Spanish Student VISA

[Tyler]

Any advice would be appreciated. I am a US citizen. I applied for the auxiliares de Estados Unidos en España program, which is a program through the Spanish government that places US and Canadian citizens in Spanish public schools as assistant teachers for a school year (8 months). In mid march I was accepted into the program and I received a position at a school in Madrid. I have done a lot of preparation for this and sent in all my documents to apply for my long-term Student VISA on June 7th. This is the first year that it is required to submit a FBI criminal background record for the student VISA. Unfortunately I have a DUI from 2007 and resisting arrest without violence from 2009 on my record. I just received notice that my VISA application was denied because of my FBI criminal background record. Is there anything I can do about this? Is there any way I will be able to get a VISA or am I out of luck? I really want to be able to move to Spain and teach. Please help.

[Marta]

Hello Tyler,

Unfortunately not much can be done here. You will need to wait until these DUI records no longer appear in your FBI Criminal background check or in the meantime try another country which doesn't require this ciminal check.

[scott]

I actually am in a similar situation, I have applied to this same program and will find out in the next two to three weeks if i get accepted, I then will have to apply for a visa. I have a possession of marijuana charge from 5 years ago, is this likely to keep me from obtaining a long-term student visa??

[Marta]

Hello Scott,

To request a long term visa you will be asked to provide a certificado de antecedentes penales (criminal record) from all the countries where you would have resided during the last five years. If these records appear, then the decision of whether to grant you the permit or not will depend entirely on the Spanish immigration authorities.

[scott]

Thank you Marta,

Do you know where I could find more information regarding this/who I can contact to determine my chances of approval? I don't want to waste the next 5-6 months only to find out that I wont be granted a visa.

[Marta]

First of all see if this charge appears in your criminal records. If it does, the chances of being rejected are there and are quite high, but I cannot give you a definite yes or no as immigration decisions are totally discretional.

[als]

Scott, how did this end up going for you?

Thank you Marta,

Do you know where I could find more information regarding this/who I can contact to determine my chances of approval? I don't want to waste the next 5-6 months only to find out that I wont be granted a visa.

[patrick01]

als or scott, any more information regarding this? I am in the same situation, marijuana charge (no conviction, deferral program), and I am applying to the Spain program.

[Unregistered]

Any advice would be appreciated. I am a US citizen. I applied for the auxiliares de Estados Unidos en España program, which is a program through the Spanish government that places US and Canadian citizens in Spanish public schools as assistant teachers for a school year (8 months). In mid march I was accepted into the program and I received a position at a school in Madrid. I have done a lot of preparation for this and sent in all my documents to apply for my long-term Student VISA on June 7th. This is the first year that it is required to submit a FBI criminal background record for the student VISA. Unfortunately I have a DUI from 2007 and resisting arrest without violence from 2009 on my record. I just received notice that my VISA application was denied because of my FBI criminal background record. Is there anything I can do about this? Is there any way I will be able to get a VISA or am I out of luck? I really want to be able to move to Spain and teach. Please help.

What state consulate did you go through if you dont mind me asking? I heard Miami, Florida was very tough, were as Houston,Texas, and NY were more lenient. I'm trying to find out if Los Angeles Consulate will deny my visa. I completed probation for my dui and the court stuff was over with in 2011. I have a clean record besides that, and am hoping that my visa will be approved. Has anyone from LA had any luck?