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Residence visa with work permit exemption

IMPORTANT NOTICE FOR VISAS FOR RELIGIOUS PURPOSES

In order to apply for a visa for Religious purposes, the applicant must have a “Certificate for Temporary Residence” issued by the “Registry of Religious Entities” from the Spanish “Ministry of the Presidency, Justice and Relations with the Courts” (“Certificado para Residencia Temporal” expedido por el Registro de Entidades Religiosas” del “Ministerio de la Presidencia, Justicia y Relaciones con las Cortes”).

The visa for religious purposes does not preview visas for accompanying family members. However, it is possible for accompanying family members to apply for a Non-lucrative (non-working) residence visa, if they meet all the requirements for the Non-lucrative (non-working) residence visa. In this case, the accompanying family members must apply together with the applicant for the visa for religious purposes.

RESIDENCE VISA WITH WORK PERMIT EXEMPTION. GENERAL INFORMATION

This visa allows the applicant to work in Spain without the need of applying previously for a work permit.

Please note that there are 3 different types of visas related to the purpose of work with work permit exemption depending of the length of stay:

a) 90 days or less (Schengen Visa code EET):
b) More than 90 days and less than 180 days (national visa code TEE)
c) Over 180 days (national visa code TRE).

Foreigners who are included in any of the following cases are exempt from the obligation to obtain work authorization for the exercise of a lucrative, labor or professional activity (Article 117 of the Royal Decree 557/2011 of April 20):

A.- Technicians, researchers and scientists invited or hired by the General State Administration, the Autonomous Communities, universities, local authorities or organizations whose purpose is the promotion and development of research promoted or majority owned by the above. This situation applies to professionals who, due to their knowledge, specialization, experience or scientific practices, are invited or hired by one of the mentioned Administrations for the development of a technical, scientific or general interest activity or program.

B.- Teachers, technicians, researchers and scientists invited or hired by a Spanish university to carry out teaching, research or academic tasks.

C.- Management, teaching or research staff, from cultural or educational institutions, private or dependent on other States, of accredited prestige, officially recognized by Spain, who develop in Spain cultural and educational programs of their respective countries. The studies, programs, degrees or diplomas issued must be valid and recognized by the countries on which they depend.

D.- Civil or military officials of foreign State Administrations who come to Spain to carry out activities under cooperation agreements with a Spanish Administration. US holders of diplomatic or official passports who needs a visa: please find information in the Diplomatic & Official visas section)

E.- Correspondents or special envoys of foreign media. Information professionals at the service of foreign media who carry out their information activity in Spain, duly accredited by the Spanish authorities as correspondents or as special envoys, will have this consideration.

F.- Members of international scientific missions duly authorized by the relevant Spanish administration that will engage in studies or research activities programmed by an International organization or agency.

H.- Religious ministers and members of the hierarchy of the different churches, confessions and religious communities, as well as professed religious of religious orders. The following requirements must be met:

  • That they belong to a church, denomination, religious community or religious order that is registered in the Registry of Religious Entities of the Ministry of Justice.
  • Those who have, effectively and currently, the status of minister of worship, member of the hierarchy or professed religious for fulfilling the requirements established in their statutory regulations.
  • Expressly excluded from this article are seminarians and people preparing for the religious ministry, even if they temporarily carry out activities of a pastoral nature, as well as people linked to a religious order in which they have not yet professed, even if they carry out a temporary activity in compliance with their religious statutes.
  • That the activities that they are going to carry out in Spain are strictly religious or, in the case of professed religious, are merely contemplative or respond to the statutory purposes of the order; work activities not included in this area are expressly excluded.
  • That the entity on which they depend agrees to take charge of the expenses caused by their maintenance and accommodation, as well as to meet the requirements in accordance with the regulations on Social Security.

I.- Foreigners who are part of the representation, government and administration bodies of internationally recognized trade unions and business organizations, provided that their activity is strictly limited to the performance of the functions inherent to said condition.

J.- Foreign minors of working age supervised by a competent minor protection service, for those activities that, at the proposal of the aforementioned entity, while they remain in that situation, favor their social integration.

