When I messaged an American friend here in Seville about my plans to build a website to help people figure out their residence visa process, she replied: Are you SURE you want to do that??? That job is is my worst nightmare!!!?
She had a point. Revisiting the eight Spanish consulate websites for each one’s requirements – yes, each consulate has unique specifics – did make me wonder if I should find a different hobby. I love research. Truly, I do. But deciphering the labyrinth of the visa application process made for an incredible waste of time. I hate wasting my time.
Why All the Confusion?
The information on the individual consulate websites is convoluted at best, non existent at worst. Why each consulate has unique requirements is… odd. Supposedly all the decision making is done in Spain. Not a single one stated in layman terms what was meant by a “Certified” Translator. How that differed from someone who simply spoke fluent Spanish? Nada. Where to go to solicit your own criminal background check? Hmmmm. Should I get birth and marriage certificates translated first, then “authenticated” with the Apostille of the Hague? Or the other way around, so that the Apostille is “certified translated” too? Does the Apostille even need to be translated? And, really, just what is an Apostille anyway?
It doesn’t need to be that hard. A meticulous effort in documentation gathering and stoic patience in the face of multiple government bureaucracies? Unavoidable. Laborious hours decoding obscure terminology and poorly delineated instructions before you even figure out what questions you need to ask? Waste of time.
To learn more about applying for temporary residency in Spain, click here. For a little dose of reality — with a bit of a comic relief thrown in — read the story of our journey to get our non lucrative visa and residency card. If you’ve already done your research and are ready to get your Spanish visa application underway? Find your consulate.