Hello to you all,
I would appreciate some answers very much
This is kinda repeating what Mariposa said, but is there anybody on this forum who has overstayed their 3 month visa? What REALLY happens when you do? She won't be a student, she will be teaching english in madrid with a language academy...
She is a little worried about everything...can she be thrown in jail if she overstays...will she have trouble at the customs...it would be great to hear also from somebody who has attempted to overstay their 3 month "visit".
thank you so so so much
H

Hi!

I didn't know Canadian citizens needed a visa for 3 months.

So, it makes sense for her to ask for one now. Anyhow, has she got any other (EU) nationality? For what I know lots of Canadians have dual nationality (British, French, Italian, Spanish). In that case there won't be any problem.

She could ask her employers for information about it too.

If there's no police record that confirms the entrance date in the EU, then, it ought to be easier to get a work permit.
If she hasn't had any problem with the law, then she won't be sent to jail . Now, just kidding... the only thing they'd do is to check her criminal record in the Europol data base and inform her and the Canadian embassy tha she needs to update her documents, for that reason she'd probably have to return to Canada first.

For further information I'd check this web pages:

www.mir.es
www.mae.es

And

http://www.canada-es.org/

Good luck!

1)One must have their Passport stamped by the Cuerpo de Policia Nacional when you enter or leave Spain from/to an non-EU nation...(I found the CNP at Barajas very friendly)

2) As a Canadian, you don't need a visa to be in Spain less then three months, a Canadian is not permitted to stay in Spain for more then a yearly total of 6 months in a 12 month period without a visa...(this is for tourist purposes only)

3)**unconfirmed** At the end of the Three month period, one could go to Andorra for a weekend, and re-enter Spain for another three (3) months...

The legal way...

From the website of the Canadian Office of Spain's Ministerio de Trabajo y Asuntos Sociales (Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs)located at the Spanish Embassy
http://www.mtas.es/consejerias/canada/default.htm

"TRABAJAR EN ESPAÑA
Canadian citizens do not require a visa to enter Spain.
Their valid passport entitles them to stay in Spain for a period of three months.

Those who wish to remain in Spain for a longer period of time should apply for a residence permit. Forms may be obtained through the Embassy of Spain for residents of Ottawa-Hull, (74 Stanley Ave. - Ottawa - ON - K1M 1P4; tel. (613) 742 2252). For residents outside the Ottawa-Hull Region, applications must be obtained through the General Consulate of Spain in Toronto (200 Front St. Suite 2401 - P.O. Box 15 - Toronto - ON - M5V 3K2; tel. (416) 977 1661) for residents of Ontario and Western Provinces) and through the General Consulate in Montreal (1 Westmount Sq., Suite 1456 - Montreal -PQ - H3Z 2P9; tel. (514) 935 5235) for residents of Quebec and Eastern Provinces. To apply for a work permit, the applicant is required to present either at the Embassy or at the above mentioned Consulates of Spain a contract signed by the parties involved, accompanied by the following documents:

application forms filled and signed by the applicant
3 photographs
a medical certificate stating that the applicant is in good health and not
carrying contagious disease.
A certificate from the R.C.M.P. stating that the applicant does not have
a criminal record
Passport that is valid for at least six months
Transcripts, certificates, diplomas, resume, or other proof of qualifications"


For more information:
http://www.mtas.es/migraciones/docextr/default.htm (guía práctica y formularios para la solicitud de permisos y autorizaciones para extranjeros)
http://www.mae.es/mae/textos/consulares/consul3htm