The Revised visa fee and BLS service charge are as follows:

Consulate Visa Fee Based on Citizenship & Duration Amount in USD
All other nationals 99
United States of America 190
Canada -
Australia -
United Kingdom -
Bangladesh 99
Mauritania 263
Ethiopia 662
Residency fee for all nationality 12
BLS Service Fee Amount in USD
All Nationals 18
Notifications (SMS) 5
  • All Fees are non-refundable
  • The Visa Fee is subject to change without notice

Important Note: please scan all your documents separately as a pdf and send to this email address info.wases@blsinternational.net for Approval. Once approval process is done please book an appointment.

1.- One Application form (National Visa Application form): Each applicant must complete and sign a national visa application, filling out every section. It can be filled out electronically or handwritten in capital letters. If the applicant is a minor, one of their parents or a duly accredited representative must sign the application.

2.- One photo: Glued or clipped (not stapled) onto visa application form. Photo specifications: Passport-size, color photograph, recent (taken within the last 6 months to reflect your current appearance), printed on matte/glossy paper, taken against a white, light, clear, uniform background, facing forward, without dark or reflective glasses, or any garments concealing the applicant’s full oval of the face.
Photos with a dark background or with objects or people that can be seen behind your head will not be accepted. Photographs of babies must not show any part of the adult holding them.

3.- Valid, unexpired passport: Original and photocopy of the page or pages of the passport that contain biometric data. The passport must be valid for at least the requested time of stay and must contain at least two free pages for visas. Passports issued more than 10 years ago will not be accepted. If the passport does not meet the requirements, it must be renewed before applying for the visa.

4.- Proof of legal residence in the United States. Non-U.S. citizens must also submit proof of legal residence in the United States: A photocopy of the valid U.S. long term Visa or a notarized copy of the U.S. Resident Card (Green card; please do not submit the original document).
B1/B2 visa holders do not qualify to apply for a visa at this Consular Office. They must apply for a visa in their country of residence or country of origin.

5.- Proof of residence or study in the consular district. The applicant must be a legal resident or be enrolled in in-person studies in a center within our consular jurisdiction (Washington, D.C., Maryland, Virginia, West Virginia and North Carolina).
Residence must be proved by one of the following, valid documents: Photocopy of U.S. Driver’s license, State ID, University Student ID. Original and a photocopy.

If the applicant does not have a U.S. Driver's license or State ID it is possible to prove residence in our consular district by other documents, e.g. a copy of a lease agreement or utility bill.

6.- Completed Form EX-09 "Application for authorization to stay or temporary residence with the exception of work authorization" (“Autorización de estancia o residencia temporal con excepción de la autorización de trabajo”).

7.- Completed Form 790-052 of the fee established for the initial authorization of temporary residence (model 790, Code 052 “Autorización inicial de residencia temporal”). At the time of submitting the visa application, the established fees must be paid, with no refund being provided in case of refusal.

8.- Documents supporting the visa application in accordance to the article 117 of the Immigration Regulation (Royal Decree 557/2011 of 04.20.2011).
If this documentation does not indicate or entail economic support and the commitment to comply with Social Security obligations, the availability of economic means (contract) and health insurance must be separately accredited.

A.- Technicians, researchers and scientists invited or hired by the General State Administration, the Autonomous Communities, universities, local authorities or organizations whose purpose is the promotion and development of research promoted or majority owned by the above.
Documents: Invitation or work contract signed by the legal representative of the Spanish authority or public institution, indicating the project description and the professional background required for its development.

B.- Teachers, technicians, researchers and scientists invited or hired by a Spanish university to carry out teaching, research or academic tasks.
Documents: Invitation or work contract for the exercise of the above-mentioned activities, signed by the legal representative of the university.

C.- Management, teaching or research staff, from cultural or educational institutions, private or dependent on other States, of accredited prestige, officially recognized by Spain, who develop in Spain cultural and educational programs of their respective countries. The studies, programs, degrees or diplomas issued must be valid and recognized by the countries on which they depend. Documents: proof of the validity in the country of origin of the degrees or diplomas issued in Spain, of the employment contract or designation for the exercise of management or teaching activities and, in the case of private entities, of documents justifying their official recognition by Spain.

