*****THE CONSULATE STATED THAT THE ORDER OF OUR APPLICATION WAS WRONG AND A FORM IS MESSED UP, NOT SURE WHAT FORM YET. THEY STATED THEY WANT THE APPLICATION ORGANIZED BY FAMILY MEMBERS NOT BY FORMS LIKE I DID...OF COURSE. THEY ALSO STATED THAT THEY WANTED THE LETTER OF MOTIVATION SIGNED BY ALL OF US AND NOTARIZED, AS WELL AS A LETTER FROM MY EMPLOYER STATING THAT I WILL NOT BE WORKING. I WILL UPDATE THIS ONCE I GET ALL THE INFO. NONE OF THIS WAS MENTIONED IN THE EMAIL THAT SAID WE WERE GOOD TO SEND IN THE ORIGINALS SO KEEP THAT IN MIND 06/17/2021
To finally turn in this application is like the best high ever!! I feel like these are the moments when you realize you're a grown-up, when turning in applications make you thrilled, haha. I've been a little late in posting because, as you know, I find ways to make my life as difficult as possible; I have been working full-time up until the moment we leave on our coastal road trip, while packing up our house to move since we sold it. If you didn't know, we have plane tickets for July 15th and turned our application in on June 9th and what I'm hearing is it takes about 4 weeks, so fingers crossed!!
I decided it might be helpful to show pictures of our application, how we compiled it, etc. Depending on your consulate, some of it may be different, but the core will be the same. Because we have pretty much 4 weeks until we leave and need this approved ASAP, I put a copy of our plane tickets in hopes they will have mercy on us. Moving the flight date wouldn't suck if we wouldn't have to rearrange dog stuff...What can I say? I love living on the edge rawwrrr...So without further adeu? Ado? Yes! Adieu (thank you, google), here is the application we turned in, in order.
Oh, real quick, so we initially emailed our copies to our Spanish Consulate in LA, and of course, during a holiday, it took about a week for them to say we were missing a picture of Johnny's ID. We sent that in, get a email saying we can send in our copies and the address to send them to. You pick up the Visas in person, so no return envelope is needed (if this changes when Covid is up, I will modify this). Ok, for real, without further adieu, haha, the application!
The Folder
Found a folder that has 2o pages, of plastic sleeves, and if you go back to back, it's 40 pages technically? I don't know, but I put these pages in a million times due to all the mistakes I made, so yeah, that was a blast...don't rip the plastic! Also, I swear I bought labels at least twice and could never find them...
Optional Pity Plane Tickets
While I'm writing this, my son keeps changing the languages on his tablet and is currently playing a Peppa Pig game in Japanese, which I feel demonstrates his need for multiple languages. Haha...ok, continue! Next up is what I will call our "we didn't need to post our plane tickets but please see these and get us visas before then." Also, our cashier's check which for the LA consulate, the price for all 3 of our applications, was $459... It may differ based on your consulate.
Cover Letter
I feel like now is the time to remind you that I'm super bad at tech and not good at all with blacking stuff out, bluing stuff out? So I just scribbled on anything that may get us stalked or sued (If we get famous and stuff). Onward! the next page is a cover page I thought would grease some wheels...I was going to do a family pic but couldn't figure it out! Back to my son, because I'm sure you were wondering, I was able to switch Peppa Pig to Espana so at least he would start learning Spanish, and he got mad at me and switched it back to Japanese.
Letter of Motivation
Next on our application tour, we will be putting the letter of motivation, which isn't on pretty much anyone's consulate checklist, but do it anyway. We had our lawyer translate it because it doesn't need to have a sworn translator because it's not even on the checklist haha. The letter of motivation is a giant love letter to Spain, the help them get to know you and approve the application...
Back to the kid! Success, my kid stopped playing the game, and because it was just repeating the same phrase in Japanoese, I said, "can you please change it to Spanish," and he actually did! And even said, "I wuv Spanish" he is 3; and that was a parenting win!! Back to application!
Super important all documents will be an original, a copy of the original, and if there are translations, you will also need a copy of the translation.
Letter of Motivation
Copy of letter
Email Acceptance
Next up, we added the email that stated we were good to send the originals...thank you, google translate for helping me understand this.
