University of Wisconsin business students seeking to go to Spain next semester learned Thursday they will be able to receive their visas in time for the trip.

Over the last two weeks, students planning on going abroad to Spain were informed of a situation at the Spanish consulate that could prevent them from receiving student visas — a document required for non-working students to gain entrance into the country.

"The students began to e-mail me with worries," Judith Hanson, Assistant Director of International Programs at the School of Business, said. "At the same time I was receiving e-mails from colleagues that their students were in trouble."

Due to a lack of employees and more stringent visa policies resulting from the 2004 Madrid train bombings, the Spanish consulate in Chicago announced they would no longer be accepting visa appointments until at least the end of January — weeks after students were to arrive overseas.

"They faced what was a crunch in terms of student visa appointments," Hanson said. "Apparently there were a set number of appointments [and] they filled early."

Hanson, via e-mail correspondence with the consulate, was able to switch a pre-scheduled student appointment in November into a group appointment. By setting a group appointment, Hanson will be able to bring the necessary papers for those out of the 16 students who had not scheduled one in time.

It is still undetermined as to whether the remaining students in other abroad programs to Spain will be able to receive visas for the spring 2006 semester.

However, for business students seeking a spring semester in Spain, Hanson's efforts have come as a sigh of relief.

UW junior Blake Arnold, who will spend the spring semester in Spain, said he found out about the group appointment Wednesday morning and was delighted his visa situation appears to be resolved.

"It's really relieving," he said. "Overall, I can be excited again about going abroad again."

To resolve the situation for students planning to go to Spain through other programs, International Studies Division officials are working diligently to work with the Spanish embassy and may possibly pursue a group appointment similar to the business school's.

UW communications representative John Lucas said the group appointment resolution for School of Business students is a step in the right direction, and efforts will continue to bring the remaining abroad students to Spain next semester.

"It's good news," he said. "I know the staff [in the International Studies Division] is working exceptionally hard to smooth this out for all the students looking to go to Spain."

UW junior Erin Vandin Brook is one of the students not in the business school seeking to spend spring semester in Spain and said she was frustrated, but hopeful the situation would get figured out.

"It's just kind of frustrating because you get so far … then something like this comes up and you have to re-think your entire semester," she said.

Because the Chicago consulate issues visas for residents in all Midwestern states and others as far west as North Dakota, students at numerous other universities are experiencing the same difficulties.

"I know the problem is widespread," Hanson said. "I feel quite lucky that our situation seems, at the moment, to be under control."