Certificate of Residence
 

We downloaded the forms from a link on BE (thanks to Fred James)and presented ourselves at Gandia Police station when they were doing some alterations and having their new computer terminals installed, so very bad timing. They stamped both copies of the form, gave us one each back and told us to return in two weeks.

Today we returned and queued patiently for about 30 minutes only to be told that we could not have it done there and should go to Alzira. I pointed out the fact that they had stamped it and told us to return there so the gentleman huffed and puffed and told us to go to another queue. He moved desks and ended up dealing with us after we had waited a further hour. He explained that they do not like dealing with people from other areas but that as we were already on their system he would continue for us. The only English word he knew was 'next' which he used when he said that next time we have to go to Alzira.

He printed off the certificates and then proceeded to fill out two duplicated forms with 6.70 € on them and sent my OH off to the bank to pay them. He then checked everything once more and gave the certificates to me explaining that they are valid and that they replace the cards that used to be issued and that when OH returned we must give him the bank form as proof of payment.

So we now have the residencia certificates. YIPEE!!!!!

As I have said before our Spanish is fairly limited but we do try, so this was a real achievement because I do not think that we floundered or misunderstood anything and of course for once managed to overcome a 'jobs worth' style stumbling block.

One thing that I think you should all know is that these certificates clearly state that they cannot be used as proof of identification so are totally different from the old residencia cards.

Rosemary

Re: Certificate of Residence
 

Well done!

We have an appointment at Alicante for end of May, although we don't know if that is valid now, what with all the changes that are happening.

How does it feel to finally be certified? :rofl:

Re: Certificate of Residence
 

I have always said that OH should be certified and I suppose that he has said the same about me.


Rosemary

Re: Certificate of Residence
 

This is something that is really pissing me off. My card is due to expire in a few months and I really don´t want to give it up in favour of a stupid piece of paper that won´t fit in my wallet and can´t be used as ID in any case!

There is NO WAY I intend to carry my passport around with me. And what happens when that expires - then I will have no formal identification whatsoever.


Oh well, at least the crappy paper driving licences are now nice tidy plastic ones.

Re: Certificate of Residence
 

So your officially bloody foreign!


Congrats.

Re: Certificate of Residence
 

I don't know about other places but I was in Fuengirola police station with some people the other day and they were asked if they wanted a certificate or a card. They all opted for a card so it will be interesting to see what happens.

Re: Certificate of Residence
 

Ah well if we are given a choice then that will keep me happy.:)

Re: Certificate of Residence
 

The residencia card has not been scrapped - it is still issued to non EU family members of an EU citizen. This was the main reason for the change in the law.

I suppose there might well be the possibility of still issuing it to EU citizens if they so wish.

We will see!

Re: Certificate of Residence
 

We are in the same state, and I asked our lawyers, who are processing the residencia for us, what we now needed to do with the changes. Apparently, if your application is already in for residencia, then you carry on with that application, and will get a residencia card in the old way, it's only when that comes due for renewal that you will ahve to change it for a certificate. We carry copies of our passports, reduced to credit card size as ID proof, or you driving licence will do.

Re: Certificate of Residence
 

Remember, that if you have changed your passport, and you need to fill in any form that requires your passport number AND NIE number then you will have to quote the passport number that you used when getting your NIE. In Spain, once you have a passport number you keep it for life, just have to renew it, unlike the UK who give out a different number each time. So you NIE number is linked to a passport number, and if they don't agree then whatever you are trying to do fails. So keep that original passport number, it doesn't matter that it is expired, it just has to match.

Re: Certificate of Residence
 

I don´t think there are any forms that require both passport AND NIE??? (Well, as long as you have your NIE on a tarjeta de residencia anyway.)

I have already replaced the passport that I used when I applied for my Tarjeta a few years back and I´m afraid I didn´t keep the original number.

I have become so dependent on my little tarjeta - I must use it on almost a daily basis for a whole variety of things (not just shopping!). A passport simply wouldn´t substitute it adequately because it doesn´t contain your address. And a drivers licence is not an officially recognised form of ID in Spain (it would be accepted in shops, etc but it is not universal).

