Bremain in Spain are proud to work closely with the British Ambassador & Embassy staff to keep you informed about life in Spain.

“I know that, because of the suspension of residency appointments during the current state of emergency, many UK nationals are concerned about their ability to obtain the correct documentation before 31 December. I want to reassure people on two points. If you already have the green residency certificate, your core rights are protected and it remains a valid document, even after the end of the transition period. If you don’t yet have your green residency certificate there is, likewise, no need for alarm. We continue to advise people to get an appointment as soon as you can. However, as long as you are living in Spain and can prove that you satisfy the legal conditions of residence (i.e. sufficient income and access to healthcare) by 31 December 2020, your rights are assured even if you are not able to get the physical document before the end of the year.” 

Read the full article “What will Brits in Spain need in order to feel settled?” here

The Embassy welcome direct contact from members of the public, with general or more specific, personal enquiries. Please use this LINK to make direct contact as it will generate an online form & provide a reference number.

You can also contact the consulate in your area – a list of consulates can be found here

You will receive a direct response in due course.

The Embassy website has a wealth of information on a variety of topics, including details of how things will change after the end of Brexit transition period here

You can also follow them on Twitter: @BritsliveSpain

Update from Embassy 23 November

Bremain attended a webinar with the Embassy today to discuss the pressing issues of Driving Licence exchange and local voting rights in Spain.

Driving licence exchange – the discussions have progressed & the next steps are legal checks & political processes. While the timeline is out of the Embassy’s control, further information will be forthcoming as soon as it is available.

For the latest information of the conclusion of the two outstanding issues, watch the video from the Ambassador here

Update from Embassy 11 June

Following the ruling by the European Court of Justice (ECJ) regarding EU citizenship and voting/standing in local elections, the Embassy would like to confirm the rules with regards to Spain.

More information on voting rights in Spain (and the treaty, signed in January 2019) is available in the Embassy’s Living in Spain guide.

Update from Embassy 23 February

The latest update from the Embassy includes information on a variety of subjects, including an extension for the use of UK driving licences in Spain.

For all the latest information, click on the relevant PDF below for all the latest details and useful links.

• Driving Licence PDF
• Access to regional employment services PDF
• Residence registration PDF
• Voting rights and registration on the electoral roll PDF

Update from Embassy 22 December

As the year comes to a close, the Embassy have provided an update on the issues that are still concerning UK nationals living in Spain.

RESIDENCY

Following a negative outcome on a residency application, some UK nationals have received an instruction to leave Spain within 15 days. While discussions between the relevant authorities are ongoing, the Embassy have put together some information for those finding themselves in this position. Open the Residency PDF for further details.

DRIVING LICENCES

Ambassador Hugh Elliott has recorded a video message for UK Licence holders living in Spain, which has been posted on the Brits in Spain Facebook channel. Negotiations are “progressing” but have yet to reach a conclusion. An extension to the current grace period has been asked for, and is expected to be granted, before the end of the year. Open the Driving Licence PDF for further details.

PASSPORT STAMPING

UK travellers are still experiencing inconsistencies at the border, with some Withdrawal Agreement beneficiaries being stamped despite presenting evidence of their residence status, and some visitors being stamped only on entry and not on exit.

For the second group – the travellers who are concerned that they received an entry but not an exit stamp –  the Embassy have recently updated their travel advice page with information in line with the Schengen Borders Code. This information currently sits under the subheading ‘visas’ on the page. We advise UK travellers to carry evidence of when and where they last entered and exited the Schengen Area when travelling in the future as you can ask a border guard to add this information into your passport. Acceptable forms of evidence can include boarding passes and tickets.

TAXATION OF OCCUPATIONAL OR PRIVATE UK PENSIONS

In response to issues raised in this regard by Bremain in Spain, the Embassy have put together some information. Open the Pensions PDF for further information.

Update from Embassy 13 November

The Embassy are often contacted for assistance in areas they are unable to assist with. To clarify where they can help, and to point people in the right direction where they can’t, a guide has been produced to explain the services they provide. Click here to open the guide

For visas for those wishing to move to Spain, please contact the Spanish consulate in the UK

To contact the Embassy in Madrid by phone or online, or for more information click here

Update from Embassy 27 October

DRIVING LICENCE EXTENSION

The Spanish government has today announced that valid UK licences will continue to be recognised for driving in Spain until 31 December 2021.

