Lincasanova, the consulates don't communicate with applicants to answer questions. I have faxed, e-mailed and called her closest consulate, which is in D.C., and have received no answer. On the phone, after being in phone mail jail for a long time, I finally got to a live person, who was very brusque and would only tell me the student has to apply IN PERSON-- end of story.
And, as you probably know, each Spanish consulate in the U.S. has different requirements for a visa application. So it is quite possible she could get to D.C. and have the wrong or incomplete paperwork. They are very picky about exactly how every document is worded. Plus, the website says she CANNOT apply in D.C. Even though her school is in their territory in Maryland, the website says she'd have to apply in Los Angeles, her consulate for state-of-residence. Even though the person on the phone said otherwise, I am skeptical.
They may expect her to fly from Baltimore to Los Angeles for a 10 minute session of application!! (I do know people from Colorado who have had to fly their students to L.A. for this purpose. And one of them had to make a return flight because her paperwork wasn't letter perfect.)
And NOWHERE on any consulate website does it say this is only step one in the process, lincasanova. I will double-check it, though.
Best case, my daughter would have to go to D.C. in person, submit the paperwork and her passport, then it will take SIX to EIGHT weeks to get the visa and passport back in the mail. It is a tight time-frame, as she needs her acceptance letter and confirmation of tuition paid in order to apply, which she won't receive till December. She needs to leave Feb 1, so will not have eight weeks for the process. It's definitely a system that is designed to confound!
Isabel, I feel the same way-- that if at all possible, she should get the visa just in case, for those extra few days' of travel. However, without a car, and on the other side of the country from us, she'd have to take a day off school (which is not easy for pre-med at Johns Hopkins!) and travel by train to D.C. Which would be barely do-able, if the time-frame would work.
The easiest thing to do is to skip the visa, since it's not required for the actual study abroad program which is less than 90 days. Then, with the extra travel time, she'd go to other than a Schengen country, as the U.K. is.
Good thing the CCIS- Seville program is smart to make their study semester only 88 days! At least we have that option.

Lincasanova, FYI, this is copied from the Spanish consulate in D.C.'s web page. Note what is says at the end, re: good for six months' stay. So I assume they mean students who stay less than six months do not have to re-apply while in Spain.

REQUIREMENTS TO APPLY FOR A STUDENT VISA

A student visa is mandatory for any foreigner wishing to study in Spain for 3 months or longer.

This Consulate General has jurisdiction over the following States: Washington DC, Maryland, Virginia, West Virginia and North Carolina.

If your permanent residence is in one of these States you must apply at this Consulate. If your permanent residence is in another State contact the Consulate that has jurisdiction over your State. We will not accept applications from students whose permanent adress is not part of our jurisdiction.

The visa is processed in your country of residence prior to your departure. You cannot get the visa in Spain, and you cannot have it sent to you. The visa is affixed in your passport before you depart the U.S., and must be presented at the border Officials upon your entry into Spain.

Due to the overwhelming demand for student visas, it is important that you allow enough time for the Consulate to process your visa.

To apply for a student visa the following requirements are necessary:

·       &nbsp ; Personal appearance is required in order to submit the documentation. We understand that this is difficult for some students, but this regulation can only be waived if a student's parent presents the application in place of the student.

·       &nbsp ; Passport valid for a minimum of 6 months. Make sure your passport is signed.

·       &nbsp ; 1 recent picture, passport size. No senior pictures cut down to size or photocopies of other pictures, these must be passport photos.

·       &nbsp ; Original letter addressed to this Consulate General verifying enrollment as a full-time student in an official University or School in Spain, and verification of full payment of tuition. THIS LETTER MUST ALSO state that the student has medical insurance coverage while the student is in Spain.  If there is no insurance information on this letter, the student will need a letter from their insurance company verifying that he/she is covered internationally.

·       &nbsp ; If you are not a citizen of the United States, bring your “green card” or student visa and I-20 form.

·       &nbsp ; Original medical certificate typed on doctor’s stationary verifying that the applicant is in good health. This letter must be signed by a doctor.

·       &nbsp ; If you are going to spend more than 6 months in Spain,  you  must bring an original certificate of good conduct issued by the police department of the city or cities in which the applicant has spent 6 months or more during the last 5 years.

·       &nbsp ; You must bring the original documents plus one photocopy of each, including your passport.

You must also submit one of the following items to guarantee living expenses while in Spain:

·       &nbsp ; Letter from the study abroad program assuming full financial responsibility for tuition, room and board for the student during his stay in Spain. For many students this information is included on the previously mentioned letter of acceptance.

·       &nbsp ; Proof of having received financial aid or scholarship covering expenses for tuition, room, board, and personal expenses during the stay in Spain (minimum of $350 per month).

·       &nbsp ; Notarized letter from parents assuming full financial responsibility for the student for at least $500 per month of stay in Spain.

Applications will not be accepted more than 90 days in advance or less than 45 business days prior to departure date, passports must be left at this Consulate General for processing. Take into consideration any holidays there might be. It may take four weeks or longer to process your application. You will be advised of the processing time when you apply.

If you have time for your passport to be returned by mail, bring a pre-paid self-addressed, express or priority mail envelope from the Post Office. Other express delivery service, certified or registered mails are not accepted. Tracking of mailed items is the responsibility of the applicant.

