German nationals in and around Bilbao can turn to the Honorary Consulate of Germany in Bilbao for information and practical help.
Contact Details
| Address | San Vicente, 8 - Edificio Albia. Pltc.13, 48001 Bilbao, Spain |
| Telephone | +34 944 238 585 |
| Fax | +34 944 243 976 |
| Head of Mission | Michael John Voss, Honorary consul |
Opening Hours
The honorary consul does not keep public office hours – visits are by appointment only.
Location of the Consulate
About the honorary consulate in Bilbao
According to the Spanish Foreign Ministry’s consular list, the post is held by Michael John Voss (in office since March 2015).
Bilbao is in the province of Biscay (the Basque Country). The nearest German career consular office is the consulate general in Barcelona, about 470 km away. The embassy in Madrid is roughly 325 km away.
Which German office issues passports and visas?
Applications for German passports, visas and official certificates are not processed here but by the German Embassy in Madrid.
Contact details of the German Embassy in Madrid, as listed on its page in this directory:
- Address: C/ Fortuny, 8, 28010 Madrid, Spain
- Telephone: +34 91 557 90 00
- Email: info@madrid.diplo.de
- Opening hours: Monday to Friday 09:00–12:00
- Website: www.madrid.diplo.de
What can an honorary consul do?
An honorary consul is not a career diplomat but a local resident – often a business person or lawyer – appointed by Germany and approved by the host country. Depending on the powers granted, the honorary consul can help German citizens in an emergency (lost passport, accident, arrest), pass on applications and documents to the embassy, and certify signatures or life certificates. Passports and visas are not issued by an honorary consulate; they remain the responsibility of the embassy or a career consulate.
Other consulates and embassies in Bilbao
43 other countries are represented in Bilbao, among them: Austria (honorary), Belgium (honorary), Bolivia (consulate), Brazil (honorary), Cabo Verde (honorary), Chile (honorary), Colombia (consulate general), Cyprus (honorary), Czech Republic (honorary), Côte d’Ivoire (honorary), Denmark (honorary), Dominican Republic (honorary), Ecuador (honorary), Estonia (honorary), France (consulate general), Honduras (consulate general), Morocco (consulate general), Peru (consulate general), Romania (consulate general), Venezuela (consulate general). The full list of all 44 missions is on the overview page for Spain.
Holidays and closures
Like most offices in Spain, the honorary consulate closes on public holidays and on Germany’s national day (3 October).
Germany’s offices in Spain
Measured in a straight line from Bilbao, the nearest other German office is the Honorary Consulate in Zaragoza (about 240 km). The nearest embassy or career consulate is the Embassy in Madrid (about 320 km). Distances in brackets are straight-line distances from Bilbao.
- Madrid (320 km) – Embassy of Germany
- Barcelona (470 km) – Consulate General
- Las Palmas de Gran Canaria (2,020 km) – Consulate
- Málaga (730 km) – Consulate
- Palma de Mallorca (620 km) – Consulate
- Alicante (580 km) – Honorary Consulate
- Almería (710 km) – Honorary Consulate
- Bilbao – Honorary Consulate (this page)
- Cádiz – Honorary Consulate
- Fuerteventura – Honorary Consulate
- La Palma (2,100 km) – Honorary Consulate
- Mahón – Honorary Consulate
- Santa Cruz de Tenerife (2,030 km) – Honorary Consulate
- Valencia (470 km) – Honorary Consulate
- Vigo (490 km) – Honorary Consulate
- Zaragoza (240 km) – Honorary Consulate
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Details checked on 9 October 2026. Sources: Spanish Ministry of Foreign Affairs – Lista Consular (as of 30 September 2026), Spanish travel advice for Germany. Rules and opening hours can change. Confirm with the consulate before your visit.
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