The Spanish government has announced that, as of July 6th, British citizens applying for residency in Spain will be issued with the new TI , or Tarjeta de Identidad de Extranjera (Foreigners’ Identity Card).
The card is similar to the one already carried by third-country nationals from non-EU countries, and will feature the bearer’s name, address, photo, fingerprint and NIE number, as well as a declaration that the bearer is entitled to rights arising from the Withdrawal Agreement between the UK and the EU.
It is important to remember that it is not necessary to replace the current green residency card or certificate if you have one. You can, of course, do this if you wish, but the green document will be every bit as valid to establish your rights.
In fact, the only real advantages that the TIE has over the green documents are practical. It’s smaller and more durable than the old green certificate, and, unlike the residency card, it serves as photo ID. Holders of the older documents will still have to present other ID such as a passport along with the documents.
Anyone who has not registered for residency yet is advised to do so as soon as possible. The cut-off date is December 31st, but several offices are already reporting backlogs.
We’ll be publishing more information about the particular situation regarding card applications on Lanzarote in our August issue, but for further information it’s worth going to the British Embassy’s page at https://www.gov.uk/guidance/living-in-spain and the Brits In Spain Facebook page, where a useful Q&A session on the TIE card scheme was hosted by HM Ambassador Hugh Elliott yesterday, and is still viewable.
