Spain Visa from UK – 5 Easy Steps to Apply for Spanish Schengen Visa

Spain is known for its delicious cuisine, nightlife and history and you won’t have far to go to find these things in this beautiful Schengen country. Valencia is the birthplace of paella, the islands of Ibiza and Majorca are the best places for partying, and Cadiz and Cordoba have some magnificent historic attractions. The Mediterranean coastline and the Canary Islands are where you’ll find some of the best beaches in Spain and for fantastic hiking opportunities, go to Central Cordillera or the Pyrenees. In this article learn more about how to apply for Spain visa at the Spanish consulate in UK, London, Edinburgh, Manchester, Spain visa appointment booking, Processing time at the Spain visa application center, flight itinerary for Spain visa, hotel bookings for Spain visa, Schengen travel insurance for Spain visa application, and Spain Visa Application Process at the London, Edinburgh and Manchester embassy.

Spain Schengen Visa

In 2018, Spanish Embassies and Consulates around the world received 1,701,379 visa applications. Of this total, 157,494 (9.3%) were not issued. The Consulate General of Spain in London received 20,508 applications and rejected 298 (1.5%).

Applying for a Spain Schengen Visa from the United Kingdom         

If you are from the following countries, you do not need to apply for a visa for Spain:

If you are a citizen of any other country and you currently live in the United Kingdom, you need to apply for a visa to be able to enter and stay in Spain. However, you must be able to prove you have a legal right to stay in the UK, otherwise, you need to apply from your home country.

You should apply at the Spanish embassy/consulate if:

1. Spain is the only Schengen country you are going to
2. Spain is your main destination and you will spend the most time there
3. Spain is the first country you are going to

When you apply for your Spain visa, you can submit your application to:

1. The Consulate General of Spain in London
2. The Consulate General of Spain in Edinburgh
3. BLS International in London
4. BLS International in Manchester
5. BLS International in Edinburgh

You have to make sure you apply at the right Spanish embassy and consulate. The consulate in London deals with visa applications from residents of the following areas:

1. Bedfordshire, Berkshire, Blaenau Gwent, Bridgend, Bristol, Buckinghamshire, Caerphilly, Carmarthenshire, Cambridgeshire, Cardiff, Ceredigion, Conwy, Cornwall, Denbighshire, Derbyshire, Devon, Dorset, East Sussex, East Riding of Yorkshire, Essex, Flintshire, Gloucestershire, Greater London, Gwynedd, Hampshire, Herefordshire, Hertfordshire, Isle of Anglesey, Isle of Wight, Isles of Scilly, Kent, Leicestershire, Lincolnshire, Merthyr Tydfil, Monmouthshire, Neath Port Talbot, Newport, Norfolk, Northamptonshire, Nottinghamshire, Oxfordshire, Pembrokeshire, Powys, Rhondda Cynon Taf, Rutland, Shropshire, Somerset, South Yorkshire, Staffordshire, Suffolk, Surrey, Swansea, Torfaen, Vale of Glamorgan, Warwickshire, West Midlands, West Sussex, Wiltshire, Worcestershire, Wrexham

This Consulate General also has jurisdiction on the following:

1. Bermuda, Cayman Islands, Falkland Islands, Gibraltar, Guernsey, Jersey, Isle of Man

The consulate in Edinburgh deals with visa applications from residents of the following areas:

1. Scotland and Scottish Islands, Northern Ireland, Cleveland, Cumbria, Durham, Cheshire, Greater Manchester, Lancashire, Merseyside, North Yorkshire, Northumberland, Tyne & Wear, West Yorkshire

It is up to the consulate in London to process your application and make the final decision.

Types of Schengen Visas Offered by the Consulate General of Spain in London

There are different types of visas you can apply for and the one you need will depend on the duration of your trip and your reason for traveling to Spain:

1. Schengen short-stay visa – for stays up to 90 days for the purposes of tourism, business, airport transit or visiting family/friends. This visa may be issued for one, two or multiple entries
2. National long-stay visa – for stays exceeding 90 days for the purposes of employment, study, research, family unification, residence etc. This visa is issued for one or multiple entries

Spain Schengen Visa Application Process in the United Kingdom

Visa applications are processed within 15 days, so you should apply at least 15 days prior to your departure date. Certain applications could take as many as 4 weeks or longer, so you should apply well in advance. You can apply up to 90 days ahead, so don’t leave it too late!

There are a few steps involved when applying for a Spain visa:

Step 1: Make an appointment

Making appointments with the embassy or visa application center is generally free and can be done yourself. However, If you are running short of time or not sure which consulate to apply to or have no idea on how to get this done yourself then not to worry, we will make the appointment for you for a small service fee!

