Phone Number: |
The embassy has changed their policies and no longer takes phones calls for anything related to visas. Communication is via email or toll number.
You now have to call the toll number that has been provided on their official website.
Main Telephone Directory
Embassy Switchboard
Phone: 91-587-2200
Fax: 91-587-2303
Consular Services
Visas
807 488 472 from inside Spain or
(011) 49 9131 772 2087 from the United States
International access code + 49 9131 772 2087 from other countries (local call for Germany)
The Service is available to the public from 8:30 a.m. to 5.30 p.m., Spanish time, Monday-Friday. From callers in Spain, the cost is 1.16 Euros per minute if you call from a landline telephone and 1,51 Euros per minute if you call form a mobile phone, including all taxes and costs. International callers will pay 10 Euros per transaction and they can charge to a Visa Card or MasterCard. In both cases, the first 20 seconds of the call are free.
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E-Mail: |
ivmadrid@state.gov |
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Address: |
Consular Section
C/ Serrano, 75
28006 Madrid
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Working Hours: |
Office hours: Interviews by appointment only.
For telephone inquiries dial: 906-421431 (only in Spain). The cost of your call varies depending on the time you call: 0,78 euros per minute for calls made from 8:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. and 0,71 euros per minute for calls made during reduced/after hours, vat included.
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Best Contact Method: |
Email or Toll number see above |
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Approx Waiting Time for Interview After Consulate Recieves
NVC Package: |
There is about 1 week from when the consulate received the packet from NVC to when the forms are received by the beneficiary. Once the forms are sent back, an interview is scheduled on a Wednesday about 3 to 4 weeks out. The visa arrives in the mail about 1 week after the interview.
updated for CR1
With the Cr1 the NVC made the interview appointment @ a day after the "case complete" was finished and sent the packet to the consulate. It took 10 days for my husband to recieve his appointment letter in the mail and our interview was @ 5 weeks out from the date interview was made.
Although the website states that appointments are made only on Wednesdays, appointments are also made on other days as well, such as Thursdays. |
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Issues Packet 3? |
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Packet 3 Contains: |
DS156
DS156K
DS230 Part I
DS230 Part II
DS157
I-134
Medical Information Sheet
NOTE: There is a common misunderstanding that the DS157 is only required for males. Regardless of sex you will receive this form and MUST complete it. I was advised that they even require this for children so it must be done. Failure to complete it will annoy the person processing you on the day and you will be given a form to fill in there and then.
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Issues Packet 4? |
Yes |
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Packet 4 Contents (if known): |
US Consulate Letter with apppointment date and time.
Your name will be on the security list for day of interview so the interview letter is not essential.
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Forms to Consulate? |
To answer the question:
DS-230 Biographical Data
Checklist
That is all that must be sent back. Everything else must be taken to the interview.
NOTE I-134
I didn’t use this form and instead provided my own financial details. They were…
Certificate from my Bank showing balance.
Proof of a monthly income, by way of letter from the source and a copy of a letter I sent to the company who administer my income, directing them to send the money to my new bank in the US.
This was accepted without problem. I don’t know what the financial level is to complete your own sponsorship but I did overhear another person being told that they didn’t have enough and that they needed “a few thousand” more than the €5k the person had.
BIRTH CERTIFICATE
The original and a copy must be taken on the day. They will keep the copy. I’ve had about 5 copies of my Birth Certificate notarised by the British Consulate in Spain in case I need them in the US.
POLICE CERTS
Again these must be taken on the day. If applying at Madrid they provide them the next day and never sooner. I understand that other regions provide them on the same day. They are valid for three months. I’m English so also provided one from the Metropolitan Police. In Barcelona, police certificates are issued on the same day.
MILITARY RECORDS
Note that it is not required to present any certified translation of military record if applicant did not serve in military. In effect, if no service was performed, this document is not required, but we submitted it regardless (although the document was in Portuguese stating my fiance was not eligible to serve).
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Other Forms (if any)? |
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Direct Consular Filing Offered? |
No |
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If DCF Allowed: For all or only US citizen lawfully resident in country?
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Can fiance(e)/spouse attend interview? |
Yes |
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Visa fee payment "same day" or "in advance"? |
Same_Day |
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Did embassy schedule interview or could you walk-in? |
Embassy Scheduled |
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Visa issued same day? |
No |
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If not what's the waiting period? |
This is mailed to you and you should receive it within 14 days. I asked for mine to be sent by courier due to the appalling postal service in my area and the consulate obliged, though I do pay on delivery.
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Is the Medical exam same day as interview? |
Prior to Interview |
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Cost of Medical Exam? |
€165 This is payable on the day at the doctor’s office, in cash only.
PROCEDURE
I had a quick and painless blood test. This is for HIV and Syphilis.
After that I was shown to the Doctor’s office. He took my medical history. My height and weight were done along with my blood pressure. He also listens to your heart, chest and takes your pulse.
X RAY
For this I had to go to a hospital by Plaza Marques de Salamanca, which was a 5 min cab ride away. It’s a very nice hospital though I did have to wait about an hour for the X-ray and result. Your X-ray is delivered to the doctor the following day with your result.
RESULTS
These are available the following morning. You will be given a sealed envelope and the X-ray. Keep the X-ray in the folder or bag in which it is handed to you. Do not open the sealed envelope. This must only be opened by the Consulate staff.
NOTE
The Medical Information from the Embassy states that two photos are required. This is not the case. THREE passport-sized photos are needed and you must also take the Medical Info form provided in your packet three.
I used Unidad Medica Angloamericana. They are located a ten minute walk from the Embassy. The offices are quite sumptuous and the staff very helpful. Your fiancé(é) or anyone else accompanying you will be able to wait with you. I found them more helpful than Centro de Radiodiagnostica, which is why I elected to have my medical there. |
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List of doctors? |
Centro de Radiodiagnostica
Alberto Aguilera 29, Iro Izda
Madrid 28015
Tel: 915 474 527
649 280 952
Unidad Medico Anglo Americana
Conde de Aranda 1
Madrid 28001
914 351 823
Email: um@unidadmedica.com |
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How many Passport Photo's Required for the medical? |
3 |
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How many Passport Photo's Required at the interview? |
3 |
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Estimated waiting time at the consulate on the day of interview? |
Around 2 hours. Strongly depends on the amount of people that day.
Make sure you take a number outside of the wait room and ensure for the K-1 visa you select the option for Immigrant Visa. Depending on which office/website you are reading there is confusion whether K-1 is immigrant or non-immigrant. For the purposes of the interview, select Immigrant Visa button.
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My fiance and I arrived an hour early because of the complications with paying the fee via phone (in effect, the system was broken and the consulate advised us via email to pay on the day). Our interview was scheduled for noon, but we arrived shortly after 11 am and were granted admittance. There was one other family there at the time. We selected the wrong ticket however (for NON immigrant visa) and the clerk made us return to the ticket machine to obtain another ticket for the IMMIGRANT visa. There was one woman in front of us by that point for the IMMIGRANT queue, so naturally they called her first. Was annoying as depending on who you talk to and what you read online, there is no clear designation of if the K-1 visa is immigrant or non immigrant. Make sure you know for the purposes of the interview, it is an IMMIGRANT visa. |
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Vaccination requirements? |
Here is the link to UnidadMedica's website that states exactly what is required for and what will happen at the medical exam, in English. It also lists what vaccines are neccessary for each age - http://www.unidadmedica.com/images/visados_english.pdf
Centro de Radiodiagnostica advised me that I needed my MMR and Tetanus before the exam or they would fail me. The Unidad Medica Angloamericana say this is not the case and did not want to see my vaccination record on the day. The Embassy staff corroborated this. However my understanding is that it is needed later for AOS so it’s worth having it done beforehand if you do not have a vaccination record. Bear in mind that I am a K1 so it may be different for K3 applicants.
