So you want to be an expat: the visa process

We apologize for this brief interruption

Hello and welcome back! It has been a while since my first post, and I would like to sincerely apologize for the delay. Upon establishing a schedule and a plan to begin making weekly posts, my life immediately turned upside-down. Instead of taking three weeks to relax, pack, and write to my heart´s content, Jonny and I were whisked away on a quick, and cold, side-adventure. My family found themselves desperately in need of some help running a pony ride and petting zoo at a pumpkin farm, and I conveniently found myself unemployed and available to assist. All packing and writing plans went out the window, and before we had time to catch our breaths, we were boarding a plane in Chicago to begin what has truly been a crazy adventure to date – but more on that later. For now we have some catching up to do...

Jonny and Simon bonding over their "love" for the children

And what better place to begin than the torment that was the visa process?

Newsflash! For those of you who, like me, have been caught staring out windows or looking longingly at maps of the world, the movies lie. Sandra Oh and Diane Lane in Under the Tuscan Sun, while basking in beautiful Italian backdrops, escaping to dreamy countryside villas, and feasting on drool-worthy cuisines, failed to air the stressful, time-consuming, and often obscure visa and immigration process it took to get there in the first place.

That the moving process was not the main plot of the movie is probably no surprise to most people. After all, no one, including myself, would have wanted to watch that boring and tedious process. However, for as romantically fantastical as the proposition of becoming an expat appears to be in Hollywood, the reality of it all was admittedly grueling, and while I am sure the answer will ultimately be in the affirmative, the verdict is still out on whether it was all worth it.

While I had lived in Spain for three and a half months during college and was generally familiar with the visa process, I soon discovered that, because I would be staying longer than 180 days, it would all become significantly more complicated. Not only did I encounter more rigorous requirements, but I also discovered that the information available online and through the consulates themselves was minimal at best. Moreover, what I originally thought would cost a little over $160 each – the cost to apply for a student visa – turned out to be significantly more than I had planned after factoring in the charges along the way just to meet the visa requirements.

Discovering how little help the consulate itself was, coupled with stark information online regarding the process, I knew I would need to contribute what knowledge and experiences I had endured throughout the process, in hopes of improving the journey for future expats.

DISCLAIMER – despite my best efforts to find clarity along the way, I ultimately had to come to terms with the fact that some information would simply remain elusive. The listed requirements on the form were somewhat incomplete, those listed were sometimes obscure, and to make things even more fun, every Spanish consulate varies slightly some information that we thought was available turned out to be irrelevant for us. The visa advice I can give is limited, and it may even contradict with the requirements of consulates elsewhere.  To those who follow in my footsteps, I hope this information does not lead you astray but provides a platform for you to build upon. Please continue my efforts, share your experiences, and hopefully someday at least this element of bureaucracy can be clarified for the masses. The internet is a wonderful tool. Let´s put it to good use.

Finally, it is crucial to remember that the process really only becomes complicated and painful when you plan on staying in another country for a very long time - in our case, over half a year. If you wish to stay for 90 days or less within a 180-day period, the process is incredibly simple - you are a tourist, which Spaniards love, and all you need is your valid, current passport! All that will apply to you here is Step Two. From there, the world is your oyster. Book your flight, pack your bags and be on your way. If you wish to stay longer than 90 days within a 180-day period but less than 180 days total, you will have a little more leg work to do, but the process still remains relatively simple. You are there less than one year, and for that reason, they seem a lot less worried about the risks you present to society. You lucky ducks really only need to focus on Steps One, Two, Six, Seven, Eight, Nine, Ten, Eleven and Twelve below .  However, if you are like me and my husband, remaining for over 180-days, Spain wants to feel confident you are physically and financially sound before they take you on as a resident. For this reason, all of the steps below apply to you. ¡Que Lástima!

Step One - knowing where you are, where you belong, who you are, and how to prove it

Upon deciding to make a long-term move to another country, you technically need to “ask permission” from said country – in my case, I had to bat my eyes and say “pretty please” to Spain. This is a multifaceted process, but the majority of your attention will be directed towards the consulate of the country you are visiting.

Spanish Consulates are distributed throughout the United States covering multi-state jurisdictions and the one you apply at is determined by your United States residence. It is very important to identify which consulate you must visit as the requirements may differ - sometimes substantially. To help determine which you would have to apply to for a Spanish visa, you can use the map I have posted here. Since I was a current resident of St. Louis, I along with the residents of Wisconsin, Missouri, North Dakota, South Dakota, Nebraska, Kansas, Illinois, Minnesota, Iowa, Michigan, Indiana, Ohio, and Kentucky, needed to visit the Consulate of Spain in Chicago.

