Visa Problems
 

My American daughter is enrolled in a study program in Spain lasting for 105 days. She is British national by descent and applied for a UK passport for her Spanish trip. She plans to travel/work in Europe after finishing her studies. However, endless beaurocratic delays have resulted in her passport being delayed and it is now too late to get a student visa (unless they grant one upon our visit tomorrow - which is very unlikely).

Does anyone have a feel for what would happen if she entered Spain on a USA passport and her UK passport was sent to over her in a few weeks. This seems OK but ya never know. Thanks.

I'm not sure it's too late to get a visa if you have an appointment with the Spanish consulate and have all the documentation you need when you go (proof of insurance that will cover abroad, pics for visa, etc.). All that information is available on the consulate website. The semester didn't start at either of the colleges my daughter was attending until February. Not sure she will be able to work without the UK passport though.

Unfortunately she's due to leave the US January 6. Also, we do not have an appointment at the consulate; going up on spec with all paperwork done. They don't answer the phone or emails. I'm told it takes about 4 weeks to process an application.

You don't say where you are writing from, but a friend took her youngest children to Chicago recently to get emergency passport for a trip taking place a couple days later....to New Zealand. The passport office there accomodated her and her husband...by the way, I believe they are naturalized citizens. Both had to go since the children are minors. (You know, minor children leaving the country must be approved by BOTH parents.)

So my thought is: check with Passport Office at major nearby city and go there to resolve the problem before Jan. 6.

Amd by the way, I think entering on a USA passport is as good as any.

Think about this logically.

If she really is British (and UK nationality by descent is a very tricky issue), then she gets 90 days' legitimate stay in Spain without a visa on her US passport. If you're really, really, sure she can get a UK passport within those 90 days, then there's no real problem. A quick trip some time during those 90 days to Britain, Ireland, Switzerland or Morocco gets a record she's exited Schengen within the 90 days and all's well.

She's not planning to work till the end of her course, so she won't need her UK passport till day 90.

But are you really, really sure she's British? "Endless bureaucratic delays" may just mean Croydon's messsing around. Or it might mean there's a real problem - either of status or of documentation. In which case, she's going to be illegal on day 90 - which she might just about get away with till day 105 - certainly won't be able to work, and will be able to travel only in Britain, Ireland and Switzerland.

So the real question is:how certain are you she can get a UK passport in the time?

don't worry at all about the visa. i was in a similar situation last sping, i studied abroad in spain and the spanish consulate gave me the wrong length of student visa. my visa expired after being there 3 months, but i was there for 6. i had no problems even when i left spain and flew to germany and back. If you fly with in mos of the EU there is no passport controll. If she is going to be there longer than the length of her visa (and doesn't want to worry about potential hassels) she needs to apply for a carnette de residencia. best of luck, spain is the BEST place to study abroad!!