Finally, Elena and I made it back to the immigration police station, payment in hand; went through the relaxed security system; and were ushered directly towards one of the seated workers. Sitting down across from her, Elena explained the situation and handed over my paperwork (in blazingly fast Spanish). “You live together?” our agent asked - “and you’re not married?” Our agent’s expression shifted slowly from bored to confused as she saw my visa - “what kind of visa is this?” - “so you’re not allowed to work?”
She launched into a monologue, telling us about her children, her upcoming wedding and honeymoon, and suggested that we should start getting married now because it would take a year to get a spouse-visa. Then she turned to me, pointed at her finger and offered in a very authoritative tone - “Anillo - ring. El Corte Ingles.” Our agent filed everything within 10 minutes and we left with instructions to return in one month.
For more on my journey to legal residency: