Just after my arrival in Spain, my husband and I went to Motril – the administration center for our area in Granada to submit my residence application at the Police Station. But the two officers in charge of the Foreign Affairs section only spoke Spanish. They did not understand so much of my Spanish, LOL, and advised us to come back with a lawyer.
On the first visit, we only had to wait a short time before it was our turn, but when we came back a week later together with my husband’s lawyer, it turned out to be a test of patience. We arrived early but there were already a lot of people before us, and I got to use my experience of waiting in line in the Philippines.
We waited four hours for my number to be called and when it was my turn, the lawyer and my husband went with me. The lawyer asked the officer about my requirements and we were told to submit a copy of my husband’s latest bank statements, and also two more sets of photocopies of the documents we already had. Luckily, those were easy to fix before they closed at 2 pm, and with the papers in perfect order, it was just to deliver direct without much waiting. But why is there not a clear instruction of what documents and numbers of copies to be delivered? And why did the officers of the Foreign Affairs section speak no English?
A lot of questions crossed my mind about the whole process; maybe because I expected Spain’s bureaucracy to be so much easier and better than what I have been used to. However, I noticed that in situations with unexpected waiting and unclear requirements, positivism is the key. I acted like my husband and his lawyer – accepted the long wait with a smile and responded fast when the requirements were clarified. It will now take between four to five weeks before I will get my residence card, and in the meantime, we will travel to Norway.