This is an update from the British Embassy in Madrid and includes information on the introduction of TIE.
Readers can find this information in full on the British Embassy Madrid webpage gov-uk/livinginspain.
TIE: On Monday the Spanish Government introduced a new residency document for UK nationals who are protected by the Withdrawal Agreement – the Tarjeta de identidad de extranjero or TIE. This means some changes to the appointments process and anyone registering from now on will be issued with the biometric TIE card, rather than the current green paper document.
All British nationals, who are legally resident in Spain by the end of this year, will have their rights protected, including the right to live and work here, and lifelong access to healthcare for UK state pensioners, including those who claim a pension in the future. These are not affected by the current negotiations taking place between the UK and the EU.
Whether you already have the green residency certificate – A4 or credit card-sized version – or the new TIE, they are equally valid in demonstrating your residence status and your rights as a beneficiary of the Withdrawal Agreement. You may choose to exchange your current certificate for a TIE at some point in the future, but there is no requirement to do so. The green residency document gives you the same rights as the new TIE card.
However, there is one group of people who must take action. If you live here, but don’t already have a green residency certificate, you must apply for the new TIE as soon as possible. A link to the Spanish administration website is here;
UK Nationals Support Fund: As readers may already know, the UK Government has made funds available to support UK nationals in the EU to complete their residency applications and secure their rights under the Withdrawal Agreement. In Spain, three organisations have been funded to provide this support: the International Organization for Migration (IOM), Babelia and Age in Spain. Their remit is to support the most vulnerable UK nationals, provide targeted assistance to individuals who face specific challenges, such as people living with disabilities or chronic illness, those facing language and literacy barriers, or barriers in accessing relevant technology.
Healthcare information: The British Embassy in Madrid has made a change to its online healthcare information. There is now one definitive guide to Healthcare in Spain on http://gov.uk/ which includes information about how to access healthcare in Spain as a resident, and up-to-date information about right to access healthcare during and after the transitional period. www.healthcareinspain.eu.
