My husband was granted a fellowship from the Spanish government to perform research there for a year. We’re supposed to be there August 1, 2011. We applied for his residence visa exempt from work permit (and my spousal visa) a little over a month ago, and have no idea when it will come through. We have called the consulate in Houston a couple of times, and they have assured us that our application is complete and that we do not need to turn in any additional documents, but they are never able to say how much longer it will take. The process is completely opaque, and it’s nerve wracking not knowing where we are in the process and how much longer it will take.
The problems: (1) we need to be there August 1st, because that’s when the fellowship begins; (2) our housing lease ends July 31st; and (3) we are taking our dogs, so it’s imperative we book our plane tickets early.
The questions: (1) how long does it typically take for this particular type of visa; and (2) has anyone been successful in expediting the process?
Thanks for any advice or insight you can give!
