12d • General chat
Surviving the Visa Process
I am Canadian. I had applied for my Study Visa as I had been accepted to earn my Master's Degree at Universidad de Alcala. The documents required for the university weren't the problem. The problem was the lengthy process of the Global Affairs Canada Apostille process. I sent my documents to be apostilled on July 5, 2026. I sent an email requesting my visa appointment that day as well.
On July 23 I received the email advising that my Visa appointment was Aug 6 in Toronto. So I sent an email to Global Affairs Canada advising of my appointment date, hoping to receive my apostilled documents back in time.
I didn't, but still attended my visa appointment on Aug 6, 2026 in Toronto. The woman at the consulate eased my nerves, indicating that many people attend their visa appointment and don't have their documents back from Global Affairs. She advised the most important things for the visa meeting are your passport, passport photo, visa application and the payment. I had all these items.
She took all the documents that I had with me. About 20 minutes later, she returned with a 'receipt' that I signed to indicate that I received my passport back. Then she gave me a paper and told me I had 10 business days to submit my missing documents by mail from Global Affairs Canada and how to track the status of my visa application. She told me when the visa has been approved the status would be changed to 'Resuelto' and that i don't need an appointment to pick up my visa, but it needs to be collected in person, only on Fridays between 10 a.m and 1 p.m.
My documents' due date would be Aug 20, 2026. She said she didn't care if the documents came after that date, but she cautioned that after that date the Spain Government could cancel my visa application. I asked if that happens often. She said no, only if applicants abandon the process.
I finally received the documents from Global Affairs Canada on Aug 20, the date that they were due at the consulate. I still needed to get them translated. The translation was completed by Aug 24. I picked them up in person within an hour of receiving the email that they were ready.
I mailed them in that same afternoon and checked my tracking and they arrived in Toronto the next day by noon. So officially 13 business days after my appointment and 3 days late after the date she told me they were due after my meeting.
It was very stressful waiting to learn the status of my visa. I decided I would only check once a day at the end of their business day.
On Friday Sept 4, I checked the status and it was 'Resuelto'. So that meant I could pick it up either Sept 11 or Sept 18. I had a hotel reserved in Spain for September 19. So my plan was an early morning flight to Toronto on September 18. Arriving at 0930. It is 1 hour to get to the consulate by bus and Subway. After arriving at their office I handed in my passport and 5 minutes later I was given my passport with the visa inside. They asked me to check the spelling of my names before leaving their office.
I left and caught the subway and bus again, arriving at the airport shortly after noon. I had 4 hours until my flight to Madrid via Halifax. So for the first time in the 5 months since I had been accepted to UAH-Franklin Institute to earn my Master’s Degree in was truly relaxed.
For the first time in my life I made use of the airport lounge eating and drinking prepared to finally face my new life chapter. The visa process was a true test of my patience.
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Surviving the Visa Process
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