Abroad in Spain: Travel Blog » Immigration

The “quick and hassle-free” process of renewing my residency card in Spain

Chris — Wed, 18 Nov 2009 15:03:17 +0000

Last month I picked up my new foreigner residency card at the police station so that I could be “legal” for another year in Spain. This was the first time I have actually had to renew my card from within Spain and I must say that the process, while extremely interesting to me as a foreigner (I’d never seen anything quite like it in my life), was not exactly what I would consider “seamless.”

To give you an idea of what I had to do to get my residency card renewed here in Spain, I’m going to break the process down into steps. So, without further ado, here are the steps along with their approximate dates:

Step 1 (June, 2009): I went to the Foreigner Services Office and requested information about renewing my residency permit. I was given forms to fill out and was told I wouldn’t be able to submit them until August because my current card wasn’t actually due to expire until September.

Step 2 (August, 2009): I returned to the Foreign Services Office and turned in the forms that they had given me in June. But I ran into a problem — I didn’t have all the photocopies I needed (they neglected to tell me about the copies when I went for information the first time). To fix the problem I needed to get photocopies.

Step 3 (August, 2009): I left the Foreign Services Office, walked down the street, and made photocopies at a UPS Store.

Step 4 (August, 2009): I returned to the Foreign Services Office — this time with the correct photocopies — and submitted the paperwork. I was told that the next step would be to wait for a letter to arrive in the mail.

Step 5 (September, 2009): The letter arrived in my mail saying that my request for the renewal of my residency permit was granted. Along with the letter came a form for me to pay a fee into a public account at the bank.

Step 6 (September, 2009): I took the letter to the bank and made the necessary payment. The man at the bank gave me a receipt for me to deliver personally back to the Foreign Services Office.

Step 7 (September, 2009): I delivered the receipt from the bank to the Foreign Services Office. There, they instructed me to go to the main police station of the city with three passport photos so that my foreigner ID card could be made.

Step 8 (September, 2009): I went to the police station and told them I was there to have my ID card made. Once there, they told me that there was another fee that I would have to pay (not the same as the one I paid to the Foreign Services Office) and there were also several other forms I would need to fill out. I got all the information.

Step 9 (September, 2009): After getting the information at the police station, I filled out the forms and made the second payment at the bank. The bank again gave me a receipt. This receipt was to be submitted with the forms at the police station.

Step 10 (September 2009): I returned to the police station with my receipt from the bank. My fingerprints were taken and they told me to return in one month to pick up my new ID card.

Step 11 (October, 2009): After the one-month waiting period, I returned to the police station to pick up my ID card. By this time, I had made so many trips back and forth to public buildings that I practically kissed the officer who handed me the card because I knew it meant the end to my “paperwork madness.”

So, after an eleven-step process that spanned four or five months, I can finally say that I am in possession of my new residency card. For the most part, the public workers who I encountered during this ordeal were friendly and helpful; however, I found all these steps to be, well, a bit illogical and counterproductive. Towards the end, however, the “haphazardness” of the whole process became a bit amusing to me; in fact, I even began to chuckle a bit to myself during one of my several trips between banks and public offices.

So, here is my question to those who have lived in Spain longer than I have. Is everything like this when it comes to submitting paperwork to the government? I would love to hear your stories related with these types of “situations” in Spain. Leave your comments below.

Hasta luego,
–Chris
http://abroadinspain.com

Spain makes changes to its immigration policy…

Chris — Wed, 30 Jul 2008 21:03:53 +0000

According to this article in El País, Spain has made some pretty radical changes to its immigration policy over the last month or so. These changes are in response to the “economic crisis” situation that Spain finds itself in and include things such as giving incentives to legal immigrants who are unemployed to go back to their home country, toughening family reunification criteria, and increasing the amount of time illegals can be held under arrest.

I now find myself wondering what all of this is going to do to immigrants and expats who are currently residing in Spain legally, being good “citizens,” and holding down a job. What kind of message is the Spanish government sending to its citizens about foreigners with these new laws? Will these changes affect how myself and other foreigners in Spain are viewed by the larger Spanish population? I guess I’ll just have to wait and see… leave a comment to let me know what you think.

Hasta luego,
–Chris
http://abroadinspain.com

Immigration info for foreigners in Spain…

Chris — Thu, 17 Jul 2008 20:41:01 +0000

One good resource that all foreigners living in Spain should know about is the Spanish Ministerio de Trabajo e Inmigración’s website. The website actually has a special “foreigner’s section” located at http://extranjeros.mtas.es/ which provides a wealth of information about the documents required for getting work permits for Spain, residency permits for Spain, NIE numbers, etc.

I hope this information has been helpful to someone! Stay tuned for more….

Hasta luego,
–Chris
http://abroadinspain.com

How to get a Student Visa to go to Spain…

Chris — Mon, 02 Jun 2008 11:47:22 +0000

The next step in preparing for the scholarship that I have been awarded is to apply for a Student Visa to go to Spain. I have studied abroad in Spain before so this is actually the second time that I have had to apply for a Student Visa. I’d like to outline the general process for applying for a visa to study abroad in Spain in this post. Please remember that this information is just a guide which was written in June of 2008 – always check with your local consulate for updated information before applying for a visa.

