Brexit

Brexit

The British Parliament voted to leave the EU following an advisory referendum in 2016.  On 27 March 2017 the UK Government officially notified the EU of its decision to leave the EU. After  signing a Withdrawal Agreement, the UK left on the 31-01-2021 and entered a transition period which terminated on 31-12-2020 shortly after signing a Trade Agreement with the EU.

Brexit has instigated a number of changes of UK National as visitors to the EU and Andalucia and present and future UK National residents and home-owners of Andalucia.   There are also changes for UK and Andalucia business conducting trade and offering services.   Many of the details of these changes is not known. It is the intention of this page to try and keep up to date with such info and changes.    

Brexit News Updates

Main Changes – Residents

You must register as resident, or apply for the appropriate visa if you want to stay in Spain for more than three months.

Read UK Government Advice on Entry Requirements to Spain

Visas and residency

If you were a legally registered resident in Spain before 1 January 2021, you will be be guarenteed your pre Brexit rights under the Withdrawal Agreement. You must ensure you are correctly registered as a resident. Children must also be registered with their own residency document.

If you were living in Spain before the 1 January 2021, but did not apply for residence you may still just be able to apply retrospectively for the TIE (see below) but it will be much more difficult to prove you status to the satisfaction of the Spanish authorities.  

If you registered as a resident before 6 July 2020, you will have a green A4 certificate or credit card-sized piece of paper from Extranjeria or the police. This is still a valid document and proves your rights under the Withdrawal Agreement.

You can exchange your paper EU residence document for the new TIE but you are not obliged to.

On successful registration or exchange green A4 certificate, you will be issued with a biometric residence card called a Tarjeta de Identidad de Extranjero (TIE). This card will prove your rights under the Withdrawal Agreement.

Read the Spanish government’s guidance on how to apply for the new TIE and see our TIE Page.

If you have not registered as a resident you will be required to leave Spain & the Schengen Area of EU on or before 30-03-2020  as this is 90 days after 1st January when the new ruled came into effect.

You may return to Spain or Schengen Area of EU  as a tourist on a date that ensures you do not complete 90 days in Spain or Schengen area in any 180 day rolling period. A visa is not required for a UK National to be a tourist in the Schengen Area. In 2022 there will be a requirement to obtain an electronic travel document similar to the ESTA for USA.

If you wish to stay longer than 90 days in Spain, you must  obtain the appropriate Visa from the Spanish government. The Visa will be applied for at a Spanish Consulate whilst you are outside Spain

Here is Spanish Government advise on different Spanish National Visas available.

Also consider the 'Golden Visa

The website of the Spanish Embassy in London

Passport validity

You must have at least 6 months left on an adult or child passport to travel to most countries in Europe. This applies to the whole of Spain.

If you renewed your current passport before the previous one expired, extra months may have been added to its expiry date. Any extra months on your passport over 10 years will not count towards the 6 months needed.

UK Driving Licences

If you are a resident in Spain (or any EU country) you need to exchange your driving licence for a Spanish one. This was posible as an exchange up to 31 Dec 2020. You could continue to use your licence until 1 July 2021. From 1 July 2021, you need to take a test to exchange your licence. This date was extended to 1 May 2022.

The United Kingdom authorities have announced that from 1 May 2022, all British citizens who have been residing in Spain for over six months will no longer be permitted to drive with their UK-issued driving licences. Many new residents complained that delays in obtaining a TIE Tarjeta Identification Extranjero (Foreign Resident ID) card followed by DGT apointment to exchange licence meant that they were denied opportinity to exchange licence. UK-Spain negotiations are ongoing.

If you hold a licence from Gibraltar, Jersey, Guernsey or the Isle of Man, you also may need to take a test.

See our page on Driving Licence.

Main Changes – tourists

Passport Validity  (As above)

You may visit Spain or Schengen Area of EU  as a tourist  for up to 90 day without formality other than passport.  You passport will be stamped on entry. Also check the latest Coronavirus restrictions.   

You may only stay 90 days in Spain or Schengen area in any 180 day rolling period.

A visa is not required for a UK National to be a tourist in the Schengen Area. In 2022 there will be a requirement to obtain an electronic travel document similar to the ESTA for USA.

Useful Recourses

Q & A Factsheet for UK Nationals and their Family Members residing in Spain  (24-07-2020) (English) (36 page PDF) published by the Spanish Government.

Advice to UK Citizens in Spain as part of the English language Brexit website of the Spanish government.  

Spanish government’s information on residency for UK nationals living in Spain before 1 January 2021

Spanish government’s guidance for UK nationals living in Spain before 1 January 2021