Is this the right consulate for you?
The LA consulate covers Southern California (10 specific counties), plus Arizona, Colorado, and Utah. Note: Inyo County falls under the San Francisco consulate, not LA. You must apply at the consulate covering your permanent address — not where you're currently located.
California residents: note that not all California counties fall under LA. Northern California, Oregon, Washington, Idaho, Montana, Wyoming, and Alaska are covered by the San Francisco consulate.
Imperial
Kern
Los Angeles
Orange
Riverside
San Bernardino
San Diego
San Luis Obispo
Santa Barbara
Ventura
+ Arizona
+ Colorado
+ Utah
Arizona, Colorado, and Utah residents must show a valid State ID at their appointment to prove jurisdiction. A driver's licence or State ID is required — a passport alone is not sufficient to prove residency in these states.
Visa fees
Fees are paid in USD at your BLS appointment. The consulate fee must be paid by money order only — credit cards and personal checks are not accepted. The BLS service fee ($20) is paid separately by cash or debit card.
| Nationality / Duration | Consulate fee (USD) |
|---|---|
| United States citizens | $160 |
| UK nationals — stays over 180 days | $462 |
| UK nationals — stays under 180 days | $106 |
| Australia | $472 |
| All other nationalities | $106 |
| BLS service fee (all nationalities) | $20 |
⚠️ All fees are non-refundable, including if your visa is rejected. Make a money order payable to "Consulate General of Spain in Los Angeles" — do not make it out to BLS.
Required documents
Documents 1 through 7 are essential to start the process — the BLS centre will not accept an incomplete application. Bring originals and photocopies of everything. Documents not in English or Spanish must be translated by a certified sworn translator.
1
National visa application form (Modelo EX-01)
Download from the BLS LA website's Download Forms section. Complete every field, including your email address in section 17 — this is explicitly highlighted by LA as where they'll contact you. Sign and date on the day of your appointment. Do not staple your photograph to the form — send it loose.
Use our form helper tool for field-by-field guidance on completing the form.
2
Passport photograph
US passport size (2"×2" / 51×51mm). Light and uniform background — preferably white. No dark backgrounds, objects, or people visible behind the head. Do not paste or staple the photo to the form — submit it loose. Do not crop the photograph to fit the form.
3
Money order for consulate visa fee
Make the money order payable to "Consulate General of Spain in Los Angeles" for the exact amount based on your nationality (see fee table above). Credit cards and personal checks are not accepted for the consulate fee. The $20 BLS service fee is paid separately by cash or debit card at the centre.
4
Valid passport
Must be valid for the full duration of your stay plus at least one year from the application date (post May 2025 rule). Must have at least two blank pages. Bring original and a photocopy of the biometric data page. Your passport will be held by BLS for the entire processing period.
5
Proof of residence in LA consulate jurisdiction
A valid driver's licence or State ID showing your address in one of the covered counties or states. This is required to confirm you're applying at the correct consulate. Passport alone is not sufficient. Arizona, Colorado, and Utah residents: your State ID is particularly important to bring.
⚠️ If you've recently moved and your ID still shows an old address, bring additional proof of residence such as a utility bill, bank statement, or lease agreement.
6
School acceptance letter / admission certificate
From your Instituto Cervantes accredited school. Must include: programme name, start and end dates, address, telephone, name of the programme director, and confirmation that fees have been paid (post May 2025 requirement). Must be signed (handwritten or electronically) by a representative of the school. Must be in Spanish or translated into Spanish.
All schools on this site are Instituto Cervantes accredited and issue acceptance letters meeting LA consulate requirements — including the fee payment confirmation.
7
Health insurance
From a Spanish DGSFP-authorised insurer. Must cover the full duration of your stay with no copayments, no reimbursement clauses, and no waiting periods. Must be valid starting at least 1 month before your course start date through 15 days after the end, or for 1 year if the course is over 1 year. Travel insurance is not accepted.
We partner with Atlántida — a DGSFP-registered Spanish insurer. Get a quote →
8
Proof of financial means
Minimum $700/month (approx. €600 at current rates) for the duration of your stay. Bank statements showing sufficient funds. LA also accepts a financial guarantee letter from a parent or guardian — must be notarised, apostilled, and accompanied by the guarantor's bank statements, employer letter, and a copy of their ID.
9
Medical certificate Bilingual template
Required for all applicants from May 2025. LA provides a bilingual (English/Spanish) template — download it from the BLS LA website's Download Forms section. Must be signed by a licensed physician within 3 months of your application date. Using the official template avoids translation issues.
✓ LA-specific advantage: the bilingual template means you don't need a separate sworn translation for the medical certificate — as long as you use their template.
10
FBI background check Stays over 180 days
Required for applicants over 18 whose course lasts more than 180 days (6 months). Must be the federal FBI check — not a state or local background check. Must be apostilled by the US Department of State and translated by a certified sworn translator.
⚠️ The FBI check alone takes 8–12 weeks without an FBI-approved channeler, or 3–5 weeks with one. Add apostille (2–4 weeks) and sworn translation (1–2 weeks) and the full process can take 3–4 months. Start this immediately after deciding to go.
11
Proof of accommodation in Spain
A rental contract, confirmed housing letter from your school, or a notarised invitation letter from a host in Spain (with copy of their NIE/DNI and their address). Must cover at least the first 4 weeks of your stay.
Step-by-step process
1
Start your FBI background check immediately
This is your longest lead-time item. Submit your fingerprints to the FBI via an approved channeler (faster, 3–5 weeks) or directly (8–12 weeks). Once you receive the results, send them to the US Department of State for apostille, then to a certified sworn translator. Budget 3–4 months total.
