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 other notarised documentation showing your name and address in the jurisdiction. A utility bill or lease is also accepted if notarised.
The golden rule at Boston
The Boston consulate is unusually explicit about this on their official page: 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. It sounds minor but failing to do this correctly signals a disorganised application. Present your documents in the exact order listed on the consulate page.
Appointments are not unlimited and 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. Read the full list carefully — Boston has several requirements that differ from other US consulates.
1
National visa application form (Modelo EX-01)
Download from the Boston consulate website. Complete every field. Boston specifically flags two things: 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). If you're American and write 03/15/1995, Boston will read this as the 3rd day of the 15th month — which doesn't exist. Write 15/03/1995.
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. Copies of photos are not accepted.
⚠️ Boston's page specifies the photo must be no more than 6 months old. Don't use an older photo even if it's a good likeness.
3
Visa fee payment
For individual (non-batch) 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, $106 for most other nationalities (UK, Australian, Canadian, and a few others have different rates). 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. US citizens with dual nationality must apply with their US passport (unless they are EU nationals). Bring original plus a plain (non-notarised) photocopy.
⚠️ 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. Boston is explicit about the 3-month post-stay requirement — most other consulates don't state this.
5
Proof of residence in the consular jurisdiction Boston strict
The applicant must be legally residing or studying in person in Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, Maine, or Vermont. Accepted proof varies by situation:
Students at a US institution in the jurisdiction: notarised copy of your student ID plus enrolment letter — both must show your name and the address within the jurisdiction.
Residents not currently studying: recent utility bill or lease contract — must be notarised and show your name and address.
Living with parents: a birth certificate showing the relationship (no translation needed, but must be apostilled).
Residents not currently studying: recent utility bill or lease contract — must be notarised and show your name and address.
Living with parents: a birth certificate showing the relationship (no translation needed, but must be apostilled).
⚠️ Driver's licence and Massachusetts state ID are explicitly NOT accepted at Boston. This trips up many applicants. 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 into Spanish by a sworn translator). 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 — handwritten or electronic signature.
⚠️ Boston will only consider the dates stated in your Spanish school's letter — not the dates in any US university letter. If the dates in a US provider's letter differ from your Spanish school's letter, Boston ignores the US dates. 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 any of the following: a letter from your Spanish or US university assuming full financial responsibility; scholarship or financial aid proof of at least $700/month; a notarised letter from parents or guardians committing to $700/month (with wording suggested by Boston: "I hereby certify that I'm the [parent/guardian] of [name], will support him/her with a monthly allowance of at least $700 while he/she is in Spain") 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 family member and $450/month for each additional one.
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 (the visa is issued to include these extra days). If the total days in Spain exceed 180 including these extra days, the policy must cover 365 days. 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. If your course is September 1 to June 30, your insurance must start August 1 and run to at least July 15.
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. Not required at all US consulates. Download it from the Boston consulate website. Required for individual applications only (not batch/university group submissions). Sign and include with your application.
10
Notarised immigration status Non-US citizens only
If you are not a US citizen, you must provide a notarised copy of your US immigration status. Accepted documents: 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
Required for all stays over 90 days (effectively all language school students). 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 — another departure from some other consulates.
✓ No apostille needed on the medical certificate at Boston. And 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. The background check must not be more than 6 months old at the time of submission. If you've lived in another country for 6 months or more in the past 5 years, you also need a background check from that country.
⚠️ Note the 6-month validity window — your FBI check must be dated within 6 months of submitting your application, not just within 6 months of your course start. Time your application carefully.
Boston-specific quirks — the full list
Boston has more unique requirements than any other Spanish consulate in the US. Know all of these before preparing your documents.
Application in a labelled folder. Every application must be presented in a folder with a sticker showing the applicant's name. The consulate requests this explicitly to help with their high workload. Bring a clearly labelled folder and organise your documents in the order listed.
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 — student card plus enrolment letter, utility bill, or lease.
Date format — DAY/MONTH/YEAR. Boston specifically calls out this error. Write your date of birth in the European format. 15th March 1990 = 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. Easy to miss if you're following a general guide.
Insurance must cover 30+15 extra days. The visa is issued to cover 30 days before your course starts and 15 days after it ends. Your insurance must match this 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 and has no paid expedite option. Budget 8 weeks from submission. The consulate also requires a central Spain authorization before issuing the visa, adding time that other consulates don't always need.
New consulate address. The consulate itself moved to 75 Arlington Street, 10th Floor, Boston MA 02116. BLS submissions remain at 15 Court Square, Suite 520. These are two different addresses — 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 and the consulate has stated it will not respond to emails requesting faster processing.
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. Connecticut residents who are not studying in New England would use the New York consulate.
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. This is unfortunately common at Boston — the consulate does not offer a grace period or 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. Print it, sign it, and include it with your application. It is 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. US citizens with dual nationality (non-EU) must apply with their US passport.
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. The Spanish consulate system strictly enforces jurisdiction — applying at the wrong consulate results in automatic rejection.