My Visa Journey From the UK to Spain

When I got the email saying I had been accepted by INLAES, I was beyond excited. After the initial celebration (a dance around my room, a scream downstairs to my family and 1000 texts to my friends), I decided to get the ball rolling that very same day. If there’s one thing I’d recommend to future language assistants, it’s this: start early!! I am from the UK and hold a British passport and knew that since BREXIT things had become a little complicated.

The very first thing I did was apply for my ACRO police certificate. I’d heard it could take around a month to arrive, and since it’s one of the most important documents for your visa application, I didn’t want to delay.

But that was just the beginning.

Soon I started seeing all sorts of words in the visa instructions that made me question whether I spoke English.

Apostille? Sworn translator? FCDO?

At first I was a bit confused (it honestly felt like I needed a mini dictionary before I had even arrived in Spain!) But once you break it down, the process actually makes sense.

When my ACRO certificate arrived (after around 20 days), the next step was to get it apostilled. This is basically an official stamp that confirms the document is genuine so it can be used in another country. I used the hagueapostille.co.uk service, which made the process really simple.

Important tip:You must apostille your document first, and only then send it for translation. The translator needs to translate the apostille page too, so doing it in the wrong order can mean paying twice.

For the translations, I used Translayte.com, which was quick and easy to organise online. If I remember correctly, I got it back in one day! Another step was getting my medical certificate. One thing that surprised me during this process is that many people find their GP is not recognised by the UK’s FCDO (Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office) for visa medical letters. If this happens to you, don’t panic (like I did haha). You can either:

• Ask your GP if they’re willing to register with the FCDO (it’s usually quite simple but can be long-winded)

• Use a private doctor who is already recognised. I ended up using ZoomDoc who actually work with Hague Apostille and they sent my medical certificate directly to them to save time! A doctor also signed my medical certificate within 3 hours!!!

In my case, my medical certificate also needed to be apostilled, just like the ACRO certificate. After it was apostilled, I then sent it off to be translated into Spanish as well.

Another requirement was proof of funds. To do this, I went into my bank and asked them to print six months of official bank statements, and they stamped and signed them to confirm they were genuine. It was actually a very quick and easy step once I asked at the counter.

Once I had gathered all my documents, I booked my consulate appointment with BLS international. Since I was living in Essex, my local consulate was London. Before I knew it, it was time for the big day! My visa appointment at the Spanish Consulate in London, AHHH!!

I travelled to London with my mum. It was raining (very typically British weather), but I was so excited that it didn’t matter. After my appointment we decided to make a little day of it. We grabbed a coffee and even went to visit the Tate Modern. It actually turned a stressful admin day into a really nice memory.

At the consulate, I was told the visa would probably take about a month to come back. In reality, it took around 50 days for my passport to be returned with the visa inside. It felt like a long wait, but don’t worry if this happens to you, delays are very normal.

Looking back now, the process might seem complicated at first, but if you start early and tackle things step by step, it’s completely manageable. Below I’ve made a little checklist and a glossary to help, however I would recommend double checking the official spanish government website’s checklist, as things are changing all the time and this is only my experience as a British passport holder!

Visa Application Checklist

Here’s a simple checklist of the things you’ll likely need to organise:

•  Passport (valid for the duration of your stay)

•  Visa application form completed and printed

•  Passport photos that meet Spanish visa requirements

• ACRO Police Certificate

• Apostille for the ACRO certificate

• Official Spanish translation of the ACRO certificate AND apostille

• Medical certificate signed by a recognised doctor

• Apostille for the medical certificate

• Official Spanish translation of the medical certificate AND apostille

• Proof of funds (e.g., six months of official bank statements stamped by your bank)

• Acceptance letter from INLAES 

• Proof of health insurance or just your GHIC card (make sure it’s valid)

• Visa appointment booking confirmation

• Payment for visa fee (they will take this at the consulate) 

  
  

Helpful Glossary (that I wish I’d have had) 

ACRO - Police CertificateA UK criminal record check required for many visa applications.

Apostille - An official certificate that verifies a document so it can be legally used in another country.

Consulate - A government office representing a country abroad where visa applications are processed.

BLS - InternationalThe company that handles Spanish visa application administration in the UK.

Sworn Translator (Traductor Jurado) - A translator officially certified to translate legal documents for government use.

FCDO (Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office) - The UK government department responsible for international affairs. Some visa medical certificates must come from doctors recognised by the FCDO.

The visa process might look intimidating at first, but once you understand the steps, it becomes much easier. Start early, stay organised, and before you know it you’ll be packing your bags for Spain. And trust me… life in Spain is SOOOO worth it!