Question
Has anyone successfully used an excuse to keep their passport during a Spanish Consulate appointment in London for the Spain Non Lucrative Visa? If so, could you share the excuse that worked for you?
I need to visit my unwell mother outside London and can’t do so without my passport, but I’ve heard that the embassy might not accept this as a valid reason to retain the passport.
Answers
These are the answers of Spainguru’s Facebook group members:
“We collected our passports back from London having filled in the form at BLS London when applying and providing travel tickets. We then had to wait 4 days and then email the consulate direct and they replied 3 days later saying we could collect them the next day.”
“I had a flight booked and took proof I was asked if I wanted to keep my passport but I chose not to, as it meant taking the trip back to London to get the visa put in. This was last summer.”
“I showed a booked flight and a standard letter from my lawyer requesting to keep my passport and it worked.”
“We kept ours, signed a form stating our reason (ill parent) in Spain… they then emailed a month later saying our application was successful come with your passport and they put the visa in while we waited flew back on a Wednesday visa in on the Thursday back to Spain Friday good luck.”
“We were in process of buying in Spain and said we may need to travel to Spain.”
“I said I am going to go to Spain to view the properties for a purchase.”
“I had a flight booked, asked if I could keep our passports, they asked me to fill in form etc, gave them proof of flying etc and they said no. Had to pay £100 to change flights, which was today, still no passports, had to pay another £100 and rebook flights or cancel with no refund. This was London, applied 27th November 2023, was told 10-21 days and still waiting.”
“Wife and I kept our passports at BLS London, told the staff we are charity worker’s for a dog trust and dog sitting for friends she gave us a form each filled them in and kept our passports.”
Conclusion
The process of retaining one’s passport during a Spain non lucrative visa application at the Spanish Consulate in London appears to vary widely based on individual circumstances and the reasons provided.
Successful strategies include providing proof of immediate travel, legal requests, personal reasons such as ill family members, property transactions, and even charitable work. However, outcomes can be unpredictable, and applicants may face delays or additional costs. It’s crucial to prepare thoroughly and consider all potential scenarios when planning to keep your passport during the application process.
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