Booking a visa appointment using our services is pretty simple! All you have to do is follow the 3 simple steps below:

1. Visit the link to schedule the visa appointment
2. Submit the appointment details, visa you are applying for, consulate you need the appointment for, the country you need the appointment IN and make the payment
3. Receive appointment confirmation in email

You can also make an appointment by following the steps below:

The first step is to make an appointment. For short-stay Schengen visa applications, you will make your appointment to submit your application to BLS International. For long-stay National visa applications, you will make your appointment to submit your documents to the consulate. You can do both on BLS International’s website:

1. Go to their website and click on: “Book appointment”
2. For appointments at BLS International, click on: “Book your appointment”
   Select the centre – London, Edinburgh or Manchester
3. Choose the appointment category – normal or premium
4. Key in your phone number and email address
5. Request the verification code and key it into the box and continue
6. You will be able to make a convenient day and time for your appointment. Make sure you recheck all the details of passport before you confirm the appointment because you cannot make any changes once you have done so. If any details are incorrect, you may have to cancel the appointment
7. You will receive a confirmation by email

For appointments at the consulate:

1. Click on: “Book your appointment”
2. Select the mission – London
3. Select the service – Tourist, housemaid/Au pair, business, transit, EEA/EU spouse
4. Enter your phone number and email address
5. Request the verification code and key it into the box. Then, continue
6. You can then make a suitable appointment to submit your application to the consulate

Please note, BLS International offers a Mobile Biometric Service which allows you to submit your application from the comfort of your own home. See their website for further information if you are interested in this service.

Step 2: Complete your application

The next thing you need to do is to complete your application form. For short-stay Schengen visas, you can find the form on BLS International’s website. Scroll down to “Useful links” and you will find the link for the application form:

For long-stay National visa applications, go to the consulate’s website and click on: “Information for foreigners” and then “Long-term visas:

Scroll down and you’ll find the link for the application form:

You will be directed to the immigration portal where you will find a list of relevant application forms:

After printing the form, make sure you complete it in full and don’t forget to sign it.

Step 3: Prepare your documents

It’s a good idea to spend time looking at what documents are required for your type of visa. Both the consulate and BLS International have information on these requirements.

In addition, you need to provide original documents as well as photocopies of everything.

Documents include:

1. Passport or travel document valid for at least 3 months beyond your trip to Spain with at least two blank pages. Your passport must have been issued within the last 10 years
2. One completed and signed visa application form
3. One recent passport color photograph with a white background
4. A UK residence permit valid for at least 3 months beyond your trip
5. Schengen Travel medical insurance obtained in the UK to cover the entire period of your trip, be valid for all Schengen States and cover any expenses for repatriation, urgency medical attention, emergency hospital treatment or death during your stay. The minimum coverage must be €30,000
6. A recent, official and signed letters of employment on letter headed paper from the companies in the UK/Spain addressed to the Spanish Consulate
7. Self-employed: A recent, official and signed letter from accountant/bank manager/solicitor/local chamber of commerce stating self-employment/business ownership in the UK AND a letter from the UK tax authorities
8. Students: A recent, official and signed letter from the UK school/college/ university on headed paper stating date of issue, name, type of studies, number of lessons (hours) per week and confirming attendance record (a letter of enrollment is not acceptable)
9. Last 3 months bank statements or travelers checks showing that you have sufficient means of subsistence both for the duration of the intended stay and for the return to the UK. The minimum amount required is 90% of the Spanish monthly minimum wages (approximately £600), plus an extra 10% per day and per person for stays beyond 10 days. If you are financially supported by your spouse, please provide a marriage certificate and your spouse’s bank statement
10. Payslips for the last 3 months (optional)
11. Proof of confirmed and paid return ticket to the UK or to the country of final destination. Note that Embassies in UK may require actual fully paid tickets for the visa application and not the flight reservation based on the jurisdiction you live in. So double check the embassy requirements within your jurisdiction before submitting the documents for visa application.
12. Accommodation: hotel bookings/deeds of property in Spain or IBI annual payment of the property in Spain/ letter of invitation from the host issued by the police in Spain
13. Minors (children under 18): notarized declaration of travel consent signed by both parents and copy of their passports and copy of child’s birth certificate
14. Recent, official and signed letter of employment confirming name, position in the company and the purpose of the visit and dates of travel
15. Recent, official and signed letter of invitation from the inviting company in Spain stating the purpose of the visit and dates of travel
16. An official document of the medical institution confirming the necessity for medical care in that institution and proof of sufficient financial means to pay for the medical treatment OR proof of prepayment of medical treatment
17. Employment letter stating start date of your contract, terms, salary etc and P-60 and current salary and proof of sufficient funds to cover the cost during the whole stay in Spain

If you’re planning to obtain your flight reservation for visa without paying for the ticket, all you have to do is follow the 3 simple steps below:

1. Visit the Visa Reservation website to choose the right package
2. Submit the travel details and make the payment online
3. Receive flight itinerary in email

Step 4: Attend your appointment

On the day of your appointment:

