Thanks very much to jer for administering this site and everyone who participates, I've gotten a lot of answers to long-standing questions by searching your posts.

My work is (trying) to transfer me to Madrid. We started the application for a work-residency permit/visa in March of this year and finished it just before May. We were told we'd get a response within 3 months. That would have been August and here we are in October and still no word.

I know I've got the bad luck of being on the wrong side of the legalization of a large amount of immigrant residents. But I was curious how long other people have had to wait for this sort of permit? Anyone still waiting out there? Can I hope to be Madrid-bound before the end of this year??

Thanks!

hi ADP, welcome to the board.

well, you are one of the lucky ones (as long as the visa comes through) since most americans would KILL to be in your shoes and have a job in u.s.a. that wants to send them over to madrid. what a dream situation, a u.s. salary and living here in madrid

it is for that same reason that you may not get many responses here since there are VERY FEW people who have been as lucky as you.

i for one waited about 45 days for my residency permission but i applied as an eu citizen as i have both an american and british passport.

i guess i could have experimented and tried to get it with my u.s. passport but i was not feelin lucky punk

by the way, that was many moons ago.

saludos & keep us updated,
jer...

I was one of those lucky ones . It IS a great deal.

But I did it illegally unfortunately, as my company couldn't get their act together and do anything right when it came to visas. There were three of us - two Americans (one married with 2 kids who came with) and one Colombian (talk about being here illegal.. she went through five 90 day tourist visas and came in through 3 different countries).

We eventually hired a law firm with offices in Madrid (and all over the world) to handle the process as the allegedly were experts in this sort of thing. They sucked. We paid them ungodly amounts of money (I'm embarrassed to mention the amount) and they did nothing of any value as far as I could see.

Long story short, I arrived in Madrid in Oct 2003. I think we finally filled out paperwork in Feb 2004. We were told we'd need to go back to the US in three months to finish all the paperwork at our local consulate. That came and went. My coworker was finally approved and went and got his in September 2004... Mine was actually rejected! However, I stuck around as there was still work to be done on my project, and I even managed to make 2 more trips back to the US before leaving for good in Feb 2005.

Our lawyers told us that once we had filed all the paperwork, they couldn't deport us (I have no idea if that's actually true). However if we left, they could deny us re-entry. A few trips I came back in through other Schengen countries (who also could have denied me entry, but it seemed like a safer bet), and in the end I never had any problems. Other than being stressed out and pissed at my company for putting me in such a situation. Though I did get to live in Madrid for 16 months, so I can't complain TOO much

Hope your experience is better than mine! I'm actually not convinced that our lawyers even applied for the right visa, so who knows. But best of luck!

hey Beth, loooong time, hope all is well.
thanks for popping in, even if your answer will surely depress the blazes out of ADP

quote:

Our lawyers told us that once we had filed all the paperwork, they couldn't deport us (I have no idea if that's actually true).

yes, this has some truth to it but filling out the papers is not enough, they have to file them as well and as you said, maybe they never even did. it is called "en tramite" and means your application is being reviewed. not sure how long one can use that excuse but i know it is true, it is like a limbo period.

saludos,
jer...

I was just trying to set his expectations SO LOW, that he'll be psyched when it works out better for him

I don't think you can set my expectations any lower at this point BethT! The Madrid office also hired some lawyers, but much more than that I don't know.

My company had no idea the ordeal it would be getting this sort of visa. When I accepted the offer we originally thought to get me there by April! I've moved twice since then, since we keep thinking the visa will come by a stated deadline that is obviously more a suggestion than a rule.

At the same time if I do get rejected (it's very possible, as demonstrated here!) we are now working on that 1-year, 1-time renewable work visa. I hear that's comparatively a breeze to get if you've got the sponsorship. I hope so. My current apt is a sublet and runs until the end of December. If there is one truth in this world, it's that you don't want to be moving in Chicago in the winter!

Update : We found out in mid November that they had in fact lost my visa application. When they did find it, it was in the wrong department. They recommended that we start over.

At which point we decided the can the whole thing. Really quite amazing. Instead I am now moving to our Amsterdam office, where the estimated time for a visa is 1 month. Hopefully this time they are right!

I wish you all well, thanks for your help.

hey ADP.

thanks soooo much for the update, i wish more people would come back and do what you have done.

sorry to hear that your spain move was destroyed by incompetency.

one question... what does amsterdam have to do with madrid?

just curious, was your move just to get out of u.s.a.? did you have a preference of where you wanted to transfer to?

i know, as you said...

quote:

My work is (trying) to transfer me to Madrid.

... so it was them (your company) who wanted to send you here or you wanted to come?

at any rate, enjoy amsterdam, i have never been but will visit one day as i have heard GREAT things

saludos,
jer...

I speak French as well as Spanish. So I'll be helping to cover the Benelux region, including Belgium.