Outstanding Service: Spanish Residency Granted on First Attempt
After researching various Spanish residency options online for over a couple of years, Balcells Group consistently stood out as the most reliable and accurate source of information. Their social media channels are regularly updated with helpful videos covering the latest changes in residency legislation and different visa pathways, which proved invaluable.Having previously worked with other legal firms and endured several unsuccessful residency applications, I finally decided to book an online consultation with Balcells Group. It was one of the best decisions I've made in recent years—my only regret is not reaching out to them sooner.I was assigned Immigration Lawyer Ana Fraga, who immediately put me at ease. In our first consultation, she thoroughly reviewed my personal situation, answered all my questions, addressed my concerns, and recommended the most suitable option for me. She provided clear, precise guidance on exactly which documents I needed to gather for a strong application.I'm thrilled to report that my application was approved on the first attempt, and I now hold Spanish residency. Ana also gave me detailed instructions on the documents required for my TIE appointment, and the entire process went smoothly with no complications.I wholeheartedly recommend Balcells Group—and especially Ana Fraga—to anyone seeking professional, efficient help to obtain Spanish residency.
Gary Friend
What I think of Balcells in one review…
What I think of Balcells in one review and two communications: Review:What a disappointment. Although they got the work done, I was underwhelmed by the quality of the same, their complete unresponsiveness to repeated emails, their lack of due diligence, and upset by their dishonesty and behavior. As a lawyer, I expect lawyers representing me to (i) carefully read my emails and answer questions asked, (ii) respond to queries and issues posed in a fulsome manner addressing matters I miss or am unfamiliar with, (iii) respond to repeated emails in a timely manner (rather than ignoring emails as they seemed to be doing) and (iv) make corrections to documents as reviewed and requested. BalcellsGroup failed in all, albeit getting what needed done during a the holiday season. In particular, they did not carefully read my emails and answer very specific questions in a timely manner. If an answer was provided, it was often after I again reminded them of it and was a pro forma one which could easily be looked up on the web. Also, they took a myopic approach to the issue presented, rather than advising me of broader and necessary things I should have been advised of in dealing with my problem. Most disappointingly, I was mislead about documents that had been filed. Instead of filing corrected documents I sent them they filed the draft documents with errors. This was evidenced by submitted receipts they themselves emailed and showed me. They simply didn't bother to make the corrections to the documents, whether due to laziness or oversight. Good legal professionals would not make such a mistake and then try to cover it up. It would have been better if they just owned up to their mistake. Finally, when I repeatedly asked that they make corrections and resubmit the documents they had filed, they simply ignored me and never responded to my emails. I would not call them abogados, rather paper-pushers. Very disappointing work and behavior. I recommend looking elsewhere for proper legal advice and assistance. They give us lawyers a bad name. Dear Mrs. Franco, here is copy of a review my husband wrote as regards his dealings with Ms. Amorós back in December. It should inform you of our dissatisfaction for the “services” rendered by Ms. Amorós. Despite these issues, we considered the matter of our taxes paid & closed until we received further messages from the Agencia Tributaria. In short, the modelo 210 was double filed by your outfit & the tax agency is again seeking payment for taxes because of double filing. A further amount of over 500 euros has already been withdrawn from my bank by the agency. This has caused considerable confusion, frustration and time employed unraveling the mess created by Balcells. We hired you to facilitate and fix NOT complicate our lives.Ms. Franco, I am not quite sure what discussing with Ainhoa may do. The Agencia Tributaria confirmed yesterday that Balcells group had put in not ONE but TWO requests on our behalf therefore prompting the doubling of tax payments. To undo this mistake, a form had to be filed asking the agencia tributaria to annul the second modelo 210 filed by Balcells, then a form had to be filled & filed that no further charges be made and thirdly, a request had to be filled & filed asking for the return of monies in excess of 500 plus euros from my account. Sorting this mess out took nearly four hours, two trips to the agencia tributaria, consultations with 3 departments in the agencia tributaria and trips to the bank. This is MY time and MY money you have cost me and yes, it has indeed been stressful. What you took as “FEEDBACK” and have replied with this perfunctory and noncommittal email, was a COMPLAINT. Ainhoa did not even bother to reply to my husband’s last message. She considered the notices of filing to be her last response and that was the end of it from her side. Why then, should I wish to converse with her? I specifically asked for YOU but I can see this is more of the same from Balcells. So be it. My reviews on any platform I can find will reflect what I think of this all.