Lurie Garden, Millennium Park, Chicago -

a perk to visiting the Consulate in Chicago -

excellent sightseeing nearby!

After determining where you need to go, you need to determine your “status” upon arriving to Spain. In other words, who are you and why do you think you are important enough to live in Spain? They don’t just let anyone in. Are you going for work, for studies, as a spouse, or to reunite with Spanish family members? Make sure you know specifically what you are applying as, and that you use the forms specifically tailored to that situation. They all differ in both the degree of paperwork required and the time it takes to have the visa issued.

As an intern, I was fortunate enough to be applying for a student visa – the easiest visa to obtain when coming to Spain, in my humble opinion. My husband, Jonny, originally planned on applying as my spouse, but ultimately was accepted to St. Louis University’s Madrid Campus, allowing him to apply as a student. More on that fiasco later.

Now that you know where you are, where you are going, and who you are, you need to determine what it takes to be accepted into the country. Before doing anything else, I highly recommend you print out the list of requirements specific to your location and status, and read them through, slowly and carefully. If you are visiting the Consulate in Chicago, you can find links to the forms detailing the requirements for a student visa over 180 days here. Working off of these forms, you should make your own personal “ingredient list” before you make the trek to the consulate. While you could work off the form the consulate provides, writing it down yourself not only makes it clearer, but you are less likely to miss items that initially seemed like side notes rather than additional requirements. Again, more on that later.

At the Chicago Consulate for Spain, my ingredient list consisted of: my passport, an Apostilled FBI background check, Medical Certificates in Spanish and English, evidence of funds totaling $2,200 for each month I would be in Spain, evidence of health insurance and repatriation coverage totaling at least $30,000, acceptance letters from my program of study, a passport-style photo, a round-trip flight itinerary, my consulate appointment confirmation email, a complete visa application, a priority mail envelope with tracking and insurance, and the visa application payment. I have broken each of these requirements down into their own steps, in the order that I found to be most logical when considering the time it takes for each one.

Step Two - The Passport

One constant regardless of how long you are visiting the country or which consulate you must apply to will be requirement of a current passport. United States passports are issued by the United States Department of State. Passports for individuals under the age of sixteen are valid for 5 years. Passports for individuals between sixteen and seventeen years of age are valid for 10 years, as are passports for adults. Your passport must be valid for at least thirty days beyond your planned trip out of the country (some countries require it be valid for up to six months following your return), and the Department of State recommends that you renew your passport as early as 9 months before it expires. If any critical information, such as your name, changes, you will need to obtain a new passport, regardless of its expiration date.

Jonny obtained his passport about four years ago when he came to visit me in Toledo, so he was able to check this requirement off of his list immediately. While I also had an unexpired passport, I had recently changed my name and therefore I needed to renew mine. Regardless of whether you are applying for a new passport or renewing an old passport, this portion of the process is costly, but thankfully straightforward.

Obtaining a New Passport

If you are looking to obtain a new passport, this means one of two things - your old one has expired and you have been procrastinating (shame, shame - what are you doing with your life?) OR you are for the first time about to immerse yourself in a whole new world that is anywhere but the United States (way to go!)

When applying for your brand new passport, you will need: An original document evidencing your U.S. citizenship, photo identification, a photocopy of the photo identification, a passport-appropriate photo, the fee payments provided in the appropriate format and payable to the proper institutions, and a completed but unsigned DS-11 form. The Acceptance Facility or Passport Agency where you apply may be able to make the photocopy for you, but it is always best to simply come with everything prepared.

