Spain Consulate Chicago – 4 Easy Steps to Apply for Spain Schengen Visa

When you think of Spain, you might think of delicious paella, lazy days on perfect beaches, or hiking in the mountains, but there’s a whole lot more. Modern cities, pulsating with life, locals who are only too happy to sit and chat, and picturesque villages with a fascinating history. Wherever you go to Spain – one of the most beautiful Schengen countries and whatever you do in Spain, you’re sure to love it from the very first moment. In this article learn more about how to apply for Spain Visa at the Spanish consulate in Chicago, Spanish visa appointment booking, Processing time at the Spanish visa application center and Spain Visa Application Process at the Chicago consulate.

Schengen Visa

In 2017, there were 1,624,276 Spanish Schengen visa applications making it 4^th highest after France, Germany, and Italy. The Consulate General of Spain in Chicago dealt with 1,881 applications, of which 1,856 were issued.

Applying for Schengen Visa from the United States

Applying for a Spanish Schengen visa from the United States has never been easier. If you are a non-US citizen and permanently living in the US you can apply for this kind of visa. However, if you are in possession of a B1 or B2 visa you can apply to your home country for an Airport Transit visa.

You must hold one of the following documents to be able to apply for your visa:

1. S. Passport
2. Foreign passport and U.S. Permanent Resident Card
3. Valid International Student visas and re-entry signature on  I-20
4. Valid Exchange visitor’s visas and DS-2019
5. Long-term U.S. visas: L1, L2, H1, H2, R1 etc.

First of all, you have to make sure you apply at the right Spanish embassy and consulate. In order to apply at the Spain Consulate in Chicago you must live in one of the following places:

Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, North Dakota, Ohio, South Dakota, Wisconsin

Types of Schengen Visas Offered at the Spain Consulate in Chicago

For trips up to 90 days, you’ll need to apply for a Schengen visa and if you’re planning a longer trip, over 90 days, you’ll need a National visa.

The Spanish consulate in Chicago offers different types of visas depending on your reason for travel. The following visas are available for trips up to 90 days.

1. Tourism
2. Business
3. Visiting family or friends
4. Cultural
5. Sports
6. Official visit
7. Medical reasons
8. Study
9. Transit
10. Airport transit

There are also many types of long-stay or National visas:

1. Student
2. Language and Cultural Assistant
3. Au pair
4. Working visa
5. Residence without a work permit
6. Retirement
7. Religious activities
8. Non-lucrative residence
9. Investors or self-employed
10. Family reunion with EU citizen
11. Family reunion with a legal resident of EU

Schengen 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 Spain Consulate in Chicago

You must ensure you apply for the right visa depending on your circumstances and why you wish to travel to Spain, so take time to find out before you apply. If you apply for the incorrect one, your application will be refused.

Step 1: Book your appointment

The first step is to book your appointment which is free to do, but you can’t do it by email. The Consulate of Spain in Chicago have an online system for you to use. Go to their website and click on the link that will take you to the Bookitit system.

You must only book one appointment per person. If you can’t book a convenient time, check the system for cancellations as they do become available.

You’ll need to register if it’s your first time using the system, otherwise go ahead and book your appointment.

You’ll receive a confirmation email when you’ve booked a suitable day and time. You need to remember to take this to your interview.

You can apply up to 3 months before your trip. Average processing times are between 2 – 4 weeks. However, these times vary depending on the type of visa you have applied for and it could take anything from 1 – 12 weeks, so bear that in mind when you apply. You don’t want to be in a situation where there isn’t enough time for your visa to be processed. You can find individual processing times on the consulate’s website.

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

The next part is to get all the required documents ready. Any foreign documents need to be legalized and you need to provide originals and photocopies. Apart from your passport and other official documents, you won’t get this paperwork back, so it might be a good idea make additional photocopies for yourself. The documents required include:

1) Signed and completed Schengen Visa application form

2) Passport or official travel document and ID

– Valid for minimum 3 months after intended date of departure from Spain

– Issued within the last 10 years.

