Visa application centre in Spain

This page contains information about our visa application centre in Spain. It also explains what to bring with you and what will happen when you attend your appointment at a visa application centre.

All visa applicants unless they are exempt from enrolling their biometric information must book an appointment at the visa application centre as part of their application. The Applying for a UK visa page contains more information.

Address
UK Border Agency
British Consulate-General
Torre Espacio
Paseo De La Castellan 259-D
28046 Madrid
Spain

What will happen when you attend your appointment?

When you attend your appointment, you will:

• need to arrive no earlier than 15 minutes before your appointment (if you are late you will need to reschedule);
• submit a printout of your application form; and
• enrol your biometric information. The Biometric information page describes the requirements for enrolling this information.

Transport information

There is no public car park at Torre Espacio. The nearest public car park is La Paz, next to the La Paz Hospital and directly opposite Torre Espacio. Alternative car parks are:

Tagasa; C/ San Roman Nonato 2-4, 28046 Madrid. 91 733 73 94
Carlos Morquillas Siguero; C/ Hermanos de Andres 12, 28029 Madrid. 91 315 01 36

The number 5 bus goes from Cibeles to Chamartin. You can walk from there to Torre Espacio or if you prefer you can get the 66, 124 or 135 bus. Bus route 27 goes from Gta. Embajadores to Plaza Castilla and routes 173 or 178 run from Plaza Castilla to Torre Espacio.

The nearest underground stop is Begoña (line 10). When you get to Begoña station make sure you take the exit sign posted La Paz or you will have a much longer walk to Torre Espacio.

Customers with disabilities

The UK Border Agency in Madrid is keen to ensure that its services are fully accessible to disabled people. Information on disabled access is set out below.

General physical access

Please note the following points if you plan to visit us:

• The UK Border Agency is located on the 38th floor of a tower block - Torre Espacio floor and has full wheelchair access.
• The toilets that have been specially designed for the needs of wheelchair users or those with limited physical mobility.
• Public car parking is available at La Paz hospital.
• The entrance to Torre Espacio is clear and unobstructed. Wheelchair users can access the lobby area through a door at the side of the revolving door.
• Once inside the lobby area, there are specially adapted turnstiles so that wheelchair users can access the lift area.
• The public areas, including the cashier and biometric counters, are easily accessible to wheelchair users or those with physical disabilities.
• The floor covering is safe and even throughout the whole of Torre Espacio.
• The building is bright and well lit.
• The UK Border Agency is fitted with emergency alarms and arrangements are in place for assisting disabled visitors in case of emergency / evacuation. Visa staff will help disabled visitors leave the building.

Access for the visually impaired and deaf / hard of hearing visitors

• The visa reception area in the lobby is easily identified by the British flag.
• Some of the statutory notices are not clearly visible for the visually impaired. Please ask visa staff if you need any help with information.
• Hearing loops, minicom and textphones are not installed but we do have microphones on the counters.

What should you bring with you?

When you attend your appointment, you should bring:

• a signed printout of your completed form;
• your passport. You are not legally required to have 6 months validity on your passport at the time you apply for your visa. But your passport must be valid at the time you apply and at the time you arrive in the UK;
• 1 recent passport-sized (45mm x 35mm) colour photograph of your face, which meets the requirements in our photograph guidance - you can download this guidance from the right side of this page;
• confirmation of your online payment;
• confirmation of your online appointment;
• any supporting documents that are relevant to your application and a phototcopy of each document (including English translations);
• any previous passports which show evidence of foreign travel; and
• Your original valid Spanish, Andorran or Portuguese residence permit. If it is out of date and being renewed, an Autorización de Regreso or "Comprovativo de pedido de Autorização de Residência" or "Comprovativo de prorrogação de Autorização de Residência" for those nationalities that need it

Your passport must contain at least 1 page that is blank on both sides, so that your visa vignette (sticker) can be inserted.

When will we return your passport?

We will retain your passport until we have made a decision on your visa application. You should remember this when you make your travel arrangements, particularly if you plan to visit other countries before going to the UK. If you need your passport in order to travel home (e.g. to the Canary Islands) you should send it back to us as soon as possible.

Urgent and compassionate cases

You should submit an online application. If you cannot schedule an appointment in time, you should email WorldBridge to make an appointment and mark your email as 'Emergency visa application'. You must have documentary evidence to show your application qualifies as urgent or compassionate e.g. a hospital letter. You can find the email form on the WorldBridge in Portugal website.