BLS Spain Visa Application Centre Manchester - Salford

Dawn D.

I am utterly disappointed with Spain for agreeing to work with BLS. My mother of 82 applied for a NLV on 19th November, initial service on the day was very good. THEN it STOPS. Like What the hell does Processing at MISSION mean. I am still waiting for an update and to decide whether BLS is run by outdated robots. NO empathy, NO communication, NO professional approach, NO empathy to the situation that my mother is now Homeless and has been waiting every day for news since 19th NOVEMBER. Do spain not realise that to fulfil the requirements of those coming to spain, you have to bring money!! so a house has to be sold. Except she is coming to live with me. Exactly why does it take 4 months to process one applicant who only wants to spend the rest of her days with her family. The service between the Consulate and BLS is inexplicable. Why can they simply not employ more people to solve the backlog of complaints and applications. WHY do they have job opportunities on their webpage?. Why would anyone even consider working for these people.
BLS webpage is the worst interface and experience I have ever had. 4 hours trying to upload a photo and each time there is an error you have to start again. Who uses please click on all numbers 131 or 157 etc etc, to access their page in 2025 with AI and this continues once you submit your documents. There is NO update about your visa on their system. They deliberately send you automated emails and refuse to update you and refer you to the consulate who then refer you back to BLS. This is a clear example of corrupt bureaucracy. Not only does this affect the applicant it affects the entire family. Nobody eats, nobody sleeps. The wording in their emails is consistently useless. We are pleased to ASSIST YOU, We are glad to assist you, and finally it was a pleasure assisting you, all in the same paragraph!! when in fact they have NOT assisted you. Sorry but that type of expression in a formal letter is not only ignorant but damned right stupidity. You share your passport number and we will assist you. Actually the Word Assist means nothing to BLS, since once you have supplied the passport number to get an update on your application, they then tell you that it depends on your consulate. So frankly what the hell have we paid 600 euros for. Spain is not doing themselves any favours by agreeing to work with the most incompetent company whose head office is in KUWAIT and refuses and avoids any complaint system. The. Manchester office needs to be investigated into corruption and lack of service to the public. I intend to take this case to the newspapers since not only is this affecting my mother but hundreds of other applicants are suffering when it is totally unnecessary when we are already dealing with a world that has gone mad. I think the only useful service that could be offered by BLS is a mental institute because there must be hundreds of applicants out there literally ripping their hair out.

Seyi O.

This review is based on my personal experience at BLS. The appointment booking process was far way better than other European consulate services. I could view appointments ahead which are usually released early in the mornings, from around 7am or so.

So my appointment was early (8:45am) in the morning and I managed to arrive on time. All the staff were very professional and pleasant. The guy that viewed my documents was particularly very nice and understanding. I forgot to print my bank statement and insurance documents and he printed them for me. He was smiling professionally throughout our conversation and honestly wished I could tip him. He also explained the process for me and what I need to do if ever anymore documents was requested by the consulate. I know some customers haven’t had good experiences here but I can’t fault the service I received today. Thanks guys.

Udgoon

I am deeply disappointed with the service I received during a time of great personal distress. I recently lost an immediate family member and needed my passport back urgently to attend the funeral. Despite repeatedly calling and emailing, I was told to wait for a cancellation form, which I finally received only after several days of follow-up.

Even after submitting the form, I was informed that it would take another 3-4 working days for my passport to be returned even though i already waited days just to receive the cancellation form—completely disregarding the urgency of my situation. When someone emphasizes that their need is urgent, it should be treated as such, especially in cases involving family emergencies and grief.

The lack of empathy and efficiency was shocking, and I felt abandoned in one of the most difficult times of my life. This experience has left me feeling frustrated and heartbroken. I sincerely hope no one else has to go through such a thing.

赵海名

I am extremely disappointed with the service provided by the Manchester Spain Visa Application Center. I submitted my application on November 25th, and despite it being well over 15 working days (more than three weeks) since then, there has been absolutely no update on the status of my visa.

The online tracking system shows no progress at all, which adds to my frustration. I’ve sent emails to inquire about my application, but the responses have been dismissive and unhelpful, simply deflecting responsibility without providing any real solutions or updates.

This level of inefficiency and lack of accountability is unacceptable, especially when dealing with time-sensitive visa applications. I expected much better service and transparency. I would strongly advise others to think twice before using this center if they need a timely visa process.

Nimu B.

My son requires a long term visa, both he and I have been trying to book an appointment at the Manchester office for nearly 4 weeks and there are never any slots available!! We’ve called the number on 5 occasions to be told to keep trying and there’s nothing they can do to assist us. The service both online and by telephone is shockingly poor!!!!! There are numerous appointments available in both London and Edinburgh. We are happy to go to London as we live equidistant from either Manchester or London but as we don’t fall into the jurisdiction we aren’t allowed to. We are at our wits ends now as to what to do!!!!

Yingzhe W.

I arrived and checked in 30 minutes before the appointment. The staff kept shouting at me that they were closing soon and refused to explain why I couldn't take out the SMS service fee. They also forced me to pay £8 for the worst quality photo, even though I had a very recent one and it completely met the standard. They also refused to explain why I couldn't use my own, saying they were closing soon

sumaiya Y.

I had a frustrating experience with one of their phone representatives when making an inquiry about my visa application. As a first-time visa applicant traveling between multiple Schengen countries, I needed clarity on the necessary documents. Unfortunately, the representative seemed uninformed and unsure of what was required. She repeatedly told me that, since I was a first-time applicant, I could only apply for a single-entry visa, despite my need to travel to multiple destinations.

When I asked about the specific documents needed, especially since the requirements seemed to vary between the London and Manchester centers, she couldn’t provide any answers and just referred me back to their website.

Upon arriving at the center (which was easy to find via Google Maps), I was greeted by a rather unwelcoming receptionist. However, the experience improved when I reached the biometric capture stage. The lady who handled my biometric data and document check was very pleasant, and her professionalism made me forget the earlier issues.

Overall, the center was clean and well-organized. I’m giving them a 3-star rating for the two lovely staff members who provided excellent service at the counters, despite the initial negative interactions.

This revision maintains the essence of your experience but enhances clarity and flow.

Maira K.

I would give this service zero stars if I could—even negative if possible.

My husband and I submitted our visa applications on January 7th, with our scheduled flight on February 1st. However, I only received my passport back today, 4th feb, with no prior email, message, or update regarding the delay.

I had been calling repeatedly to inquire about the status, but received no response. Tried calling them, mailing them still no response at all.

Due to this delay, I lost my hotel bookings, missed my flight, and suffered a financial loss of £1,000—n without even an apology from their end.

To make matters worse, the visa issued is only valid from January 28th to February 9th, and I only received it today. Tracking shows it was sent on January 31st, meaning I now have just three days left to use it.

Adding to the frustration, when I called today to question this, they claimed my passport was still with the consulate—even though I had it in my hands lol.

Additionally, despite charging everyone for DHL delivery, my passport was sent via Royal Mail, leading to further delays.

This has been an absolutely terrible experience, and I would not recommend their service to anyone. Highly unprofessional staff.