⏰ Do this first — before anything else
2
Enrol at an accredited school and get your acceptance letter
Your school must be Instituto Cervantes accredited. The acceptance letter must be in Spanish (or translated into Spanish), signed by a school representative, and confirm that fees have been paid. This letter sets your course dates, which everything else is timed around.
⏰ As soon as you decide to go
3
Get your medical certificate
Download the bilingual template from the BLS LA website. Take it to a licensed physician within 3 months of your planned application date. The template is already bilingual so no separate sworn translation is needed — just a doctor's signature and stamp.
⏰ 6–8 weeks before your BLS appointment
4
Buy health insurance
Purchase from a DGSFP-authorised Spanish insurer. Coverage must start at least 1 month before your course. Get the policy certificate showing your name, dates, no copayments, and minimum €30,000 coverage.
⏰ 6–8 weeks before your BLS appointment
5
Book your BLS appointment
Book at usa.blsspainvisa.com/losangeles. You must apply at least 2 months before your course start date. LA can be booked up to 120 days in advance of your programme start. Appointments fill quickly — book as soon as your documents are ready.
⏰ Book early — slots fill fast
6
Get a money order for the consulate fee
Make it payable to "Consulate General of Spain in Los Angeles" for the correct amount based on your nationality ($160 for US citizens). Get this from a post office, bank, or grocery store. Bring cash or debit for the $20 BLS service fee.
⏰ Before your appointment
7
Complete and sign the application form
Download from BLS LA's Download Forms section. Fill in every field. Include your email clearly in section 17 — LA explicitly flags this. Sign and date on the day of your appointment. Send your photo loose, not stapled or pasted.
⏰ 1–2 days before your appointment
8
Attend your BLS appointment in person
At 5455 Wilshire Blvd, Suite 1011, Los Angeles CA 90036. Bring originals and copies of everything. You cannot send a representative — you must attend in person. Your passport will be held by BLS for the processing period (~4 weeks).
⏰ Day of appointment
9
Collect your visa — in person at BLS
Unlike London, LA collection is back at the BLS office (not a separate consulate address). You must collect in person — a representative cannot collect on your behalf. BLS will contact you when your passport is ready. Collection window is 2 months from approval.
⏰ After notification — do not book travel until approved
LA-specific quirks
FBI check, not state/local. The most common mistake by LA applicants. You need the federal FBI Identity History Summary check — not a California DOJ check or any local police certificate. Use an FBI-approved channeler for faster turnaround. Apply at fbi.gov/wanted/kidnap/identity-history-summary-checks or through an approved channeler.
Bilingual medical certificate template. LA provides an official bilingual English/Spanish template that you take to your doctor. Using this template means no separate sworn translation is needed — a significant time and cost saving. Download it from the BLS LA Download Forms section.
Money order only for consulate fee. The $160 consulate fee must be a money order — no credit cards, no personal checks, no cash for the consulate portion. The $20 BLS fee is paid separately by cash or debit at the centre. Get your money order from USPS, a bank, or a grocery store in advance.
Email field is critical. LA explicitly flags that you must include your email address clearly in section 17 of the application form. This is how they'll contact you if documents are missing. Print it in block capitals and double-check it before submitting.
State ID required for AZ/CO/UT residents. If you live in Arizona, Colorado, or Utah, you must bring your State ID or driver's licence to prove you're in the LA consulate's jurisdiction. These states have no Spanish consulate of their own — LA consulate requires ID confirmation.
New BLS address since March 2025. The BLS LA centre moved to 5455 Wilshire Blvd, Suite 1011 in March 2025. Old addresses (including on some cached Google results) are no longer correct. Double-check before travelling to your appointment.
Frequently asked questions
Can I use an FBI-approved channeler instead of applying directly? +
Yes — and it's strongly recommended. FBI-approved channelers submit your fingerprints directly to the FBI electronically, reducing the turnaround from 8–12 weeks to 3–5 weeks. The channeler also handles the apostille in many cases. Services like Idemia, Accurate Biometrics, and IdentoGO are commonly used. Expect to pay $50–100 for the channeler service on top of the FBI fee.
I live in San Francisco — can I apply at the LA consulate? +
No. Northern California (Sacramento, San Francisco, the Bay Area, and counties north of Kern) falls under the San Francisco consulate. If you apply at LA with a San Francisco-area address, your application will be rejected. Check the full jurisdiction list carefully.
How far in advance can I apply? +
LA accepts applications up to 120 days before your programme start date. The minimum is 2 months before. Given that the FBI check alone takes 3–4 months including apostille and translation, start the background check well before booking your BLS appointment.
Does my school acceptance letter need to be in Spanish? +
Yes — LA requires the acceptance letter to be in Spanish or accompanied by a certified Spanish translation. Many Instituto Cervantes accredited schools issue letters in both languages as standard. Check with your school when requesting the letter. Schools listed on this site know this requirement.
Can someone else collect my visa for me? +
No — you must collect your passport and visa in person at the BLS LA office. This is non-negotiable even if a representative submitted your application on your behalf. BLS will contact you when it's ready. The collection window is 2 months from approval.
I'm a non-US citizen living in LA — which fee applies to me? +
The fee depends on your nationality, not where you live. Check the fee table — most non-US, non-UK, non-Australian nationals pay $106. UK nationals pay $462 for stays over 180 days or $106 for shorter stays. Australians pay $472 regardless of stay length. All fees plus the $20 BLS service fee.