Is this the right consulate for you?
The Boston consulate covers five New England states. Unlike most other US consulates, Boston also accepts permanent students at educational institutions within the jurisdiction — even if they don't live there permanently.
Driver's licence is not accepted as proof of residence at Boston — this is a major departure from most other US consulates. You must provide a notarised copy of a US university student ID plus enrolment letter, or a notarised utility bill or lease showing your name and address in the jurisdiction.
The golden rule at Boston
The Boston consulate is unusually explicit: incomplete or incorrect applications are automatically returned and you must request a new appointment. Given that appointments are limited and the processing time is 8 weeks, a returned application could delay your start date significantly.
Boston requires every application in a folder with a sticker showing the applicant's name. This is stated on their official requirements page. Present your documents in the exact order listed on the consulate page.
Appointments cannot be expedited. The consulate's page explicitly states they will not reply to emails asking for faster processing. Plan for 8 weeks from submission to visa in hand. Do not book non-refundable travel until you have the visa.
Required documents
Boston requires originals plus copies of everything. Every application must be in a labelled folder. Documents not in Spanish must be translated by a certified sworn translator.
1
National visa application form (Modelo EX-01)
Download from the Boston consulate website. Write your date of birth in DAY/MONTH/YEAR (Spanish format), and include your email address — both are explicitly called out as frequent errors. Sign and date on the day of your appointment.
⚠️ Date of birth must be in Spanish format (day/month/year). Write 15/03/1995, not 03/15/1995.
Use our form helper tool for field-by-field guidance.
2
Passport photograph
Recent — taken no more than 6 months before your application date (Boston specifies this explicitly). Passport-size, colour, white background, facing forward, no dark glasses. Do not paste or staple to the form.
⚠️ Boston's page specifies the photo must be no more than 6 months old.
3
Visa fee payment
For individual applications: cash or debit card only at BLS. No money orders, no credit cards for individual applications at Boston. Fee is $160 for US citizens. All fees are non-refundable.
Note: Boston differs from LA here — individual applicants pay by cash or debit, not money order. Batch/university group applications pay by money order.
4
Valid passport
Must be valid for the entire duration of your stay AND at least one year from the application date AND at least 3 months after the end of your stay in Spain. Must have at least 2 blank pages. Passports issued more than 10 years ago are not accepted. Emergency passports are not accepted.
⚠️ Three passport validity tests: (1) valid for full stay, (2) valid for at least 1 year from application date, (3) valid at least 3 months after stay ends. Your passport must pass all three.
5
Proof of residence in the consular jurisdiction Boston strict
The applicant must be legally residing or studying in Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, Maine, or Vermont.
Students at a US institution in the jurisdiction: notarised copy of your student ID plus enrolment letter.
Residents not currently studying: notarised utility bill or lease contract.
Living with parents: a birth certificate showing the relationship.
Students at a US institution in the jurisdiction: notarised copy of your student ID plus enrolment letter.
Residents not currently studying: notarised utility bill or lease contract.
Living with parents: a birth certificate showing the relationship.
⚠️ Driver's licence and Massachusetts state ID are explicitly NOT accepted at Boston. You must provide notarised proof — a licence alone will get your application returned.
6
School acceptance letter
From your Instituto Cervantes accredited school in Spain. Must be in Spanish (or translated). Must include: programme name, start and end dates, address, phone number, name of the programme director, and confirmation that fees have been paid. Must be signed by a school representative.
⚠️ Boston will only consider the dates stated in your Spanish school's letter. Make sure your Spanish school's letter shows the exact dates you're applying for.
All schools on this site issue letters in Spanish meeting Boston's requirements, including the post-May 2025 fee payment confirmation.
7
Proof of financial means
Minimum $700/month of stay. Boston accepts: a letter from your university assuming full financial responsibility; scholarship proof of at least $700/month; a notarised letter from parents or guardians committing to $700/month plus their bank statements and your birth certificate; or personal bank statements showing $700/month.
The $700/month figure is Boston's stated amount (approximate equivalent of €600 IPREM). For family members: add $520/month for the first and $450/month for each additional.
8
Health insurance
From a Spanish DGSFP-authorised insurer. Must cover the full stay including the 30 days before the course starts and 15 days after it ends. Must have no deductibles, copays, or waiting periods. Minimum €30,000 coverage. Travel insurance is not accepted.
