HEALTHPLAN MAGAZINE

The British Embassy in Spain has published a statement on residency appointments after it was claimed that a number of local police stations had told British residents that they could no longer make an appointment after July 1.

Estepona Police had contacted applicants to inform them that from Thursday, British citizens would not be able to receive Spanish residency permits as EU citizens and all outstanding appointments had been cancelled.

The news rightly caused some concern among those who had applied to formalise their residency here and prompted the British Embassy to make a statement to reassure British citizens in Spain that this wasn’t the case.

A statement on the British Embassy Facebook page said, “As you will be aware from our previous posts and the Ambassador’s recent video, the Spanish government is introducing a new residency document for those UK nationals who are protected by the Withdrawal Agreement – the Tarjeta de Identidad de Extranjero or TIE.

“We understand that this will be introduced shortly and instructions are being issued to local authorities in the next few days. This will mean a revised appointments process for UK nationals – we expect details to be published on www.lamoncloa.gob.es and we will share this information as soon as we have it.

“We also understand that in some areas there may be a gap of about a week between the current system and the introduction of the new one, where no appointments will be available. This is a change in the system and does nothing to affect your overall rights.

“Whether you have the green A4 certificate, the green credit card-sized version or whether you are issued directly with the TIE – all remain equally valid in demonstrating your rights as a beneficiary of the Withdrawal Agreement, even after the end of the Transition Period. You may choose to exchange your current certificate for a TIE in due course, but it is not obligatory.”

We would encourage all UK citizens in Spain to follow the Brits in Spain Facebook page which is the official page of the British Embassy in Spain. That way you will be able to keep abreast of all the latest news that may affect your rights on living in Spain.

https://www.facebook.com/BritsInSpain

You can also read the official requirements on residencia post-Brexit via the Spanish government website here.

https://www.lamoncloa.gob.es/lang/en/brexit/howtoprepare/Paginas/190108residence.aspx

If you have made a residency appointment which is scheduled to take place in the next few days, you are advised to contact your local police office to confirm as to whether your appointment has been affected.

Image Credit: UK in Spain Flickr