1. Arrive early – it’s a good idea to arrive at the consulate or BLS International early to give you time to relax and make sure you have everything in order. If you miss your appointment, you will have to make a new one and this could delay your travel plans
2. Remember your prepared documents – applications that are submitted with missing documents will be rejected or, at the very least, you will be sent home without your application being processed. In this case, you should make a new appointment to return with the necessary paperwork
3. Dress formally – it’s advisable to dress appropriately. If you turn up dressed too casually, it might come across that you are not serious about wanting to obtain a visa for Spain

The visa staff will examine your application and supporting documents. Don’t be surprised or worried if they start asking you questions about it. They are simply trying to obtain all the facts in order to make a fair decision about your application. All you need to do is to answer the questions honestly.

Typical questions include:

1. Are you traveling with someone else to Spain or EU?
2. Do you have any scholarship?
3. Do you have travel insurance?
4. Are you related to anyone involved with terrorist activities?
5. Have you booked your flight?

Don’t jeopardize your Schengen visa interview at the last minute. Use this comprehensive and thorough visa interview guide to crack the visa interview!

You will also pay the fee for the visa. You can pay in cash or by credit card. BLS International also have additional fees:

1. Service fee – £13.75 per visa application
2. Special Delivery postal fee – £24.95 per application (optional)
3. SMS and email notification during processing – £1.95 (optional)

If this is your first time applying for a Schengen visa, you will provide biometric data (10 fingerprints and a digital photograph). This data will be stored on the Visa Application System (VIS) and can be reused if you apply for a new visa within a 5 year period.

Step 5: Receive your visa

Once you have submitted your application, you can track its progress. Go to BLS International’s website and click on: “Track your application”:

Key in your reference number and date of birth. Agree to the terms and conditions and enter the CAPTCHA code:

When a decision about your visa has been made, you can collect your passport from the consulate or BLS International or you can arrange for it to be mailed back to you (BLS in London only).

If your visa application has been approved, you will find it inside your passport. If your visa has been rejected, it would have been for a specific reason and you can appeal the decision within 1 month

Common rejection reasons include:

1. The purpose of your trip is not clear – you must make it clear why you wish to go to Spain and you can do this by providing documents such as an itinerary, hotel bookings etc
2. Lack of funds – you must be able to cover the costs of your trip and the documents you provide, such as bank statements, must prove this. Remember, you must prove that you have around £600 for your trip
3. Travel insurance does not cover the whole of the Schengen area – your travel insurance not only has to cover the country you are visiting, but it must also cover the whole of the Schengen area (even if you are not planning to go to different countries)
4. The consulate is unsure whether you will return to your home country – if there are any doubts that you will not return to your home country before the visa expires, your application will be rejected. You must provide proof of ties to the country where you live, for example, employer’s letter, proof of address etc

Contact details for the Consulate General of Spain in London

Address: 20 Draycott Place, London, SW3 2RZ

Telephone: 020 7589 8989, 020 7594 4904, 020 7594 4907

Fax: 020 7581 7888

Email: cog.londres.vis@maec.es

Hours: Monday to Friday, 9.15 am – 2.30 pm

Contact details for BLS International in London

Address: Lower Ground Floor, Cromwell House, 14 Fulwood Place, London, WC1V 6HZ

Telephone: +442031291651

Email: info.lhr@blshelpline.com

Hours: Monday to Friday, 8.30 am – 3.30 pm (Submission of documents); Monday to Friday, 9.00 am – 10.00 am and 4.00 pm – 5.00 pm (Passport collection)

Contact details for BLS International in Edinburgh

Address: 6 Dock Place, Suite 1A, First Floor Office, Edinburgh, EH6 6LU

Telephone: +442031291651

Email: info.edi@blshelpline.com

Hours: Monday to Friday, 8.30 am – 12.30 pm (Submission of documents)

Contact details for BLS International in Manchester

Address: Suite 2, 8th Floor, St James’s House, Pendleton Way, Salford, Manchester, M6 5FW

Telephone: +442031291651

Email: info.edi@blshelpline.com

Hours: Monday to Friday, 8.30 am – 1.00 pm (Submission of documents)

Conclusion

In summary, you only have to follow 5 easy steps in order to get your Spain Schengen visa:

1. Make an appointment
2. Complete your application
3. Prepare your documents
4. Attend your appointment
5. Receive your visa

Then, you can turn your attention to your adventures in Spain!

At Visa Reservation, we strive to simplify the visa process by providing free visa consultations, cover letter templates and no objection letter templates for our clients from US, UK, Canada, Philippines, India, China, UAE, Europe, Nigeria and globally. We also offer flight itinerary for visa, travel medical insurance, hotel reservations for visa , Book Visa Appointment, Travel Guides, Visa Interview Guides and many more. To learn more about how we can help you with our visa services, please feel free to contact us today.

See Also

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