What happens if your visa to move to Spain gets denied? What do you do if your temporaryresidence permit renewal is refused? Whether you are already in Spain on an expired visa, are applying to travel to Spain for a holiday, or intend to live there permanently or temporarily, waiting for a response to your application can be nerve-wracking. But if you meet the visa requirements, and have submitted all the correct documents to the Spanish Consulate at home or the immigration authority in Spain, you will probably be fine. Spain issues over two million visas per year.
Some applications do get rejected. This is not necessarily the end of the story, though – many appeals are successful. The best way to increase your chances of having your visa application accepted the first time around is to get a specialist immigration lawyer to help you compile it. If, however, you still get a rejection, legal experts recommend you always consider an appeal before giving up.
Here's a guide to the appeal process for Spain – but first, we'll explore the most common reasons why your visa request might be turned down.
A visa application being rejected may not be the end of the story – legal experts recommend you always try to appeal. Photo: Getty Images
Reasons a visa for Spain might be rejected
Your application for a visa for Spain may be turned down for a number of reasons, but sometimes, a solution is very simple. Even if it's not, you may still have a case for appeal. Where the solution is complex, not obvious, or open to interpretation, use a legal firm with extensive experience in handling immigration issues.
These are some of the most common grounds for visa denial:
Errors and omissions in your application
These could include:
- Not supplying the complete documentation
- Not supplying sworn translations of documents, where requested
- Not giving sufficient evidence of your reasons for wanting to live in Spain
- Not supplying copies of every single page of your passport, or showing a passport with less than a year to run before it expires
- Providing out-of-date paperwork
Fortunately, these issues are relatively easily resolved, but you should still get an immigration law specialist to check nothing is missing before you reapply.
Insufficient financial means
Applying for a visa in your own name means you need to prove savings or annual income in line with the IPREM. This is a Spanish-government set figure used as a base for non-contributory State benefits, and is currently €7,200 per annum.
A lone immigrant needs annual income or savings of at least four times the IPREM, or €28,800. For each additional household member, a further €7,200 per year must be added.
It is always advisable to try to show a higher figure if you can, especially in light of exchange rates. You may have calculated your income correctly, but a rate change could put you below the threshold.
Income requirements are much lower for a family reunification visa, but sufficient proof is needed if the sponsor is a non-EU citizen.
Family reunification: Insufficient proof of dependence or relationship
This may jeopardise your application if it is missing or incomplete. Take a look at our comprehensive article on how to apply for a family reunification visa and all paperwork needed.
Read more at thinkSPAIN.com