Spanish Consulate General

Reviews

• Awful, Awful, Awful

  Unbelievable! my wife has just traveled up to Edinburgh from the North West to pick up a tourist visa for 5 days, we are staying with my sister in Spain. Anyway that cost over £50 because the Manchester Consulate has now closed down. So she gets there and they ask for a special delivery envelope, my wife didn't have one as she expected to process the visa the same day like they did in Manchester so she gets sent to the local post office. Then they are looking through all our documents, passports, visas, proof of address, where we will be staying, letters of invite yada yada and they say we need an original marriage certificate. Well we searched the house for it but could not find it so we took a photo copy instead. This wouldn't do and they charged £50. Then they took our documents, including passport saying they will me posted back on the 3rd.. well we fly on the 5th so this had better happen or else it will be £350 flights wasted as well. I thought the Spainsh Consulate in Manchester was bad but the Edinburgh office really is the worst ever! Avoid like the plague.

  10

  Kevin A.
  Review Date: 22/09/2011 Report review
• Mrs

  Spain is so desperate for money you would think they would welcome you. You have to have your flight number and accommodation booked for the application but if it's refused they don't care!! It's disgusting. The london, Manchester and Edinburgh offices all have different fees and different specs! This is not right. I have spoken to them almost everyday as my matter is urgent and they offer to help but they can't do a thing, they have an attitude and are vile people to deal with.

  10

  Natalie S.
  Review Date: 19/07/2011 Report review
• Awful

  I rang the consulate, to politely request assistance regarding a mistake THEY had made on a visa application, and was greeted by a chippy little man, who refused to help with my request and then promptly hung up whilst i was speaking. I've never had to deal with such a sickening lack of civility in my life - the man must have been raised by psychopaths or pigs. It puts me off visiting the country. So KISS ME HARDY!