Declaration Page
From there, I put something out of order, but it just happened, so...the Declaration Page, which I'm not going to lie, I just signed not understanding it, because it was in Spanish. Luckily I really trust my lawyer. From my broken Spanish, I think it was like we don't guarantee crap; we may lose your crap but sign here if you want a visa...Now I have one signed for all three of us...I signed Jackson's as a parent representative... I don't know if I needed it but skrew it!
Declaration Page
Copy of Declaration Page
Visa Application
At this point, it is 930pm, and my husband put on the unicorn song which I think is putting me to sleep more than my son... It is sleep baby Xanax...here is the link for parents or fellow insomniacs https://youtu.be/SDr0bmEPoxE. And I'm also like 2 mimosas deep soooo... And before you say it mimosas do not have to be only for breakfast!
OH, and I forgot to mention tomorrow we are homeless from selling our house and are making a 1 month trip along the coast of California to say goodbye to people, so we are supposed to get up at 5 am...so 930pm is pushing it, haha...On the trip, maybe I will stop being so freaked out and finally appear on camera with some cool California footage...anyways, what was next? Ah yes, the Visa Application. I will show all three of ours, and you have to include a passport photo...We found an app that lets you do it and printed it out on photo paper...I hate my pic, but whatever c'est la vie hehe.
Visa Application
Copy of Application
A passport photo to attach to the application
Passports
I'm not gonna lie; I think I am fading fast, I am so tired..the kid passed out to the best sleep aid song ever, and it's about to claim another victim...this is like time travel...you will never know there was a break because once it is submitted, it will be a continual stream for you. Still, for me, it will be hours..that's how time travel works, right? Anyways I will resume this tomorrow and add the next million pages...
Hi! I'm back; See time travel! We are officially homeless and have started our 1 month trip to say goodbye to family. We just came back from Sequoia National Park! I'm hoping to post the pics and make our first video, but I really suck at editing so we will see. In the meantime, what's next..? Next is your passport or travel document.
Original Passport
Copy of Passport
Proof of ID
I wasn't super jazzed about the next piece, but we have to send it, which is our original driver's license. There are other options, but we didn't have them, so...The whole point of this is to prove you live in the jurisdiction of the consulate. According to the lawyer, she has had all her clients send them, and we are on a time crunch, so we don't want to waste time and sent it. We have already gotten our international driver's license (tell you how next article), so we figure if we get pulled over, we can show them that and explain our situation. we also have passport cards that we can use as our identification ***tip Insta Cart does not accept passport cards to get booze...we had to have our neighbor scan his ID...It's like fishing for alcohol again!
Original Driver's License
Copy of Driver's License
I totally forgot to take a pic soooo
Next up, is only if you are not a US citizen. U.S. Resident Alien Card or valid U.S. long term Visa. (Original and photocopy).
EX-01
We will then be adding the EX-01 form. Again we just blued out whatever we thought was important... I have no idea what's on this and just signed it after it was filled up, haha..oh, and I'm not showing each sheet in these forms, just the first sheet. We weren't sure if we needed copies, so we did it anyway.
Ex-01 Form
Copy of EX-01
790-52 Form
Next on our extensive list, I will tell you to make sure you have plenty of paper and ink because you will be using it! Now really, the next thing that is needed is the 790-52 Form. Again I have no idea what this says; hopefully, I do not promise my kidney or something. If you have someone who speaks Spanish, to fill these out in Spanish, you do not need a Sworn Spanish Translation, so I highly recommend it.
790-52 Form
Copy of Form
Medical Letter
So for the Medical Record, if you use the form I will post below, you will not need a sworn translation as it is being signed already translated http://www.exteriores.gob.es/Consulados/LOSANGELES/es/InformacionParaExtranjeros/Documents/Certificado%20Medico.pdf.
The examples we show don't quite look like the template above, but it worked...Also, Jackson's and Johnny's expired as 3 months had passed, so they had to re-do theirs. I included all of the certificates, even the expired ones, cause why not? Oh, and I finally realized I could change the color of the block out, so now you will have purple! You're welcome.
