Is this the right consulate for you?
The Washington DC consulate — technically the Consular Section of the Spanish Embassy — covers 5 states plus the District itself. You must be a legal resident in the jurisdiction or enrolled in in-person studies at a centre within it.
University batch processing available. Universities within the jurisdiction (DC, MD, VA, WV, NC) can submit student visa applications in batches on behalf of their students — a convenient option that bypasses individual BLS appointments. If your university offers batch processing, it's strongly recommended. Contact your university's international office to check.
In-person by appointment only — no mail-in applications for student visas at DC. B-1/B-2 visa holders cannot apply in the US and must go to a Spanish consulate in their home country.
Visa fees
DC's fees are updated quarterly according to exchange rates — verify the current amount on the consulate website before your appointment. All fees are non-refundable.
| Nationality | Consulate fee (USD, from Jan 2026) |
|---|---|
| United States citizens | $160 |
| UK nationals — stays over 180 days | $462 |
| UK nationals — stays under 180 days | $106 |
| Australia | $472 |
| Ethiopia — stays over 180 days | $548 |
| Mauritania | $282 |
| All other nationalities | $106 |
| BLS service fee (all nationalities) | ~$20 |
⚠️ Fees are revised quarterly and can change without notice. Always check the current fee on the consulate website before your appointment — do not rely on figures from this or any other guide.
Required documents
Only complete applications are accepted — incomplete submissions will require a new appointment. Bring originals and photocopies of everything. The consulate is explicit about several specific requirements that differ from other US offices.
1
National visa application form (Modelo EX-01)
Complete every field. Can be filled out electronically or handwritten in capital letters. The DC consulate specifically flags three fields that are commonly left incomplete:
Field 17: Your address, email address, and telephone number — must be filled in.
Field 21: Your intended date of entry into Spain — must be filled in. This can be any date up to 30 days before your course starts.
Field 28: Complete information about the school or university in Spain — must be filled in.
Field 21: Your intended date of entry into Spain — must be filled in. This can be any date up to 30 days before your course starts.
Field 28: Complete information about the school or university in Spain — must be filled in.
⚠️ Leaving fields 17, 21, or 28 blank is one of the most common reasons DC applications are returned as incomplete. Fill in all three carefully.
Use our form helper tool for field-by-field guidance on completing the form.
2
Passport photograph
Recent passport-size colour photo, taken within the last 6 months. White or light uniform background. No dark glasses or face coverings. Printed on matte or glossy photo paper.
⚠️ Photo must be glued or clipped (not stapled) onto the application form. Do not submit the photo loose, and do not staple it.
3
Valid passport
Original and photocopy of the biometric data page(s). Must be valid for at least 1 year and contain at least two blank pages. Passports issued more than 10 years ago are not accepted. Your passport will be held by BLS for the entire processing period.
4
Proof of legal US residence Non-US citizens only
Non-US citizens must submit a photocopy of their valid US long-term visa or US Resident Card (green card). F-1 student visa holders must also submit a photocopy of their I-20. B-1/B-2 visa holders cannot apply at DC — you must apply in your home country.
5
Proof of residence in the consular district
A photocopy (not the original) of your US driver's licence, state ID, or university student ID showing your address within DC, Maryland, Virginia, West Virginia, or North Carolina. If you don't have one of these, other documents such as a lease agreement or utility bill are also accepted.
✓ DC accepts a wider range of residence proof than some other consulates — lease agreements and utility bills are explicitly listed as alternatives if you don't have a driver's licence or state ID.
6
School acceptance letter in Spanish
From your Instituto Cervantes accredited school in Spain. Must be written in Spanish and confirm: programme name, start and end dates, full-time attendance, address, contact email and telephone, student's full name, and name and contact of the person in charge. Must confirm unconditional enrolment and fees paid (post May 2025). Must be signed with an original or electronic signature — DC will only accept original or electronically signed letters.
⚠️ DC specifically states it only accepts original signatures or electronically signed letters. Photocopied signatures are not accepted.
All schools on this site are Instituto Cervantes accredited and issue acceptance letters meeting DC consulate requirements.
7
Proof of financial means
Minimum €600/month (approx. $700) of your total stay period — not just the course period. DC accepts: a letter from your US or Spanish university assuming full financial responsibility; your three most recent monthly bank statements; proof of financial aid or scholarships; or a notarised letter from a parent or guardian assuming full financial responsibility (with notarised copies of their ID and your birth certificate, plus their three most recent bank statements).
✓ Bank statements in English do not need to be translated into Spanish at DC — a notable advantage over some other consulates.