• Evidence of U.S. citizenship  can be shown through: (1) an original U.S. Birth Certificate that (a.) is issued by the city, county, or state of birth, (b) lists your full name and place and date of birth, (c) lists your parents full names, (d) indicates the date it was filed with the registrar’s office within one year of your birth, (e) contains the registrar’s signature, and (f) has a seal of the registrar that is either embossed, impressed, or multicolored; (2) an undamaged previously issued passport - can be expired; (3) a Consular report of birth abroad; or (4) a certificate of Naturalization or Citizenship. Notably, if you cannot meet one of these four options for one reason or another, such as not having access to a valid birth certificate, there are several other avenues that may be available to you. To find information specific to your circumstances, visit travel.state.gov for help. The website is very easy to use, and unlike the consulate, they are mindful of unique circumstances.
• The best options for photo identification include either: (1) a valid Driver’s License from the State you are applying in <extra leg-work may be involved if you have an out-of-state license>; (2) an undamaged U.S. passport issued less than 15 years ago; (3) a Certificate of Naturalization (4) a valid government ID; or (5) a valid Military ID. Again, the U.S. government is willing to compromise on what will qualify as a valid ID and may accept other forms (e.g. student ID) so long as you meet the additional requirements that must be used in its conjunction. Visit travel.state.gov for this information. Finally, don’t forget that photocopy.
• A passport style photo is one that is printed in color on thin, photo-quality paper. It must be 2x2 inches in size and contain your full face measuring between 1 inch and 1 ⅜ inches in length on the paper, with a white or off-white background. The photo needs to have been taken within the last 6 months, and it needs to show your current appearance with both ears and hairline visible and no facial exaggerations. Apart from items worn for religious or medical reasons, you should wear normal attire - no uniforms, no hats obscuring your hairline, and no non-prescription glasses. However, if you regularly wear prescription glasses or require a hearing device,you must wear it. Many places offer a service for producing a valid, passport-style photo. The two main options tend to be Walgreens and your local Post Office, and if you have these options available to you go for it! It will cost slightly more than doing it yourself ($12.00 for two photos at Walgreens currently), but it is still very reasonable. It will also save you the hassle and concern of making sure you managed to take an appropriate photo on your own. If you have decided to go it alone, like we did, I strongly suggest you visit the Department of State's website for a thorough, detailed understanding regarding what is appropriate for the photo. The site not only provides several visual examples, but it also contains a service where you can upload the digital photo you have taken, and it will format it to the proper specifications for you to print it! Finally, it is best have at least four copies of the photo printed as you will need them for other portions the visa application.
• Finally, fill out form DS-11, following the directions attached to it. Note - DO NOT SIGN THE FORM until you are asked to do so at the acceptance facility. Otherwise you will need to fill out a new form so they may properly witness your signature. 
• Acceptance facilities will accept payment in the form of: checks (personal, certified, or traveler's) with the applicant's full name and date of birth printed on the front; a major credit card (Visa, Master Card, American Express, and Discover); bank draft or cashier's check; money order (U.S. Postal, international, currency exchange), or if abroad, the foreign currency equivalent, or a check drawn on a U.S. bank. The application fee itself should be payable to the "U.S. Department of State" or if abroad, the appropriate U.S. Embassy or U.S. Consulate. When applying at a designated acceptance facility, the execution fee will be paid separately and should be made payable to the acceptance facility itself. NOTE: Some designated acceptance facilities do not accept credit cards as a form of payment, so make sure you check before you go if this is how you planned on paying. 

The current cost for applying to obtain a new passport book is $135 -- a $110 application fee plus an execution fee of $25. Assuming you have not procrastinated, you can use standard processing and standard delivery at no additional cost. You will receive your new passport via USPS priority mail, and any documents you had to submit along with the passport such as your evidence of U.S. citizenship, will be returned separately via First Class mail. This will take between four and six weeks for you to obtain. However, if you have put off the process, for an additional $60, they will be happy to shorten the timeline to between two and three weeks. Additionally can opt for overnight delivery  for an additional $14.85 and your passport will be delivered via USPS Express Mail, with any other documents returned to you via First Class mail.

Now that you have all of your documents in order, since you are obtaining a new passport, you need to apply in person. To determine the most convenient location for applying in person, you can visit this website. This portal also allows you to search for facilities that provide on-site photo services or have nearby locations offering such.

Renewing an Old Passport 

This handy option is applicable to those who have a current (unexpired, issued within the last 15 years), valid (unaltered, not damaged) passport that was issued to them when they are at least 16 years old, who need to renew/modify their passport for one reason or another, whether it be a name change, mere passage of time, or some other extenuating circumstances. While neither passport process is too terribly difficult, renewing a passport is the relatively easier path to take. You have already done all of the leg work in the past so you are in the system, and you technically do not have to leave the comfort of your home until it is time to put your application in the mail! You also do not have to pay an execution fee.

To renew your passport, you will need: your current, valid passport book, documents evidencing your name-chance if applicable, a passport-style photo, the application fees in an acceptable format, Form DS-82, and  one envelope large enough to contain the items listed with postage.