  10

  Ian L.
  Review Date: 21/05/2011 Report review
• EDINBURGH SPANISH CONSULATE

  I have just lodged a formal complaint with the EU commission regarding the Spanish Consulate in Edinburgh. The behaviour of the official who works in the visa office is almost indescribable. Never in 30 years of working and living abroad have I been treated so rudely and aggressively. My wife (who is a Thai national) left the office in floods of tears. We were planning a holiday to Spain, but so affected was she by this man that she is now refusing to go. This is the portrait they are showing to the world and I am amazed that no one has yet taken any action against him. However, aside from his behaviour, my formal complaint surrounds the incorrect application of EU law1as described in Directive 2004/38/EC European Parliament and Council Directive 2004/38/EC of 29 April 2004 which is about the right of citizens of the Union and their family members to move and reside freely within the territory of the EU and EEA member states. I am a UK citizen. I am married (for 4 years) to a Thai lady. She holds a Thai passport with a UK residence permit contained within. We have 3 children. 1 who is from my wife's first marriage (and therefore holds the surname of her biological father) and 2 who are offspring of me and my wife. The first child holds a Thai passport with a UK residence permit. The other 2 hold British passports. Last week we all traveled 3 hours from our house to the consulate in Edinburgh to obtain Schengen visas for my wife and eldest daughter (the one who is Thai). We were planning a visit to Fuerteventura. The man behind the desk was unbelievably rude not only to me and my wife, but also the the man who was served before us. When we were called to the glass screen, he told me to 'Go away. This has nothing to do with you'. I said that my wife did not speak English so good to which he replied, 'I am Spanish and I have learned English. She should learn better. Now if you do not go away I will not serve you'. I could not believe what I was hearing. The malice and racism of the man was incredible. I sat down and he began to speak to my wife. After about 5 minutes she came over to me clearly upset. I asked what was wrong and she said that she had no idea what he was talking about. Just then the man then called me over to the glass screen. He said 'You do not have the documents we require. This woman cannot even understand basic English. You need to go away and get the correct documents'. I asked him what documents as I thought we had brought everything. He said he would not discuss this with me. I said that I was the lady's husband and we had traveled a long way. I demanded to see the consul or a senior person. Incredibly he then said that I had a bad attitude! However, my demand to see a senior person seemed to change him. He said we did not have the correct number of copies. He pointed is to a copy shop across the street and away we went. When we came back, he took the copies and explained that as my wife was the spouse of an EU national then she did not have to pay for her visa. I said that I knew this from having sought advice beforehand. However, he said that as my eldest daughter did not have our surname she had to pay! I said that this could not be the case. My wife's passport and her daughter's are clearly linked and her residence permit clearly shows her right of abode in the EU. I explained that the British government clearly accept that we are a family as they pay family allowance to all of our children. All of our children have EU Health Service cards which I attempted to show him. I said it could not be correct for us to have to pay for our daughter. The official then said 'If you do not want to pay then I will issue only one visa and (pointing at my daughter) she can stay in the UK and not go. I don't care'. At this my daughter began crying. I was totally disgusted by this and went outside to my car with her. I took my wallet and gave my the 50 pounds that he was demanding. I did not want to go back inside the office as I was so angry. Apart from then having to get 2 new photos and a Special delivery envelope, I did not have any further dealings with this man. I could not face him as I did not want to lose my temper. In all my years I have never experienced anything like this. Apart from the incorrect charging for a visa, the sheer ignorance and racism of the official beggars belief.and cannot be the image that the Spanish want to show the world? The visas arrived at our house yesterday. I have therefore formally complained primarily about being charged for a visa for a member of a family of an EU member, but also about the conduct of the official. In my research over the past few days I note that this situation has occurred many times before. It is a fact that the British authorities would not have granted us either a tourist visa or a residence permit to my eldest child if there was any doubt that she is my wife's daughter and my step-daughter. This was not good enough for the consulate official despite the fact that her passport and visas and her mother's are clearly connected. The fact that we have EU issued Health Insurance cards was not even good enough for him, in fact he refused to even look at them, saying he did not recognise them. How this minor official can claim that there is no proof that my step-daughter is my wife's biological daughter is beyond belief and he has clearly over-stepped his authority in charging us according to EU regulations. I have asked for an immediate refund of the fees I was forced to pay (50 pounds 40 pence) and a written apology from the official concerned. He really needs to understand the results of his actions and the upset he caused to my family both of whom ended up crying after what was supposed to be a routine appointment. However, I don't hold out much hope. Afterall, how can he have survived so long? I would urge everyone to avoid this place like the plague - genuinely the guy has some very serious issues. I have also forwarded this complaint to the EU commission to see what happens and to the consulate in London in an attempt to stop the Spanish covering things up. .

  10

  Steve W.
  Review Date: 15/01/2011 Report review
• I share the pain...

  I'm a Spanish national that has lived in Edinburgh several years and my encounters with this male attendant have always been a nightmare. This guy should never have a job!!! never mind a job that requires a minimum level of customer service.

  10

  Perico P.
  Review Date: 03/04/2009 Report review
• Awful

  Same thing happened to me a year or so ago, The guy was very rude and shouted at me go back go back until I ask you to come but he asked me to come before hand. He is the most obnoxious person i have ever seen in my life which made me wonder how my holiday is going to be in Spain if this is the start. I have been to most European countries and the treatment when I require a Visa in magnificent and quite good experience bearing in mind the stress of applying for Visas but t the Spanish consulate it was an absolute awful experience, the cousular should look at this seriously. Thanks

  10

  A B.
  Review Date: 31/03/2009 Report review
• terrible experience

  To whom it may concern, I was very upset when I left the Spanish consulate in Edinburgh because of one of your MALE employees who work at the Spanish consulate front desk. I wish I knew his name as I would tell you but if needed I will get his name for you. He was very rude and extremely unhelpful. When I left the consulate he had almost turned me into tears and I am not a very emotional person. He had Accused me of skipping the line and told me to go sit down again. I was mortified and did as he told me. He realised no one was coming to the cue (which the other people were waiting for me to finish as they knew I was there first). Then he looked at me called me back and said "might as well finish" did not apologise for accusing me of line jumping and HE was just plain RUDE. I am a Resident of Edinburgh and was very upset when I was applying for a visa he made me feel like a dirty shameful person and thought that if he so upset at serving customers..... The girls before me were upset with his attitude and I spoke to a shop next door about this man and said I was not the first to Complain and they have all said what a horrid man he is. Thank you for your time Mrs Michelle Saunders

  20

  Michelle S.
  Review Date: 09/03/2009 Report review