Last Thursday 17 February, the British Consulate in Alicante held a workshop with local immigration support offices to find out what support is available for UK Nationals who still need to sort out their residency paperwork after Brexit. The workshop was also attended by the Red Cross and CEPAIM, an association in Alicante that offers immigration advice over the phone.
Most town halls in the Comunidad Valenciana have what is known as a PANGEA office, which is funded by regional government to help immigrants who need advice on how to get legal residency in Spain or how to access services. The offices are staffed by social workers and often have a legal advisor expert in Spanish immigration law. They offer clear, impartial advice and guidance to those who seek their help, but they are not able to submit residency applications on behalf of customers.
There is a huge volume of British nationals living in the Comunidad Valenciana – in 2020 approximately 104,000 British nationals were registered as residents (i.e. with a green residency certificate) and the latest official figure is now over 110,000.
However, not all new residency applicants have been successful and, whilst many unsuccessful applicants have since returned to the UK, the Consulate believes that there are many who are still living in Spain without paperwork. Also, at the last count, only 38% of British nationals in the Comunidad Valenciana had swapped their green residency certificate for a new photo ID TIE card.
Whilst it is not obligatory to make the swap, both the British and Spanish authorities recommend it as it will make administrative processes easier and the new card clearly shows the holder’s status as beneficiaries of the Withdrawal Agreement.
Sarah-Jane Morris, the British Consul in Alicante, who opened the workshop said “It now is over a year since the end of the transition period. Any British national living in Spain without their residency paperwork in order is going to need specialist advice and support to legalise their situation. For those living in the Comunidad Valenciana, the PANGEA offices are where you should go for free, impartial advice on what your rights and options are. It was great to understand their work better through this workshop and build closer ties.
For those British nationals who still have a green residency certificate, I strongly urge you to exchange it for a TIE as soon as possible – there are appointments in Alicante every day.
It is a straightforward process, the TIE is more durable than the previous green certificate and it clearly shows you are a beneficiary of the Withdrawal Agreement. We are increasingly seeing that the Spanish authorities prefer British nationals have this document.”
You can find the list of PANGEA offices for the Comunidada Valenciana on this website: https://inclusio.gva.es/es/web/igualdad-diversidad/xarxa-d-oficines-pangea. Information about how to become a resident in Spain under the Withdrawal Agreement and how to exchange a green certificate for a TIE can be found at: https://www.inclusion.gob.es/ficheros/brexit/guia_brexit_2020_en.pdf
For general information and advice about living in Spain, visit gov.uk/livinginspain or follow us on facebook at facebook.com/britsinspain