• in order to opt for the renewal process and avoid the extra hassle and extra fees, you need to have an unexpired, undamaged passport in your possession. Additionally, the passport must either be (1) issued in your current name or (2) accompanied with proper documentation of your name change. Your old passport will be returned to you, most likely in a separate mailing than your newly issued passport. Both times I renewed my passport, I received my old one well before the new one came, and they had a hole punched through them indicating they could no longer be used.
• to properly evidence a name-change, if applicable, you will need to submit an original or certified copy of your marriage certificate, or the government issued document evidencing your legal name change. 
• information regarding the proper format for passport-style photos, and how you may obtain one can be found in the prior section for obtaining a new passport. Again, I strongly suggest you obtain multiple copies of the photo - at least four - for other components of the visa process. You will need to staple this photo to your application, using four staples, vertically, in each corner, as close to the edge as possible. 
• The form for renewing your passport book is different than the one used for obtaining a new passport. It is called the DS-82, and unlike the DS-11 you can sign this form - in fact you must - before mailing it in. You also need to attach your passport style photo to the application, using four staples vertically in each corner as close to the outer edge as possible.
• since this application process is carried out through mail service, you will need to provide payment with either a personal check or money order. Make the check payable to "U.S. Department of State" and include the full name and date of birth of the applicant, typed or printed, on the front of the check.
• Finally, the Department of State requests that you use an envelope large enough to prevent folding any of the documents, including the paper application. In other words, a standard #10 envelope will not suffice. Additionally, they strongly recommend you use a mail service with tracking as you are sending very sensitive information.

The cost for renewing your passport book is currently $110 - no execution fee! - making this option a little more desirable if your passport is due to expire and you know you are nowhere near done seeing the world. This cost also assumes you have not procrastinated to the point of desperation, in which additional fees apply for faster processing.

Once you have collected and completed all of the necessary documents, it is time to finally step outside and head to your mailbox. For routine processing, you can mail your large, tracked  envelope to:
       National Passport Processing Center

       Post Office Box 90155

       Philadelphia, PA 19190-0155

Note that if you are opting for an expedited service, you will need to send the package to a different post office box with “EXPEDITE” written clearly on the outside of the envelope:
       National Passport Processing Center

       Post Office Box 90955

       Philadelphia, PA 19190-0955

For more information regarding processing times, or to track the process of your already submitted application, visit this website.

Congratulations! You are trucking along, done with step two. Now things become a little more complicated…

Step Three - Background Checks I

If you have your passport already, or if it is pending through the U.S. Department of State, your next step should indubitably be to begin the background check process. Rumor has it that this component of the application takes the longest to complete - some forums indicate it may take up to four months, and the FBI process currently recommends you plan for 12 weeks of processing, plus the time it takes to go through mail service. Neither of these timelines factor in the added time it will take to also have the background check Apostilled - so the sooner you can begin, the better.

There are two methods you can choose from to complete part one of this background check – you can either go through the state you live in, or through the FBI. As noted earlier, every consulate is a little different, and some consulates require you to go through FBI, not accepting state-issued background checks, such as the consulate in San Francisco. If you choose to go through the state, you will need to obtain a background report for each state you have lived in over the last 5 years. Then you will need to have each of the reports Apostilled ($2-$25 depending on state) by each respective state’s Secretary of State office. This can be done in the state capital or in major cities within the state. Since Jonny and I lived in Wisconsin and Missouri within the course of five years, we determined it would be easiest to use the FBI background check format. The state process varies, but for the FBI background, the process is the same no matter where you have lived.

For an FBI-issued background check - which they call an Identity History Summary, you will need: an FBI background check request form; a background check credit card payment form or a certified check or money order payable to the “Treasury of the United States”; a completed fingerprint form; a regular #10 envelope; postage for standard mail (currently 43 cents); and a sticky note.

