Practical Information: Student Visas and Residency

A special visa is required for all foreign students in Spain. Students acquire this visa in a two-step process described below. However, the Office of International Studies on your home campus will provide you with most current information. Students accepted into the VWM program must contact the campus representative to review procedures.

Before Leaving the United States:

• Students (U.S citizens) must ensure they have a passport that will remain valid for at least 24 months at the time of application to the program. If they don’t have such a valid passport, they must obtain one immediately.
• Application must be made in a Spanish consulate in the United States or at the offices of a designated service provider at least three months in advance of the date of departure. Click here to access visa information from the Embassy of Spain in the US.
• All students should apply for a “long-term” visa with a “length of stay” of at least 200 days in order to ensure that you are not simply issued a non-renewable 180-day visa. Such long-term visas will enable students to remain in Spain for the rest of the semester. Please consult your study abroad office if you intend to study in Madrid for the whole academic year as this requires a different kind of visa.
• The study abroad offices at Vassar and Wesleyan highly encourage students to opt for the group visa application, a key assistance the study abroad office staff offers that greatly simplifies what can be a frustrating, complicated process.

Once in Spain:

• The program staff in Spain will help full-year students apply for the extension of their visa (the “residency card” or tarjeta de estudiante). This application must be made within the first 30 days of arrival in Spain.
• Students remaining in Spain for one semester do not have to apply for an extension or for a residency card. With their valid passport number and visa they are able to enroll in their courses, travel, secure medical care, and more.
• If students decide to stay on for a second semester, unless they make this decision within 30 days of their arrival, they will have to return to the U.S. and arrange for a new visa. The program staff will help with arrangements but any associated costs for this extra journey are the responsibility of the student.