SPANISH SCHENGEN VISA FOR NON EU SPOUSE OF UK CITIZEN

[MarshaFS]

Hi guys wondering if you can help.

I’m applying for a Spain Schengen visa via BLS in London and I need advice on what supporting evidence to take to my appointment on the 15th of May.

My husband is a briatish citizen and we were married in Zambia last year.

1. Am I exempt from the visa fee and only liable to pay BLS’s handling fee?

2. Do I have to take evidence such as bank statements, employment letter, reservations and bookings and do I have to do an itinerary?

3. Do I have to get my marriage certificates apostilled?

I have tried phoning the Spanish consulate to no avail and BLS phonelines are currently down. I’ve sent emails but still no replies so would really appreciate your help.

Thank you!

[MarshaFS]

Also forgot to mention me and my husbund are travelling together to Spain.

[FXR_1340]

Does this help? Hope so.

https://www.schengenvisainfo.com/

Good luck.

[Caravel88]

If you are married then you are a family therefore the visa should be issued free of charge.

They might want the Zambian marriage cert. to be "legalised".

You don't need to present anything financial etc.

Only documents you will need are listed on their webpage:

https://uk.blsspainvisa.com/london/eea_eu_type_visa.php

Hi guys wondering if you can help.

I’m applying for a Spain Schengen visa via BLS in London and I need advice on what supporting evidence to take to my appointment on the 15th of May.

My husband is a briatish citizen and we were married in Zambia last year.

1. Am I exempt from the visa fee and only liable to pay BLS’s handling fee?

2. Do I have to take evidence such as bank statements, employment letter, reservations and bookings and do I have to do an itinerary?

3. Do I have to get my marriage certificates apostilled?

I have tried phoning the Spanish consulate to no avail and BLS phonelines are currently down. I’ve sent emails but still no replies so would really appreciate your help.

Thank you!

[MarshaFS]

How do I get the marriage cert “legalised”? Do I just take it to my embassy to have it stamped??

[CR001]

It has to be Apostilled. Often the case is that it has to be sent back to the authorities in the country who issued it to legalise it and authenticate it. This was the case for me (south African) when we wanted to apply for a visa for Spain. As the process would have taken so long, we simply paid for the visa in the normal way and submitted all the supporting documents as tourists.

Apostilled (in terms of the Hague Convention) is very different to 'stamping'.

[Caravel88]

Zambia is not a member of the Hague Apostille Convention.

It has to be Apostilled. Often the case is that it has to be sent back to the authorities in the country who issued it to legalise it and authenticate it. This was the case for me (south African) when we wanted to apply for a visa for Spain. As the process would have taken so long, we simply paid for the visa in the normal way and submitted all the supporting documents as tourists.

Apostilled (in terms of the Hague Convention) is very different to 'stamping'.

[Caravel88]

Is your marriage registered in the UK?
Can you get any document from the UK with both your names on it saying that you are married?

How do I get the marriage cert “legalised”? Do I just take it to my embassy to have it stamped??

[MarshaFS]

Our marriage is not registered in the U.K. there was no need to A.S. our marriage certificate was accepted and recognised as legal by the U.K. govt.

I’ll look into the Apostille process.

[MarshaFS]

From what I’ve read the only time I’d need to get my marriage certificate apostilled is if I’m going to Spain to settle or for a period longer than the short stay Visa. I’m only going to Spain for 3 days and the BLS website makes no mention of apostilling and just says the certificate must be in English or Spain or legally translated in cases where the issued certificate was not in English.

Can anyone confirm this?

[Caravel88]

1st, you can not get your marriage cert. apostilled. As I said previously, Zambia is not part of the convention. They can not apostille the document.

2nd, Spain likes things legalised. So you tell them that you are married in Zambia, have a Zambian cert. which can not be apostilled, and ask them what to do.

3rd, legal requirement is that you only prove your relationship. Marriage cert. if just one way. You might get them to accept the Zambian one + by showing your husband has a UK residence permit based on marriage / family union, which is a proof in itself.

From what I’ve read the only time I’d need to get my marriage certificate apostilled is if I’m going to Spain to settle or for a period longer than the short stay Visa. I’m only going to Spain for 3 days and the BLS website makes no mention of apostilling and just says the certificate must be in English or Spain or legally translated in cases where the issued certificate was not in English.

Can anyone confirm this?

[Daz111]

Im in similar situation but not quite. My marriage certificate was legalised by the ministry of foreign affairs in Morocco, this includes the translated document. This was before Morocco became member of appostile in 2015. So i will only be submitting the legalised certificate. I had emailed spanish consulate in regards to this. But they do not respond.

In my oponion it meets the criteria for providing a certified marriage certificate.

[MarshaFS]

Hi Guys!

Just thought I’d update you. I got my passport back today with my Schengen Visa. I went for my appointment at BLS Spain on Tuesday and paid to have it special delivered back to me and I got it this morning was very speedy!

I didnt pay for expedition. I also asked for multi entry visa even though I’m onky going to Spain for 3 days and I got it.

It was very straight forward applying as a spouse of an EU citizen. All I needed was the following:

- application form
- passport pic
- passport + copy
- brp + copy of both sides
- husband’s passport + copy
- marriage certificate + copy - my marriage certificate was issued in Zambia and in English. I did not have to legalise it or get it apostilled or any of that stuff. The fact that it was issued in English was enough.
- travel booking showing that me and my husband are travelling together.
- travel insurance (didn’t actually ask for this)
- admin fee

Thanks so much for all your help!

[Daz111]

Congratulations on getting the Schengen Visa !!