Spanish Consulate
63 North Castle Street
Edinburgh
Scotland
EH2 3LJ
Edinburgh
Scotland
EH2 3LJ
Phone: 0131 220 1843
Web: Website not known
Consulates in Edinburgh , North Castle Street in Edinburgh
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8 user review(s)
by Abdee (Edinburgh) on 24 November 2015All the staff of the consulate are very polite and friendly specially Adela Perez. (5/5)
by Spanish Consualte (Edinburgh) on 27 October 2013Please visit the new website in order to know how to apply for a Visa to travel to Spain. www.spanishconsulateedinburgh.com (5/5)
by Graham Connell (Dumbarton) on 6 June 2012I was purchasing a property in Spain and required my NIE number to do so. After being messed around in Spain, I had to apply to the Spanish Consulate in Edinburgh where I was given the utmost assistance by Adela who offered great advice and helped me throughout. Despite the process taking two months, I kept in touch with Adela and she couldn't have been more friendly and helpful. It was an easy and painless experience. Many thanks.. (4/5)
by Graham Connell (Dumbarton) on 4 April 2012I was unable to obtain my NIE number in Spain for various reasons and had to contact the Spanish Consulate in Edinburgh to arrange it. I emailed them and was immediately contacted by Adela who sent me the form with instructions on how to complete it and what to bring. She arranged my appointment speedily then helped me fill in the form correctly. Service was excellent and nothing but praise..I have to concur fully with Carole Shutt..Many Thanks.. (4/5)
by Lola (Edinburgh) on 13 January 2012Spoke to Adela on the phone who was helpful and polite. She seemed knowledgeable and i look forward to dealing with her when i go in. (5/5)
by Carole Shutt (Lancashire) on 25 October 2011I have nothing but praise for the help and assistance I received when I rang for advice on applying for my NIE number. When we arrived at the consulate we were served quickly and Adela helped me complete the form and offered advice on posting and translation services for other queries I enquired about (4/5)
by Steve Watson (Taynuilt/Scotland) on 20 January 2011I 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. This is the consul's first response: Sir: I have just read your complain against the visa official of our Consulate. I can assure you that he is is very capable, patient and devoted worker, ready to help in any problem, with many other personal and intellectual qualities. I have a long experience as Consul General and Ambassador of Spain in other countries, and know how to deal with unilateral accusations against our staff not duly proved, transmitted or not to the European Union. That´s why I can not, by all means, share, without further enquiries any of your strong and not well funded allegations, and I regret very much the terms of your complain. In any case, I will study the case and will go back to you. Yours sincerely Javier Jiménez-Ugarte Consul General of Spain. This is his final response: This is his final response: Sir: I have been able to finalize my research about what happened in the Consulate to you and your wife when you visited us to apply for a Schengen visa in her favour to go to Spain. Consequently, I am now able to answer to your complain and to your request for a reimbursement. 1.- Referring to the last point, and after studying carefully the Schengen legislation in force, I reaffirm that your "stepdaughter" was and will be obliged to pay for her visa. In fact, if you check the written information provided to you by the Consulate, paragraph "Fees", it is clearly stated: "Stepchildren are not excluded of the Visa fees". 2.- Moreover, in the case of your wife, in my correct interpretation the Visa Officer should have asked her to pay similar fees. The reason is that you did not present the papers referring to your marriage duly legalized as requested by Schengen nations. The fact that your simple Marriage Certificate in Thai language, together with a simple translation into English were considered enough by the British authorities to issue in her favour a visa "limited leave to remain", is not a reason for Schengen nations to exclude others legalization process referring, (Apostil of The Hague), to your marriage, as demanded by Schengen regulations. 3.- My Visa Officer justified to me his generous reaction by granting your wife a free visa on your disappointment, your apologies for the confrontations which you have created, completely unjustified, against the personnel of the Consulate, and your frustrated expectations. My final conclusion is, then, that we acted more generously than expected, and that in future occasions, considering your unjustifiable reactions against my staff, we will apply the law without any other humanitarian consideration. Yours sincerely Javier Jiménez-Ugarte Consul General of Spain As you can see, nothing has been done and the consul backs his staff 100%. I have forwarded everything onto the EU but don't hold out much hope. My advice would be to avoid this place like the plague. I have no idea what this means "your apologies for the confrontations which you have created, completely unjustified, against the personnel of the Consulate, and your frustrated expectations" However, the final paragraph seems to sum up the arrogant, intimidatory nature of this consulate. There is, it seems, not the slightest possibility that the official acted incorrectly, nor does the consul concede that the official's actions were remotely over-zealous. Stay away !!! (1/5)
by Juan (Edinburgh) on 28 April 2010The staff couldn't be more friendly & helpful even though I was 10 minutes late for my appointment! (5/5)
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Consulates in Edinburgh Scotland
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