• The Identity History Summary form is rather straightforward, asking only a few basic questions for identification purposes (name, previous names, hair and eye color, date of birth etc.) Fill in the form as completely as possible, and sign. You have the option of making a request for multiple family members on one form (though the cost for the actual background check remains the same per individual). If you go this route, make sure all parties requesting a summary sign the form.
• Now the sticky note. When I applied for my background check, I naively skimmed the visa application form, and merely glanced at the many, many words of confusing instruction on the FBI website. We received our FBI background checks within a couple of weeks after submitting all of our forms, and mistakenly celebrated the completion of the background check process. We used no sticky notes, and took no further action for about a month before we realized a critical error - Spain does not care that the document came from the FBI - they care that it has been authenticated through the Hague - in other words, Apostilled. The FBI website was not completely clear on what you needed to do, but several forums on the matter recommend that you write on a sticky note that you need your FBI Certificate ‘authenticated’ in order to receive the Apostille. Attach this note to your application. Jonny and I managed to forego this small step and came out unscathed. Our form came back with the proper notarization and we were able to move on to step two. However, by not including this note, the report may be issued without being notarized, and without notarizing the form, you cannot have it Apostilled. For these unlucky individuals, the process starts all over.
• You have a couple of options to choose from when providing payment for your Identity History Summary. You can pay with a certified check or money order in the exact amount needed, or you can pay by completing the credit card form linked above. Make sure to fill out the credit card form in its entirety if you go that route.
• To conduct a thorough review of your criminal background, the FBI requests an original, recent fingerprint form with your name, date of birth, rolled impressions of all 10 fingers and an impression of all 10 prints taken simultaneously. The form is called the FD-258 and is acceptable on standard white paper stock. It is best to complete this step through a fingerprint technician, which can often be found at law enforcement agencies, and sometimes even at universities. The prints can be taken with ink or through the use of live scan. To ensure your prints will qualify for the processing of your Identity History Summary, you can review this brochure. Jonny and I called the nearest law enforcement office and asked where we could have this done - saving us a lot of time because it turns out this service is not offered at any old police station - and for St. Louis, they recommended we visit the St. Louis County Police Headquarters in Clayton, MO (unfortunately as of the time I post this the website has been crashed by “Anonymous” hackers as part of OpFerguson). The people there were incredibly nice - and very excited since they had just received the new live scan fingerprinting machine one day earlier, and we were a couple of new guinea pigs to practice on. The process was quick and cost $3 each. While we brought the form for fingerprints, they had their own. 

Now you have everything you need for the first stage of the background check process. Mail your completed application with its sticky note, the payment form for $18 per summary request, and your official fingerprint cards to:
       FBI Division CJIS - Summary Request

       1000 Custer Hollow Road

       Clarksburg, WV 26306

Now all you can do is wait, and wait, and wait. You will receive your results via USPS First-Class mail, and it should look something like this:

The green arrow shows what the authorization looks like. We lucked out!

Step Four - Background Checks II

Once your receive the FBI background check in the mail, you will need to have it Apostilled – in other words, you need the form to be approved through The Hague as a valid document under international laws. To do this you will need: a form DS-4194, two envelopes with tracking and postage - one containing your mailing address and able to fit within the other envelope (folding is acceptable), your Authorized FBI Identity History Summary (if not authorized they will not Apostille it and you will have to start the whole process over - see step three you fools), and payment in appropriate form.

• the first step you want to take here is buying your two envelopes with tracking because you will need the tracking information on your return envelope in order to fill out Section three of the DS-4194 form.
• Now, to fill out your DS-4194 form, follow the almost helpful directions on page three of the form itself. In Section 4, you are simply identifying the documents you need Apostilled. Under “country,” referred to as “country of use” on the department of state website (because consistency is a lost virtue in bureaucracy), you write the country that will be using the documents, not the country you are living in. For us Spanish expats, we list Spain. Your Identity History Summary should be the only form you need Apostilled for the visa process, so you can put a “1” for the number of documents, and label it as “FBI Background Check”. Jonny and I of course needed to put a “2” on our form.
• appropriate forms of payment for this stage of the game include checks (personal, corporate, certified cashier’s, or traveller’s) or money orders made payable to the “U.S. Department of State”. As of today’s date, the current cost for an Apostille request is $8 per document Apostilled. Be sure to double check the cost before submitting your own forms!

Now that you have everything you need you can finally complete the last step in the background check process. Place all of the items - the DS41-94 form, your envelope with your mailing address postage and tracking, your Background Check, and your payment in an envelope with tracking and postage, and mail to: 
       Office of Authentications

       U.S. Department of State

       CA/PPT/S/TO/AUT

       44132 Mercure Cir, P.O. Box 1206

       Sterling, VA  20166-1206

Voila! Once you get your form back, it will have this lovely attachment on your Identity Summary History:

Step Five - Medical Certificates

While waiting at the post office box, but no more than three months before your date of departure, you should make an appointment at your local/family doctor to ensure you will  not be a public health threat to the country - whatever that means. I have to admit, I am rather cynical about this phase of the application process, and for more reasons than my apparent phobia of doctors and needles. The most annoying part about this step was that the doctors we worked with did not have a clue what we were talking about when we told them what we needed. Internet searches proved useless in this regard, and the only person who seemed knowledgeable enough to know what I was referring to was an employee at the Walgreens take-care clinic. But on a more positive note, our doctors were at least good sports about it and played along.I am not sure they actually, took the proper steps since I never found directions beyond the wording they needed to use in their letters. Regardless, I had to have a TB test, and the doctor made sure my heart was beating before he would give us the letters, and the consulate only cared that we had the letters, not what it took to get them. 

To meet the requirements for the medical certificate, you will need: an appointment with an M.D., and a template in Spanish and English stating you present no public health risks. 

