An anonymous Spainguru community member recently shared their detailed experience applying for the Spanish Non Lucrative Visa (NLV) at the Houston Consulate on September 15 2025.
The couple, referred to as SB and JB, arrived at 7:45 a.m. for their 8:00–8:30 a.m. appointment. The consulate office was located on the third floor of a bank/business building, with plenty of parking available.
According to the member, staff arrived between 8:15 and 8:30 a.m., and applicants were kept in the lobby area during the process. A man asked only for signatures on the 790 EX-1 forms and required all documents to be organized in a specific order, which was provided on a printed checklist.
Their assigned officer, described as a lady, came out to collect the files. She reviewed the folders and confirmed that everything was in order, then took their documents to the back office while they waited.
However, the applicants were surprised that no one asked them to sign the visa applications in person. As a result, SB’s application remained unsigned, while JB’s was already signed beforehand, which was accepted without issue. JB had even brought extra unsigned pages in case “wet signatures” were required on-site.
The couple also included a certificate from Airbnb verifying their Spanish rental booking, which the platform offered as part of the visa documentation process. They printed and included it as proof of their Spanish address.
At the BLS center, they paid $610 total for both visas using a debit card, as the office only accepts debit or money orders. Staff informed them that processing would take approximately 2–3 months, and their appointment concluded by 8:45 a.m.
Later that morning, around 10:30 a.m., they received an email notification indicating that SB’s visa application was missing a signature. They promptly signed the form and emailed it back, though they initially sent it to the wrong address. Realizing the mistake, they resent it to the correct Houston Consulate email listed on the bulletin board, their receipt, and appointment confirmation.
The following day, SB received a suspicious phone call claiming to be from BLS. The caller said their visa would be processed within 14 business days, which seemed inaccurate. SB had overheard a BLS employee warning others about scam calls in the lobby the previous day, so they ignored the message.
The member later confirmed that Google identified the number as a scam, warning other applicants to be cautious about fraudulent calls pretending to be from BLS or consular staff.
The couple concluded by saying they were still awaiting approval of their visas but felt using an agency was worth the cost to ensure their application was properly handled.
Additional Member Feedback on the Phone Call
“ Yes I think that phone call is normal.”
“ Oh if so that is a relief – did you process through Houston BLS?”
“ No, we did Miami but I made a similar post after we received the call and the responses said it was normal. It doesn’t actually mean they will process it in that time unfortunately. You can check the status online with the receipt they gave you though.”
“ I applied in Chicago the end of August and I got a phone call/message from that exact same phone number 2 days later. I didn’t do anything in regards to it, except laugh that they called me to tell me not to call them.”
Conclusion
This firsthand account highlights the structured yet impersonal process of submitting the Spain Non Lucrative Visa application at the Houston Consulate. Applicants should prepare organized files, signed forms, and be aware that signatures may not always be verified in person.
The experience also underscores the importance of verifying official email addresses and being alert to potential fraud, as several members confirmed that calls from that number appear to be automated or standard notifications, not scams.
For those applying at the Houston Consulate, it’s advisable to double-check signatures, payment methods, and communication channels to avoid delays or confusion.
Disclaimer: This article is based on personal opinions from the Spainguru community and is not legal advice. The images included in this article are for illustrative purposes only and do not depict real people or actual events from the described experience.