Milena Castulovich
Its a super slow
Its a super slow, irresponsible and incompetent choice !
Nick
Do not go near this company !
Do not go near this company ...after leaving the google review about how bad the service has been for my company I have now received a personal autonoma fine for 4500 euros for an error made by the accounts team in my 2021 declaracion de la renta!!!Do not trust them ...they will not take any responsibility for thie mistakes . They have now cost me many thousands of euros over a period of 4 years through mistakes and negligence!
Niki Robinson
What a disappointment
What a disappointment. Although they got the work done, I was underwhelmed by the quality of the same, their complete unresponsiveness to repeated emails, their lack of due diligence, and upset by their dishonesty and behavior. As a lawyer, I expect lawyers representing me to (i) carefully read my emails and answer questions asked, (ii) respond to queries and issues posed in a fulsome manner addressing matters I miss or am unfamiliar with, (iii) respond to repeated emails in a timely manner (rather than ignoring emails as they seemed to be doing) and (iv) make corrections to documents as reviewed and requested. Balcells Group failed in all, albeit getting what needed done during a the holiday season. In particular, they did not carefully read my emails and answer very specific questions in a timely manner. If an answer was provided, it was often after I again reminded them of it and was a pro forma one which could easily be looked up on the web. Also, they took a myopic approach to the issue presented, rather than advising me of broader and necessary things I should have been advised of in dealing with my problem. Most disappointingly, I was mislead about documents that had been filed. Instead of filing corrected documents I sent them they filed the draft documents with errors. This was evidenced by submitted receipts they themselves emailed and showed me. They simply didn't bother to make the corrections to the documents, whether due to laziness or oversight. Good legal professionals would not make such a mistake and then try to cover it up. It would have been better if they just owned up to their mistake. Finally, when I repeatedly asked that they make corrections and resubmit the documents they had filed, they simply ignored me and never responded to my emails. I would not call them abogados, rather paper-pushers. Very disappointing work and behavior. I recommend looking elsewhere for proper legal advice and assistance. They give us lawyers a bad name.
Masoud Javadi
IRRESPONSIBILITY!
Our experience with this firm was deeply disappointing. For our case said to be filed on 10/10/2025 with reference REGAGE25e00089275609, we received no concrete update even after the 20 business-day legal window; despite multiple emails asking very specific questions (submission date and expediente number, whether any subsanación was issued, and whether a positive administrative silence request had been filed), we either got no reply or vague “in process” messages with no guidance. At the most critical moment—when our client’s visa was about to expire—we asked for an urgent action plan (including, if needed, a fresh entry/declaración de entrada). We received no actionable direction, and our client ultimately lost the visa, had to leave Spain, and incurred additional costs. This level of non-communication and poor time management is not just unprofessional; it shows a lack of responsibility toward foreseeable risks. We keep a full paper trail (emails, the official filing receipt, and dates) and can present it if needed. This process caused both financial and emotional damage; we do not recommend this office to anyone seeking transparent, timely, and accountable service. We also state publicly that we will pursue our rights regarding this office through legal channels and file the necessary actions.
Yunus Can Soyer
Had a GREAT experience with the team
Had a GREAT experience with the team! They helped me obtain my digital nomad visa and come to Spain with my spouse, and everything went smooth and on time. The tax team also helped me understand my tax obligations, so all my legal needs were covered. Thank you Balcells Group team!
Adriana Carpi
Don't use Balcells
About three weeks before my visa application appointment my laywer, Laesa Bokoko, stopped communicating with me altogether. The forms I was promised were not provided. Balcells is worthless - find someone else.
Gary Schwartz
I had an exceptional experience!
I had an exceptional experience with Nuria and the entire Balcells organization. Sparing the details - my original, self-filed student visa application was rejected in the US. Following the rejection, I immediately engaged the Balcells team locally in Barcelona and had my student visa approved within 60 days (by some miracle).After working closely with Nuria for 2 months, i found her to be highly responsive, exceptionally thorough, and very thoughtful. I also found the Balcells Group to be well organized and highly supportive each step of the way. I could not recommend them more.