Negotiations are ongoing, and the Embassy will continue to provide information as and when any developments happen.

Independent of those ongoing negotiations, UK Nationals who successfully registered their intent to exchange their licence before 30 December 2020, will be able to exchange it for a Spanish one without having to take a practical test up until the end of this year. The Embassy understands that some people who tried to register their intent have subsequently found out that they were unsuccessful in doing so. If this is your situation and you are unclear as to why, you should contact the DGT directly to discuss further. https://www.dgt.es/es/contacto.shtml

If you moved to Spain after 1 January 2021, your UK licence is valid for six months from the date of your TIE or until 31 December, whichever is later.

Update from Embassy 12 October

UK national stakeholder event with FCDO Minister for Europe and the Americas

On Thursday 30 September, Wendy Morton, FCDO Minister for Europe and the Americas, met with 14 representatives from ten organisations that work closely with the UK community in Spain, as part of her visit to Madrid.

The meeting was an opportunity for the Minister to hear of the main concerns and issues affecting UK nationals in Spain, following the end of the transition period on 31 December 2020, ahead of her meetings with the Spanish government later that day. The issues raised included: registration/residency applications, visa processing, the stamping of passports, immigrations status, moving back to the UK and many more.

Update from Embassy 27 September

Earlier this year, the Embassy carried out a series of Healthcare focus groups throughout the EU. Some of the most popular questions and concerns were about NHS access and S1 registration, with participants wanting more detailed information.

As a result, the Embassy have produced the following series of infographics. Click on the relevant PDF for more information:

Registering your S1 with the INSS

The INSS has recently updated its online portal.  The process has been revised, and there’s a specific link for S1 form holders who wish to register online.  There is a dedicated page on gov.uk which outlines the process for registering your S1 online, and which has been updated to reflect changes made.

Please note that, at present, the page is only in Spanish and it has an additional series of instructions to ensure you confirm your identity.

Update from Embassy 25 June

Starting today, the Embassy Health Team are offering one-to-one calls with UK nationals on the last Friday of every month, continuing throughout the summer.

Update from Embassy 23 June

CHANGES TO DEADLINE RE DRIVING LICENCE EXCHANGE

On Tuesday 22 June, the Spanish Consejo de Ministros agreed an extension to several measures in their end-of-transition period Royal Decree.  One was on the recognition of UK driving licences in Spain.  The announcement in English can be found here.

The deadline for the exchange of driving licences, for those who were resident in Spain prior to the end of the transition period, has been extended. For full details of the changes, read our PDF here

 You can also find further details re driving licences, for those who did not register details/intent before the 31/12/20 deadline, in the PDF.

Update from Embassy 27 May

On Thursday 27th May, Bremain in Spain Chair, Sue Wilson and Vice Chair, Lisa Ryan Burton attended an update meeting with British Embassy staff to discuss:

• Driving Licence Exchange
• Travel – including the much discussed ‘carta de invitación´
• Residency
• Votes for life – government press release

To read all about those discussions and get the latest information, click on the PDF here.

Update from Embassy 21 May

In response to members’ concerns about entry requirements to Spain – especially in relation to visitors to our homes – the Embassy have provided the following update and helpful links.

Following recent discussions with the Spanish authorities, the relevant Embassy webpages have been updated, and further clarification will be available in due course.

The following websites are recommended by the Embassy as the best sources of information:

• Spain Travel Advice (We recommend subscribing for email alerts as this is updated regularly)
• Visiting the EU page on gov.uk
• Foreign travel advice (see Regular entry requirements)
• Ministry of Interior – for more information on the ‘carta de invitación’
• Ministry of Interior – for more general information on entering Spain as a non-EU national

There is further information direct from the Embassy in the PDF

On Tuesday 20 April, our Chair, Bremain in Spain Chair, Sue Wilson took part in a meeting with representatives of the FCDO (Citizens’ Rights department) and British Embassy staff from Madrid and Paris. The meeting was also attended by representatives of citizens’ rights groups from 7 EU countries.