D.- Civil or military officials of foreign State Administrations who come to Spain to carry out activities under cooperation agreements with a Spanish Administration.
Documents: certificate issued by the competent Foreign State Administration and justification of such aspects.

E.- Correspondents or special envoys of foreign media. Information professionals at the service of foreign media who carry out their information activity in Spain, duly accredited by the Spanish authorities as correspondents or as special envoys, will have this consideration.
Documents: authorization issued by the Spanish authorities.

F.- Members of international scientific missions duly authorised by the relevant Spanish administration that will engage in studies or research activities programmed by an International organisation or agency.
Documents: authorisation issued by the competent Spanish administration to take part in the International Scientific Mission.

H.- Religious ministers and members of the hierarchy of the different churches, confessions and religious communities, as well as professed religious of religious orders. The following requirements must be met:

  • That they belong to a church, denomination, religious community or religious order that is registered in the Registry of Religious Entities of the Ministry of Justice.
  • Those who have, effectively and currently, the status of minister of worship, member of the hierarchy or professed religious for fulfilling the requirements established in their statutory regulations. Expressly excluded from this article are seminarians and people preparing for the religious ministry, even if they temporarily carry out activities of a pastoral nature, as well as people linked to a religious order in which they have not yet professed, even if they carry out a temporary activity in compliance with their religious statutes.
  • That the activities that they are going to carry out in Spain are strictly religious or, in the case of professed religious, are merely contemplative or respond to the statutory purposes of the order; work activities not included in this area are expressly excluded.
  • That the entity on which they depend agrees to take charge of the expenses caused by their maintenance and accommodation, as well as to meet the requirements in accordance with the regulations on Social Security.

Documents: : “Certificate for Temporary Residence” issued by the “Registry of Religious Entities” from the Spanish “Ministry of the Presidency, Justice and Relations with the Courts” (“Certificado para Residencia Temporal” expedido por el Registro de Entidades Religiosas” del “Ministerio de la Presidencia, Justicia y Relaciones con las Cortes”) certifying the requirements from article 117.h of the Royal Decree 557/2011, of April 20.

9.- Medical certificate. Original and a copy of a medical certificate accrediting that the applicant does not suffer from any disease that could cause serious repercussions for public health pursuant to the 2005 International Health Regulations.

  • This certificate must be issued within 90 days of submitting the visa application.
  • This certificate must include a stamp from the issuing Medical Center, doctor’s signature and doctor’s License Number.
  • The certificate must be written on letterhead paper from hospital/doctor’s office or directly on the provided template. The recommended template can be found here: MEDICAL CERTIFICATE.
  • The certificate must be signed by a Doctor (Physician), not by a Nurse Practitioner or a Physician Assistant.

The medical certificate must be in Spanish, or it must include the Spanish text, or it must be accompanied by an official or certified translation into Spanish. In the case of using the model from our website, the Spanish translation is not necessary.

Please include a photocopy (not notarized) of the medical certificate with your submitted documents.

10.- Criminal background check certificate. Applicants of legal age (18 years old and older) must submit the original and a photocopy (not notarized) of their criminal background check certificate(s) issued by their country or countries of residence for the past 5 years.

  • The criminal background check must be issued by the U.S. Department of Justice – Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI). We do not accept State or Local Police Background Check.
  • The background check must be issued within the 6 months preceding the submission of the visa application.
  • The background check must be authenticated with The Hague Apostille. We do not accept background checks without the Hague Apostille. The Apostille must certify the signature on the Criminal Background check, not other signatures. We do not accept apostilles that certify the signature of a local notary that stamps a seal on the criminal background check.
  • The criminal background check will not be accepted if it has been altered or damaged in any way, including damage caused by removing staples.
  • The background check must be accompanied by an official translation into Spanish by a sworn/certified translator (the translation does not need an Apostille and the Apostille does not need a translation).

If the applicant has spent more than 6 months (more than 180 days) during the last 5 years in another country (outside the USA or Spain), an additional criminal background check from every country of residence must be provided. The criminal background checks must be authenticated with the The Hague Apostille, unless it is issued by an EU member state. The criminal background check issued by an EU authority does not need to be apostilled to be accepted. If the country in which the applicant has lived in the past 5 years does not subscribe to The Hague Convention of 1961, the background check must by authenticated by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the issuing country and then by the Consulate of Spain in this country. The background check must be accompanied by an official translation into Spanish (if the original is not written in Spanish or does not include the text in Spanish).

