How weird is this>

[frequent]

I find that Consulates are more accommodating than Embassies.

You're confused. A Consulate handles Visas, an Embassy handles diplomatic relations, issues with their own citizens abroad etc. There is usually a Consulate attached to an Embassy, with employees who report to their Embassy superiors. There are also "local" Consulates in cities other than the capital city of a country who are solely responsible for Visa type activities, and they may be staffed by locals with a fair degree of autonomy and discretion. That's certainly the Thai model, but I'm not sure it applies generally

[arsenal]

Consulates can be thought of of as foreign countries 'one sop shops' . A sort of government council office that deal with nuts and bolts administrative issues. The Embassy is quite different and is the sovereign territory of the country that owns it. So for example commit murder in the American Embassy in London and only the UK government stands between the murderer and the death penalty.

[frequent]

Consulates can be thought of of as foreign countries 'one sop shops'.

Quite so -
"Sop - a thing of no great value given or done as a concession to appease someone whose main concerns or demands are not being met"

[arsenal]

I could edit but actually I think you're right, to a 't'.

[FarangRuMak]

Thanks for the diplomatic clarification.
What gave rise to my post was NIrish stating that the closest Spanish Embassy to him was in Edinburgh.
This would imply that Spain has recognised Scotland as an independent nation.
It also implies that our colleague here Mr. NIrish has in turn recognised Spain's recognition of Scotland's independence unless of course that North Ireland has achieved Independence in itself and thus our colleague is simply going by the new nation's policy vis a vis Scotland's Independence.
Re. Embassies V Consulates.
I take the point that Consulates deal with nuts and bolts issues such as Visas. However I found that Consulates often do not handle all grades of Visa.
Often the more 'serious' ones are handled only in an Embassy.

[scottish-guy]

Whilst NIrish sorts out FRMs post - I'll just say sorry to him for missing out the bit about his BF wanting to go to Spain

[joe552]

Of all the EU members, is it only the UK and Ireland who are not part of the Schengen area?

[scottish-guy]

Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, Romania, Ireland, UK are in EU but outside Schengen - but Romania and Bulgaria are in the process of joining.

Additionally, Iceland, Lichtenstein, Norway, and Switzerland are in Schengen but outside EU

[joe552]

Thanks SG

[Nirish guy]

NIrish, I'd have thought his "permission" to stay in the UK would also apply to the rest of the EU. I'm obviously wrong on that one.

You are. His permission to stay in the Uk was exactly that and no more. it is and was a crazy situation where he was allowed in to the UK with a right to remain indefinitely ( for life) BUT no one in Government had the bright idea of linking that with UK citizens right to travel freely within the EU ! Totally ridiculous situation. I remember querying it at the time with the Home office and amazingly they told me it wasn't an over sight but an intentional choice on one of the Governments parts ( I think the UK's) so that THEY couldn't be held responsible as the "guarantor" type thing.

Thankfully he now his his full British citizenship in place so the above is no longer an issue, but for the few years that we were dating when he didn't it was a REAL pain. I actually live about 30 minutes from the border of Southern Ireland and as there is no "actual" border ( physically I mean) it just normal that people here nip up and down to go to the various towns for shopping and things and he couldn't ( we did but shouldn't have) and when I rang the Irish Government to ask was there NO type of visa he could get in the long term for that the guy literally told me to ignore it as "he" wasn't the sort of "illegal immigrant" they were looking for or interested in - mind you try telling THAT to some Irish police man as he asked for your papers and you end up in a hold cell says I to him - he didn't have any answer.