IQF0065 - 30 September 2007 08:48 AM
I am interested in teaching English in Spain, but I have one problem. I have a misdemeanor on my criminal record and need to know if this will prevent me from obtaining a work visa.
You need to apply for a visa.
Unless you are from a visa waiver country, such as an EU country.
Nationals from non-EU countries need a visa to enter Spain, unless there is an existing agreement between Spain and the non EU national’s home country. Non EU nationals wishing to work in Spain must also obtain a work permit.
Application for a visa should be made to the Spanish consulate in your home country before you leave. The types of visa you apply for will depend on whether your reason for visiting Spain is tourism, investment or to study.
A transit visa is given to individuals or groups of foreigners passing through Spanish ports/airports without entering Spanish territory. It also allows foreigners to pass through Spanish territory for a maximum of five days.
Temporary stay visas are issued to foreigners who wish to stay in Spain for up to three months within a six-month time period
Residence permit for non-EU nationals
Non-EU nationals need a residence permit to live in Spain. After a period of time exceeding 90 days, the non-EU national must obtain either an extension or a residence permit to remain in Spain.
CONDITIONS OF APPLICATION:
1. Four (4) visa application forms fully completed and signed by the applicant at the bottom of the page.
2. Four (4) recent colour passport sized photographs.
3. A full national passport with a minimum validity of 120 days and one full blank page to affix the visa.
4. Photocopies of the whole passport, minus the blank pages.
5. Photocopy of the page or pages of the passport showing the details of the applicant.
6. A copy of the “resoluci?n de permiso de trabajo” issued to the prospective employer by the Ministerio de Trabajo y Asuntos Sociales.
7. A Certificado de Penales or a Police Criminal Records Certificate (original and photocopy) stating that the applicant does not have a criminal record.
This must be obtained from the country or countries where the applicant has been residing during the past 5 years.
In some cases legalisation and translation of the document by the relevant authorities may be required.
8. A health certificate (original and photocopy) issued by a doctor, stating that the applicant does not suffer from any contagious or infectious diseases, mental disorders or drug addiction.
Applicants will be informed in due course if the residence visa application has been approved by the Spanish authorities.
If you are in the USA and have a misdemeanor, you have a couple of options:
a) Apply for a Spanish visa and see if they will give you a visa, because your misdemeanor was unimportant to them.
b) Move to another State in the USA. Then a state wide check will not show your misdemeanor. On the visa application, Do not mention your criminal record or the state where it occured. Spain has no way to discover your misdemeanor unless you tell them. And it is not a crime in the USA to fudge your visa application to a foreign country.
However, if they purchase a nationwide background check from a company like BackgroundSearch.com, then they will discover your misdemeanor. However, Governments do not do that. They want you to provide a copy of your background check by a police dept, which is what the list of visa requirements says.
