Hey rbell--
Just so you can mentally prepare yourself, that three hours that Christian waited was to pick up his card... The last time that I picked up my card, I waited around 2 1/2 hours.

If they don't let you go in right away, make sure to ask them every time they come through the line whether you can go in. I think the worst is waiting in line when you aren't sure whether or not they are going to accept your paperwork.

If you can get the ingreso paperwork, then you should be able to run out and pay it and come back with the justificante. Good luck.

Just so you feel better... The wait is shorter in provincial capitals like Palencia. But the functionaries are just as capricious and horrible and cranky and picky, and the Eastern European influx is certainly making things slow down.

I was told early this month my paperwork that says I've applied and am now "awaiting the lamination process" is as good as a visa now...no need to stand in yet another series of lines in New York. Hallelujah! (if it's true.)

Poco a poco. Or, The Waiting Is the Hardest Part.

...now to get a driver's license.

Thanks for the answer. I guess that you just don't drink liquids that morning and hope for the best.

Shawn

I'm going to have to do the run again. I did it Jan 2nd and it was such a mad house they only took the top copy (no finger print photograph etc) and since I haven't heard anything I'm going to take my chance and resubmit the paper work again over easter.

Hey Rob--
I'd recommend asking them about the status of the other paperwork when you get there... Bring along whatever copies you have from that process. I wouldn't assume that it was lost (though you never know...), but you could derail the whole thing if you submit it again without asking about the other process. They should be able to look it up.

Those who don't want to wait in line to submit their papers, might consider getting a lawyer to do it for them. I think Christian paid about 50 euros for this (he was renewing and is using the lawyers for some other stuff, so I'm not sure if that's the going rate or not) and things happened much faster. He still had to wait in line to get his fingerprints and then pick up his card. A lawyer should also be able to check to see where your papers are in "the process." Just a thought... Good luck.

Other people have mentioned using a lawyer (gestor ) but the one we contacted quoted us in the range of 500-1000 eruos. Can you recomend anyone?

thanks Rob

If anyone has a European passport, or is a member of the family of a European, then there is a new style EX16 form on www.mir.es which I think is a model form for an application for a Certificate of Residence for Europeans, and if applicable, Residents Card for the non EU family member/s. So if European, and an application has already gone in for a Card, then I guess it would be a Certificate that will be issued, and not a Card!

Sooz, thank you for posting about EX 16. I have read about it on other forums. Apparently, its a new ¨rule¨ that came into effect earlier this month: http://extranjeros.mtas.es/es/general/Folletocomunitarios2007MODIFICADO.pdf. The form for 'certificado de registro como residente comunitario' can be downloaded at http://www.mir.es/SGACAVT/modelos/extranjeria/modelos_extranje/ex_16.pdf

Quick question - ¨does Oficina de Extranjeros (en su defecto Comisaría de Policía correspondiente)¨ mean the dreaded c/General Pardiñas?

The Nightmare on General Pardinas continues!

I decided to brave the lines ups again today and duly arrived at 7:05 to find that they’ve exercised a little common sense and got some crowd control going. It was very British orderly and well behaved, no pushing and shoving, I even managed to pop out for a bathroom break. The bad news was that I still got there much too late, the line up was around was already around the block and the fuckers inside are pulling a work to rule. 6,5 hours waiting time!!!! I guess they decided that if you want to live in Spain bad enough you can suffer for the privilege of it. Like I said I arrived at Five to Seven to find the line up was already around the block. When I finally got in it was 1:30 and I still had another 20 mins to reach the counter. When I finally got to their the girl looked at my paper work handed it back and stamped a blue sheet of paper and said pay it and hand it to someone else (like the bastards really care that I had to stand in line for 6 plus hours) I have to take the bank and pay 6,70 euros do the whole process all over again. What I don't understand is why they didn't accept my paper work, When my wife did it they accepted it, finger printed her and then mailed the blue paper to her. Anyways I’m going to do it again next week and I’m getting smart. I’ll show up between 5 and 6 AM and bring along a chair to sit in. Being on your feet for 6 hours is exhausting. As well I’ll ask a friend to come along and translate for me (expect I’ll tell her to show up at 9) I want to know if everything is in order.

.

Post Deleted


Reason for Edit: poster has now calmed down and regrets (sort of) the use of such undiplomatic language.

I take exception to the language you have used in the above post Rob, and as such have reported it

How do you know that's what you've been told anyway? I thought you spoke no Spanish.

IMO you do yourself no favours posting as you have done

thanks sue.

and thanks Rob for the very diplomatic post

saludos,
jer...

There are, of course, other alternatives. You can pay someone to do it for you! Here it costs 100€ for an EU citizen, and 200€ for an American citizen. I haven't done residencia for a Canadian citizen, but would presume to charge the same as for an American.

That's it exactly Sue, you hit the nail right on the head, when you said "You can pay someone to do it for you".

That's exactly what I said on here ages ago, and have been saying that to people from all over the world, who have been trying to go through the process of getting enrolled in to Spanish society (and the system) and becoming totally legit with all documentation in order, it is by far the best possible thing to do, to get someone to take all of your stuff from you and do all the donkey work for you, while you just chill out and enjoy you time while waiting for it to be sorted out, it is so much easier, that it's mind blowing, all that queuing up & stuff, and trotting back & forth, is so unnecessary, just pay the man, and let him get it done, so what if it costs whatever it cost's, 100,200,500,1000 euros, big deal, just go & get the money together, beg, steal, borrow, do whatever you gotta do, and pay the man, why put yourself through the meatgrinding machinery of the Spanish bureaucratic system any more than absolutely necessary.

I'm always telling people who ask me, to go and get someone to do it for them for less stress & peace of mind, knowing that any problems that might arise will be dealt with promptly by the person dealing with the case.

That's my 2 centimos worth.

Cheers all.

my company hired lawyers to do the work, which in the end i may end up paying for, but hey- this was my wish and it´s all come true and i´m now 100% in the system. in my two trips to extranjeria i waited 2 hours and 1 hour, respectively, and everything was done on the spot. the total for the lawyers cost 600€.

and, whenever i complain here at work about the terrible spanish buroucracy, i get blasted with a response like this:

"siento que tengas esas incomodidades, pero ya sabes que la burocarcia gringa de inmigración es muchiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiisimo peor y más restrictiva... Eres una privilegiada. Permiso de trabajo, permiso de residencia y tarjeta sanitaria en 7 u 8 meses. En USA, los conyuges extranjeros de ciudadanos americanos -por ejemplo- tardan al menos 4 años en conseguir un permiso de residencia. ¿Por que los americanos siempre creen que tienen el derecho de que se les trate a ellos mejor de lo que ellos tratan al resto de los ciudadanos del mundo? O sea que...un respeto :-)"

Sorry Rob, I know you don´t know much Spanish but hope you can understand that.