Job Discussion Forums

[gatosazules]

Hi everyone,

I am in the process of applying to the language assistant program in Spain (consejerias exteriores de ministerio de educacion) and I am a little confused about which documents are required to be submitted IN PERSON once I arrive in Spain.

I'm assuming that the PDF, the passport copy, the diploma copy and the letter of acceptance are required, but is the letter of recommendation from my professor required to be submitted in person as well?

Thank you!

[littlelauren86]

I'm wondering that too. Try calling your consulate to see I guess?

[Grimace420]

Ahhh, the joys of vague information regarding the language assistant program.

I remember we got a formal letter (which I've probably still got lying around somewhere) stating that we were to apply for a NIE immediately upon arriving in Spain and that failure to do so could have grave consequences like not getting paid until we had it . . . so I went around like a lunatic in my first days in Spain desperately trying to find a place I could apply for this so-called NIE, standing in line with tons of other immigrants from weird and wonderful countries for hours, listening to them complain about losing money from having to take time off work to renew their visas, trying to get someone with half a clue to tell me where I should be going for what I needed under the hot September sun in Madrid, having policemen working outside the places telling me they had no idea where I needed to go, but that it certainly wasn't there, or finally that I was in the right place, but they only processed that on Monday mornings and since it was Monday afternoon now after waiting for 5 hours that I was shit out of luck.

With that last experience, I put my middle finger up to the whole process and said I'd rather live as an illegal immigrant than endure the indignity of Spanish bureaucracy. As it turned out, the people in charge of the program were going to take care of everything for us and we got paid even without having our NIEs. Would have been nice to know that BEFORE I wasted half my life desperately trying to get my NIE on my own . . . but what can you do?

So relax. It'll be the same in your case. You don't need the letter of recommendation from your college professors or your diplomas. I believe the letter of acceptance is useful, as it justifies your reason for being in Spain. You'll also need your health insurance card, but you'll get that once you're in Spain. Anyway, the people in charge of the language assistant programs will take care of it and basically if you get your 3-month student visa, you're good to go from there. It's their program and you're their responsibility once you're in Spain and admitted as a (semi-legal) student worker with the visa stamp in your passport. And in any case, they take a damn long time to give you your NIE anyway. I remember waiting until March until I finally got the card, which meant I spent a grand total of 6 months without a national identity card and on an expired visa. Imagine if the Spanish police had done a random ID check on me in the metro as they do most days. I could have been arrested on the spot! Oh, wait. I forgot that I'm white and they only ask people of non-European origin to show their residence papers.

http://minotauro.periodismohumano.com/files/2010/11/poolicia-redada1.jpg
http://www.diagonalperiodico.net/IMG/jpg/_MG_3254-2.jpg