Find a Spanish Consulate in the USA:
In most cases, you must apply for a visa in person at the appropriate Spanish Consulate. There are several Consulate Generals of Spain throughout the USA. Each consulate has a different jurisdiction and it is your responsibility to get to the one that serves your state. You can use this webpage (in Spanish) to look up the consulate in your jurisdiction. Remember to make sure that you go to the right consulate – you may want to call and make sure that the one you are planning to use serves your state. Also remember that you may be required to make an appointment before showing up at a consulate. Call to find out.

Once you find the consulate in your jurisdiction, you can go to their webpage and get specific instructions for obtaining a student visa. I’m going to outline the general procedure below….

General requirements for a Spanish Student Visa:
My nearest consulate is located in New York City; thus, these requirements are from their website. You may need to check with the consulate in your jurisdiction for more specific, updated requirements. Basically, you need the following documents to apply for a Student Visa:

Two Schengen Visa Forms: You can get these from the consulate’s website. Remember that both forms must be filled out and signed by hand. You cannot fill out one form and then simply photocopy it to get the second one. Also, these forms are two pages long and must be printed back-to-back. Do not print the two pages of the form on two separate sheets of paper and then staple page one to page two.
Passport and Secondary ID: You will need to bring a valid passport (that is valid the entire period of study) to the consulate along with a secondary form of ID (your driver’s license or ID card, in most cases). They will give your secondary ID back to you; however, they will keep your passport so that they can affix the visa to it. Your passport will be returned to you in the mail with the visa affixed.
Two Recent Passport Photos: You can get passport photos at drugstore chains like CVS and Rite Aid. They are also available at most photography stores and travel agents. A set of two typically costs between $10.00 and $15.00. You need to staple one passport photo on each of the two Schengen Visa Forms. There is a spot on the form where you should staple them.
Study Abroad Acceptance Letter: This is a letter from your school or university that tells the good people at the consulate that you’re really going to Spain for studies and not for some other purpose. You should get this letter from the school you’re planning on attending in Spain or, in my case, I’ll get the letter from the people who are giving me the scholarship. There are certain things that must be stated in this letter, but it’s the school’s responsibility to include everything… not yours.
Proof of Medical Insurance: Americans are not covered by the Spanish Health System; thus, you need to buy private insurance in order to live in Spain to study. In most cases, insurance is provided by the university or program through which you’re studying and usually proof of health insurance is included in the previously-mentioned “Study Abroad Acceptance Letter” (see above). If your acceptance letter doesn’t mention that you’ll have health insurance, you’ll need to provide some other form of proof.
Proof of Financial Means: You need to prove to them that you’ll have money to study abroad in Spain. Normally, there is a statement in the previously-mentioned “Study Abroad Acceptance Letter” that says that everything is pre-paid or that you’re receiving a scholarship, etc. If your acceptance letter doesn’t state that, you’ll need bank statements to prove that you have enough money to live in Spain or a letter from some other person assuming financial responsibility for you in Spain. Contact your consulate for more specific details if you have questions.
Medical Statement: This document is only required if you’re staying over six months in Spain. You need to have your doctor write you a statement on doctor’s office stationary (with a letterhead). The letter should say that the student is physically and mentally able to study abroad and that he or she does not have any contagious diseases, drug addiction, severe mental illness, or any other disease that would prohibit him or her from studying abroad. Remember that your doctor must hand sign this letter (no rubber stamps allowed).
Certificate of Absence of Police Records: This document is only required if you’re staying over six months in Spain. Basically, you need a criminal background check and it must be notarized and sealed with the Apostille of the Hague. See my post on obtaining a Criminal Record check with the Apostille of the Hague for more details.
Prepaid, Self-Addressed “Express Mail” Envelope: As I mentioned above, the consulate will keep your passport and mail it back to you with the visa affixed; thus, you will need to supply the consulate with a pre-paid, SASE in which to return the visa to you. The only type of envelope accepted is a USPS Express Mail Envelope. Go to your local post office and ask for one of the flat rate express mail envelopes. They cost about $16.50 but ensure that you will have enough postage. Once you buy the envelope you’ll have to address it to yourself and bring it with you to the consulate.
Money Order for Visa Fee: The visa costs $100.00 and must be paid by a money order made out to the “Consulado de España.”

**If you’re under 18, you may need a letter from your parents (notarized) that says you’re allowed to study abroad. Contact the consulate for details.

Submit the documents and wait:
Once you gather all of the above-mentioned documents, you need to go trotting off to the consulate. Remember to bring the original and two photocopies of any of the papers you are submitting (police records, health statements, acceptance letters, insurance papers, etc.). They do keep the originals and photocopies of the legal documents. I always like to bring a couple extra passport photos as well and extras of anything else I think they may need.

