Checklist to apply for a Spanish visa in 2026 (guide for Latin America)

Before we start: this is general information, not legal advice. I'm not an immigration lawyer, and every case has its own particulars, so if yours gets complicated, please consult an immigration professional or the consulate directly.

If you're messaging me with visa questions, you probably already know this can get messy: deadlines, apostilles, certificates that expire... I completely understand, because it's what my clients ask me most before taking out their insurance. So I've put together, in one place, the documents that most Spanish consulates ask for when applying for a long-term national visa (more than 90 days), with a focus on Argentina and Colombia, since that's where most of you write to me from.

Keep in mind: this is the common baseline. Each specific visa (non-lucrative, studies, work, digital nomad, family reunification) adds its own extra document, which we'll cover in the next guides in this series.

General document checklist

• Valid passport, with a recommended minimum validity of several months beyond the visa's expected duration (the exact margin is set by each consulate).
• National visa application form, completed and signed.
• Recent passport-style photo, in the format requested by the consulate.
• Criminal record certificate covering the last 5 years, apostilled and, if the consulate requires it, translated into Spanish.
• Medical certificate confirming you don't suffer from any disease with quarantine potential.
• Proof of sufficient financial means (tax returns, bank statements, employment contract, depending on the visa).
• Health insurance with coverage equivalent to Spain's National Health System, no copayments, no waiting periods, and repatriation included.
• Proof of accommodation in Spain.
• Proof of payment of the consular fee.
• Documentation specific to your visa: employment contract, admission letter, company documentation, family certificate... depending on your case.

The document that causes the most headaches: health insurance

By far, this is the point where most applications get stuck. Immigration authorities don't accept just any policy: to be valid, it must meet five conditions.

• Comprehensive coverage: equivalent to the National Health System, including primary care, specialists, diagnostic tests, hospitalisation and emergencies.
• No waiting periods: usable from day one, with no waiting time for tests or hospitalisation.
• No copayments: not a single extra euro for a consultation, test or admission.
• Repatriation included: transfer to the home country included in case of the policyholder's death.
• Full validity: covers the entire duration of the visa, with payment proven (usually annual).

Travel insurance does not work for this: it covers unexpected events during short trips, not a long stay, and it isn't equivalent to the National Health System. It's one of the mistakes I see most often.

Specifics for Argentina and Colombia

The general process is the same for everyone, but who issues and who apostilles the criminal record certificate changes. The good news: both Argentina and Colombia are members of the Hague Apostille Convention, so their documents get an apostille rather than going through consular legalisation, which is a slower step.

If you're applying from Argentina

The criminal record certificate is issued by the Registro Nacional de Reincidencia. Argentine consulates can't apostille it directly: you need to process it through the Argentine Foreign Ministry, via the TAD platform, or ask the consulate itself to handle it (at an extra cost). One detail that's often overlooked: certificates can only be apostilled if they're less than 90 days old from the date of issue, so don't get it too far in advance.

If you're applying from Colombia

The certificate is issued by the Colombian National Police (it must state «NO REGISTRA ANTECEDENTES») and is apostilled by the Colombian Foreign Ministry (Cancillería), the only apostille authority in the country.

And if you're from another Latin American country

Mexico, Peru, Chile, Ecuador, the Dominican Republic, Bolivia... are also members of the Hague Convention, so the process is very similar: apostille, not legalisation. The one exception to watch for is Cuba, which is not part of the convention and requires traditional consular legalisation.

Common mistakes that delay or return an application

• Criminal record certificate not apostilled, or apostilled outside the deadline (remember: no more than 90 days from issue for Argentina).
• Health insurance with copayments or with waiting periods not explicitly removed.
• Incomplete financial documentation or statements that aren't recent enough.
• Insurance validity dates that don't cover the full duration of the visa.
• Documents missing the official translation the consulate requires.

Before you submit your application

• Is all your documentation apostilled within the deadline?
• Are the translations official, if the consulate requires them?
• Does your health insurance meet all five conditions: comprehensive coverage, no waiting periods, no copayments, repatriation, full validity?
• Do you have a consular appointment with enough time before your travel date?
• Have you checked your specific consulate's page, in case it asks for anything extra?

Still have questions about the health insurance?

This is where I can really help. To be clear: I'm not an immigration lawyer or caseworker, so for legal questions about the application itself, an immigration professional or the consulate is your best option. What I do have is experience from helping many people through this exact step, plus everything I keep learning along the way, so I know first-hand which certificates consulates actually ask for, which policies cause problems, and which dates you need to watch so the insurance doesn't hold up your application.

If you'd like, tell me about your situation on WhatsApp at +34 742 060 375 — your country of origin and the type of visa you're applying for — and I'll guide you, no obligation, with what I've seen actually work.

Official sources: Spanish Ministry of Foreign Affairs, European Union and Cooperation (exteriores.gob.es); Spanish Ministry of the Interior; Argentine Foreign Ministry — Apostille and legalisation with international validity (TAD); Colombian Foreign Ministry — Apostille and legalisation procedures.