Applying for a Visa

IMPORTANT NOTICE These guidelines are aimed to help you through the application process for your visa to travel to Spain. However, we strongly encourage applicants to confirm all the information with their local Consulate. You will find details in our guidelines and below.

Please note that all the information given by the consular offices overrules any type of information provided here.

General Info and Guidelines

Once you receive your Letter of Acceptance, your placement in Spain has been officially assigned. Now it's time for you to apply for your visa. You must apply for a visa before leaving for Spain.

Visas are issued by the Consulates General of Spain in Canada under the jurisdiction of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Spain, not the Ministry of Education. They are consular matters and as such we have no authority over their rules, regulations and policies. Please direct all questions pertaining to visas to your local Consulate General of Spain.

The guidelines below have all the necessary information on how to apply for a visa and they will take you through the process. In addition, you will find important information concerning the steps that you must take once you have arrived in Spain, in order to validate your student visa and secure a residency card.

• How to Apply for a Visa: Guidelines for Canadian Citizens

Although the following information is found in the guidelines, we would like to highlight two important points.

1. Please be aware that you will NOT be able to apply for your visa under any circumstance until you have received your Letter of Acceptance.
2. You shouldn't buy your airline tickets to Spain until you have received the visa and it is in your custody. You can research flight prices but we strongly suggest not buying your actual plane ticket until you have your visa. At times, visa applications may be delayed and your may find that your travel date has arrived but your visa hasn't, so it is best to avoid unpleasant surprises.

Consulates General of Spain in Canada

Applicants should check how to submit their applications at the Consular Office of the Embassy or Consulate General corresponding to their province of residence:

• The consular jurisdiction of the Spanish Embassy in Ottawa includes ONLY the National Capital Region (Ottawa and Gatineau).

• The consular jurisdiction of the Consulate General of Spain in Toronto includes the provinces/territories of Alberta, British Columbia, Manitoba, Ontario (except Ottawa), Saskatchewan, Northwest Territories, Yukon and Nunavut.

• The consular jurisdiction of the Consulate General of Spain in Montreal includes the provinces of Prince Edward Island, Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, Québec (except Gatineau), and Newfoundland and Labrador.