AManning

With two passports, can I leave the country to Spain while one of my passports is being processed for study visa at my home Spanish consulate in Los Angeles.
While on my 90 day stay, once my study visa is processed and completed, I will have my mother FedEx the study visa to me in Spain, at the University I will be studying at.

Has anyone done this? Will this work? The consulate states, "applications will not be accepted less than 60 days prior to departure." So having already departed, will they accept the application through a notarized representative (study abroad adviser or my mother) - while I am already in Spain?

Thanks!

janisj

How can you have two passports? (For others - yes, you can have two if you have dual citizenship - form the OPs other thread he is trying to get TWO US passports so one can be processed for a student visa and the other he can travel w/)

I hardly think this is the place to ask. You need to ask the appropriate government agencies . . .

AManning

Janisj thanks for your reply. I am that other post, but I shortened it up here. I guess I didn't specify TWO US passports.

I found a link,
http://chrisguillebeau.com/3x5/how-t...e-us-passport/

Its been done before.
Now, my question is, Now my question is whether or not I can do this when im in Spain.

I will contact my State department

Patty

It's possible to have a duplicate US passport. You need to provide a valid reason and the second passport has a shorter expiration, I believe 2 years.

Alec

I can't see too many problems in what you are trying to do, but if the consulate wants to contact you for further clarifications and they find out you are already in Spain, that will cause problems and can lead to your application being cancelled.
When you do get your spare passport back, you must follow this procedure. Leave Spain for a non-Schengen country such as Morocco or UK before your 90-in-180 days Schengen limit. On or after the start date of your study visa, re-enter Spain and produce your second passport with visa in it. It will be stamped and will be activated. Do NOT just stay on in Spain, expecting the visa to be automatically activated. It will not happen, you become an overstayer and will have all sorts of problems when trying to get your residence permit. Once your visa is activated, only use the passport with visa inside for all official purposes, and for travelling.

I still recommend getting your study visa prior to leaving US.

kybourbon

>>>So having already departed, will they accept the application through a notarized representative (study abroad adviser or my mother) - while I am already in Spain? <<<

I would be surprised they would allow this as it normally requires an in person visit by the person applying. DD had to get her visa before leaving the states. She also had to show proof of health insurance (major medical, not travelers type of insurance) to cover Spain and quite a few other things (letters from various places, etc.) before the visa was issued. It took several trips to the embassy to get her visa so don't expect you will need only one trip.

I don't see any point in getting another passport until you see if the embassy will even let someone else apply for you.

Alec

Even if an authorised representative (Spanish embassy accepts parents) is allowed to submit your application, it's assumed you are still in US or at least outside Spain. While there is little chance of detection, should the embassy find out where you are, they are in their right to refuse your application, which makes future applications more difficult (as they tend to record details of all unsuccessful visa applications).

BigRuss

Be careful - this may not be a "valid reason" for the second passport. And assuming Alec is correct, you risk denial of your study visa too.