I am filing this complaint against HTL International School of Hospitality, Tourism and Languages for a serious lack of transparency, misleading information, and a deliberate refusal to refund my payment after my student visa was denied solely due to the institution's failure to comply with Spanish immigration laws. I enrolled in an in-person academic program and paid the full tuition fee of €8,000. HTL explicitly confirmed that the classes would be in-person and would include internships in companies. At no point was I informed—either verbally or in writing—that this institution was not legally registered or recognized in the Spanish educational system. I submitted my visa application on April 29, 2025, and waited for over two months and ten days, hoping for a positive response, based on the assurances offered by HTL. However, on July 8, 2025, I received an official visa denial resolution from the Spanish immigration authorities. The resolution clearly stated: "...the center and/or the degree are not registered in any of the mandatory registers..." According to Organic Law 4/2000, of January 11, and Royal Decree 1155/2024, of November 19. This denial confirms that the responsibility lay solely with HTL. All my personal, financial, and academic documentation was complete and in order. Despite this, HTL refused to accept responsibility and tried to force me to join virtual classes—an option I never accepted. From the outset, I made it clear that my request was for in-person classes only. My emails and messages requesting a refund were either ignored or responded to with automated messages that avoided the main topic. HTL's internal refund policy states that a refund is not possible once the course has begun. However, this policy only mentions "in the event of visa denial"—without specifying whether this denial is due to administrative or legal errors on the part of the educational institution itself. Therefore, this policy lacks legal validity in this context, as it does not address the scenario in which visa denial is due solely to the institution's lack of legal registration. HTL knew from the outset that I was not registered in the official records required by the Spanish Embassy and Consulate. Despite this, they encouraged me to continue with the visa process, which had no real chance of success. This delay allowed them to execute their plan: charge the tuition, wait for the denial, and then rely on their internal policy. Furthermore, due to HTL's lack of clarity, I suffered additional financial losses during visa preparation. I spent a total of 274,074 PKR (~€827.88) on official Spanish translations and related documentation, which proved useless due to the institute's legal status. Promoting an international program without complying with legal immigration requirements constitutes gross negligence that has directly harmed my academic, financial, and emotional situation. Under EU Directive 93/13/EEC and Spanish law, any clause that creates a significant imbalance between the consumer and the business is considered unfair and therefore void. HTL's internal refund clauses cannot prevail over its legal obligation to inform students about its regulatory status. This situation has caused me emotional distress, financial loss, and academic damage, in addition to a significant loss of time. The visa process took up almost three months of my life, during which I felt hopeful and committed. I was misinformed, ignored, and now HTL is trying to keep my money without taking any responsibility. Therefore, I respectfully request the following: • Full refund of the €8,000 paid for an invalid visa registration due to the school's legal noncompliance. • Reimbursement of €827.88 (274,074 PKR) for official translation and documentation costs. • A written acknowledgment from HTL that its institution did not meet the requirements established in Organic Law 4/2000 and Royal Decree 1155/2024, as confirmed by the Spanish Government. • A public correction to prevent other international students from suffering the same harm. • A swift resolution in accordance with Spanish consumer protection laws, requiring HTL to assume its legal responsibility. • The guarantee that I will not be forced to accept non-contracted services (such as virtual classes).
