Postby KJP Granada » Sun Feb 11, 2024 10:40 am
I applied through the Manchester consulate at the end of last year, and found them both helpful and fast. You just pick one of the available dates for interview on the on-line system, rock up with all your paperwork - in order! - and have, what for me and my partner, was a brief interview. It’s not actually an interview - they just go through the paperwork, rejecting any that are incorrect/incomplete. Assuming your set of papers is fine, as mine was, they then ship the whole lot to Madrid and you wait for an email. In our case, this took just over four weeks - though the website says it can take up to three months. I understand the autumn/winter period is quicker, as Madrid has fewer applications to go through. One crucial point - they will NOT retain your passport during the application process. I was told - by my Spanish lawyer! - that they would, which was a problem as I needed to be in Spain in the intervening period, but they didn’t. You then get the email confirming your second appointment, rock up with your passports and, in our case, return four hours later to collect them, with the visas pasted in. Bob’s your uncle. Let me know if you need anything else. All the best with the application.
