Russian wife with UK residency - need visa for Spain?

[chumpington]

I've spent the last hour trying to figure out whether my wife will need a visa to enter Spain with me, a UK citizen.

This page
http://www.exteriores.gob.es/Consulados ... sport.aspx

...says that family members of EU nationals don't need visas, but they don't define 'family'.

This page, however
http://es.vfsglobal.co.uk/Manchester/ee ... ousea.html

...has details of a Spousal Visa, so if one exists then I guess that means we need one.

I also read about people turning up at the airport without the right documents, and how, apparently, by law, they're required by law to give you the chance of proving your right to entry and thus obtaining the right documents there and then.

This sounds very risky but has anyone done this?

[toofan]

are you you an eu citizen in uk exercising treaty rights and is your wife holding a RC as family member of eu citizen?
are you both married and travelling together?

[Casa]

Your wife will need a Schengen visa, which will be free as the spouse of a British Citizen. The airline is unlikely to allow her to board without one and Spain is one of the most inflexible of the EU states.

[chumpington]

Thanks, guys. Anyone know from experience how long VFS take to process Spousal Visas?

And yes, we'd be travelling together.

[Wanderer]

Thanks, guys. Anyone know from experience how long VFS take to process Spousal Visas?

And yes, we'd be travelling together.

What visa does your wife have now in order to stay in UK?

[CR001]

Thanks, guys. Anyone know from experience how long VFS take to process Spousal Visas?

And yes, we'd be travelling together.

it takes 5-10 working days if they are not busy. getting an appointment at visa application centre might be a bit of a wait as it is coming up to peak season.