Fees:

US citizens: Money Order payable to the Consulate General of Spain for $100.00 non-refundable visa processing fee. (Personal checks are not accepted). Although the visa is free, due to reciprocity to U.S. procedure with Spanish passports, an equivalent amount of $100.00 is charged as processing fee to US passports.
Non US citizens: Money Order payable to the Consulate General of Spain for $72.36, non-refundable fee (No personal checks).
The visas issued in this office are valid for six months. If you are staying longer, before your visa expires, you need to go to the closest police station with your passport and police record to get an extension of your visa.

first of all, it says the visa is for students who are studying 90 days or more.

don't think this applies to you.

p.s. i have NEVER seen a 6 month visa. all my students have had 90 days to go get the extension for the 6-12 months.. maybe this is new this year.

good luck.

If the student is going on a sponsored program, can't the sponsoring university offer advice and help? Or is it trying to avoid the responsibility by having an 88 day program?

Actually, the most the university can do is offer advice-- they cannot get the visa for the students. But offering a less-than-90-day program is the best help they can give-- then students don't really need a visa, not for the program itself anyway.
I'm over-thinking this I'm sure. My daughter should just travel within the parameters of 90 days in Schengen countries, other days elsewhere. The Schengen countries are shooting themselves in the foot, so to speak, since they lose tourism dollars this way. They should make the student visa required after 6 months, not 3.

i think it's great they make the 88 day program. talk about making it easier for the student...

seriously... she can pop over to morocco/switzerland and get a stamp in passport during her stay to make her feel better. she will have a more recent entry stamp.. so she won't feel they are only looking at her first entry, and this way she will feel more comfortable about not getting arrested anywhere.. (which i tell you.. is not going to happen).

Lincasanova, thanks again. Do you think they look at the most recent stamp? I know my daughter likes to get the stamps, and feels she's been gypped when they don't stamp it!
What is your job having to do with study abroad?

In the last few years most of the time they do NOT stamp your passport anymore, even when entering countries from the US, and I have not had my passport even looked at when going in and out of Schengen countries (into and out of England and Switzerland into other countries like France and Italy). So please don't think that by doing that she can avoid any possible problems.

How many places does she plan to visit? How intense is her program? Perhaps she can do weekend type trips during the 88 day program, then when it's over she can go to England and or Switzerland for a few weeks. That would solve your problem wouldn't it?

Another, not quite legal but probably pretty safe, option would be to have her return ticket (to the US) from either England or Switzerland, and then she could do a short trip into somewhere else (like Italy from Switzerland where they almost certainly would not be checking her passport. This might be "safer" than having her fly home from a Schengen country when they might notice the dates. But of course at that point what could they do to her.

i have been sending /receiving students for 30 years over here, to/from USA/RUSSIA/brasil; etc.

i am very familiar with the visa hassle. i actually have to DO IT ALL for the students as their language level is USEless when they get here.

however. i cannot remark enough of all the students (USA; let's concentrate on them) that overstay the requirement, for travel with their parents to other countries, etc.. and have encountered no problem as far as i know.

i do think her passport will be stamped upon entering madrid, as she will have filled out a landing card. but after that.. i doubt there will be any stamps throughout europe by plane.

land patrol borders are virtually non-existant.

so.. whatever.

a weekend in morocco with friends (cheap and fun) would att least give her the new later entry stamp.. if she is most concerned.. but, i , personally, would not even worry about that..

i know all this sounds vague.. strange..and not kosher.. but i even have ASKED the airport police and if the person is returning to her homeland.. they don't even do anything when they are beyond the 90 days.

open jaw into spain and out of england would at least leave her where she wants to travel to so not having to re-enter spain if that makes you feel better ( as previously mentioned).

since i assume she is NOT travelling lightly.. she will have HUGE excess luggage bills on low cost airlines.
she can bus/train her way all through europe to avoid that, or pack lightly.

i suggest she does NOT bring one of those MASSIVE american coffin size "up to the limit" suitcases. they hardly fit in the trunk of anyone's car.. or taxi.

20 and sometimes 15 kilos is limit on lowcost airlines, and 20k. official airlines throughout europe. keep this in mind.

they also weigh hand luggage. some are 10 k. others 5!!



so.. she should go to england as soon as she finshes the course.. (she will still be within the 90 days) and enjoy herself.

when entering england they usually ask you how many days you will be there.. and that is that..

Lincasanova, thank you again for all your patient replies. It is more than helpful to hear from you about how the process actually works (or actually doesn't work!).

I think the plan will be to fly sans visa on British Airways from the States to Seville via London. We'll buy her return fare from London, and she will have freedom then to travel as she wishes to London for departure a few days after the semester.

keep in mind her european luggage 20 kilo allotment for the seville-london portion of trip since she is not connecting to the usa same day.. she will be charged for overweight if she does not abide by the intra-european limit.

she will love sevilla. our son was visiting friends down there again and said if he ever had to move in spain, he would love to live there.

it is a FUN place for young (and older) people.

My daughter, being a packrat, is notorious for over-stuffing her luggage. Thanks for the heads up, Lincasanova-- I'll tell her the limits.