more documents?

[Superplonk]

Does anyone know anything about this new requirement?

http://spaincoin.net/index.php?option=c ... 2&Itemid=2

My current circumstances do not require me to have a residencia. This article seems to suggest that this is about to change. I am very pleased that no government agency is yet able to force me to give fingerprints. Where I come from they only do that to baddies.

[masterob]

As I understand it, the residencia card will be replaced by a sheet of paper, which will no doubt get dog eared and tatty pretty soon given that it will have to be carried around. Having a credit card style residencia card is very convenient as it saves having to carry ones passport around as a means of identity.
For me, having to give my fingerprint is no big deal and no, I am not a baddie yet! I also believe any ID card that has my fingerprint on it helps in the battle against identity fraud.

[malagaman2005]

I read similar in the Town Crier and it seems this will replace the need for EU members to apply for residency and appears will be along the lines of registering at the town hall and getting another piece of paper but there's no suggestion of any photo ID on it. It doesn't come into force until the end of this month and it will be interesting to see how long it takes for the town halls to recognise it!!!

[Julie]

I think its a good idea that finger prints are on file, and I like the idea of id cards too, not saying it will combat terroism/crime but I think it could help, anyone with nothing to hide will have nothing to fear, it may take away what some people feel is there right to privacy etc, but if it saved even one life, that family would be eternally grateful, it depends which way you decide to look at it.

[Beachcomber]

According to Article 7 of the law which states:

Artículo 7. Residencia superior a tres meses de ciudadanos de un Estado miembro de la Unión Europea o de otro Estado parte en el Acuerdo sobre el Espacio Económico Europeo.

1. Los ciudadanos de un Estado miembro de la Unión Europea o de otro Estado parte en el Acuerdo sobre el Espacio Económico Europeo tienen derecho a residir en territorio español por un período superior a tres meses. Los interesados estarán obligados a solicitar personalmente ante la Oficina de Extranjeros de la provincia donde pretendan permanecer o fijar su residencia o, en su defecto, ante la Comisaría de Policía correspondiente, su inscripción en el Registro Central de Extranjeros. Dicha solicitud deberá presentarse en el plazo de tres meses contados desde la fecha de entrada en España, siéndole expedido de forma inmediata un certificado de registro en el que constará el nombre, nacionalidad y domicilio de la persona registrada, su número de identidad de extranjero, y la fecha de registro.

2. Junto con la solicitud de inscripción, deberá presentarse el pasaporte o documento nacional de identidad válido y en vigor del solicitante. En el supuesto de que dicho documento esté caducado, deberá aportarse copia de éste y de la solicitud de renovación.

an application must be made to a 'foreigner's office' or national police station for inscription in the Central Register of Foreigners. No mention is made of photographs or fingerprints but it does not appear to exclude employed or self-employed people and their families as is the situation at the moment.

The information on the MIR web site still refers to the law of 2003 and has not yet been updated.

The full text of the new law can be found here:

http://www.derecho.com/xml/disposicione ... ion=211407

[El Cid]

an application must be made to a 'foreigner's office' or national police station for inscription in the Central Register of Foreigners. No mention is made of photographs or fingerprints but it does not appear to exclude employed or self-employed people and their families as is the situation at the moment.

Interesting point, Beachcomber.

If you read the relevant EU directive all foreigners have to apply. There is no exemption for workers etc. as there was under the "residencia" rules.

Sid

[Superplonk]

"anyone with nothing to hide will have nothing to fear"

Am I the only one who winces when someone says this? My Spanish mother-in-law said it last week about life under Franco. She seemed to have forgotten that she grew up in a civil war refugee camp and that some of her relatives spent thirty years hiding from the authorities in a cave.
If you need reminding why it is a problem when the state thinks that the citizens are there for its benefit, rather than the other way round, see the excellent "Das Leben der Anderen" which has just won the Oscar for best foreign film.
We are all keen to protect ourselves from credit card and id thieves, but what's that got to do with being forced to give our info to the government?

[spanish hopes]

Well I certainly don't wince when I hear it, I agree with it. A fingerprint and DNA database would solve a lot of crimes often before they could became serial offenders.

[Colinm]

I agree completely with the suggestion of fingerprint & DNA database.

I suppose I would be completely paranoid to suggest that it could in the future be possible to replicate DNA, leading to criminal elements leaving false trails of replicated DNA at the scene of the crime!

[Superplonk]

Well replication is pretty unlikely, but what are you going to do when one flake of your dandruff turns up (or is placed) at the scene of a crime or gets mixed up with someone else's in a police laboratory?
Can you talk your way out of that? False positives are rare when the database is small but when we are all on it they'll be an every day occurrence. Having nothing to hide will not help you when faced with "foolproof" evidence.

Plenty more information on the problems with DNA testing (eg. OJ Simpson) here:

http://tinyurl.com/324b7t

[spanish hopes]

but what are you going to do when one flake of your dandruff turns up (or is placed) at the scene of a crime or gets mixed up with someone else's in a police laboratory?

I guess I'll have to use Head and Shoulders more often. A most unlikely scenario and I will be prepared to risk it.
If one life is saved or one woman escapes being raped because of the database then the risk of errant dandruff is worthwhile.