8
Health insurance
From a Spanish DGSFP-authorised insurer. Must cover the entire intended period of stay — including the month before your course and 15 days after it ends. No copayments, no deductibles, no waiting periods, minimum €30,000 coverage. Travel insurance is not accepted. Insurance cards are not accepted as proof.
⚠️ DC emphasises that the insurance must cover the full intended stay period — not just the course dates. Make sure your policy start and end dates align with your intended entry and exit dates, including the pre-course month.
We partner with Atlántida — a DGSFP-registered Spanish insurer. Get a quote →
9
Medical certificate Bilingual template available
Required for all applicants regardless of stay length. Must be issued within 3 months of your application date. Must include a stamp from the issuing medical centre, doctor's name and signature, doctor's licence number, and date. Must state you do not suffer from diseases that may have serious public health implications under the International Health Regulations of 2005.
⚠️ Must be signed by a licensed physician (MD) — not a nurse practitioner or physician assistant. This is explicitly stated on the DC consulate page.
✓ Download the bilingual template from the DC consulate website. Using it eliminates the need for a separate sworn translation.
10
FBI background check Stays over 180 days
Required for applicants 18+ whose total intended stay exceeds 180 days. Must be the federal FBI Identity History Summary check — state and local checks are not accepted. Must be apostilled and translated by a certified sworn translator. Must not be more than 6 months old at the time of submission.
⚠️ DC-specific apostille requirement: the apostille must certify the signature on the FBI check itself — not the signature of a notary who has stamped the document. This is a specific and important distinction. An apostille that certifies a notary's signature rather than the FBI's signature will not be accepted. Verify with your apostille provider that they are certifying the correct signature.
⚠️ Do not remove staples from the FBI background check — this will damage the document and make it unacceptable.
✓ EU-issued background checks: if you have lived in an EU country for 6+ months in the past 5 years, that country's background check does not need to be apostilled — only translated if not in Spanish. This is a DC-specific (and SF-specific) exemption not offered at all US consulates.
11
Disclaimer form
DC requires a signed disclaimer form — download from the official DC consulate website. Sign and include with your application. Required at DC, Boston, LA, Miami, Chicago, and Houston.
12
Visa fee payment
Paid at BLS on the day of your appointment. Verify the current fee for your nationality on the consulate website before attending — fees are updated quarterly and change without notice. All fees are non-refundable.
Step-by-step process
1
Start your FBI background check immediately
If your total intended stay (including the month before your course and 15 days after) will exceed 180 days, start this immediately. Use an FBI-approved channeler (3–5 weeks) rather than applying directly (8–12 weeks). Then get the apostille — ensure it certifies the FBI's signature, not a notary's stamp. Then have it translated by a certified sworn translator. Budget 3–4 months total.
⏰ Start immediately if stay exceeds 180 days
2
Enrol at an accredited school and get your acceptance letter
Your school must be Instituto Cervantes accredited. The letter must be in Spanish, confirm unconditional enrolment, confirm fees paid, and bear an original or electronic signature. Photocopied signatures are not accepted at DC.
⏰ As soon as you decide to go
3
Buy health insurance
Purchase from a DGSFP-authorised Spanish insurer. Coverage must align with your intended stay period — start 1 month before your course entry date and run 15 days after your course ends. Minimum €30,000, no copayments.
⏰ 6–8 weeks before your BLS appointment
4
Get your medical certificate
Download the bilingual template from the DC consulate website. Book with a licensed physician (not a nurse practitioner). Dated within 3 months of your application. No separate translation needed if using the official template.
⏰ Within 3 months of your planned BLS appointment
5
Book your BLS appointment
Book at usa.blsspainvisa.com/washington. Apply between 6 months and 2 months before your course start date. In-person only — no mail-in. If your university offers batch processing, ask your international office about that option instead.
⏰ Book early — optimal window is 3–4 months before course start
6
Complete the application form carefully
Download from the DC consulate website. Fill in every field in capitals. Pay particular attention to fields 17 (your contact details), 21 (intended date of entry into Spain), and 28 (school details). Glue or clip your photo to the form — do not staple. Sign on the day of your appointment.
⏰ 1–2 days before your appointment
7
Attend your BLS appointment in person
At 1660 L Street NW, Suite 216, Washington DC 20036. Arrive 10 minutes early — late arrivals are asked to rebook. Bring originals and copies of everything in the same order for every document. Your passport will be held for the processing period (~5 weeks).