I just find it really hard to believe that they are going to replace a system that was working perfectly with this stupid certificate thing.!!!

Re: Certificate of Residence
 

only a 30 min wait I'm jealous. After several 6 hour plus queue I was told the law was changed and now I need new forms :curse: I'm hunting around trying to find a jestor (lawyer) who can tell me what the hell I have to do. Problem is I'm not an EU national but married to one, so they changed the forms.

Which brings up a question with everyone moving everywhere do you think it will get to a time where you kids/grand kids aren't Spanish German French English but European?

I've mentioned this before but it your British and your spouse is French German Polish Spanish but you live somewhere else what nationality are you? New of a couple She's American, he's British living in Germany so I asked what nationality are they. I figure German since that's were the kids grew up.

Re: Certificate of Residence
 

I suppose the easiest way to determine nationality would be by the passport(s) you hold.

There must be someone on this forum who has given birth to kids here in Spain - are your kids Spanish? or British? I guess you can probably choose whether you register the births here in Spain or back in GB and therefore choose the nationality of your children.

Re: Certificate of Residence
 

I believe they can have dual nationality until they're eighteen, and then they have to choose.

Re: Certificate of Residence
 

You can download form EX16 here http://tinyurl.com/2ma4qs

You and your wife use the same forms. She ticks the box for a certificate of registration and you tick the box for the good old fashioned tarjeta.

Lucky old you!

Re: Certificate of Residence
 

they are British and hold British passports - as far as I know you dont have a choice

Re: Certificate of Residence
 

Is that right? So did you have to go all the way back to the UK to register the births? I find it surprising that you can´t register a Spanish born baby in Spain.

Annie and I are still part of the "no kids yet" brigade, but when we eventually decide to give up our freedom and peaceful nights I don´t think I would relish the idea of having to register our kids as British - a country to which they would have no friends, family or ties of any description.

Re: Certificate of Residence
 

(not me but my friend) as far as I know the birth was registered here so no trip back to UK necessary - I will find on exact details and let you know how it works

Re: Certificate of Residence
 

If they are born in Spain and have British parents then they are British by descent, but I am not sure if children they have will be British by descent.
It all gets very complicated when children are born out of the parents country of birth.

Re: Certificate of Residence
 

Yes it is a bit complicated. One of our best friends here is Spanish by nationality (because that is where she was born), but her mother is German and father is Mexican. :confused:

If/When we have kids I would definitely want to register the births here in Spain though.

Re: Certificate of Residence
 

I do know that if I have children, and I stress the word IF, they HAVE to be born in Britain to be classed as British.

But as I said, thats hypothetical since I will not be having children!

Re: Certificate of Residence
 

That´s exactly what we agreed on when we got married. Then I started to change my mind, much to Mrs Keithwalters´ disappointment!! I haven´t managed to persuade her yet, but I think her defense is slowly weakening.;)

Are you certain Mrs Rugbymatt is never going to change her mind?!?

Re: Certificate of Residence
 

if I keep slipping her the pills then she wont have a choice eh?

Re: Certificate of Residence
 

Hmmm...I´m going to have to try the opposite...substitute the pills with something else so that she won´t notice. Not so easily done!!

Re: Certificate of Residence
 

sugar pills could be an option.

Re: Certificate of Residence
 

Yes, but how do I get them into that foil covered pill dispenser thingy without breaking the seal?

Your job is much easier!

Re: Certificate of Residence
 

hmmmm, thats a difficult one.

Re: Certificate of Residence
 

You see? I´m stuffed. She calls all the shots. I just have to go along with it.

Maybe there is some kind of pill antedote that makes it inneffective. I could try slipping that into her morning coffee??

Re: Certificate of Residence
 

or you could tell her that you feel that it should no longer be the responsibility of the women to women to take precautions in this emancipated day and age and that you will start taking the male contraceptive, thus putting all the control in your hands.

Its a thinking mans game Keith.

Re: Certificate of Residence
 

Since 1983 you can be a British citizen with right of abode by descent through either parent for one generation only. So as long as someone born in Spain marries someone born in UK any children they have will be British.

