Applying for a Spanish Visa
It has recently been announced that UK citizens registering as residents in Spain will now be issued with a TIE residence card. Formally known as the “Tarjeta de Identidad de Extranjero” card, this is an identity card that is currently issued to non-EU residents of Spain, and soon that list of non-EU residents will include residents from the UK. It is worth noting, however, that the card that is issued to Britons will be slightly different to the one that is issued to other third country nationals.
Whether or not you needed to apply for a TIE card depended on your current residential status. Not every Briton needed to have a TIE card in place by the end of the year. If you are already in possession of a green card (either an A4 green residency certificate or a small green residency card) then obtaining a TIE card will be optional, at least initially. Hugh Elliot, the British Ambassador to Spain, confirmed this, saying “Whilst you may choose to change your current certificate for a TIE at some point in the future, there is no requirement to do so”.
If you are currently residing in Spain but don’t have a green card, or any kind of residency status, you will now be required to register for a TIE in order to secure residency and obtain any of the benefits offered by the Withdrawal Agreement. You can’t now apply for a green card instead, and will be expected to go down the TIE card route instead.
This isn’t a negative! The TIE card is smaller and plastic rather than paper, making it easy to carry with you at all times, enabling it to serve as photo ID. It will be valid for either 5 years or 10 years.
However, there is currently a long wait to obtain an appointment to apply and register for your TIE card, due to a backlog of applicants. This means that many Britons who haven’t already started the application process may be concerned that they won’t secure their residency in time, but provided you have an appointment and have registered your intent to remain, you won’t have to leave the country.
If you have secured an appointment to complete your TIE card application, then here is a list of the documentation you will need to take along with you:
- Form EX15. Take this form with you alongside with the other documents for an Identity Card. Complete two copies of it; this is the form that will give you your identity number (ignore this if you already have a Spanish identity number)
- Form EX-17. This is the application form for the TIE card. Complete this form with the required information. Print it twice and do not forget to sign it.
- A recent color photograph.
- Registration of Social Security, if applicable.
- Proof of payment of the card fee.
If you have not yet moved to Spain then none of the information outline above applies to you. Instead, you will need to apply for a visa if you wish to spend longer than 90 days in each 180 period in Spain. There are several different visa options available, but almost all of these are very difficult to secure as a third party national. The best route is if you don’t intend to work during your time in Spain, in which case either the non-lucrative visa or the golden visa might be the best options for you. Whilst both require you to have significant financial means, they offer a clear and simple route to residency, and are very popular amongst retirees.
A non-lucrative visa is effectively issued to individuals who can demonstrate they have sufficient funds in place to support themselves in Spain, without working or studying (neither or which are permitted under the terms of this visa). Instead you show that, either through savings or monthly income from pensions or investments, that you can support yourself whilst living in Spain. (You should be able to demonstrate an income of approximately €27,115 (£23,436) as an individual and €33,894 (£29,300) as a couple for this type of visa to be the right choice for you).
