Oh fantastic. Finally!

Congrats and love to you all!

Another step in the process completed! I got my work visa!

Ok, this ONLY applies to the Boston consulate, but this is what I did. They made me fax in my work authorization paper ahead of time and then gave me an "appointment." I ran around and collected photos, the police record, with apostille and medical certificate. For the latter, I did EXACTLY what binxx said-I went to a walk-in clinic, told them what I needed the letter to say (using the exact wording from the website), and told them to do whatever tests they needed to in order to write such a letter. In their case, they did a drug test, blood tests, a TB skin test, and the mental health test ("Do you have any suicidal or homicidal tendencies?" "No" "Are you on any medication?" "No" Test done).

I showed up at the Boston Consulate on Wednesday with all the papers listed on the website as well as copies and stood at the back of a 20 person line. The office was FILLED with students getting their visas. When I got to the front, they were just as charming as you would expect. Took one look at my application (downloaded off their website and filled out as per their directions) and literally threw it back in my face. Apparently they would only accept it if printed double-sided! Of course NO MENTION of that detail on the site! And, a random supplement document they wanted me to fill out that was NOWHERE on their site. They made me do all the paperwork over and make copies AND then stand in the back of the 20 person line again! Thank God Jamie stood in line for me while I filled everything out! Then, finally, when they grudgingly accepted the papers, I was told to sit and wait. So we sat and waited for approximately another 2 hours after which point they came out and told me they had accepted the papers and I should pay. They had told me it could take 1-2 weeks to get the visa, but they told me to call them on Monday, because it could be ready. As it turned out-THEY called me on Friday to tell me it was ready. It only took them two days! We drove back down to Boston, waited a bit more in line, they gave me back the work authorization, medical certificate and police record telling me I would need it in Spain. Even then they were NASTY. Truly awful people.

Now, my lawyer has asked for the appointment to get the residency card-even though I technically have only 30 days, they are so far behind, it is scheduled for mid-February. For that I am getting my empadronamiento (you can do it in the mail, apparently-all the info is online at munimadrid.es) and have to do the alta in the Social Security. So the saga continues!!!!

yay, congrats Wendy! Glad my medical advice worked out. Regarding the run around you got at the Boston consulate, it´s so different from what I had in DC. First, I had no line but that might have been timing. And they barely glanced at my papers before saying to call in a week. But in the end, you got it quickly so that´s great!

Regarding getting the residence card, who do you have an appointment with? Did your lawyer get an appointment for you in Aluche? Or where is the appointment for? When I got back with my papers, I just took all my documents (I was on my own at that point, no more lawyer assistance) and waited in line at Aluche. I had tried to make an appointment but no one answered the phones (big surprise).

It´s been one year for me, so it is exactly time for me to apply for my permit renewal!

Christian got his appointment (through his lawyer) at Aluche. I think it's next week, so I'll post back after... Getting the social security number was really easy. He got it on the spot at the Tesoría location on Calle de la Cruz. He had to bring his passport and empadronamiento. He only had to wait a few minutes (though, of course, you never know).

That thing about posting the forms online and then refusing to accept them is sooo typical. The same thing has happened to me a couple of times. The worst was when I applied to get my degree convalidated. The form was eight pages long with a million details and I had typed it all up in a PDF and it looked immaculate. They wouldn't take it, because the form they had in the office was two big pieces of paper folded in half as opposed to four separate sheets. I had to rewrite the whole thing in my horrible handwriting with a kajillion scratch-outs. Bah.

Binxx, yes, the lawyer got the appointment at la Brigada Provincial de Extranjería y Documentación ubicada en la Avda. de los Poblados, s/n. Metro de Aluche. I don't know why I have the appointment, but it is ok, because I have a couple of hoops to jump through first (getting the empadronamiento, then the social security). But first, I need to get myself an employment contract! Oh it is fun being both the employee and the employer!

Mariposita-EXACTLY! What a way to run stuff! Off to do more! Thanks so much again for all the support and advice!!!!!

Hey everyone, been awhile.

I am compiling info and wondering who are the best immigration lawyers in Madrid...any recommendations?

Thanks,

Phil

Anyone? No one knows a good lawyer?

Anyway, I wanted to give a shout out to everyone who has been through the residency process, especially Americans, who wouldn't mind telling their stories for our new series, The Road To Residency. Just shoot me an email to residency@mapmagazine.com if I can do an interview (for a written feature or possible audio podcast of your story).

Thanks!

Phil

Ok, finally finishing this process-only took a year!

But had to establish the whole company first and then do all my stuff. For just my paperwork, if you count that we asked for the appointment in June, it will be about 10 months total from that till I receive the residency card itself.

Empadronamiento was easy-you can do it in the mail or in person. Warning: now they require you call first to get an appointment at almost all locations (not Plaza Mayor-just get there at 9-or they will have given out all the numbers for the day). It takes two days to get a certificado (which I needed for my residence card), but you walk out with a volante the same day. But pretty easy. Afiliation in the social security also easy-done on the spot with the volante from the Empadronamiento. (well, why not? I am signing up to give them money!)

And the residence card process was not as bad as I expected. My lawyer got me an appointment out at Aluche (no, I don't know how-nor did this save her standing in line once there). The bad news-you still have to stand in line. The good news is that they are handling different nationalities in different places, so the lines were not as bad as I expected. I am not sure who goes where, but there was a big sign on the wall saying that Rumanians and Bulgarians need to go to General Pardiñas.

Granted, the lawyer went and stood in line and called me an hour before we were up, BUT, I had heard stories of 10 hour days and she showed up at 9:30 and we were seen and out of there by around 12:00. And the guy we saw was superfriendly! Frankly the Spaniards in Spain in this process have been really nice-it was only the folks at the consulate in Boston who were horrible (also clueless-they insisted the police record check and med letter were not for them, but for the police in Spain for my residency card-uh, NO!) My lawyer was surprised by how not horrifying the lines were-she also cautions that the afternoon shift has even less lines. So now I go back after 40 days to pick up the actual card. You do walk out that day with a receipt with your NIE that supposedly shows you are a resident. We will see if anyone accepts it!

Hey Wendy--
Christian's lawyers told him to go after 4:00. He had to wait about an hour outside and a half an hour inside. Not so bad, all things considered.