I am just starting the process of applying for a student visa. I did a search on this topic and found some helpful info...but I think my questions are still more general at this point ! I in Illinois, so the closest conuslate is in Chicago. I requested the application today, so hopefully it should arrive soon. Excuse my ignorant questions....I am clueless about how this works!!!
~Will the application be in spanish?
~I have been told I will have to send them my passport???
~Since I am in Illinois, how would this entire process work if I just went to the consulate and applied in person...is that faster?
Thanks for any advice on this!!!
Kelly

The application should be bilingual if not in English so you won't have a problem. As for sending your passport, they have to put your visa inside so that's standard procedure. If you are uncomfortable sending it, you'll have to go there. I remember once while I was in the consulate there were some students applying for visas but I can't say whether or not they received the visa the same day. I'd call the consulate and ask unless someone here can clarify that. I've received a new passport in an hour (it wasn't an emergency) so you never know.

Been there done that!
Whether or not you go in person, it won't be any quicker. And no, you won't get your visa the same day if you go in person and apply for it. You can go and drop it off and then after they tell you the time when it should be ready, call and check and when it is, go and pick it up if you don't want to mail your passport.
Otherwise, take a photocopy of it, and mail it certified (so you can track it) If you want it mailed certified back to you, you'll have to send them the prepaid envelope and you'll get it back that way.
The only way I know of to get the student visa within a day (because it happened to me) is if something happens to the one they give you (my passport was delayed in a snowstorm and I had already delayed my flight!) so I had to get a new passport reissued, and with my paperwork, was able to get the consulate to call the consulate that issued me my visa and get a new one on the spot (after paying AGAIN of course!-Its actually free, they charge you for the special paper the visa is made out of!)
Live and learn!
Good luck!

In 2000, I got my student visa the same day, but I went to the embassy, before 12:00. Consulates make you wait. I live in VA and DC is just up the road. Try calling an embassy and seeing what they tell you.

Shawn

ok, probably a silly question ...but what is the difference between an embassy and a consulate, I know that an embassy is higher up on the scale of things, but what do they do that is different? Does anyone know if there is an embassy in Chicago? Thanks for the help!

I THINK the only embassy is in DC, and then there are consulates around the country. From what I can tell, the consulate is just a scaled-down version of what part of the embassy does-like Visa's, citizen help etc.

I went to the Consulate in NYC & they Fed Ex'd my passport back to me a few days later with the visa in it.

Buena suerte!!

-GG

GG is right about the differences between embassy and consulate.. however, the embassy gets included when the offices are divided into regions and if you do not live within the states that the embassy or consulate covers, you're out of luck. They'll just tell you to talk to the office that iis in charge of your area. And TRUST me! I've tried... had a couple of beefs with the consulates.. tried to complain to the embassy and all they said was sorry, you need to talk to XXX consulate!

Also, consulates are set up to take the work load off the embassy on certain matters. That I know of, there is only One EMBASSY for any country set up anywhere else, then they reach out to the rest of the population thru consulates. The only Spanish Embassy is in Washington DC. Visas take longer to process if you cannot be present in person and wait... the consulate should tell you approx. how long it will take to process. Depending on what time of year, how many people have applied, will impact the length of time it takes to process.

Thanks...just curious, how long are you allowed to stay without a visa (is it 90 days??). I studied in Bilbao this summer for just a little under 3 months, and only needed a passport (at least that is all I had )! I will be there Jan-June this time around though, so obviously I will need one .

but be prepared to give up the passport one more time once you get there! the program facilitator of your study abroad program will probably take your passport to register you with, um, I think it may be the local police department? You have to register if you're present more than 90 days, despite the visa.

You can be there 90 days without a visa. This 3 month stay is considered the Tourist visa, but no actual paperwork needs to be filled out.

For a longer stay yes, a visa is recommended. For a student visa, you shouldn't have any problems.

Wendy, I don't know about the program facilitator taking and registring for the person. I'm sure they do it, but since you're supposed to sign a paper...maybe they have something special set up for these things...However its no a big deal to register with the police dept. you can probably go with them if you don't want to hand over your passport (I wouldn't) or do it yourself. Its also avisable, and you're supposed to, go to the American embassy and register with them. More than anything, its in case of an emergency, they know where to reach you.