Spanish Consulate Miami – 3 Easy Steps to Apply for Spain Schengen Visa
Anywhere you go in Spain, you’ll find traditional and delicious food like tapas and paella and what better way to enjoy them than to sit in the sunshine in any of the street-side cafes and restaurants. It’s not only about the food though. There are exciting cities to explore, captivating villages, mountains, and a spectacular coastline in this beautiful Schengen country. Whether it’s culture and art, lazy days on pristine beaches or hiking and skiing in the countryside, Spain has it all and you will love the atmosphere wherever you happen to go. In this article learn more about how to apply for Spain Visa at the Spanish consulate in Miami, Florida, Spain visa appointment booking, Processing time at the Spanish visa application center and Spanish Visa Application Process at the Miami consulate.
Schengen Visa
2017 saw over a million Spanish Schengen visa applications, of which 39,969 were rejected. The Spanish consulate in Miami dealt with 2,617 applications and rejected 24.
Applying for Schengen Visa from the United States
If you want to visit Spain, you must apply for a Spanish Schengen visa if you are not a US citizen by birth and you live in the US on a permanent basis. If you happen to have a B1/B2 visa you must apply for the visa in your country of origin or permanent residence.
First of all, you have to make sure you apply at the right Spanish embassy and consulate. If you wish to apply at the Spanish consulate in Miami, you must reside within their jurisdiction:
– Florida
– Georgia
– South Carolina
Types of Schengen Visas Offered at the Consulate of Spain in Miami
There is more than one type of visa available at the consulate in Miami. The duration of your trip will determine which one you need:
- Short-stay visa (Schengen visa) – for stays up to 90 days
- Long-stay visa (National visa) – for stays over 90 days
Once you know which visa you need, you need to then think about why you wish to go to Spain because your reason will determine which category of visa you apply for. To avoid delays it is important to apply for the correct one, so have a look at the consulate’s website for information on the different categories:
The visas available from the Spanish consulate in Miami are:
Short-stay (Schengen visas):
- Tourism
- Business
- Visiting family or friends
- Cultural
- Sports
- Official visit
- Medical reasons
- Study
- Transit
- Airport transit
- Other
Long-stay visas (National visa):
- Residence visa without the work visa
- Residence for the family reunion
- Residence for employee
- Residence for self-employed
- Residence for temporary work as an employee
- Studies
- Research
- Accreditation
Visa can be:
- Single entry – Maximum of 1 entry during the validity of the visa
- Double entry – Maximum of 2 entries during the validity of the visa
- Multiple entry – Unlimited entries during the validity of the visa
Schengen Visa Application Process at the Spanish Consulate in Miami
It’s easy to apply for your Spanish Schengen visa, but before you begin, visit the Spanish consulate’s website and take a look at what is required for your specific type of visa.
Once you have done that, begin getting all your documents ready.
Step 1: Get your documents ready
The most important thing to remember about the required documents is to have everything you need for your visa application. If there is anything missing the consulate will send you away and this could delay things. In addition, you must have originals and photocopies of everything when you hand over your application to the consulate. Documents to get prepared include:
1) Two applications for Schengen visa (available on the consulate’s website)
2) Two National visa application forms
3) 2 x Recent passport-size photo with a white background
4) Passport – issued within the last 10 years and valid for 3 months after return to the US and has at least 2 empty pages
5) Driver’s licence or state ID
6) US residence card or valid visa – valid for re-entry to the US
8) Proof of accommodations – hotel reservation and/or cruise itinerary/letter of invitation
9) Medical insurance for a minimum of €30,000 – to cover medical expenses and/or repatriation due to accident or sudden illness
10) Proof of financial assets – latest bank statements
11) Proof of employment – stating job title, length of employment, salary, and vacation period/last 2 wage slips and W2 forms
12) Letter from US company stating the dates and purpose of trip/invitation letter (business travellers)
13) Last tax return and corporate bank statements/business certificate/license (if self-employed)
14) Proof of pension income (if retired)
15) Parental consent, notarized (Minors under 18 years of age)
16) Birth and/or marriage certificate (with Apostille certification)
17) Police record certificate (translated into Spanish with Apostille certification)
18) Work permit and/or proof of residence/self-employment authorization
19) Notarized passport and/or Spanish permit to reside
20) Proof of family relationship
21) Medical certificate (translated into Spanish)
22) Details of events/activities (translated into Spanish)
23) Notarized letter of intention
24) Acceptance/enrolment letter
25) Self-addressed, pre-paid US express mail envelope (if you wish to have your passport mailed)
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:
- Visit the Visa Reservation website to choose the right package
- Submit the travel details and make the payment online
- Receive flight itinerary in email
Step 2: Submitting your application to the consulate
There is no need to request an appointment at the Spanish consulate in Miami. All you need to do is to turn up and hand over your application for them to process it.