Re: Certificate of Residence
 

Nice idea, sounds easier than trying to bypass the foil on the pill packet.

But what happens when she ends up pregnant a couple of months later? She´ll know it was me and she´ll be hell to live with for months. I´d much rather let her think that it was her screw up instead of mine.

Maybe I should try to persuade her to switch to some form of contraceptive that is vulnerable to pin prick holes.

Re: Certificate of Residence
 

then you can blame the drug companies, think on the wing man, think on the wing!

Re: Certificate of Residence
 

Well done Rosemary! Glad you are certified!

Getting the Residencia card was the one thing we had NO trouble with in Spain, we got it done painlessly after we'd been here a few months and everything went according to plan.:D

Same with medical cards, we just handed our forms in to the Seguridad Social and the cards came through the post (yes, they sent them by post!) a few weeks later.

Having said that I don't know anyone who pays for healthcare here so I think it may be free for all (in the nicest possible way!).

How long do the residencia cards last and do you just go to the police station to renew them? Anyone know?

Also, thank you for the tip about passport numbers - my husband has just renewed his and luckily we still had a note of the old number which we will keep. We hadn't even realised it WAS a different number!

Re: Certificate of Residence
 

Sorry, senior moment there. I was thinking of a child born to one Spanish and one foreign parent.

However, a child born in Spain can apply for Spanish nationality after one year, providing both his parents are legally resident.

For the rest of us it's ten years.

Re: Certificate of Residence
 

spoke to my friend today - had baby 4 years ago (so you know how things change here in Spain - this all could be poppy cock now !!!!;) )

baby born here - both parents are british

hospital gave them a bit of paper (but not certificate) when he was born, then the birth was registered at local town hall - they were given a "book" that the Spanish have apparently, which has birth recorded and then marriage when the time comes

used that to apply for British passport as they were told until he was 14 he couldnt have be "Spanish"

Re: Certificate of Residence
 

Here's a link that explains it all.....hopefully:-

http://www.spainlawyer.com/guialegal...ITULO=08020000

Re: Certificate of Residence
 

Guess what..... its in the free beer thread too !!!!!! http://bestsmileys.com/bouncing/5.gif


.

Re: Certificate of Residence
 

Up date regarding using the new Certificate of Residencia.

Today we went to our local bank to alter an account and were asked for our residence card so provided the certificate. The manager had no idea whatsoever what it was and asked his colleague who was also bewildered. We think he then telephoned someone else to no avail so we gave him the telephone number of our gestor who is also a financial person for the bank, he confirmed to the manager that the certificate is the relevant doumentation, so all was well. The manager was not being awkward at all but appeared to be totally confused as he kept on looking at the certificate as though it was a foreign object.

This will probably not be what other people experience as we live in a small town where there are no other English people so the manager would not have any knowledge of the legal changes.

Thought that our experience this morning may be of use to others.

Rosemary

Re: Certificate of Residence
 

As we were in the system BEFORE the certificates came out we will still get a residencia card. I am assured that it lasts for two years, then we will have to renew via the certificate. Our lawyers did say, and I've also read it in local papers, that it may well be a while before everyone understands that the certificate has repleced the residencia card. Only drawback i see is that the residencia card was a small credit card size, and useful for paying by credit card etc, whereas this certificate is too large to carry at all times so you will need your passport. We have had our passparts copied, well the information page with photo, and reduced to credit card size and laminated, does for nearly anything, ecept shopping in Carrefour, but driving license does for that, and, with some assistants, getting money out of the bank, they insist on the full passport.:frown:

Re: Certificate of Residence
 

Your renewed residents card is valid for 5 years.

The new certificate is also valid for 5 years unless you held a residencia card before, in which case you should be issued with a certificate of permanent residency which you are entitled to after 5 years as a resident. This permanent certificate does not need to be renewed.

As for copies of documents, these may not always be accepted as proof of identity - forgery is just too easy. The recomended route is to get the copy certified as a true copy. This is called "compulsado" and you can normally get it done for a couple of euros at the Ayuntamiento or a notary. You cannot copy a certified document otherwise it will cease to be valid.