Are you the holder of a green residency document in Spain? Then it’s time to switch to the Tarjeta de Identidad de Extranjero (TIE) – the best way to demonstrate your post-Brexit rights and to facilitate easier travel.
The majority of British residents have already made the switch. So, get ahead of the rush and make the change now.
While the green document/card continues to prove residency status within the country, it is not recognised outside of Spain. Furthermore, with the new Entry Exit System (EES) due to be implemented later this year, only a TIE will exempt you from the new border controls and ensure you are allowed entry into Spain.
Confirmation from the Spanish Government
“ATTENTION: WITH THE ENTRY/EXIT SYSTEM COMING INTO OPERATION, BENEFICIARIES OF THE WITHDRAWAL AGREEMENT WILL BE REQUIRED TO OBTAIN A TIE (FOREIGN IDENTITY CARD) TO BE EXEMPT FROM THE NEW CONTROLS ESTABLISHED BY THIS SYSTEM.”
“With the upcoming entry into operation of the new computer systems for crossing external EU borders, the Foreigner Identity Card (“TIE art. 50 TEU”) will be the only document allowing beneficiaries of the Withdrawal Agreement to be exempt from having their time spent in the EES counted and from requesting a travel authorisation through ETIAS….
Therefore, the registration certificate ……. will not be sufficient to avoid these controls.”
Entry Exit System
An announcement regarding the implementation of the EES is expected in the coming months. The new system will use facial recognition technology and will require Britons travelling in Europe to provide fingerprints.
However, Britons living in the EU will be exempt from these requirements as long as they can produce a biometric identity card – in the case of Spain, that will be the TIE. The old green residency card will not be sufficient.
For more information on the EES, read the EU’s FAQs here
Risks of failure to switch
Whilst a failure to switch to the TIE won’t affect your residency rights within Spain, there could be serious consequences when travelling outside of the country.
Those risks could include:
- Being prevented from boarding a plane or ferry, when returning to Spain
- Being refused entry to Spain
- Being treated as a tourist and having your days in the country counted
- Being registered as an “overstayer”, which in turn could result in being questioned, fined, deported or even banned from re-entering the country
Switching to a TIE will also make life easier for you in Spain as more organisations are requiring the production of a TIE, especially when dealing with them online.
Residency appointments
Demand for appointments to facilitate the switching of residency documentation is likely to be high over the coming months for 2 reasons:
- The forthcoming implementation of EES
- The conversion of Temporary Residency cards to Permanent Residency cards by 10s of 1000s of Britons who moved to Spain 5 years ago, ahead of Brexit
The authorities have confirmed that additional appointments are being made available, though demand is still very high in Barcelona.
NB – It is not necessary to visit your nearest office but be aware that you can only make appointments in the province in which you reside.
