'Permanent' residency question answered

Green resident cards and certificates do not expire

Embassy gives us a clear answer on the 'permanent resident' status expats are frequently asking about during the series of ‘Brexit Ready' talks being held by the consulate along the coast.

BRITISH expats aiming to be ‘Brexit Ready’ ahead of March next year are increasingly asking about their status as ‘permanent’ residents.

The current road show being staged by the British consulate team aims to answer personal questions over the UK leaving the European Union, a move scheduled for March 29, 2019, - although an agreed deal is likely to involve a transition period. However, Costa Blanca News has received a number of questions about whether the word ‘permanente’ – or ‘permanent’ - is needed on either the large green paper certificate or the smaller version.

It is understood that the wording has evolved since the certification was first introduced for expats seeking resident status, and documents differ.

A spokesman for the British Embassy in Madrid this week confirmed: “As long as you have a green residency card or certificate, you are on the central register of EU nationals; which most people refer to as ‘residencia’.

“These cards or certificates do not expire. You must, however, ensure it shows your current address and update it in the event of your circumstances changing.”

Further information regarding residency for British citizens is available at the ‘Living in Spain’ chapter on the government website gov.uk – there is also a link to the Spanish government’s own information site.

The current outreach programme being run by the Alicante-based consulate team has produced “very positive” feedback; more than 1,500 people have already attended meetings with experts; a programme extending into December.

The spokesman added: “People have particularly welcomed the opportunity to ask an expert their individual questions.”