– 2 consecutive blank pages

3) Proof of residence

4) US permanent residence card or valid US long-term visa and/or I-20/IAP-66

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

5) 1 recent photo

– Passport-size, 2×2 in

– Color with white background

– Glued to the application form

6) Proof of accommodation

– Invitation letter from the local police

– Proof of hotel reservation and/or cruise/tour itinerary

7) Proof of financial means

– Latest credit card statement and/or bank statement

8) Signed employment letter

– Stating type of job, length of time employed, salary and/or purpose of the trip and who will cover expenses

– Last income tax return (if financially independent)

– Income tax return and marriage certificate (if financially dependent)

– Good standing certificate, income tax return (if self-employed)

– Registration letter (students)

9) Proof of return flight itinerary

10) Health and/or travel medical insurance

– 30,000 cover for medical emergencies, hospitalization, and repatriation

11) Parental consent (Minors under 18 years of age)

12) Birth and/or marriage certificate

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

13) Police record certificate

– Issued by state police/FBI

– Translated into Spanish

– Not older than 3 months

14) Authorization and/or proof of residence

15) Notarized passport and Spanish residence card

16) Proof of income for investment

17) Medical certificate

– Translated in Spanish

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

18) Proof of participation including activities (translated into Spanish)

19) Notarized letter of intention

20) Acceptance/enrolment letter

21) Forms EX07/790 – C052/990

22) Diplomas (translated into Spanish)

23) Self-addressed, pre-paid envelope (for returning passports by mail)

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 interview, please arrive on time and preferably with a few minutes to spare. If you are late, you won’t be able to proceed and you’ll need to make a new appointment.

Also, it might not seem important, but dressing smartly will convey to the consular official that you are serious about this interview and want to do everything in your power to get your visa.

As part of the interview, you may have to provide biometric data which includes a photo and fingerprints.

You’ll also need to pay the non-refundable relevant fee for your Schengen visa which can only be paid with a money order payable to the Consulate of Spain.

The consular official may ask you questions regarding your application. They simply want to establish your reason for travel, that you are trustworthy, and will return to your place of residence within the valid visa period. The best way to respond is calmly and with sincerity. If you do this, you won’t give the official any reason to doubt you.

Some of the most common questions are:

1. How much will this journey cost you?
2. How much is your income?
3. What do you do in your home country?
4. What does your company do?
5. What is the purpose of this trip?
6. What do you know about the 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

At your interview, you’ll be given a date as to when you can collect your passport. If you cannot collect it in person, you can have it mailed to you. The Spain Consulate in Chicago will not give you information on the status of your visa application, so don’t try to contact them by email or telephone about this. But, you can track the application with:

https://sutramiteconsular.maec.es/

Click on “Acceso por Resguardo” and use your unique reference number to check. If it says “Resuelto” it means your visa is ready and you can go to the Spain consulate from the next working day to collect it.

If you have your passport returned by mail, you can track the shipment at: www.usps.com

If all goes well, your visa will be attached to your passport, but there could still be reasons why visa may be refused.

1. Employment qualification doesn’t match financial situation
2. Purpose of travel and stay keeps changing
3. Passport is older than 10 years
4. Travel tickets for the destination not produced
5. No stamp or signature on the required letter
6. No bank/credit card statement

To avoid these pitfalls, you must ensure that your documentation is all present and correct, it is valid, and signed. In your interview, be consistent in what you say to them and answer honestly. If your visa application is rejected you have the right to appeal the decision within 2 months.

Contact detail for the Spain Consulate in Chicago

Address: 180 North Michigan Avenue, Suite 1500, Chicago, IL 60601

Email: cog.chicago.vis@maec.es

Tel: 1-312-782-4588

Fax: 1-312-782-1635

Hours:

Monday to Friday, 9.00 am – 2.00 pm

Monday to Friday, 9.00 am – 1.00 pm for visa collections

Conclusion

All you need to do to apply for your Spanish Schengen visa at the Consulate General of Spain in Chicago is:

1. Book your appointment
2. Prepare your documents
3. Attend the interview
4. Receive your visa

4 easy and straight forward steps. If you follow them exactly it will make the visa application process a little less stressful. With any luck, you’ll have your visa before you know it and you can look forward to 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 Boston, Massachusetts
How To Apply for Spain Schengen Visa at Spanish Consulate in San Francisco, California