Retired: Pension certificate

13) Birth and/or marriage certificate

– Must state “Apostille of the Hague Convention” or be legalized

14) Certificate of Absence of Police Records/Certificate of Non-Criminal Record

– Issued by state police/FBI

– Translated into Spanish

– Not older than 3 months

15) Letter from Spanish Immigration with the approval of residency visa/work permit

16) Confirmation of investment/type of business (self-employed applicants)

17) Proof of family ties

18) Medical certificate

– Translated in Spanish

– Must state “Apostille of the Hague Convention” or be legalized

If you’re planning to obtain your flight reservation for visa without paying for the ticket, all you have to do is follow the 3 simple steps below:

1. Visit the Visa Reservation website to choose the right package
2. Submit the travel details and make the payment online
3. Receive flight itinerary in email

Step 3: The Schengen visa interview

On the day of your appointment, you should go to the Spanish Consulate in Boston in person. Things to remember are:

1. Have all the necessary documents
2. Arrive early
3. Dress on formal clothing

It’s important that you do all of these things in order to make a good impression. If you don’t, this could affect the decision of your Spanish visa application.

You must provide originals and photocopies of everything. In some cases, you are required to make 2 copies of your documents, so take a look at the consulate’s checklist.

You may also be required to provide biometric data which includes a photo and fingerprints.

Schengen visa fees:

The required payment can only be made by money order made payable to the Consulate of Spain. This fee is non-refundable, even if your application is refused.

You may be asked additional questions so the visa official can confirm that you are honest and have genuine reasons for making this trip. It’s normal practice, so don’t be alarmed at this. Simply, answer the questions truthfully and be clear and concise and there shouldn’t be any problems.

Some of the most common questions are:

1. How long are you going to stay?
2. How long have you been working in this company?
3. How many siblings do you have? Where do they live? What do they do? How many children do they have?
4. How much is your salary or how much do you earn?
5. Is this your first trip to a Schengen area?

Don’t jeopardize your Schengen visa interview at the last minute. Use this comprehensive and thorough visa interview guide to crack the visa interview!

Step 4: Receiving your visa

When your passport and visa are ready for collection, you’ll receive notification to collect which you must do within 1 month. If you don’t collect your passport within this timescale, it will be considered as a refusal of your visa.

The time it takes to process your visa application is different depending on your nationality and the purpose of your stay. However, in certain circumstances the processing times can be extended by 30 or 60 days, so it’s extremely important that you allow enough time prior to your intended travel dates.

The application process for a Spanish Schengen visa is simple and if you adhere to these steps, you should have no problems in having your application accepted.

However, you must be prepared if your Spanish visa application is refused for some reason. The most common reasons why this may happen include:

1. False travel documents
2. Lack of explanation of the purpose of the trip
3. Damaged passport
4. Invalid letters of reference
5. Lack of funds
6. Unacceptable birth/marriage certificate

You can avoid rejection if you have all the required forms, details are consistent, and they have been completed in full and signed. It’s a good idea to take your time when preparing everything and double check that everything is in order. If your visa application is rejected you will be told why it was refused and you have the right to appeal the decision within 2 months.

Contact detail for the Spanish Consulate in Boston

Address: 31 Saint James Avenue, Suite 905, Boston, Massachusetts, MA 02116

Email: cog.boston@maec.es

Tel: 617-536-8512/617-536-2527

Fax: 617-536-8512

Hours: Monday to Friday, 9.00 a.m. – 1.30 p.m.

Conclusion

If you follow these 4 easy steps to applying for your Spanish Schengen visa at the Consulate of Spain in Boston, you’ll have no worries about being accepted. Just apply in plenty of time, get all the necessary documents that you need, and turn up for your appointment. All being well, it won’t be long until you’re jetting off to enjoy your trip to Spain.

At Visa Reservation, we strive to simplify the visa process by providing free visa consultations, cover letter templates and no objection letter templates for our clients from US, UK, Canada, Philippines, India, China, UAE, Europe, Nigeria and globally. We also offer flight itinerary for visa, travel medical insurance, hotel reservations for visa and much more. To learn more about how we can help you with our visa services, please feel free to contact us today.

See Also:

How To Apply for Spain Schengen Visa at Spanish Consulate in San Francisco California