Gather the appropriate documents for your specific visa application. All applicants are required to furnish a current passport with a minimum of one year of validity along with two passport photos. Other requirements include a doctor's certificate verifying you do not carry contagious diseases and are free of mental illness and drug or alcohol addiction. Additional requirements, such as a Green Card or proof that you have familial ties may also be required depending on the circumstances.
Obtain a certified criminal background check certificate from the Federal Bureau of Investigation stating good conduct from where you have resided over the past five years. Referred to as a "police certificate," the Spanish Embassy will not accept a document from a local police department. Visit the FBI's website to obtain an application form.
Go to the Spanish embassy nearest your home and get a resident visa application. Embassies in the United States are in New York, Miami, Boston, Washington D.C, San Francisco, Chicago, New Orleans and Houston. Applicants must appear in person at the consulate office nearest to where you live.
Fill out all paperwork and provide all of the necessary documents. Prepare to pay fees by money order. As of January 2011, personal checks or cash are not acceptable methods of payment. Fees may include residence fees, translation fees and signature fees in addition to the cost of the visa.
Submit your visa application. Once your visa is approved you will be contacted and have one month to appear in person to collect your visa.