• I repeat, you need an appointment with an M.D. Somehow, this process is more than a mere physical, and the people at places like Walgreens are mysteriously unqualified to carry out the procedure. So we found an M.D. He was qualified, despite having no idea what we were talking about. He listened to our hearts, shared our excitement about Spain and had a nurse give us a TB test. After three days we returned to prove we would not contaminate the world.
• Assuming your heart is beating and you do not have tuberculosis, your doctor will need to issue a statement to you saying you are not a public health threat. It is likely your doctor won’t know what he or she is doing in this regard, so help them out, and give them the wording listed below. The final document the doctor provides you with must be issued within the last three months, on the doctor’s or the medical center’s letterhead, using the name you have listed on your passport, and signed by the examining M.D.
• It is probably a good idea to also provide simplified directions to your doctor regarding how they should prepare these forms. Had Jonny and I done that, we might have only needed to come back to the office once instead of four times to have them get it right. Be clear with what you need from them: an English and Spanish statement, on their letterhead, signed by them, with your name, as stated on your passport. Jonny and I did manage to bring an English and Spanish version of the wording we needed, but despite our efforts at being clear with the doctors, we needed to provide them with a copy of the wording twice. Save the wording below (or bookmark my wonderful blog) so you do not have to go back multiple times and figure it out.

The wording we provided to our doctor, that passed the consulate’s approval was:

English: “the applicant, Danielle Meyer-Harvath,  has been examined and found free of any contagious diseases according to the International Health Regulation 2005”

Spanish: “Este certificado médico acredita que el Srta Danielle Meyer-Harvath no padece ninguna de las enfermedades que pueden tener repercusiones de salud pública graves de conformidad con lo dispuesto en el Reglamento Sanitario Internacional del 2005.”

The cost for this process will obviously vary from person to person. Jonny and I each paid approximately $155 without insurance. The timing will also depend on how competent your doctors are. Ours were rather incompetent and it took several visits to get it right. To be safe, start working on this at least a month before going to the consulate to allow room for human error.

Step Six - Evidence of Funds

To survive in Spain, the country recommends you bring along with you or have access to a rather generous sum of money - $2,200 per month. As with the remainder of steps listed, how this requirement is met will often vary from situation to situation, and will definitely vary depending on the type of visa you are applying for. Under the student visa, there are three different ways of demonstrating adequate financial means. You can either: (1) provide a statement from the university, school or U.S. program assuming full financial responsibility for room and board, (2) proof of financial aid or scholarship totalling at least $2,200 per month for room and board, or (3) have your parent or guardian vouch for you and your care. As it was the easiest - and the only way of actually meeting this requirement, I had my parents sign and have notarized a document saying they would support me in the amount of $2,200 per month while I was here. I based my wording off of documents I found on school study abroad websites, and tailored it somewhat to the fact that I would not be going as a student. The consulate form provides a portion of the wording: “I hereby certify that I the ______________ of ______________ will support her/him with a monthly allowance of $2,200 while she/he is in Spain and that I am officially responsible for any emergency that may arise.” I emailed it over to my mother in Wisconsin, and she headed over to her bank where notary services were provided.

Some consulates appear to require that this document be accompanied with the parent or guardian’s bank statements and a copy of his or her photo identification on top of the notarization. However, all I obtained with the notarized paper signed by my mother who, in no way, would be able to establish $17,600 in her accounts, now or ever. Jonny ultimately followed the same route as I did regarding the evidence of funds, again with no need to present his parents actual bank statements or identification. However, it is incredibly important to point here out the difficulties we had in determining what Jonny needed to show here when he had been attempting to apply simply as my spouse.

A note on spouses

Upon accepting my notarized evidence of funds, and the remaining pieces of my application, the consulate quickly rejected Jonny. They told us then and there he would need proof of his own residence (even though I did not need to show it since I had a job), and  his financial state needed to be proven through bank statements totaling some unknown amount. I say unknown amount because the form presented two different required amounts - either $2,200 like myself, or €532 as the form confusingly indicated “for each additional spouse” - and the consular’s office provided a third amount - “for 8 months I would guess about $13,000 at least” the guy said after some internal pondering. Regardless of the amount, Jonny could not use a notarized letter from his parents, could not factor in the stipend I would be making on top of my parent’s guarantee, and could not use his line of credit. He would just have to have in his possession some large amount of money to satisfy the country. I came to find that after talking to the consulate and friends more familiar with the process that Spain at least is not too supportive of a spouse coming over for the mere fact they are a resident’s spouse. They need to be rich, and independently so from their wife. Regardless of what he needed for the funds, the requirement that the spouse show proof of residency appeared nowhere on any of the documents the consulate provided us. We never would have known about it until we arrived. We had hit a wall, our travel plans were delayed, and the outlook was grim for the time being. It appeared as though I would be traveling alone, a scenario I was not willing to accept in my first year of marriage.

