'Sit tight and don't worry'
Brexit assurances from the British Consul in Alicante
Assurance given as uncertainty remains on the outcome
BRITISH Consul Sarah-Jane Morris this week urged expats legally resident in Spain not to worry and 'just sit tight' as crunch Brexit talks continue.
She said people generally had followed official advice in the run up to October 31, the date the UK is scheduled to leave the European Union - but underlined there was no need to panic.
The consul said people 'understandably are getting terribly confused' because they constantly picked up 'conflicting messages', not least because there was different information regarding a ‘deal’ or ‘no deal’ scenario.
Speaking on the Costa Blanca-based Bay Radio on Tuesday afternoon, Mrs Morris said: “We are saying to people just keep calm and don’t panic; if you have your residency, healthcare, and have changed your driving licence, just sit tight.”
And she said this week the Alicante province had made extra appointments to apply for residency under EU rules available exclusively for British citizens - a move she hoped would be taken up across the country - and Spain had agreed to recognise British driving licences for nine months should the UK leave without a deal, giving residents more time to change.
“If you are legally resident in Spain and accessing healthcare, sit tight and don’t worry,” repeated Mrs Morris.
“We and the Spanish authorities will let you know when you have to do something; if we don’t tell you, you don’t have to do anything.”
British consulates across Spain are asking people to stay up to date with official information through the gov.uk/ livinginspain website - the consul said people could also sign up for email alerts and information also appeared on the Facebook page ‘Brits in Spain’.
She said the current Brexit negotiations were for an 'EUwide deal' and between the EU and UK rather than with individual member states. “If we leave without a deal, on November 1, discussions will be with member states for bilateral deals.”
Commitment
Mrs Morris said many people would know of the Spanish government’s royal decree, which stated if there was no Brexit deal between the EU and UK, Spain had made a commitment over things like residency and healthcare, based on assurances Britain would do the same.
However, she said: “The two systems are not symmetrical and identical, but both the UK and Spain are speaking to each other; the intention is reciprocity will happen.”
Mrs Morris said the government had announced different times for healthcare and the uprating of pensions depending on a deal - and a transition period - and a no deal situation.
“When you see a time gap, you need to hold on to the thought that during that time, it is where the UK and Spain will sit down together and talk; because if there is no deal, they have to sit down and make a deal,” she said.
“Between the UK and Spain, the spirit is of doing right by their citizens and those currently living in each other’s countries.”
And the consul stressed people should check the validity of their passports - as an EU member, a passport was valid until it expired but after the UK left the bloc, people needed six months validity again she said there was a check button on the gov.uk/ livinginspain website.
Mrs Morris said: “It is all about the future relationships and the parts that have not yet been agreed; they are still talking about the divorce rather than the future relationship.”
She said British nationals had been moving to Spain to live long before it was a member of the EU. “I think Spain will continue to want to offer that to British nationals...I think just watch this space and don’t worry.”