New residence permit for UK citizens in Spain after the Brexit

uk brexit

As of 31 January 2021, citizens of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland resident in Spain are seeking to legalize migratory status.

In the case of people whose legal resident rights begins after the end of transitional period – 31 December 2020-, will be 3 months from their arrival to the country or their birth.

Applicants will be granted with a legal resident and work document of 5 or 10 years, depending the periods living in Spain before the transition period, according to this:

  • 5 years legal resident permit if you’ve been less than 5 years in Spain.
  • 10 years legal resident permit if you’ve been more than 5 years in Spain.

*If you are the holder of a temporary registration certificate but have not yet reached 5 years of legal residence in Spain, remember that you can wait to change your document once these 5 years have passed. In this way, you will be issued directly with a permanent residence document.

If you live more han 3 months a year in Spain, you will have to become a resident. If you live more than 6 months a year in Spain you become a tax resident. If you spend between 3 and 6 months a year in Spain then you are a resident but not a Spanish tax resident.

FAMILY MEMBERS

Family members will maintain their family status throughout the transition period and thereafter. If they holder an EU citizen’s family card, either temporary or permanent, they must apply for the new legal resident document. Contact us for further information. In this case, they will only have to ask for the Foreigner’s Identity Card (TIE) at the Police Station. You can find more information about TIEs in this article.

If the family member doesn’t hold an EU citizen’s family card, due for haven’t applied before 6 July 2020 or having arrived to the country after, they must apply for a resident document at the Local Foreign´s Office.

If you would like more information about the process and full list of requirements, you can follow this link.