MHM
Look somewhere else or be in Barcelona when you work with them
I planned to move to Madrid in November '24 under the DNV program. When I initially contacted a team member in September, I was told the process should be completed if not close to completion by my move date. After the initial consultation and fees payment, the communication was very slow and vague. I wish I had read the reviews earlier, but I guess I can find comfort in this experience being not unique to me. As other people stated, the response time was very slow and unclear. By the time I was set to arrive in Madrid, I still did not have the paperwork. This put me in a very difficult situation because you cannot rent most apartments without dni/nie. So I had additional expenses staying in an AirBnB. Fast forward to the last week of January, I received an email stating that they needed more documentation because the paperwork I submitted was expired and that I needed an approved translator. Of course, the paperwork was expired because they were sitting on my documents for almost 4 months and apparently they never looked over my information because otherwise I would've been told in a timely manner that I needed to use a different translator. This experience was especially frustrating because I am nearing the end of my 90 days. Thankfully, I found a local firm, and after one meeting, we were able to correct everything and get things submitted in one day instead of 5 months.
Joey Paul
DID NOT CARE
I felt that consultation was rushed and not worth the €100 that I paid. The audio quality was bad resulting in me having to seek numerous clarifications repeatedly. This was made worse because the consultant was on Teams audio only and not on video. The information I had provided did not seem to have been read before the meeting. The response were vague at best. The consultant was an Economist, and I needed consultation with a Tax lawyer. Do not care attitude generally. Great Website but shame about the service level - 1 out of 10
SUDHIR HATHI
Every step has been excellent
Every step has been excellent! Great clear communication from Marta .. everything went to plan and I am so happy that I used their services . Highly recommend them, for efficiency and value for money !
Ross
Ainhoa and the Balcells Group team were…Exceptional Service and Support from Balcells Group
Ainhoa and the Balcells Group team were absolutely fantastic! They provided clear communication and support throughout the entire process, always keeping us updated and making everything as smooth as possible. Their professionalism, patience, and attention to detail truly made a difference, especially when dealing with tax forms and property details. Thank you, Ainhoa, for your exceptional service and dedication!
Melinda Moolman
I had the same experience as Mauricio…
I had the same experience as Mauricio Tamayo who wrote a review here as well except he had better luck than me cuz it seems he got his visa in the end. Balcells was unprofessional, unresponsive and time wasting. They were impossible to get a hold of most times taking 4 to 6 days to answer a simple email. Not to mention all the holidays they take between the Catalan and national holidays. They totally go MIA and leave their clients hanging whenever they feel like it. Thanks to Balcells and the poor job that Beatriz Lategui did with my case I have been in Spain almost a year without a visa. The digital nomad visa was a visa that I totally qualified for and all the documentation needed. I am very proactive and did a lot of research and asked her numerous preventive questions to address potential issues and circumstances. When I arrived in Spain Beatriz said that there were some documents missing and just when we thought that was going to be a problem the documents appeared within days from the US and sent to me on time. So that was not the reason for the delay. Beatriz did exactly what I asked her not to do which was submit my application towards the end of my 90 days as tourist eating up any buffer time. She blamed it on documents but none of the documents took time to be found or arrive. 20 days later when "extranjería" responded I find out she had submitted several legal documents with a basic translation rather than a "sworn translation" which is the standard procedure. What visa lawyer does that? not even an amateur makes that mistake. They claimed that they wanted to save me money but they never ran that by me, which means they robbed me of the choice. In the end even thought they said they would take care of the translations, I had to find the translator myself cuz she sent me a link for me to do it instead of doing it herself, 4 days prior to the due date. She submitted everything in the nick of time or late. Then she asked for an "extension" only telling me after the fact that the office of "extranjería" may or may not accept it. what?? and you tell me that after the fact? In the end the office considered my case "desistido" which means the equivalent to not having submitted things appropriately or on time. I switched lawyers to a more competent attorney but she inherited a "problematic case" and had to file an appeal which in Spain they take up to 8 months to answer if they do at all. Thanks to Balcells my artistic career here has been at a complete stand still because I am not legal to work. The nomad visa allowed me to take advantage of some degree of local work but that was not possible since they messed it all up. I ended up in limbo in the country and now have to leave for 90 days to come back and start all over again. They are horrible inconsiderate people and they don't give a damn about their clients. I would not waste any time or money with them. They are nothing but a headache and a bad experience.
