By Tony Winterburn • Published: 23 Mar 2021 • 6:46
Deadline Looms For Unregistered Expats in Spain. image: Pexels
Deadline Looms For Unregistered Expats In Spain That Have Until March 31 To Return To The Uk.
A Brexit deadline is looming that could see thousands of Britons who made EU countries their homes forced to return to the UK under the 90-day period rule. UK nationals at present living in Spain who have not been granted residential status or those who arrived after the transition period ended on January 1 this year, will have to return to Britain by March 31.
As the UK is no longer an EU-member, British citizens are only allowed to live in Schengen countries for up to 90-days in a six-month period without a visa. This could also affect UK citizens who missed the December 31 deadline to apply for residency.
With the coronavirus pandemic causing delays at regional authorities, it is estimated that thousands of Brits who made countries like Spain their home for several years who have not yet obtained residential status, could be forced to return to the UK.
John Shiers, who has lived in Spain for more than two years, ITV News Europe Editor James Mates that he was one of those that missed the deadline to apply for residency and now faces having to return to the UK.
“It was naivety on my behalf,” he said. “I didn’t put mine in until just after [the deadline]. And then it has been knocked back, shall we say.” He is appealing against the decision but should that not succeed, he will have to leave the country. He says he is one of the thousands of other UK nationals in the same position.
Abby Wallwork has volunteered at the Donkey Dreamland sanctuary in Mijas, near Malaga in southern Spain since the beginning of the year. Just like any non-resident British citizen, Abby’s 90-day stay is nearly up.
“My time’s up,” she said. “The clock started ticking on the first of January, and there isn’t really an easy way around it, unfortunately.” If she does not return before March 31, she faces a fine or even a ban from returning to the country.
She didn’t have a home in Spain but hundred and thousands of Brits do – and due to the coronavirus pandemic, delays have meant many have missed the January 1 deadline to apply for residency under the EU Withdrawal Agreement.
Spain has been rolling out a new system to register permanent foreign residents with biometric cards called TIE but it’s suffering a massive backlog due to the high number of requests. The TIE Card is mandatory for new residency applications and optional for existing residents.
Around 300,000 British citizens are officially registered as being permanent residents in Spain, although, before Brexit, thousands more had been living full or part-time in the country without officially registering.
Social media users were quick to respond:
‘They had plenty of time to get their papers in order just like EU nationals had plenty of time to get settled status in the UK. If they didn’t manage to do so in 4 years it’s all their own fault.’
With another adding: ‘Not really ‘new’ rules, it is another batch of the reality of being a third country outside the Schengen area. I wonder how many of those immigrants have gotten their paperwork in order?’
A third jumped in to say:
‘In Spain, you always had to register your residence. If you did not do so, you lived there illegally. I assume many Brits will be caught out by that. You would have thought they might regularise their status as soon as the Brexit vote came through, but it seems some waited until this year.
‘And that is just too late. Illegal immigrants will be sent packing, and rightly so.’
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What about all the UK registered cars in Spain without tax,mot and insurance. Will stick out like a sore thumb from now on.
Hope they open up an easier way to get hold of a Spanish Visa other than having to travel to London so that we can get the paperwork we need if we want to continue to be “snow birds”.
Better to just buy a dinghy and row out a mile or so and return to the beach. They will then be illegal immigrants and be allowed to stay. Crazy world!
Spain sends illegal residents back.
Can anyone please explain and verify the legal situation regarding British people with an NIE number and Padronamiento? I have had these for over 10 years so do these documents allow me to stay in Spain longer than 3 months and come and go as I please? If not, do they add any credence to and/or help when applying for residency or TIE? Many thanks.
No you have to apply for residencia and if in process can stay till resolution if rejected can stay till appeal decided otherwise go back to UK get from Spanish Consulate Non Lucrative visa lets you stay 1 year
However speak to a lawyer if you were here before withdrawal ended 31 12 20 legally even if you did not apply for residencia they may be able to help you apply now
Thanks Rob. Does it make any difference that we own an apartment?
Sorry, the NIE number is a totally different creature. It won’t help you for residency or TIE. You needed to register by the regular way, clearly you didn’t and now you are going to have to leave. Sorry mate!
Already left last March… But I’ll be back soon!
In many rural parts of Almeria Province you see many Mercs BMW Audi and so on The Money for all this comes from Brits Resident and Home Owners and Holiday Makers spending money in Spain Without the Brits many Restaurants Cafes will close young people will have to move abroad for jobs If the Spanish make it difficult for Brits they will be the ones who pay the price
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