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My fiance did not have MMR nor Tetanus and passed his medical exam and Xrays. The doctor advised however, that he will need to obtain these vaccinations in order for the Adjustment of Status. Be advised it is best to get these done in Madrid on the day of the exam as it will avoid the complication and added expense of having them done through the American medical system upon arrival in the US when your fiance is not insured. |
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Cheap and good hotels near the Consulate? |
I stayed at Hotel Convencion. This isn’t the cheapest hotel and at €110 a night it seemed overpriced for the facilities and quality offered. Two drinks at the bar and a sandwich cost €14. It was however centrally located and I never had to pay more than €5 for a cab ride to the Embassy, Doctors Office or Ministry de Justica. I wouldn’t stay there again and if I had to go to Madrid in the future I’d stay at either a Sol Melia or on Serrano.
The High Tech Hotel President had reasonable rates and is conveniently located between the Embassy and the Doctor http://www.petitpalace.com/hotel-president-castellana-en-madrid/. I booked through Hotels.com at a rate of $120 USD/night but they often have specials directly through the website. Wifi is free. Breakfast extra. Starbucks and inexpensive VIPS cafe (breakfast, lunch, dinner) around the corner.
Bear in mind you will be staying in the most expensive part of the city and the general populace walking the streets in that area will be dressed to the nines. We felt completely safe in this area, however, severely under-dressed just to walk outside or grab a quick bite. |
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Additional Info? |
Visa fee payment:
This can be paid at any Banco Santander. You have to take your passport, tell them it is for the United States Embassy Immigrant Visa and they will do the rest. The payment is in the region of €240(350 Dollars) with a small fluctuation for exchange rates. Remember to keep the original receipt as this is needed on interview day.
The Visa Fee can be paid directly at the embassy on the day of the interview. There was a lot of confusion regarding this online and when we called the designated phone number, were put on hold for 10 minutes and then redirected to an automated message saying the service was not available.
Scheduling Interview:
Once you have sent back your packet three following the instructions given, and you are sure they would have received your papers, you can call to set up an interview date over the phone. Again remember that the people you speak to will be the ones processing you on the day so be nice! I did eavesdrop when I was there and they do seem to get a hard time from some applicants
Medical Exam Info:
The medical exams must be completed BEFORE the interview. There are two doctors on the list and both can provide the results the next day (after 12 noon) so it’s possible to have the medical the day before the interview to save two trips to Madrid. Appointments for both doctors must be before 11.30am. The X-rays are in a different building so expect a short walk or cab ride after your exam.
GETTING THERE
Iberia has some great offers flying within mainland Spain. I got a return flight from Valencia for €57, which worked out a lot cheaper than either driving or taking the train. If you’re searching for flights you may have to take ones that get you in very early in the morning and leave later at night but I find it the more stress-free way of travelling around Spain. A cab ride from the airport to downtown Madrid will cost you no more than €20.
TIPS
Madrid has a problem with street robbery so be careful when you’re there. They seem to target people who look “foreign” and Americans are a favourite. Make sure your American fiancé takes care and it may be an idea to leave the obvious white sneakers and baseball caps out of sight. One American I met in the Embassy actually had his jacket ripped from him as he was wearing it and two of my American friends have been robbed in Madrid on their way back from seeing me. I counted six other Americans when I was at the Consulate who were all getting replacement passports following robberies.
That being said Madrid is a great city and in my opinion far superior to Barcelona. Plaza Mayor is a great place to watch the world go by if you have enough time, and there are plenty of very reasonable cafes there. My own favourite is The Mushroom Bar just off Plaza Major, and yes they do serve mushrooms.
OVERALL
My experience from I-129F to K1 has been fantastic and took just 49 days. It could have been even quicker had I asked for an interview sooner and not had a week with my fiancé after receiving my NOA2.
I found the Embassy staff very helpful and even a pleasure to deal with. Madrid does seem to be a quieter embassy for K visas and on the day I went I was the only K applicant that day. I know that each person’s experience is different but I have been incredibly impressed so far.
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