⚠️ Boston is specific about the 30+15 day extension rule — your insurance must cover the visa period, not just the course dates.
We partner with Atlántida — DGSFP-registered. Get a quote →
9
Disclaimer form Also required at LA
Boston requires a signed disclaimer form — also required at the LA consulate. Download it from the Boston consulate website. Required for individual applications only. Sign and include with your application.
10
Notarised immigration status Non-US citizens only
If you are not a US citizen, provide a notarised copy of your US immigration status: permanent resident card (green card), valid US student visa with Form I-20, work permit, passport entry stamp, or parole documentation. Must be valid at least 3 months after your stay in Spain ends.
11
Medical certificate Stays over 90 days
Boston provides a template — download it from the consulate website. Must be signed by a doctor with their stamp or letterhead, within 90 days of your application date. If in English, must be translated into Spanish. Medical certificates do not need to be apostilled at Boston.
✓ No apostille needed on the medical certificate at Boston. Boston provides the template — use it.
12
FBI background check Stays over 180 days
Required for applicants over 18 with stays over 180 days. Must be the federal FBI check — state and local police checks are explicitly not accepted. Must be apostilled by the US Department of State and translated by a certified sworn translator. Must not be more than 6 months old at the time of your arrival in Spain — not the application date.
⚠️ Note the 6-month validity window — your FBI check must be dated within 6 months of your planned arrival in Spain. Time your application carefully.
Boston-specific quirks — the full list
Application in a labelled folder. Every application must be presented in a folder with a sticker showing the applicant's name. Organise your documents in the order listed on the consulate page.
No driver's licence as proof of residence. Unlike every other US consulate, Boston explicitly does not accept a driver's licence or state ID as proof of residence. You need notarised documentation.
Date format — DAY/MONTH/YEAR. Boston specifically calls out this error. Write your date of birth in the European format: 15/03/1990, not 03/15/1990.
Disclaimer form required. Also required at LA. Download from the consulate website, sign it, and include it with your application.
Insurance must cover 30+15 extra days. Your insurance must match the visa period — not just the course dates. If the total exceeds 180 days, you need 365-day coverage.
Medical certificate doesn't need apostille. Unlike some other consulates, Boston does not require the medical certificate to be apostilled — just signed with a doctor's stamp and translated into Spanish if originally in English.
~8 weeks processing — no expediting. The consulate explicitly states it will not reply to emails requesting faster processing. Budget 8 weeks from submission.
Two different addresses. Consulate: 75 Arlington Street, 10th Floor, Boston MA 02116. BLS submissions: 15 Court Square, Suite 520. Confirm which you need for each step.
Frequently asked questions
Why does Boston take 8 weeks when other consulates take 4? +
Boston's requirements page explains this directly: student visas can only be issued after the consulate receives authorization from Spain, which takes "several weeks." This central authorization step is required at Boston in a way that other consulates handle differently. There is no expedite option.
I'm a student at a university in Massachusetts but I live in Connecticut — which consulate do I use? +
You can use Boston. The consulate accepts applications from permanent students at educational institutions within the jurisdiction — even if you're not a resident of New England. Your university student ID and enrolment letter (both notarised) showing the Massachusetts address are your proof of eligibility.
My application was returned as incomplete — what do I do? +
You need to request a new appointment through BLS. Correct whatever was wrong or missing, then resubmit. Boston does not allow you to submit missing documents separately. Read this guide and the official consulate page carefully before your next appointment, and use the folder-with-label presentation they request.
What is the disclaimer form and where do I get it? +
The disclaimer form is a document you sign to acknowledge the visa application terms — required at Boston and also at the LA consulate. Download it directly from the Boston consulate website under their study visa documents section. Required for individual applications — not for batch/university group submissions.
I'm not a US citizen — what extra documents do I need? +
You need a notarised copy of your US immigration status document — green card, US student visa with I-20, work permit, or passport entry stamp. It must be valid at least 3 months after your stay in Spain ends.
Can I apply if I live in Connecticut or New York? +
No — unless you are a permanent student at an institution within the Boston jurisdiction (MA, NH, RI, VT, ME). Connecticut and New York residents apply through the New York consulate.