⏰ Day of appointment — arrive 10 minutes early
8
Collect your visa in person at BLS
BLS will notify you by SMS when your passport is ready. Check the BLS DC website for current collection hours once your passport is ready. You must collect in person. Do not book non-refundable travel until your visa is in hand. Check your visa status online using the BLS tracking portal once you have your receipt number.
⏰ After SMS notification — check BLS DC website for hours
Washington DC-specific quirks
FBI apostille must certify the FBI's signature — not a notary's. This is the most nuanced and consequential DC-specific requirement. The Hague apostille on your FBI check must certify the signature on the FBI check itself. An apostille that certifies the signature of a notary who has stamped the document is not accepted at DC. When ordering your apostille, specifically instruct the issuing authority that the apostille must certify the FBI official's signature directly on the criminal background check document.
Form fields 17, 21, and 28 are commonly missed. The DC consulate explicitly calls these out on their requirements page. Field 17 is your contact details. Field 21 is your intended entry date into Spain — this must be filled in, and it can be any date up to 30 days before your course starts. Field 28 is the complete information about your school in Spain. Leaving any of these blank will result in your application being returned as incomplete.
Original or electronic signatures only on acceptance letter. DC will only accept acceptance letters with original (wet ink) signatures or electronically signed letters. Photocopied signatures are explicitly not accepted. When requesting your acceptance letter from your school, specify that it must be either an original signed document or a properly electronically signed version.
Bank statements in English need no translation. Like San Francisco, DC specifically states that bank statements in English do not need to be translated into Spanish. This applies to your personal bank statements. Financial guarantee letters from institutions in English still need translation.
EU-issued background checks don't need apostille. If you've lived in an EU member state for 6+ months in the past 5 years, the criminal background check from that country does not need a Hague apostille — only a certified Spanish translation if not already in Spanish. This is explicitly confirmed on the DC consulate page and saves significant time for applicants with EU residence history.
University batch processing available. Universities within the DC jurisdiction can submit visa applications in batches on behalf of students. This eliminates the need for individual BLS appointments. If your university offers this service, it's highly convenient — contact your international or study abroad office to find out.
Arrive 10 minutes early. DC's BLS page explicitly states that late arrivals will be asked to rebook with a new appointment. This is firmer than most other US consulates. Build in extra time for parking and building security.
Track your application status online. Once you have your receipt number from BLS, you can track your visa status at usa.blsspainglobal.com/Global/bls/VisaApplicationStatus. Look for the status "Visa: resuelto" which indicates your visa has been issued and your passport is ready for collection.
Frequently asked questions
What does "the apostille must certify the FBI's signature" mean exactly? +
The Hague apostille is a certificate that authenticates the signature of an official on a document. When you get an apostille on your FBI background check, the apostille should be certifying the signature of the FBI official who signed the check. Some service providers instead have a notary stamp the FBI check and then get an apostille that certifies the notary's signature — this is not accepted at DC. Contact the US Department of State's Office of Authentications directly, or use an FBI-approved channeler that handles apostilles correctly, and specify that the apostille must authenticate the FBI official's signature on the original document.
I lived in Germany for a year — do I need an apostille on the German background check? +
No — DC (and San Francisco) explicitly state that background checks issued by EU member state authorities do not require a Hague apostille. You still need an official certified Spanish translation if the document is not in Spanish. This is a meaningful time and cost saving for applicants with EU residence history.
My university offers batch processing — should I use it? +
Yes, if it's available. Batch processing through your university means you don't need to secure an individual BLS appointment, which can be competitive. Your university's international office coordinates the submission on your behalf. The trade-off is that you're working within your university's timeline, which may be less flexible than booking your own appointment. For most students, the convenience of batch processing outweighs this.
What is my "intended date of entry" for field 21? +
This is the date you plan to arrive in Spain. It can be any date up to 30 days before your course starts — the visa will be valid from 1 month before your course start date regardless of what you put in field 21, but the consulate wants to know your specific intended arrival date. If your course starts October 1 and you plan to arrive September 10, write September 10. This affects the insurance coverage period — your insurance must be valid from your intended entry date.
Can I mail in my application? +
No — DC requires in-person submission by appointment only for student visas. There is no mail-in option for national student visas at the DC consulate. You must book an appointment through the BLS website and attend in person at 1660 L Street NW, Suite 216.
How do I track my application status? +
Once you've submitted your application and received a receipt from BLS, you can check your status at usa.blsspainglobal.com/Global/bls/VisaApplicationStatus. The status that indicates your visa is ready is "Visa: resuelto". BLS will also notify you by SMS when your passport is ready for collection. The consulate does not provide status updates by phone or email — use the online tracker.