On what grounds did you apply for the residence?

 

HI Kuncha,

I am married to a Spaniard as well and in my previous posts I asked questions about staying here (UK) in order to apply for a residence visa from the Spanish embassy in London,since I have lived here for the past 2 years.

Because my UK residency is expiring, I have been advised to either renew it or go back to NIgeria and apply for a Spanish residence visa from there.

A lot of people do not seem to understand or appreciate what we Africans go through in our countries in the hands of Western embassies. When my husband called the Spanish embassy in Nigeria, they told him the whole process would take 6 - 12 months, (during this period, they will have my passport, meaning I will not be able to travel) I could not believe it. Other embassies, especially the German one asks for incredible documents, please find below:

Information Regarding Your Application for a Visa for the Purpose of Family Reunion

1. Issue of Visa
1.1. Requirements for the Approval of the Visa:
· the submission of 2 application forms with all required documents
· the approval of the appropriate Aliens Authority from the future place of residence in Germany
· in most cases: the positive conclusion of the verification process of the submittted documents and a doubtless established identity (see 2.)

1.2. Required Documents
NB: all documents have to be submitted in the original version plus two copies!
a) from the applicant:
-4 colour passport photographs
-marriage certificate (with 3 copies)
-2 copies of all marriage certificates and divorce decrees from previous marriages
-birth certificate or certified true copy from the birth registry and declaration of age sworn by one of the parents or head of the family if both parents are late **
-affidavit of marital status of the applicant sworn by one of the parents
or head of family if both parents are late **
-old documents (school certificates, baptism certificates or others)
-complete names and exact addresses of the parents*
-complete names and exact addresses of all brothers and sisters*
-complete names and exact addresses of two further reference persons in Nigeria*
-complete names and exact addresses of the witnesses to your marriage*
-exact indication of your last two addresses in Nigeria*
-exact indication of the names of the schools you attended and periods of time spent there
-exact names and addresses of former employers in Nigeria for the past 10 years*
-if available, marriage photographs, old pictures showing applicant and family

b) from the spouse:
-4 colour passport photographs
-2 copies of all marriage certificates and divorce decrees from previous marriages
-2 copies of the passport (data page, Nigerian entry visa, stamp of entry)
-if the spouse is not a German: a proof of the residence permit for Germany (2 copies)

Further documents may be required in individual cases.

Spouses under 21 years of age need a written consent to the marriage by their parents, which must have been presented to the marriage registry before the marriage; copies are to be forwarded to the Embassy
All costs arising from providing the documents have to be borne by the applicant.

* a description of how to get there is necessary if the address in Nigeria is located outside a big town
** if necessary with illiterate jurat


1.3. Duration of the Visa Process
The Embassy makes every effort to handle all applications as quickly as possible. The procedure takes approx. 4 -6 months after all required documents and information have been duly submitted. Please refrain from queries within the first 4 months! (This time does not include the 8 - 12 weeks you have to wait to get an appointment!)

My advise to you Kuncha, is to get your wife to come to the UK, so you can apply for a Family Permit. The residence process here is long as well, about 2 - 3 months, but nothing like Nigeria. The only difference is you will be near your spouse and they will give you information, which I know the embassies back home do not. They don't really consider us as being important, because the general view is that Africans who marry Europeans, do so as a matter of convenience.

Please let me know how it goes. Good Luck.

 

Dear Forum,

I quite agree to Rhea on the treatment of African spouses especially Nigerians.
This is an issue the EU authorities must address.Some pathetic stories coming from that area are so demonising and down grading.
If your presentations of the German embassy requirement are to the letters,then it is a breach of the EU commission`s rule on freedom of movement.The family permit/reunion permit should be issue with less formalities.
I will advise,this issue should be petitioned to the apprioprate quarters.

 

OK

I will try
The only thing you can do,or rather your lady as you put it , to get on the phone try to talk to spanish consul,write a fax or email stating that is unacceptable to wait this long and she would involve her legal representative.
This is the only thing I can suggest.