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Passport & Visa

You will need a passport if you are studying at an international location. Apply for a passport or renew your passport if it will expire within the six months following the completion of your overseas program.

You are responsible for obtaining the necessary visas for the countries where you will travel. For semester and academic year programs, a student visa is often required. Look up visa requirements for your destination well in advance of your departure, as some countries have lengthy application processes or include requirements that take additional time to complete, such as COVID testing, immunizations, background checks, etc. You may be required to present your passport in person at the country's Embassy or consulate (Philadelphia, New York City, or Washington). The Center for Global Education, your program provider or host university can often help you through this process.

Information about obtaining a U.S. passport

Remember that to get a visa, you have to first have a valid passport. Getting the passport and the visa can take several months and a lot of time. 

 

Applying for a Student Visa to Study Abroad

You have your passport, but you may need a visa to get to your destination. A visa is an endorsement placed within your passport (usually a stamp or a sticker) that grants you official permission to enter, leave or stay in a country for a specified time period. In order to obtain a visa (if required), your passport must be valid for at least 6 months after the end date of your overseas program.

The application process for a student visa can be confusing because requirements differ from country to country. With that being said, if you follow guidelines from the organization you’re studying abroad with or the university partner overseas, and the Center for Global Education, you should have no trouble.


VISAS WITH A STUDY ABROAD PROVIDER

If you are studying abroad with a provider (for example, CIEE, ISA, KEI, etc), your first step should be to contact them if they haven’t already been in touch. They have advisors and will guide you through the process to apply for a visa. It is very important to follow all their deadlines as some countries (such as Spain), require these providers to send passports in groups to the embassy. If your passport is not part of that group package being sent to the embassy for group visa processing, it will be your responsibility to get the visa on your own.

 

VISAS WITH AN EXCHANGE PARTNER

If you are studying abroad on an exchange, it is up to you to get the visa. CGE will assist as possible, but most of the coordination will be between you and the exchange university. Basic guidelines for our exchange partners are below. All information below is for students who are US citizens or permanent residents. If you are not a US Citizen or permanent resident, please speak with your embassy/consulate regarding visa requirements.

No visa is required at this time. Please check the embassy/immigration website for specific details.

Students who will be in Mexico for fewer than 180 days are not required to apply for a visa at this time. Please check the embassy/immigration website for specific details.

The university in Japan submits an application for a Certificate of Eligibility (CoE) on behalf of all incoming exchange students. After the Japanese Immigration Bureau issues the CoE, the University mails it directly to the Center for Global Education (CGE) at ΢ƽ. Upon receipt of this certificate from CGE, you must then obtain a College Student Visa at the nearest Japanese embassy/consulate prior to your departure to Japan. Students cannot participate in the exchange program or be enrolled at a Japanese university without the proper College Student Visa.

If you are a resident of PA you must apply for the visa through the Japanese Consulate in New York. If you are a resident of another state, please to determine where to apply. 

Instructions for applying for a Japanese student visa:

  1. Applicant's valid signed passport
  2. VISA APPLICATION FORM TO ENTER JAPAN (), completely filled out and signed by the applicant
  3. One photograph (2"x 2") is attached to the application form (follow specific instructions on application)
  4. Original "Certificate of Eligibility" from the Ministry of Justice in Japan and one photocopy

Visa fee: Waived (for US citizens)

Information about visas can be found on the Palacký University website here: 

The following documents are required for a student visa or a long-term residence permit. They need to be less than 1 month old:

  • Completed application
  • A valid passport and passport photos
  • A letter of acceptance from Palacký University
  • Proof of funds for your stay (e.g. a bank statement or a confirmation of being beneficiary of a grant)
  • Proof of accommodation – this is submitted by Palacký University directly to the embassy via data box, you can request a print-out
  • A criminal records check with its official translation into the Czech language

Proof of health insurance valid in the Czech Republic. The policy needs to be in Czech. Suggestions for insurance are at:

Palacký University submits supporting documents to you via their online application portal in the “My Documents” section. They will also mail hard copies to ΢ƽ. These documents (in Czech) are:

  • Letter of acceptance (Proof of Purpose) in the Czech language is required and must be handed over during an interview at the Czech Embassy.
  • The second document in the Czech language – the confirmation of accommodation (Proof of Accommodation*) will be sent directly to the Czech Embassy/Consulate by Palacký University.

