Ellis,
About waiting in line at the Consulate...the hours for visas are from 8am-12pm. When you arrive, go to the extreme far left window and ask for a number. They start giving numbers at 8 a.m. I went two times, and both times the wait was less than 45 min.

If you could arrive earlier in the week, I think that would be better. There were less people there on Mon than Tues.

I'm not sure what to tell you about your passport stamps. What I can tell you is that they only looked at the first page in my passport. The consular officer didn't look at the other pages.

If I were you, I wouldn't volunteer any information about where I've been. The only conversation I had with the officer, was just her asking for my documents. She didn't ask any other questions. All she wanted were the documents. As long is your paperwork is in order, you shouldn't have too many problems.

I hope this helps. If there is any more questions, you have, please post them here.

Thanks for the info. I will update the board after the process.

Yep, got some more questions.

It says that we need proof of financial means for up to a year. Can we really have a letter from our parents (notorized) that says they take all financial responsibility? I think that is probably the easiest option. That way I won't have to show my bank statements, and won't have to answer questions about where I am making my money. Do you have any suggestions?

Appreciate your help.

Caroline

Hi, Ellis,

I think you have a good idea to have your parents write the letter of finacial support. Let me give you the directions quoted from the consulate:

"Evidence of funds:"
"Notarized letter of parents or custodians, assuming full financial responsiblity for at least $1,000 per month of stay for room and board. Suggested wording; 'I hearby certify that I the (mother, father, other) of (name of student) will support him/her a monthly allowance of $1,000 while he/she is in Spain and that I am financially responsible for any emergency that may arise."

So if your parents are willing to write the letter and have it notarized, I think that should work. Then you won't have to show your own bank statements.

Hello everyone,

It turns to be that I can only stay in Spain for 6 months and this visa cannot be renewed. Also, I cannot apply for a student card because this 6 month visa won´t allow me to do that.

I have been in Spain for 5 months. Yes, my visa is going to expire next month. They said the only choice I have is to go back to my country and get a new visa.

The problem is that I am going to get married with my Spanish boyfriend but because of the tons of paperwork, we won´t make it before the visa expiration date. More importantly, I am 10 week pregnant!!!

In this case, can I renew my visa or what do I do? I am so lost. Please advice. Thank you.

BooBoo--

Congratulations on the baby and impending marriage!

It's very strange that you weren't able to get a student residency card... (really it's "estancia," not "residencia"). Is it the fact that it was only six months and not a year that is the problem? (I know someone who had one for nine months that got the card renewed...)

My visa was also a type D (for a year) and I was able to get the card and renew with no problem. I've been doing this for three years. I do think that after the first 90 days have gone by they won't issue the card and therefore you can't extend the "estancia/residencia." But a lawyer might be able to help you get around this... have you talked to one?

I also know someone who was illegal (from Brazil) and, once she got married, she was able to get her residency here without having to return to her country. She used a lawyer and it took six months or so, but she managed it. And I believe she had the right to be here while everything was "en trámite."

If I were you, I would try talking to a lawyer to see what your best options are. It's not as expensive to use one as you might think--definitely a lot less than having to return to your country and wait it out... I can ask my SO for the number of his, if you want.

Good luck--keep us posted on how it goes, okay?


P.S. I've heard that it's quicker/less papeleo to get married in the Catholic church than it is to have a civil marriage. Might be worth looking into.

quote:

as.

the ease of doing things in english via david certainly has its price. it is good to start out but $105 a month is steep to continue on long-term.

saludos,
jer...

Digging back in this thread... Actually there's no premium for going through David Harris. He charges exactly the same for BUPA, Sanitas, etc. as you pay if you got straight through the company. It's the consulate that is causing the problem by stubbornly refusing to accept regular private insurance and requiring more expensive travel insurance when they issue the visa. Thankfully, once here, the comisaría here in Madrid does accept Sanitas or any other private insurance when you go to get your residency.

Other than the English language thing, another advantage to using David Harris to set up Sanitas is that he can do it with a credit card and he will use a temporary address for you while you are getting set up in Madrid. When I was doing this three years ago, when I tried to go straight through Sanitas, they required Spanish bank account info for an ingreso--which made it nearly impossible to set up from the US, since I didn't have a Spanish bank account. Maybe this has changed. David also messengered our cards to us as soon as we got to Madrid and could give him an address. He's the man.

Hola mariposita,

Thanks a lot for your reply. Recently, we got a letter from Registro Civil. We will have an interview with them at the end of this month. Let´s see what will happen next. I heard they ask some private questions to check if you really live with your partner!!!

Will keep you posted!!!

The requirements for student visas have changed in the last couple of years and now if you get a 6 month visa (one semester) you cannot apply for a student ID card. If you intend to come study in Spain for a year you have to make sure and request a 3 month visa and then before it expires you start the student ID application and they give you a card that allows you to stay in Spain studying for the remainder of the year. Once you have the student ID card you can just renew it if you're still studying and there's no need to get another visa.
On thing that you should keep in mind BooBoo though is that once the visa expires, if you are a US citizen you still have 90 more days that you can stay in Spain as a tourist. So if you do get married before that and start paperwork towards becoming legal then you're ok, and while the paperwork is being done, no matter how long it takes, you're legal and ok.
Good luck and congratulations.
Lena