This week I flew in from London, a trip I make about once every month or 2. At the customs window I did my usual "Soy resedente" and handed over my passport and green resident card. The guard gave it back and, pointing to the top line, seemed to say it wasn't valid as the UK is no longer in the EU and proceded to stamp my passport. There wasn't time for an argument as of course people were waiting so I moved on.

A similar things happened a couple of months ago as I was leaving. You have to show your residency card there to explain why there's no entry stamp on your passport. The guard there told me I'd have to change it for a white* one, presumably meaning a TIE. At the time I just put it down to a lack of knowledge on their part.

Has anyone else experienced anything like this? I'm sure I read that the TIE was recommended but not necessary. Has this advice changed? Is it just that Cantabrians do an excellent impression of a people who don't like foreigners??

Like I say I make this journey every month or 2 so I don't want this hastle or to be held up because I've spent longer than 90 days here.

And if you're thinking "just get the TIE" it would suit me to get one in the new year because when it expires after 5 years I can get a Spanish passport, whereas if I get a TIE now it will annoyingly expire 6 months before I can do that.

Thanks in advance.

*(she actually said 'black' but I assument that's because Spanish people get the English word black mixed up with the Spanish word blanco, meaning white)

'And if you're thinking "just get the TIE" it would suit me to get one in the new year because when it expires after 5 years I can get a Spanish passport, whereas if I get a TIE now it will annoyingly expire 6 months before I can do that.'

To be honest I was thinking just get a TIE (I have never had a problem with it) but then you say - you can get a Spanish passport and that intrigued me - how?

In January I'll have been resident for 5 years, so 5 years after that makes 10, and apparently one can "easily" get Spanish citizenship at that point. Sorry - not that intriguing, just badly explained.

Yes I am aware gaining citizenship includes a Spanish passport - but I still fail to understand your thinking -

I am glad you think it's 'easy' (and maybe for you it is) but it also takes ages (and money) so why not obtain a TIE to cover the 5 plus 2 or 3 years (for the citizenship process to conclude) to cover you in the meantime.

It also occurs to me that at one time after your initial 5 years of residencia you had to renew to gain it permanently (this may now be out of date, others will doubtless comment) and so now a TIE is the only option (as far as I know)

But obviously it's up to you.

Aha! Yes you're correct; I hadn't realised it takes years to get a passport after your 10 years was up. PS I was quoting "easily" from all the lawyer sites on the web.

Re: your second point, my recollection is that under the pre-TIE rules I would have had to change my temporary residence card for a permanent one after 5 years ie in January.

Never had an issue with my permanent A4 Green Residencia Cert at either Madrid, Malaga or barcelona airports

Well one man's easy is another man's difficult/stressful - it involves an exam on Spanish culture (probably the easiest bit) then a test of your written/ audio/spoken etc Spanish, and then other admin including taking an oath (ok how hard can that be) etc all spread over 2-3 years and a few hundred €s. More on this here https://www.pellicerheredia.com/en/open-library/

Yes although not many people actually did it - by the old 'book' you were supposed to renew after your first 5 years (which was 'probationary') for a residence certificate permanente - as I say now they have gone for newbies/renewals (and they take it away as part of the TIE process) I assume those who have the green certificate non-permanente should obtain TIE -

Can anyone clarify?

Thanks and welcome

Thanks for the info and the link. I'd naïvely assumed that one could start the application process in year 10, and then quickishly get the passport and take the oath. Evidently not.

If you change from green temporary card for a permanent one you will now be issued with a TIE. They can't issue green cards anymore as they are for EU citizens. I initially was not going to get the TIE untill the temp green one expired. However in the end to prevent issues such as mentioned I did change to TIE before the green card expires. The TIE specifically mentions protection under WA on the reverse. Although I had the green temp card for 2 years the temp TIE card does have expiry after 5 years so no credit for 2 years on the green card. Although people say you can get permanent five years from initial residency. No idea how you prove that as they took the green card off me. To be honest it doesn't really matter to me so long as I'm registered and can come and go .

My Green A4 replaced my original 5 year card with photo and fingerprint in 2010.............says Con Charactere Permanente......never been a problem at airports .......

Just reading the site spainrico linked to and it seems that if I get the TIE now it will say Temporary and be valid for 5 years, but if I wait until January the card will be marked Permanent and will last 10 years which should sufficiently cover my passport application. So I'm back to wanting to leave it until next year. This will avoid an extra interface with Spanish bureaucracy and I don't want my card being marked as a temporary resident for an additional 4½ years.

From https://www.pellicerheredia.com/en/tie-card-spain/

TBF, that's probably the best way to go. I would wait until you've been resident for 5 years (documented) before changing to the TIE.

Spain was quite happy for people to keep their old green cards, while their bureacracy was being swamped with new applications prior to Brexit but now the emphasis has moved to getting people to exchange their green cards. The wording clearly states that the card shouldn't be used for non EU citizens, which as UK passport holders, no longer applies.

Beside a fact that one needs to have 10y of continues residency in Spain, before one can apply for nationality (passport comes after nationality), requirement is also to denounce original nationality.

Spain doesnt allow for dual nationality, except for few ex colonies. UK is not one of those.

So, happy to wave goodbye to UK passport?

You become entitled to a permanent card after 5 years so you could quite legitimately get a TIE at say 4.5 years then 6 months later apply for the permanent one.

It's disturbing that this far in border guards are still getting it wrong