The meeting involved discussions around the misrepresentation in the media of recent coverage of events regarding UK nationals, most especially in Spain. Other topics included communications, information and support being provided for Brits abroad, followed by a question and answer session.

To read more about the meeting, open the PDF

There has been some confusion over the rules for visiting other Schengen countries when legally resident in Spain. We asked the Embassy to clarify how long you are entitled to visit, and whether the rules are different for those with temporary residency to those with permanent residency.

In response to recent concerns our members raised over access to Spain’s vaccination programme, we approached the Embassy directly and received this response:

“The Spanish Government’s Vaccination Strategy sets out that all people living in Spain will be eligible for the vaccine, regardless of nationality or residency status.  The Vaccination Strategy is updated regularly to include new priority groups as the number of doses available gradually increases.  You might be interested to see this question and answer from the Spanish government’s FAQ website, which highlights that all people in the priority groups, irrespective of their nationality or type of sickness insurance cover, are being vaccinated.

Those UK nationals who are already registered in the public health system should be contacted by their regional health authority to arrange an appointment.  The Spanish authorities are asking insurance companies to coordinate with regional health services in order to provide vaccines to their customers.  The Spanish authorities are also considering how to contact people who are not registered on the public system nor with a private insurer.  Ultimately, our advice to UK nationals living in Spain remains that they contact their local health centre and/or insurer for more information.”

The Embassy will provide further updates as and when further information is available, and the issue will be followed closely by the Embassy communications team.

• Continuation of S1 scheme
• Sending medication via courier from the UK to Spain
• S1 registration issues

There has been plenty of information available recently regarding applications for Spanish residency. To date, that information has related to those that arrived in Spain before the end of the Brexit transition period.

What are the requirements for those moving to Spain from 1 January 21?

UK nationals moving to Spain post Brexit (and who are not joining close family members under WA family reunification rules) will need to meet the same requirements as other third country nationals.

In most cases, this will require starting the process via the Spanish consulate in the UK, before traveling to Spain.  The requirements will differ depending on the visa/residence permit the person is applying for (e.g. a residence and work permit, a non-lucrative visa, etc).

UK nationals requiring further information about visas/residence permits should consult with the competent authorities for Spain:

For the Spanish Consulate in the UK visa FAQ page, click here

For the Ministry of Inclusion, Social Security and Migration page, click here

The Embassy has produced an essential guide explaining your citizens’ rights as covered by the Withdrawal Agreement. The guide contains information of the following topics, as well as many useful links:

• Living & working
• Healthcare
• Driving
• Education
• Voting
• Travel
• Pensions

You can view/download the guide HERE or click on the image below. Hard copies are available from the Embassy directly.

 On Wednesday 27 January, our Bremain Chair, Sue Wilson & Vice Chair, Lisa Burton attended a meeting with British Ambassador, Hugh Elliott & his Embassy team.

The Ambassador & his team spoke to a number of issues – many of which are being compounded by both Brexit & Covid. Prior to the meeting, our members raised a number of important concerns with us.

 Thank you for bringing these important issues to Bremain’s attention, and to the Embassy for their knowledge, support and efforts on behalf of all Brits in Spain.

• A bilingual, informative note on the documentation that UK nationals can use to evidence their residence status and that they are a beneficiary of the WA. Notwithstanding the Spanish government’s clear recommendation for UK nationals to get the TIE, this confirms the validity of the green certificate, even if it is older than 5 years and doesn’t say ‘permanente’.

The Embassy and officials at the Spanish Migration ministry hope that UK nationals will be able to print off or point to this second document should they have any problems in exercising their rights or accessing services in Spain.

The English version of the ministry website and the Embassy’s own Living in Spain guide should be updated with this information shortly.

Bremain held its first webinar in conjunction with Lorna Geddie from the Embassy. The 63 Bremain members attending raised questions on a wide range of topics, including travel, visa requirements, pensions, banking, residency, healthcare/EHIC, swallows rights, driving licences & dual citizenship.