As I mentioned above, they will keep your passport and all your photocopies and mail back your passport and visa once it has been processed (the visa is nothing more than a little slip of paper they put inside your passport). It typically takes at least two months to process the visa so be sure to apply ahead of time. In most consulates you can apply for a visa up to four months before the date you are entering Spain and no later than seven weeks early. Check with the consulate in your jurisdiction for specific times.

One last note about visa duration:
If you are planning on studying abroad in Spain for three to six months, you will be issued a visa for the amount of time requested (up to six months) and that visa will be mailed to you with your passport as I mentioned above; however, if you are going to be in Spain to study for more than six months, you will apply for a year-long visa but will only be granted a three-month provisionary visa (this is what they’ll send to you when they send your passport back in the SASE). You will use that provisionary visa to enter Spain and once in Spain you will have to apply for an extension at the local police station or an Oficina de Extranjería. The extension is basically always granted and you will receive a NIE card which will allow you to be in Spain to study for up to a year. Your NIE number is almost like an American Social Security number and will let you open a bank account, etc. Remember, you cannot work in Spain on a Student Visa.

I hope that this information has been helpful to you. If you have any comments or questions, be sure to leave them on this post and maybe I (or someone else) will have an answer. Please remember, I am not a visa expert and I have posted this information as a guide to try to be helpful. I cannot guarantee that this information is 100% accurate or up-to-date and I recommend that you check with your consulate before applying for a visa. I wish you luck in your visa process… it really isn’t as hard as it looks.

Hasta luego,
–Chris
http://abroadinspain.com

What’s up with immigration in Spain?

Chris — Mon, 12 May 2008 03:16:24 +0000

In recent years immigrants have been arriving to Spain in swarms looking for better lives. They have mainly come from places like Africa, Romania, Bulgaria, and some South American countries like Colombia. Immigration, of course, is something that Spain hasn’t really had to deal with much before and the topic of immigration nowadays is quite “hot” in the country. In fact, Spaniards are now finding themselves faced with the question of what to do with immigrants arriving to Spain. But those immigrants who are just arriving are not the only worry of Spaniards; according to this recent article in El País, the future of the sons and daughters of new immigrants is also uncertain.

According to the article, many sons and daughters of immigrants in Spain are experiencing a sort of “identity crisis.” They aren’t “Spaniards” because they were born of foreign parents and don’t “look like Spaniards;” however, they also don’t really associate themselves with the culture from which their parents came because they have been living in Spain practically all their lives and have in essence been removed from their “home land” before they really had time to live there. The article also goes into issues of teasing and discrimination that many sons and daughters of immigrants can face at school and when looking for jobs. Still, despite these hardships, the article mentions that most immigrants do not regret their decision to move to Spain.

I thought I would write in response to the article in El País because I have seen the immigration issue in Spain first-hand. During my last trip to Spain, I volunteered with the Spanish Red Cross in Valladolid and worked especially with the Immigration Department of the Red Cross. The Immigration Department at the Red Cross has a lot of services for those new to the country; however, I concentrated my work in the “integración social” (social integration) area of assistance. My main task was to teach Spanish to those immigrants who didn’t already know it and to work in elementary schools with high immigrant populations and explain cultural acceptance to the youngsters at those schools.

I feel like the work that I did at the Red Cross made a big difference – especially when I went into elementary schools to talk about cultural diversity; however, I was often greeted with hostility by other Spaniards for my work with immigrants. The truth is that some Spaniards view immigrants as “threats” to their country’s security and, during my previous trip to Spain, I met Spaniards who did not like the fact that I was helping the Red Cross provide services to immigrant families. In fact, the discrimination that is talked about in the article on immigration in El País is very real in Spain… I saw it first hand in my Red Cross work.

I am grateful that my work with the immigrants of the Red Cross allowed me to see the immigrant’s side of the issue. After working with the Red Cross for a while, I soon found that many of the people who had decided to move to Spain had worked very hard to do so and were only interested in a better life for themselves and their families. In fact, most of the immigrant men that I gave Spanish classes to had left their wives and children in their birth countries until their economic situation in Spain was such that they could bring their wives, sons, and daughters to the country… this “splitting” of the family (coupled with no knowledge of the Spanish Language and Culture) was hard on the immigrants I worked with.

Of course, there are always two side to the coin. Some immigrants do place a burden on the Spanish system by cramming themselves into over-crowded, crappy apartments and some do bring guns and weapons into the country. I, however, did not witness much of this firsthand where I was living in Valladolid. Also, they say that if it weren’t for the immigrants who are entering Spain, the country would experience negative population growth. So… who’s right?

Honestly, I don’t know what the real “answer” to the immigration issue in Spain is and I’d love to get some of the opinions of my readers in this post. Do immigrants help Spain? Do they pose a threat? How much discrimination do you feel exists against immigration in Spain? What is you reaction to the El País article that I cited above? Please remember that I’m not talking about expatriates in this post (those who move to Spain because they simply “like” life there better); instead, I’m talking about those who move to Spain because their economic situation in their home country is so poor that they see no other way to survive but immigration. I’d love to hear what others who have witnessed immigration in Spain think about the issue… please leave your comments here.

Hasta luego,
Chris
http://www.abroadinspain.com