‘ Padrón’ concern as Brexit deadline nears
Delays could hit Britons’ bid for residency status
CONCERNS over lengthy delays for appointments to sign on the municipal register ( padrón) in Orihuela Costa have led campaigners to question whether the system might be being ‘ deliberately mismanaged’.
According to the party for the independence of Orihuela Costa ( PIOC), they have received several complaints about the problem.
When a Costa Blanca News reporter attempted to make an appointment on Tuesday the council’s online system was not offering anything before January 26, 2021.
“This is too late for the British expats who want to register on the ‘ padrón’ to beat the Brexit deadline,” noted a PIOC spokesman.
He reminded that they need to process their documents by the December 31 deadline.”
In contrast the first appointments available in Orihuela city were on November 16. PIOC suggested that this may be because the council fear they could be out of office in the next elections in May 2023, if everyone living on the coast exercised their right to vote by demanding they be included on the electoral register when they register for their ‘ padrón’ to become permanent residents.
They argued that with some investment the municipality could offer the same service as others which enable residents to simply print out a copy of the certificate when they need one.
Only last week the opposition Socialist party ( PSOE) issued a second complaint about the same subject, pointing out that the document is also required to contract utility supplies, get a health card or register children in schools, amongst many other procedures.
After their first complaint in August, councillor for statistics Luis Galiano replied that the system was ‘ working completely normally’, while admitting it was under extra pressure due to people applying for aid to assuage effects of the Covid19 situation.
Sr Galiano accused the PSOE of causing ‘ unnecessary alarm’ but Britons who need to obtain proof of their
residency before the Brexit deadline are worried that they may not be able to do so before it is too late.
Similar problems have arisen in Torrevieja, where the new online system has left many users waiting for several weeks for an appointment, while others claim they have not been able to obtain one at all.