When I sat down to look at Lakbyte’s numbers, I had a list of data points in front of me: 788 Calendly consultations for 2025, 614 approvals, 52 strategy pivots. But as I scrolled through our past announcements and emails, I didn’t see data. I saw faces. I saw late-night emails, nervous voice notes, and photos of TIE cards held up finally!
I will say that 2025 wasn’t just a year of processing applications; it was the year Lakbyte became a village.
1. We Didn’t Just Follow the Rules, We Found New Ones
One of the moments that defined our year was a discovery that changed everything for our families. For a long time, the “standard” advice was that dependents had to be physically present in Spain to apply.
Lakbyte decided to find a different way. Through weeks of digging into regulations, communication with the UGE and several different consulates, and clients who trusted us to try, we were the ones who uncovered the path for dependents to apply from outside of Spain. Seeing those first visas get issued in the Philippines, Thailand, Singapore, and Russia was a victory we will never forget. It proved that we aren’t just here to fill out forms; we are here to pioneer paths that keep families together.
2. Turning “No” into “Approved”
Spain’s bureaucracy threw us some curveballs. Between April and November, we faced surprise denials for applicants at consulates for no reasons, student visa holders transitioning to the DNV, 1 year conversions into 3 year residencies, and then in the UGE for W2 (Employee) applicants based on feedback from other consultants. We asked you to wait, we reframed the strategy, and we pushed back until we got those approvals.
The same happened at the Consulates: when random denials came through, we took those cases to the UGE and saw a 100% approval rate. From navigating the sudden November 2025 UGE changes for self-employed registration, to confirmation of our strategy, to helping students reapply, we learned that in Spain, you just have to find the right door to knock on (and for other cases to just keep knocking until you get through). We stayed (and continue to stay) with all of you and we always find a way through together.
We also shared all of our findings with all of you through a comprehensive Spain DNV webinar last August. It is available on YouTube here.
3. Families Without Limits: From Babies to Grandparents
We believe that “family” doesn’t have an expiration date or an age limit. This year, we took on the cases that many said were “too difficult” and won.
We didn’t just celebrate the many Lakbyte babies born in Spain this year; we also celebrated the arrival of the older generations. We successfully secured approvals for Dependent Parents and even Adult Dependent Children over the age of 26. In a system that often tries to split families apart based on age, we fought to keep them under one roof. Whether you are a large family of six or a couple bringing your parents to join you in the sun, we made sure there was room for everyone. See more on bringing family over here.
4. The Ultimate Act of Trust
Nothing humbles us more than the trust you’ve placed in us. This year, over 52 of you completely changed your application plans based on our advice, shifting from a Philippines-based application to a Spain-based one. We’ve also helped many of you transition from 1-year to 3-year DNVs, digging deeper roots into Spanish soil together.
5. The Longest Waits
This year tested our collective patience. We saw random periods of “Admin Silence” throughout the year, but nothing compared to the July 18–23 filing period.
For those of you who stood by us during those weeks, we know how heavy that silence felt. It was the longest wait we’ve ever seen, finally resolving at the 48–51 working day mark. To everyone who stayed the course during those 51 days of uncertainty: and even more so those who have been waiting months at the consulates, thank you for your patience!
We also saw increased wait times for TIE appointments but still helped so many of you through, even if you were not our client for the whole DNV process!
6. The Heartbeat of the Village: Love in All Forms
Our village is built on love. We were one of the first if not the first firms to really focus on helping unmarried couples (whether same-sex or straight couples) move together on this visa. We’ve watched unmarried couples fight to stay together as Pareja de Hecho, and we’ve cheered when those same couples eventually decided to say “I do” and get married after several months of being here in Spain and even inviting us to your celebration!
7. Seeing You in Real Life (The Meetups)
Getting off WhatsApp and meeting quite a bit of you in person was the highlight of our year. Whether we were sharing a drink in Valencia and Barcelona or exploring the streets of Madrid and Granada, and even celebrating Christmas together, those meetups reminded us why we do this. You aren’t “cases” to us. You are neighbors. You are friends. We are looking forward to meeting up with even more of you across Spain next year!
8. The Move into Your Pocket
The biggest change this year was moving our entire community to WhatsApp. By moving into your pockets, we saw something beautiful happen. You didn’t just talk to us; you started talking to each other. We watched as strangers became neighbors, offering advice at 2:00 AM and celebrating each other’s wins (even more so than the original Facebook group chat). We see you and we appreciate all of you so very much!
Looking Toward 2026
Thank you for the 788 consultations. Thank you for the 614 “Yeses.”
At Lakbyte, we don’t just file paperwork. We build homes. We protect families. We grow villages. Whether you are already here or your visa is still in your passport, just know, your village is right here, and we aren’t going anywhere.
Here’s to every “Conceder” waiting for us in 2026!
With love and gratitude,
The Lakbyte Team
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