The solution - Jonny would quit dragging his feet on applying to school, and he would enter Madrid as a student. In less than a month, he was accepted to St. Louis University’s Madrid Campus, and voila! Suddenly his parents could present him with the same documentation, and he no longer needed to prove he had a place to stay - thank goodness because we had no idea where we were living until the morning we left the United States. Moral of the story: Spain loves students, hates spouses.

Step Seven - Insurance and Repatriation Coverage

Spain is not only concerned with your financial stability and your risk of spreading disease, they also want to know that when your evil host family decides to slowly poison you to death, you have the health insurance and repatriation coverage sufficient to send you home, or at least to a doctor.

The minimum requirements are as follows: €30,000 ($50,000) in emergency medical and repatriation coverage. It is also suggested that you have $0 deductible, as the consulate may reject anything higher. There are several insurance companies that offer a plan tailored specifically to these requirements - often referenced as “Schengen,” referring to the Schengen Area Visa requirements. There are also online marketplaces hosting multiple companies such as Insubuy.com and Insuremytrip.com. Plans from companies such as Atlas, Patriot and the company I chose, Allianz (which has an A+ rating with the BBB), offer dirt cheap (less than $1 a day, or in our case $70 for both of us, for 8 months), bare-bones plans for such circumstances even allowing you to apply for insurance beginning the next day. They do not require you to jump through any hoops such as a medical examination. Additionally, they only require filling out a simple application and will have you approved within a day or so. They will also email to you the “Letter of Confirmation” which is required by the consulate.

Step Eight - Proving You Belong: Acceptance Letters

This should be one of the easiest components to your move abroad because, most likely, you are entering into a university or internship program that already knows what you need for this part. All you have to do is get accepted into such a program! Of course, some people don’t always pay attention, so make sure your documents clarify (1) you are a full-time student (2) the name, address, contact person, telephone number, and email of the school you will be attending, (3) full payment of tuition made, (4) the dates of the program, and (5) subjects and hours of study each week, for a minimum of 20 hours each week.

Step Nine - Say Cheese! Eat Some Good Wisconsin Cheddar Cheese, and get a passport-style photo. 

If you have been paying attention, you will already have most of this step completed. If you have not been going through each step carefully, I recommend you pay a visit to the passport section where I spent a lot of time discussing the nuances of your picture. And while you are doing your research, munch on some cheese curds or cheddar cheese slices because there is no Wisconsin Cheddar in Spain, and that is sad.

Now, every site I have ever visited states that for the visa application itself, you need 2 passport-style photos. However, the consulate itself indicates you only need one, and it is attached to the top right corner of your visa application (I used a glue stick, but I am guessing the staple method used for the passport application would suffice as well). Speaking of visa applications…

Step Ten - Round-Trip Flight Itinerary

This is another aspect of the application process that I found to be a little silly yet I still managed to make some costly errors here. This step should take very little time because you should really never book your flights before the consulate says you are good to go. I did not listen to this advice for a few reasons, but largely because I never ever expected to follow all of the directions listed on the application and still be rejected. But Jonny was, and we had tickets that were now going to waste.
For this section, simply pull up an itinerary online with the dates you have in mind for traveling. Do not worry now about getting the best deal or having the best timing with regards to price, because it simply does not matter for this part. They seem to only want to know around when you will be leaving, that you will be gone over 180 days, and that you intend to actually return to the United States. It doesnt matter if you never intend on taking that planned trip. Hence, this requirement generally seems silly to me. Oh well, whatever it takes.

Step Eleven - Schedule Your Appointment

You should at this point already know what consulate you must visit. If you are referencing any of my advice, it should mean you must visit the Consulate in Chicago, and that means you need to schedule an appointment. To complete this step, you need to visit this website and create an account. Once you create an account, you can make your appointment.

The Chicago Consulate is open from 9:00 to 2:00, and they estimate that the process will take 20 minutes per applicant. This means the last slot of the day is 1:40. Keep this in mind if you, like me, will need to travel to Chicago. You should book your appointment only after you are certain to have all of the documents you need, but also well enough in advance to be able to go at an ideal time. 

If you can at all control it, I recommend you schedule the appointment for as early as possible - three months in advance of your intended departure. That is the earliest in advance you can make it, and it allows time for emergencies if your application is denied. This also allows you enough time to have your visa approved and book your actual flight the ideal 54 days in advance!