Medical Letter
Copy of letter
Police Background Check
For us now is when the fun begins, and we had to get the sworn Spanish Translations for the police background. Please see my past posts if you need more info because it was too ridiculous to write twice. Jackson did not need one as he is 3, and we have covered up all his crimes at this point, so there will only be 2. The first for me and the other for Johnny, aka Pablo Escobar, the one who had a lot of fun when he was younger. My letter states I have no record; the hubbies had something a few years back but, it was like 6 years, so it's all good. We did add the pages that stated the crime, so they know he wasn't Scarface or anything (classic American Movie).In the picture the bottom page is the apostilled form and behind it I pulled up, to show you the first page of our translations.
Orginal apostilled police record
Copy of apostilled police record
Translation of apostilled police record
Copy of translation of apostilled police record
Proof Of Funds
Next will be the Proof of Funds. Again this was an adventure, so check out the other posts to get the specifics. This is basically either a letter stating you have enough money in your account (what we did), or you could supply proof that you are receiving the money criteria monthly. You can't tell because I reded out the signature, but it must have a bank stamp or signature.
Proof of funds
Copy of Proof of Funds
Translation of Proof of Funds
Copy of Translation
Bank Statements
The LA Consulate didn't say that it required this on their list, but our lawyer had us add it, probably because a lot of other consulates want it, so again, skrew it; why not. We included 4 months' worth of bank statements, and the translator created a summary for each month. Check your consulate on their Spanish Consulate Page or my list of differences based on the consulate in the Checklist section of my blog.
possibly optional
Bank Statements signed by your bank
Copy of Bank Statements
Translation of Bank Statements
Copy of Translations
Tax Return
La Consulate is the only one that requires you don't have a mortgage. They request a tax return, I guess, to see if you have a mortgage? Not sure if all the consulates require this, so again, check my list of requirements based on the consulate in the Checklist section of the blog. Our lawyer, to be super thorough, had this translated as well.
Tax Return
Copy of Tax Return
Translation
Copy of Translation
Spanish Medical Insurance
Sooooooooo It's 9 pm, day 2 of writing this post, and I am starting to melt into my bed, but I will finish this! I am currently filled with subpar Mexican Food from Central California and a White Claw Tallboy...I swear I'm not an alcoholic, just so tired from being up since 5 and hugging trees all day. I digress! Next is medical insurance. We went with Sanitas and got the 1 year, paid upfront; yes, that means you will likely pay for a couple of months you won't use. We were given the info in English, so we knew what we were signing, but they filled out the paperwork in Spanish, so no translation was needed. This kind of looks like an FBI report...it was in Spanish so I didn't know what to purple out, so here we are.
Medical Insurance
Copy of Medical Insurance
If not in Spanish originally- translation
Copy of translation
If You Are Married And/Or Have Made Mini Yous
At this point, you are done unless you have a spouse or a mini minion, aka a child. Since I have both, we had to include our Marriage certificate.
Apostille Marriage Certificate
Copy
Translation of apostille Marriage Certificate
Copy of translation
And for our sweet little turd, aka my little love Jackson, his birth certificate.
Apostille Birth Certificate of child
Copy of certificate
Translation of apostille certificate
Copy of Translation
It's Done!!!!
And there you have it! Spend 7 years copying forms, and you too will have a visa, I think? We are waiting for ours to be approved, so we could totally be wrong, but I think we are good. I am determined to get this submitted tonight, but damn I hate proofreading ughghgh. I get why it's important. I wish I could teleport you into my head, and you could understand how brilliant I am, even if I edit like a toddler...Thanks to my bestie Grammarly, it should be ok, but I may also edit as time goes on! Sooooo just kidding I am posting tomorrow because my brain is gone and I can't edit it.
Hang in there! This will happen, damn it! Next up in this tester of patience, I will show you how to get some of the little crap done, such as International Driver's License, mail forwarding situation, etc. I have yet to find a clever title due to the exhaustion of traveling with 2 dogs and a toddler, with everything you now own, in a truck on a road trip for a month...the husband has been an asset, so he is removed from this rant, for now, haha. 3 days later this post is finally being submitted!!!
I will hopefully have videos and pics up of our journey, and as always, please subscribe, share, and join the family!