Applying for a Visa

The visa guidelines below are aimed to help you with your NALCAP visa application process. However, we strongly encourage you to confirm all the information with your local consulate. Visa applications are consular matters and only the information provided by them is valid. Please refer to the instructions set by your local Consulate of Spain for exact procedures and requirements for your visa application. Requirements may vary according to each consulate.

General Information and Guidelines

Once you receive your Letter of Acceptance (Carta de Nombramiento), your placement in Spain has been officially assigned. Now it's time for you to apply for your visa. You must apply for a visa before leaving for Spain. Know that you will be applying for a student/study visa with certain requirements for this type of visa waived because of your participation in NALCAP.

Visas are issued by the Consulates General of Spain in Canada under the jurisdiction of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Spain, not the Ministry of Education. Visas are consular matters and as such we have no authority over their rules, regulations and policies. Please study carefully all the instructions for your visa application and direct questions pertaining to visas to your local Consulate General of Spain.

The guidelines below have all the necessary information on how to apply for a visa and they will take you through the process. In addition, you will find important information concerning the steps that you must take once you have arrived in Spain, in order to validate your student visa and secure a residency card.

How to Apply for a Visa: Guidelines for Canadian Citizen

Visa Timeline

Although the following information is found in the guidelines, we would like to highlight some important points.

1. You must apply for a visa to participate in the NALCAP program. It provides you with a legal status in Spain while you are in the program.
2. You must apply for a visa at your local Consulate of Spain in Canada. You cannot apply for a visa once in Spain.
3. You will be applying for a Student/Study Visa. This is the category of visa assigned for the NALCAP program.
4. You may begin to gather your paperwork such as the background check - with its corresponding apostille and official translation - as soon as you have a PLAZA ACEPTADA status on the PROFEX portal. Note that these documents are handled by Canadian offices and that the process can be rather long.
5. Please be aware that you will not be able to submit your application for your visa under any circumstance until you have received your Letter of Acceptance (Carta de Nombramiento).
6. We strongly suggest NOT buying your airline tickets to Spain until you have received the visa and it is in your custody. You can always research flight prices but you shouldn't buy your actual plane ticket until you have your visa in hand. This is due to the fact that at times, visa applications may be delayed and you may find that your travel date has arrived but your visa hasn't and so you cannot travel to Spain. It is truly best to avoid unpleasant surprises. Please do not assume that your visa will be ready by a certain date. You may also want to look into buying flights that accommodate date changes.

Please note that you may also have to get an official translation into Spanish for the background check depending on your local consulate requirements.

You do not need to notarize your background check.

Consulates General of Spain in Canada

Applicants should check how to submit their applications at the Consular Office of the Embassy or Consulate General corresponding to their province of residence:

• The consular jurisdiction of the Spanish Embassy in Ottawa includes ONLY the National Capital Region (Ottawa and Gatineau).

• The consular jurisdiction of the Consulate General of Spain in Toronto includes the provinces/territories of Alberta, British Columbia, Manitoba, Ontario (except Ottawa), Saskatchewan, Northwest Territories, Yukon and Nunavut.

• The consular jurisdiction of the Consulate General of Spain in Montreal includes the provinces of Prince Edward Island, Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, Québec (except Gatineau), and Newfoundland and Labrador.