You will receive a confirmation/reminder email a few days before your appointment, and the consulate asks you bring a print out of this. While we brought this with us, they did not ask for it, and when we showed them it anyways, they did not care about it. Bring it anyways because you never know.

Step Twelve - A Little More Paperwork

Congratulations! You are almost done with these pesky little steps, and that means I am almost done reminiscing the horrible process this all turned out to be for Jonny and I. Now that you have most of your items in order, you can turn to the Visa Application itself. How you go about completing this application will no doubt vary depending on the reason for which you are going to Spain. The only real advice I can provide here is to peruse different the study abroad web pages of Universities. For example, Saint Louis University is kind enough to provide a step by step instruction list for their students filling out the documents. This worked perfectly for Jonny, and I was able to use it as a guide to completing my own application.

Once you are done filling out the application, make a photocopy, and attach your passport style photo in the designated square in the top-right corner of the front page of the original application.

Step Thirteen - Envelopes and Money Orders

You are almost there! These items can be completed the day before you intend on visiting the consulate, if not the day of your visit itself.

The consulate is not a free service by any means, you will need to provide payment for your application. Depending on the type of visa you are applying for, your fee will vary. As a student visa applicant, our fee came to $160 each. To make the payment, the Consulate will accept money orders ONLY, made payable to the Consulate of Spain.

The envelope is optional - if you are in the area, or have some unrequited love for Chicago, you can always go and pick up your shiny new visa in person. If you want to minimize the number of road trips you take to Chicago, you will want to bring along a Priority Mail or Express Mail Envelope - WITH TRACKING AND INSURANCE.

It was at this point in the application process that I really felt myself going crazy. The instructions seemed simple enough - USPS Offices have advertised for years their priority flat rate shipping envelopes. The commercials flooded my TV, particularly around the holidays. All I had to do, so it seemed, was show up at the post office, pick out the envelope I wanted, buy the flat-rate postage and obtain tracking for the envelope. And, in fact, that is how it should have played out. While I succeeded in obtaining the proper postage (it came to $5.75), when I asked for the tracking number, the man told me (1) that it was simply impossible to provide tracking on an envelope that was to be mailed at a later time and (2) that I did not need it anyways. His answer was so swift that at first I accepted it. However, by the time we made it to the door, I knew something was just not right. So Jonny and I got back in line to clear this mess up, double and triple checking the scant information the consulate had provided to us for this step. It definitely said tracking and insurance. When it was our turn again, we were working with a different individual, but she had no idea if it was possible. The angry old man started listening to our discussion with this lady, trying to clarify that it was in fact impossible to provide a tracking sticker, and became inconsolably irate. His booming voice inundated the small office full of customers as his face flushed with rage. Even if the lady might have looked further into it on her own, he made it clear that no one was going to do that for us today, that we were asking the impossible, that tracking is not determined until you put the package in the mail. Embarrassed, confused, and frustrated with the hostility we had just encountered, we left, defeated. We wrote our address on the envelope, and hoped it would all just work out somehow.

Lo and behold - when attempting to provide the consulate with our envelope - sans tracking - they refused to take it. They directed us to the nearest post office, and we spent the next thirty minutes running around Chicago trying to find it. Once there, we could not even get the words out of our mouths before the postal worker handed us a tracking sticker for our envelope! We raced back to the consulate which was nice enough to stay open long enough for us to return. Mission accomplished - barely.

Time to Ask Nicely!

On a more positive note, the people working at the consulate are generally very nice people. They won’t take your calls or answer your emails, but when you are going over your paperwork with them, they seem to want to be helpful - even when they are rejecting you. 

Make sure you have everything you need - review that list you made when you were first starting out, triple check your documents - and head on out. The Consulate in Chicago is located at:
      180 N Michigan Ave #1500

      Chicago, IL 60601.

Another positive note - you can turn the process into an adventure and explore the beautiful Millenium Park for the afternoon before beginning your trek home. Visit the bean, take in a random symphony practice, and relax. Take it all in because hopefully at this point, the hardest part of your journey - the visa process - is over!

The Jay Pritzker Pavilion - Millennium Park

The Bean - Millennium Park

Reflecting somewhat bitterly on the fantastical expat scenes that danced in my head when accepting this incredible opportunity, I am happy and relieved to say that I have made it and I am officially a resident of Spain. I hope my chaotic, confusing adventure lends solace to future dreamers and travelers just starting out. Those who have endured and survived the legal transition, do you have any advice for future travelers in your wake? What worked best for you, and what would you do differently?