Visa fee: $111

For information on applying for a French visa, please see page.

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This information pertains to students heading to Spain on exchanges only. If you are going to Spain with a program partner (CIEE, ISA, KEI, etc), they will assist you in obtaining the visa and it will be done as a group with all others who are attending. If you are going to Spain on a Moravian faculty-led program, US citizens do not need a visa.

Please read the following carefully and make an appointment at CGE if you have questions.

SPECIFIC REQUIREMENTS

Applicants must submit the below-mentioned documents in person at the Spanish Consulate in New York City (Only if you are a resident of CT, DE, NJ, NY, PA). If you are a resident of a different state, please check the Spanish Embassy website for your designated consulate/embassy. You must make the appointment .

  1. One  was duly filled out and signed. It is very important to include the applicant's email address and telephone number for any response from the Consulate.
  2. Original passport. The passport must be valid for the intended period of your stay in Spain with at least one blank page to affix the visa. Note: if the applicant submits a photocopy of the passport – because the original passport needs to be kept during the visa processing– the original passport will only be accepted when presented in person at this Consulate General.
  3. One passport size photograph in color, 2 x 2 inches (51 x 51 mm) in size, printed on matte or glossy photo quality paper, taken within the last 6 months to reflect your current appearance and in front of a plain white or off-white background. Stick the photo on the space provided in the application form. Please do not staple or use any other option apart from glue to attach the photo to the form.
  4. Non-US citizens: only copies of Alien Residence Card (Green-Card) or residence visa valid in the USA (except B1/B2).
  5. Letter of acceptance as a full-time student from the university in Spain (the University of Vallodolid, University of Cordoba, or the University of the Basque Country), indicating: name, address, and registration number of the school with Spain's Department of Education (Ministerio de Educación de España), full payment of tuition, duration of the program, subjects of the study and hours of study per week, which must be no less than 20.
  6. Health insurance: international insurance coverage for health/accident, with minimum coverage equal to €30,000 (or its equivalent in dollars) and including explicitly "repatriation” and “evacuation” coverage during the planning period of stay in Spain.
  7. Proofs of financial means during your stay. Please provide one of the following:
    1. Letter from the university or school in Spain or in the US assuming full financial responsibility during your stay (this is often included in the acceptance letter).
    2. Proof of financial aid or scholarship for at least $700 per month for room and board.
    3. Notarized letter from the parents or legal guardians assuming full financial responsibility for at least $700 per month for room and board. Suggested wording: “I hereby certify that I'm the (father/mother/other) of (...), will support him/her with a monthly allowance of at least $700 while he/she is in Spain and that I'm financially responsible for any emergency that may arise".
    4. Personal bank account statements showing at least $700 per month of stay.
  8. Money order to pay the non-refundable fee. To obtain more information about the consular fees enter the next link. Money orders must be included along with the rest of the visa application. Do not send money orders separately or this Consulate will not be responsible for additional times on the visa processing.

How to fill out the National Visa Application Form:

Please leave the spaces BLANK on the right side of the form identified as “PARTE RESERVADA A LA ADMINISTRACION” (the area enclosed in the vertical rectangle on the right side of the form). You must FILL IN the information in CAPITAL LETTERS or by typewriter, using blue or black ink, in Spanish or English. Fill in all the boxes. If it is not applicable for you, then write N/A.

