Brits with residency in Spain are being urged to update their documentation
Brits who have residency in Spain are being urged to update their documentation or risk being ‘denied entry’ into the country. It comes after the roll-out of the new Entry Exit System (EES) that has been implemented across Europe throughout October and November this year.
Despite the new biometric entry exit system having been rolled out over the past few months, there continues to be plenty of confusion among British travellers with residency in Spain – who should not be having their passports stamped going through the airport.
The British Embassy in Spain has said that during the initial six months of EES your passport may be stamped on entry and exit, but this will not affect your rights in the EU country or countries where you live or work, reports Spanish news site Majorca Daily Bulletin.
The Foreign Office states: “To be exempt from registering with the EU’s Entry Exit System (EES), British residents in the EU will be required to show a uniform-format biometric card which is listed as a residency document under the Withdrawal Agreement. For residents of Spain, that card is the Tarjeta de Identidad de Extranjero (TIE). View the EU’s frequently asked questions about the EES.”
But there is a warning for those who still hold the green certificate, officially known as Certificado de Registro de Ciudadanos de la Unión Europea, which is a mandatory document for EU or EEA or Swiss citizens staying over three months. It proves legal residency and provides access to services like healthcare and jobs. But people are being encouraged to swap this for the TIE.
“Green Certificates will not be recognised for EES exemption,” the warning reads. “The Tarjeta de Identidad de Extranjero (TIE) is the only residency document listed in the EU Schengen Border Guard Handbook and is the only document which border officers will accept as legal proof of residency.
“Green Certificate holders may be wrongly identified as overstaying in the Schengen area and, therefore, denied entry to Spain or other Schengen countries.”
If green certificate holders are wrongly identified as overstaying in the Schengen area, they could be denied entry to Spain or other Schengen countries. To ensure you are exempt from registering with EES checks, you will need to show a TIE.
While the green certificate will not be recognised for travel and EES exemption when EES is introduced in October, it does continue to be a valid proof of residency, and therefore, entitlement to public services within Spain.