Please submit an original and a copy of all documents: Criminal background check, Apostille and official translation.

You may find certified translators through the AMERICAN TRANSLATORS' ASSOCIATION or Buscador de traductores jurados del MAEC.

15. Disclaimer form.

Additional documents, Interview:

When necessary to assess the application, the Consular Office may request additional documents or data and may also ask the applicant to come in for a personal interview.

PROCEDURE

This Consular Office is competent to accept visa applications from individuals residing in the consular district. (Washington, D.C., Maryland, Virginia, West Virginia and North Carolina).

  • Who can apply for a Visa: Visa applications must be submitted in person by the applicant, or by one of their parents if they are a minor. They may also be submitted through a duly accredited representative.
  • Visa application period: The visa application must be submitted within a period of 1 month, counted as of the day after the date on which the employer is notified of the favorable decision regarding the initial residence and employment permit, in case of residence and employment work visa.
  • Place of submission: Starting December 1, 2024, the application must be submitted by appointment only to the BLS Spain Visa Application Center for Spain in Washington DC.

BLS - SPAIN VISA APPLICATION CENTER, WASHINGTON DC
1660 L St NW, Second Floor, Suite: 216, Washington, DC 20036

Email: info.wases@blsinternational.net Phone number: 516-888-1169 (BLS call-center for USA)
Please be sure that you have already all the required documents before scheduling an appointment, as only complete applications with all the requirements will be admitted.
To find more information and schedule an appointment at BLS Spain Visa Application Center in Washington DC, please follow the link: BLS Spain Visa Application Center
Please note that there are different sections for Schengen Visa and for National Visa appointments.

  • Rectifying the application: The Consular Office may ask the applicant to submit any missing documents, or to provide additional documents or data that are necessary for a decision regarding the application. The applicant may also be called in for a personal interview.
  • Decision period: The legal period for reaching a decision is 10 days as of the day after the submission date of the application, but this period may be extended when an interview or additional documents are requested.
  • Collecting the visa: BLS Office will inform the applicant regarding the procedure to collect /return the passport and any other original documentation.
  • Visa refusal: Visa refusals will always be notified in writing, setting forth the grounds on which the decision adopted was based.
  • Appeals: If a visa is refused, the applicant may submit an appeal for reconsideration to this Consular Office in Spanish within 1 month of the day following the date on which notification of the refusal is received. An application for judicial review may also be filed with the High Court Justice of Madrid within the 2-month period beginning the day after the date on which the applicant receives notification of the visa refusal or of the dismissal of the reconsideration appeal.
  • Validity period of the visa: The visa will be valid for 90 days. Once in Spain, the worker must register with the Social Security system before beginning their work activity and apply for a Foreigner Identity Card (T.I.E. “Tarjeta de Identificación de Extranjero”) at the Foreign Nationals' Office or the corresponding police station, within 1 month from their registration with the Social Security system. If the visa contract is for seasonal work, the visa will be valid for the entire period for which the applicant is authorized to reside and work in Spain, and it will not be necessary to apply for a Foreigner Identity Card upon arriving in Spain.

Note: We regret we cannot accept photographs that do not meet these requirements

Please provide one recent photograph (not more than 6 months old) of yourself, which should not have been used previously in the passport. The photograph should be in colour and:

  • Taken against a white background so that features are distinguishable and contrast against the background.
  • Clear share quality and with the face in focus.
  • Printed on normal photographic paper (camera print).
  • Full face, non-smiling [without sunglasses, a hat/cap or other head covering, unless the applicant wears such items because of their religious belief or ethnic background]
  • Please stick the Photograph on the Visa Application Form.

Note: Please follow these instructions carefully. If photographs presented do not meet these requirements your application will be considered incomplete. A photo booth meeting these requirements is available at the centre.

Decision period: The legal period for reaching a decision is of 3 months from the day after the application submission date, but this period may be extended if an interview or additional documents are requested.