BLS Thailand

[MaprangHolmes]

My mother in law applied for a Spanish visa at the end of March, she is due to fly to the UK on the 30th April if she does not get her passport back by say the 24th April how long does it take to request the passport be returned to her?

 

Thank you for any info you may be able to give

[Crossy]

What does the Application Tracking on the BLS site say?

 

https://thailand.blsspainvisa.com/

 

Considering the long holidays we've just suffered I would start asking question by the end of this week.

 

[MaprangHolmes]

13 minutes ago, Crossy said:

What does the Application Tracking on the BLS site say?

 

https://thailand.blsspainvisa.com/

 

Considering the long holidays we've just suffered I would start asking question by the end of this week.

 

it is just saying the same as it was when she applied: 

Current Status :

In transit from BLS to Mission

[Donutz]

An application should not take more then 15 calendar days* but I would not be surprised if the Spanish pretend that those are working days instead.

 

BLS is just an optional party that forwards the paperwork. Not sure if they can say anything at all... I'd contact the Spanish embassy before the end of the week.

 

*or 30 days of papers are missing or more documents are required (which the applicant will of course be asked to submit) or 60 days if the case is forwarded to Madrid for further review incase the embassy cannot make a decision on their own.

[MaprangHolmes]

1 hour ago, Donutz said:

An application should not take more then 15 calendar days* but I would not be surprised if the Spanish pretend that those are working days instead.

 

BLS is just an optional party that forwards the paperwork. Not sure if they can say anything at all... I'd contact the Spanish embassy before the end of the week.

 

*or 30 days of papers are missing or more documents are required (which the applicant will of course be asked to submit) or 60 days if the case is forwarded to Madrid for further review incase the embassy cannot make a decision on their own.

Thank you very much for that, I must admit I assumed that it would be 15 working days but as it is 15 calendar days she should get her passport back this week. I will phone the Spanish embassy on Thursday if has not been returned before then but I expect to get the run around from them

[Donutz]

12 hours ago, MaprangHolmes said:

Thank you very much for that, I must admit I assumed that it would be 15 working days but as it is 15 calendar days she should get her passport back this week. I will phone the Spanish embassy on Thursday if has not been returned before then but I expect to get the run around from them

It's in calenderdays and if the Spaniards abide the rule about proper and complete information they do make this clear on either the BLS side and their own MFA sites with Schengen information.

 

Here is what the rules say:

http://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/?uri=celex:32009R0810

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Article 23

Decision on the application

 

1.   Applications shall be decided on within 15 calendar days of the date of the lodging of an application which is admissible in accordance with Article 19.

2.   That period may be extended up to a maximum of 30 calendar days in individual cases, notably when further scrutiny of the application is needed or in cases of representation where the authorities of the represented Member State are consulted.

3.   Exceptionally, when additional documentation is needed in specific cases, the period may be extended up to a maximum of 60 calendar days.

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[MaprangHolmes]

I think part of the requirements to work at BLS is to be incredibly stupid and totally ignore what anyone is asking them, telephones them today and they are insisting that it is 15 working days not calendar days, so explain to them that it is on the Spanish embassies web site stating 15 Calendar days so they say no you are wrong it is 15 working days, spoke to the embassy who just send you back to BLS total pain in the neck. If anyone is thinking of going to SPAIN I would defiantly think again and go to a different country.

[Donutz]

The embassy is responsible for proper information and service including any of which provided by the optional external service provider that they use. 

 

It is also the embassy that actually processes the passports of all applications  (people who applied at the embassy and of people who took the 'detour route' via a service provider such as BLS collect and forware the application to the embassy).

 

There is little point in calling BLS, the applications are at the embassy so all BLS can do is to answer general questions and they even seem to fail at that. In regards of the status or handling of the application it is only the embassy who can really say something about the processing of an (specific) application.

 

If you can't get through via telephone try sending an email to the embassy, BLS and a CC to the European Commission:

1. emb.bangkok @ maec.es

2. Info.bkk @ blshelpline.com

3. JUST-CITIZENSHIP @ ec.europa.eu

 

Include in the email that you got instructed by the embassy to contact BLS but that BLS wrongfully said it is working days. Remind them that the embassy is rrsponsible for proper information. Remind them that it is calender days (article 19 Schengen code on visa) and that you are wondering why they are taking longer than they should and that the embassy is responsible for abiding the rules or failure there of. Of course written in a polite manner. The CC to the EU may just get your email noticed and get the Spaniards to pick up your application and process it in a timely (Lol?) manner.