Brexit: How to prove you are a resident in Spain by December 31st

Under terms ratified in the Brexit Withdrawal Agreement the rights of British citizens to live in Spain are guaranteed as long as you are resident in Spain by December 31st 2020.

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The long standing message from British and Spanish authorities alike is to start the process to register as a resident as soon as you can but as the end of the transition period draws closer and thanks to complications resulting from coronavirus pandemic, it has become increasingly difficult to secure an appointment with extranjeria offices.

This is required in order to register for the new TIE card for British nationals resident in Spain, the biometric card which replaces the former green residency certificates.

The green paper certificates and new TIE biometric cards show legally residency but what if you can't get an appointment?

 

So what if you haven’t been able to register as a legal resident when the deadline comes?

The British Embassy says not to panic.

“Whilst you should continue to try and get an appointment, your rights as UK nationals in Spain are guaranteed not by possession of the residence document itself but by being legally resident in Spain before the end of the transition period,” explained Lorna Geddie, regional consular policy advisor at the British Embassy in Madrid in a recent Facebook video.

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This means living in Spain and satisfying the residency requirements of being a worker, self-employed or having sufficient income and health care cover by December 31st.

The embassy advises those unable to get an extranjeria appointment to make sure they have all the documentation in place to prove that they met requirements and were living in Spain by December 31st.

These include

• Padron certificate
• Utility bills
• Rental agreement
• Work contract
• Health care registration

The embassy also advises those struggling to get an appointment to take screenshots to show that you tried and that none were available.

More information:

• Spain's government has a dedicated Brexit page for UK nationals HERE
• Check out the UK Foreign Office latest advice on Living In Spain HERE 
• Follow the British Embassy Facebook page for updates as well as Live Q&A sessions HERE
• Check our Brexit section for all the latest news and updates: HERE