Applying for a Spain Non Lucrative Visa (NLV) at Manchester Consulate (BLS) involves navigating a series of complex steps and extensive documentation. Lisa from West Yorkshire, who successfully applied through the Manchester BLS Office, offers valuable insights through her firsthand experience. Below are her responses to key questions about the process.
Q1: Could you introduce yourself and share where and when you applied for the Non-Lucrative Visa?
Lisa: I’m Lisa, aged 46, from West Yorkshire. I submitted my visa application on January 17, 2024.
Q2: What initially prompted you to apply for the NLV?
Lisa: It was our only way of moving over to Spain.
Q3: What were the most important documents required for the NLV application?
Lisa: All documents required were deemed important as they were needed to process the visa application. Bank statements were shown for proof of funds. Health insurance, medical certificates, and health checks were all recommended by our immigration legal team based in Spain.
Q4: How did you go about gathering and preparing your application materials?
Lisa: Information was supplied to our immigration team who put it all together, got it apostilled, etc.
Q5: Did you face any unexpected challenges during the application process?
Lisa: Yes, how long the process took—started in January 2024, received the visa on July 9 2024. Also, difficulties faced booking the BLS appointment with no help from the immigration team or the BLS Manchester contact center staff.
Q6: How long did the entire process take from start to finish?
Lisa: Seven months, just over, from start to finish.
Q7: What tips can you offer for navigating the appointment and interview process at the consulate?
Lisa: Be prepared with your paperwork at the appointment, get there early as the appointment time isn’t always correct, and if you have kids with you, they get bored. Regarding booking the appointment, watch the booking video on the BLS website (Watch below) which gives you clear instructions which we didn’t see until 4 days of trying but failing to book due to the biometrics photo check. We had initially gone off instructions given by our immigration team which were wrong.
Disclaimer: The instructions in the previous video are good as of July 2024 and may change any time, please check with BLS’s updated instructions
Q8: Were you required to prove your accommodation in Spain?
Lisa: No.
Q9: Did you use the services of a lawyer or consultant, or did you manage everything on your own?
Lisa: We initially used a legal team but found them slow and it sometimes felt like they didn’t know what they were doing. For example, wrong information given, delays in paperwork.
Q10: How important was Spainguru’s NLV Facebook group during the process?
Lisa: More interesting than useful for us just to see how long applications were taking.
Q11: What would you have done differently in your application process knowing what you know now?
Lisa: We would have finished work at least a full month later rather than go on immigration team advice to finish work before the interview due to them and delays their end sending paperwork/short office hours.
Q12: How did you prepare for the move to Spain once your visa was approved?
Lisa: All main preparation done whilst the process was ongoing, relocation costs, property deposit, etc.
Q13: What advice would you give to someone just starting to consider applying for the Spain Non Lucrative Visa?
Lisa: Have patience and be prepared for it to possibly take longer than expected.
Lisa’s answers provide a realistic glimpse into the challenges and necessary preparations involved in applying for the Spain Non Lucrative Visa at Manchester Consulate (BLS). Her experience underscores the importance of meticulous preparation and the potential variability in processing times and support quality.