  1. Surname(s) (family name(s)): List your Last Name as shown in your passport. If you have several Last Names, write them as shown in your passport.
  2. Surname(s) at birth (earlier family name(s)): Fill in only if your Last Name at Birth is different than now; otherwise write “N/A.”
  3. First names (given names): Your First Name and Middle Name as shown in your passport.
  4. Date of birth (day-month-year)
  5. Place of birth: The name of the city and state in which you were born.
  6. Country of birth: The name of the country in which you were born.
  7. Current nationality/ies: Your current citizenship. If you have more than one citizenship, please list first the one corresponding to your current passport (the passport that you are presenting for your application), then add any other citizenship you may have, only if you are legally entitled to it.
  8. Sex: Male or Female
  9. Marital status: Circle your current marital status even if it is different from what appears in your passport or travel document. If you check ‘Other,’ please, specify in writing.
  10. In the case of minors: Please answer only if under 18 years of age; otherwise, write “N/A.”
  11. National identity number (where applicable): Please enter either your Driver’s license number or Social Security number.
  12. Type of travel document: Most students should circle “OrdinaryPassport”.
  13. The number on the Passport: Input the passport number. Please note: it has to be the passport that you will be using to apply for this visa. Therefore, if your passport is expiring in less than 180 days (6 months) after your planned date of return, you must get a new passport and once you have it, input the information from your new passport.
  14. Date of issue of your passport: Date/Month/Year when the passport was issued. (This information is written in your passport. It may show Valid From or as Date of Issue)
  15. Valid Until: Validity of your passport Date/Month/Year. (This information is in your passport. It may appear as Valid Until or as Expiration Date) ! studyabroad.arcadia.edu/spain/visas
  16. Issued by: Place where your passport was issued. (This information is written in your passport)
  17. Applicant’s home address, e-mail address, and telephone number: Please list your home address, even if applying to a consulate in your campus jurisdiction.
  18. Residence in a country other than the country of current nationality: Please check accordingly.
  19. Current occupation: Student
  20. The main purpose of the journey: Studies
  21. Intended date of arrival in Spain: List the program start-date
  22. Number of entries requested: Multiple entries
  23. Applicant’s address in Spain: XXX
  24. Data of the individual resident in Spain in case of applying for a residence visa for family reunion: N/A
  25. Data of the employer or the company in case of applying for a residence visa for employees, self-employed or temporary work: N/A
  26. Data of the educational establishment or research center in case of applying for a student or research visa:
    1. Name of the educational establishment or research center (meaning the exchange university):
      1. Universidad de Córdoba, Oficina de Relaciones Internacionales, Avenida Medina Azahara, 5.14071. Córdoba, Spain. incoming.student@uco.es
      2. Universidad de Valladolid, Servicio de Relaciones Internacionales, Casa del Estudiante, C/ Real de Burgos s/n, 47011 Valladolid, Spain relint@uva.es
      3. Universidad de País Vasco, International Relations Office, Central library building, floor 2 Barrio Sarriena s/n 48940 Leioa, Spain. incoming.internacional@ehu.eus
    2. Intended date of start of studies or research: List program start-date
    3. Intended date of the end of studies or research: List program end-date
    4. In case of temporary stay of children with the purpose of studying in Spain within the framework of a program of a Public Administration, a non-profit organization or a charity or other establishment or persons who do not hold their parental authorities/are not their legal guardians: N/A
  27. Place and Date: List the city you currently are in and the date.
  28. Signature

No visa is required at this time. Please check the embassy/immigration website for specific details.

You can apply for a Student Visa once you have paid your fees (including required Australia health coverage, OSHC) and have received a Confirmation of Enrolment (CoE) from USC. However, you need to wait until there are fewer than 124 days until your course starts before you can apply for your visa.

International students apply for a single Student visa (subclass 500) regardless of their chosen course of study. You must apply for your visa through the Australian online application system – .

Visa cost: approximately $410.


VISAS WITH MORAVIAN FACULTY-LED STUDY ABROAD

Visa applications may be done as a group with the faculty facilitator and visa costs are covered by the student, separate from the program fees.

If you are not a US citizen, you may be required to get a visa for your faculty-led program in other countries.