Jennifer Capriccio
We had an excellent experience with…
We had an excellent experience with Marina Lozano at Balcells. We bought an apartment in Barcelona and applied for a residency visa. It was a complex process that we never could have navigated without Marina's help. She was always responsive to our questions in short order, and made the whole thing possible. I have no hesitation to recommend Marina and Balcells!
Duane Szczepanski
Go somewhere - anywhere - else
Paid 80 Euros for an NIE appointment, and despite multiple calls and emails, never even got a reply. Asked about accountancy, and was quoted double everywhere else. Absolute con merchants.
Stephen Bland
Disappointing Experience for Digital Nomad Visa
I underwent my digital nomad visa process with Balcells, and the experience was dreadful. I'm not sure if this is a common issue, but the lawyer who assisted me, Alejandro Pérez, provided very poor follow-up, to say the least.During our initial call, I explained my objectives to determine if the visa was suitable for me. However, the information he gave me was incorrect regarding what I was looking for, which I discovered after consulting with various other lawyers.Concerning the visa process and its cost, the fees were significantly higher compared to other firms. I was aware of this and expected good service in return. Yet, he did not respond to my emails unless I persisted. He required me to travel to Spain to submit the application in person, waiting until the last day to do so and even asking me to extend my trip. Then, he incorrectly submitted the documentation because of a PDF that couldn't be opened, leading to the rejection of my application. To resubmit it, I had to return to Spain and pay the governmental fee for the process again, which, coming from Mexico, was not an insignificant expense for me.Once the application was submitted, he again stopped responding to emails. Whenever I needed information, I had to call the office or send multiple emails until he would finally respond weeks later. At last, he filed a document that should have been submitted weeks earlier, which resulted in the approval of my visa. Later, when arranging the appointment to obtain my residency card, which involves paying a fee that the firm covered, there were issues at the police station. They questioned who made the payment since it was incorrectly made out with a series of nines instead of my passport or NIE number, forcing me to pay the fee once again.After this, I reached out to Alejandro to inquire about the appointment for picking up my card and informed him about the fee issue, yet I have not received a response to this day, which no longer surprises me.In summary, hiring this firm means paying more than at other places for consultancy and follow-up that, regrettably, are not provided. If you have the chance, especially for digital nomad visas, I suggest looking for another firm or an independent lawyer. Do not waste your money with Balcells.
Mauricio Tamayo
A whole month Absolute Irresponsibility Regarding Their Clients' Casesof delay just for the…
A whole month of delay just for the lawyer to provide me with this simple answer: whether they received my documents that I emailed to them or not, and when they intend to start my process, sums up my experience with this team. The only action this team has taken for me is to halt my process. I have now started it with another lawyer, causing me a lot of trouble, and for a whole month, it has been night and day hassle for me. They did not even have the decency to send a message saying they do not want to proceed with my case and wait for us. It was a very bad experience, and I would not recommend working with them to anyone.
Shaghayegh Norouzi
Do not use this company
I paid 75€ for a consultation with an immigration lawyer Ines Molina. At the end of the consultation the lawyer informed me she would follow up on some questions she couldn’t answer, find out some information and come back to me. Their own website also states that following a consultation, the lawyer will email you a summary of what was discussed.Two weeks later and I have not had any communication whatsoever from the lawyer. I have sent her emails which have been ignored. I also complained via the contact section on the website and got a response from the company apologising and advising they would ask her to contact me, with the CEO Christian Balcells copied into the email and still nothing. I sent a third email which was also ignored.I am keen to progress my situation and was planning on moving forward with the assistance of the company. I was impressed during the consultation however do not know what went wrong after that and why I have been left completely in the dark. They cannot respond to emails, have zero communication with customers and have extremely poor customer service.This is not a company I would recommend to anyone.
LMc
HORRIBLE experience
Horrible experience... Incompetent people... 😞😞😞We lost a huge amount of money and time because of them.Wouldn't recommend them to the worst enemy...Would give them -100 if there's an option.
Marko