Many thanks to Lorna for her valuable input & to all those that took part.
In response to all the issues raised, Lorna has kindly put together a PDF especially for Bremain in Spain members. (Last update: January 2021)

“My thanks to Sue, Matt and Lisa for organising the webinar, and very especially to Lorna who was clear, knowledgeable and very generous with her time” – Richard Lander

”Thanks very much for organising an excellent meeting & to all involved” – Mel Slater

“A wide range of topics were covered. Very interesting, informative & inclusive” – Sue Scarrott

”Thank you to everyone at Team Bremain for making this happen” – Jacqueline Davison

To apply for your new UK EHIC via the new portal, click HERE

• those who qualify for an S1 form on the basis of another benefit, such as a UK State Pension
• those receiving benefits from an existing S1

To read the Embassy update on exportable benefits in full, click on the PDF HERE

The healthcare team have also responded to your queries regarding EHIC cards. You can read their update PDF HERE (Updated 9/11/2020)

If you have any further questions, you can contact the dedicated health team by email at: healthcare.spain@fcdo.gov.uk

The SCCR met on 8 October for the 3rd time – the agenda included social security coordination, registration and support for the most vulnerable. You can read the joint statement from the UK and EU, issued following the meeting here

For details open or download the PDF HERE or select image above.

Distressing images of war-torn Ukraine, and the plight of innocent Ukrainians, are becoming all too familiar. Poor, desperate people are caught up in the terrible struggle, with millions forced to flee their homes and their country.

Spain is home to 112,000 Ukrainian residents and is preparing to welcome at least 12,000 refugees. Reception centres have been set up in Madrid, Barcelona and Alicante – these will also act as logistics centres for humanitarian aid.

The Spanish government have launched a streamlined, simple system that will help displaced Ukrainian refugees find the help and support they so desperately need. As Spain opens her arms to Ukrainian refugees, many of us are asking ourselves what we, as individuals, can do to help.

We hope the following suggestions and links will provide some answers and encourage us all to open our hearts, our wallets, and maybe even our doors to desperate Ukrainian refugees.

What can I do to help?

• Check with your local town hall/regional government for details of local support being offered. You can find a list of the Spanish Autonomous Communities here
• Essential items – clothes, medicines, food – are being collected at various points throughout Spain – read more from El Pais here
• Write to your MP to demand stronger sanctions against Russia and visa-free access to the UK for desperate Ukrainian refugees. You can find your MP here
• Share articles and appeals for help on social media – we have listed a few relevant articles you may have missed below
• Donate to a charity – there are many well-respected and experienced organisations to choose from – you will find an alphabetical list, with links, below

Charities and organisations providing help & support

Aldeas Infantiles SOS – Emergency in Ukraine

CARE – Ukraine Emergency – how you can help

Cruz Roja (Spanish Red Cross)

Disasters Emergency Committee (UK) – Ukraine Appeal

EU stands with Ukraine – EU Solidarity with Ukraine

Immigration Lawyers Spain – Regularization for Ukrainian citizens in Spain

Infancia de NAD – Temporary shelter programme for minors in Spain

International Medical Corps – War in Ukraine – Helping civilians inside the country

MOAS – Bringing emergency aid and assistance to conflict-affected Ukrainians

Project Hope – Crisis in Ukraine

Red Cross (British) – Part of the Disasters Emergency Committee (DEC) – Ukraine Appeal

Refugee Support – Helping to create a world where all refugees can live with dignity

Save the Children – Help children suffering the consequences of the conflict in Ukraine

Sunflower of Peace – Help the people of Ukraine

United Help Ukraine – Helping people, saving lives

Unicef – Para cada infancia

United Nations Foundation – the UN’s humanitarian response in Ukraine

United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) – Support women & girls impacted by the war in Ukraine

UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR) – Help Spain – Information on the situation in Ukraine and the departure of Ukrainian nationals

Voices of Children – Help children of war in Ukraine

Visit Ukraine Today -Everything Ukrainians coming to Spain need to know

World Central Kitchen – One million meals served to Ukrainian families

World Food Programme (WFP) – Saving lives, changing lives – Ukraine Appeal