This is a public service announcement for the British Embassy Madrid.
The British Embassy is urging all British people who reside in Spain and are still in possession of a green certificate to apply for the tarjeta de identidad de extranjero (TIE) if they haven’t done so already.
The TIE is a biometric identity card which came into force in 2021; it proves that the holder is a Withdrawal Agreement beneficiary with the right to reside and work in Spain. Most British people living in Spain have already replaced their green certificate with the biometric TIE.
The British Embassy is asking Britons who have not gotten their TIE, and are still using a green certificate, to get a TIE as soon as possible, before the introduction of the EU’s new Entry Exit System (EES), which is expected in autumn this year.
His Majesty’s Ambassador to Spain, Hugh Elliott said:
“It’s really important that any British person who lives in Spain gets the TIE—not only because it is the most durable and dependable way to prove your rights in Spain, but also to avoid disruption at the border when the EU’s Entry Exit Scheme comes into force.
We are working with the Spanish Government and the EU to prepare for the implementation of this new scheme and we have requested that more TIE appointments are made available.
Please keep checking our Living In Guide and social media pages for more information.”
The EU’s New Entry Exit System (EES)
The EES will require all non-EU, short stay travelers to register via an automated system at their place of entry into the European Union. Upon entering the EU, they will need to provide their name, passport details, biometric data (fingerprints and captured facial images) and the date and place of entry and exit. This new procedure will replace the current passport stamping at the border. The information collected will be held on file for three years, meaning Britons making repeat visits to The EU within that three-year period will not have to go through the same registration process each time.
To be exempt from registering with the EES, British residents in the EU will need to show a valid uniform-format biometric card, which in Spain is the TIE. The green certificate, though a valid residency document in Spain, was issued prior to Brexit and does not feature in the EU-UK Withdrawal Agreement or in Annex 22 of the Schengen Border Guard Handbook. Therefore, it is expected that green certificate holders may lose out on the chance to be exempt from registering in the EES system. As a result, they may encounter difficulties and delays at the border, especially when entering other EU countries where the green certificate may not be recognized.
The process for securing a TIE appointment and the card itself is run by the Spanish Government. More information on how to apply, including links to Spanish Government websites where the applications are made, can be found on the Living in Spain guide on gov.uk.
You can follow the British Embassy Madrid on social media on Facebook: @Britishembassymadrid, Instagram @ukinspain and X: @ukinspain.
This is a public service announcement for the British Embassy Madrid.