However, it is still important to apply well in advance of your trip. You can apply up from 15 days to 90 days before your departure to Spain, but the earlier the better. There are different processing times depending on the type of visa you want, so apply with plenty of time for your application to be dealt with.
- Short-stay visas – 15 days
- Long- stay visas – 30 to 90 days
Although you don’t have to make an appointment when applying for your Spanish Schengen visa at the consulate in Miami, it’s still important to take it seriously when you go to the consulate to hand over your application.
In general, 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!
Remember:
- Have everything you need for your application – your application may be delayed if you forget anything
- Dress smartly – you still want to make a good impression, even if you are at the consulate for a very short time
- Answer any questions to the satisfaction of the visa official – you may be asked extra questions so the consulate can confirm the information in your application.
Common visa interview questions include:
- Is this your first time abroad?
- What other countries have you been to?
- Do you know anyone living in the Schengen area?
- How much do you earn?
- How will you pay for this journey?
You will also pay the relevant fee when you submit your application. Check the consulate’s website because there are different fees for different types of application and certain visas attract an additional fee of $13 for the residency permit. You can pay by money order payable to the Consulate General Consulate of Spain.
Don’t jeopardize your Schengen visa interview at the last minute. Use this comprehensive and thorough visa interview guide to crack the visa interview!
Schengen Visa Fee
Visa Type | Fee |
Schengen tourist, business visa | $71 $41 (children between the age of 6 and 12) -Children under the age of 6 |
Student visa | $160/$71 (non-US citizens)
|
Work residence visa | $190/$71 (non-US citizens)/$41 (citizens of certain countries) |
Retirement, family, work permit exception, religious, non-lucrative visa | $140/$71 (non-US citizens) |
Step 3: Receiving your visa
When your passport is ready to be collected, you will be sent a notification and you can either collect it from the consulate or have it returned by mail.
Hopefully, you’ll find your Spanish visa attached to a page in your passport. However, visas do get rejected for a number of reasons:
- Passport isn’t valid for 3 months after return
- No proof of accommodation
- Lack of financial means
- Reason for the trip has not been established
- Missing paperwork
- Birth certificate etc. not Apostille certified
To avoid your application being refused, make sure your passport is valid and you have provided all the required paperwork. Plus, make sure all the paperwork has been legalized and/or notarized as required by the consulate. When you submit your application, answer any extra questions and be clear on why you wish to travel, if asked.
Contact detail for the Spanish Consulate in Miami
Address: 2655 Le Jeune Road, Suite 203, Coral Gables, Miami, FL 33134
Email: cog.miami.vis@maec.es
Tel: 305 446 5511/5512/5513
Fax: 305 446 0585
Hours: Monday to Friday, 8.30 am – 11.30 am
Conclusion
There are just three easy parts to applying for your Spanish Schengen visa.
- Get your paperwork ready – check and check again to find out what is required for your application. This will stop any unnecessary delays
- Submit your application to the consulate – you don’t even need an appointment. Just apply from 15 to 90 days and let the consulate do the rest
- Receive your visa – hopefully, you’ll get your Spanish visa and you can look forward to your fabulous 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 Chicago, Illinois
How To Apply for Spain Schengen Visa at Spanish Consulate in Houston, Texas
How To Apply for Spain Schengen Visa at Spanish Consulate in Los Angeles, California
How To Apply for Spain Schengen Visa at Spanish Consulate in NYC, New York
How To Apply for Spain Schengen Visa at Spanish Consulate in San Francisco, California
How To Apply for Spain Schengen Visa at Spanish Consulate in Washington D.C.