twistedmelon

I kept my old resedencia card when it changed to A4 type. this is OK except when someone notices it has expired in which case I use the photo copy A4 which I keep folded up to card size in wallet with old card.
In all the years I have been here the number of times I have asked to produce either doesn't warrant any problem to me, obviously for those who are constantly being asked to produce ID it is and I'm sorry for the problems the UK and Spanish authorities cause you.
On that note, I am also sorry for the issues you have regarding voting and taxation.

johncar61

I too kept my Residence card, which expired in May 2007. In most places, other than very official situations, it has been accepted, even on the couple of occasions when the person has commented on it being out of date. I am fairly sure one reason for that is I speak Spanish reasonable well.

I would advise everyone when they pick up their A4 'worthless piece of paper' that the 'forget or mislay' their old Residencia. In the station where I work they ask for it but don't worry if you don't have it with you ! And although it is not a legal ID, it will 'get you by' in most every day situations just don't argue if you are told its not legal.

jackytoo

A UK card would only be the same as a UK driving licence for identification purposes when using credit card etc. Any other officials want something with an NIE number on it.

johncar61

As I read it, the UK card would work exactly like the Spanish DNI (ID card). So of course it would work and be accepted in Spain.

Madridboy

MY passport doesn't have my NIE number on it!

johncar61

But it would be a legal ID, just like a passport, I thought that was the point, although it has nothing to do with the thread as I started it.

Bigger Jim

It may not be anything but an idea because neither Cons nor Libs seem to be in favour; unless of course Gordon's "Japanese Banana diet" gets him in the same shape as Cameron and Clegg.

The UK populous at large doesn't seem to be crying out for a UK Id card.

Jim

jackytoo

There are certain times when proof of NIE number is required. Selling your car, some admin offices at the ayuntamiento, anything done at the notary etc. The UK card won't have the no. on like the spanish residencia.

Ex-pat

NIE number is on the SIP card. Just another card that you would keep with your credit card(s).

Any ID card is just what it says it is, a form of indentification.

johncar61

There are some times in UK when you need your NHS number etc. but we don't have it on our passports.

We need a Legal ID in Spain all the time. When we are doing something which requires other info we have to provide that when requested.

I see Ex pat has just beaten me to saying the same thing. Either we are both very astute or the answer was obvious ! The latter I guess.

johncar61

10 out 10 Lenox, apart from a Spanish passport is 20 euros obtainable from your local National Police Office, against a UK one, from Madrid, and which must be around 170 euros with courier etc.

Fred James

That is not true.

21 out of the 25 EU states issue ID cards and they are totally valid as ID anywhere in the EU and they do not contain your NIE number.

The UK ID card will be exactly the same.

As as been already pointed out, a UK passport, which we all seem to agree,
is at present the only legal form of ID, does not have your NIE number on it.

Lenox

Turn it around the other way.
A Spanish 'NIE' ID has the same number as the bearer's tax number. All very usefully rolled into one - and fits in the wallet as well. If the Brit Gov wanted to give us a British ID or British passport number which coincided with our Spanish tax number (which is far beyond anything the Brits or the European Charter could imagine) then everything would be fine.
Short of that, we need an British ID Card/passport plus a Spanish certificate of NIF tax number, to make-up a proper package for opening a bank acc, selling a house, registering with an official body, voting (!), dying, marrying and etc etc.

spainrico

As I posted earlier in the thread - having now received their permission - I post the IPS reply to my query regrading whether Expats could obtain a UK ID card:

Headquarters
Parliamentary & Correspondence Management Team
8th Floor, Globe House
89 Eccleston Square
London
SW1V 1PN

Tel (0300) 222 0000
Fax (0870) 336 9175
Email [email protected]
Web www.ips.gov.uk


Mr Robert Innis
Reference: IPS 21/10

12 February 2010

Dear Mr Innis,

Thank you for your email of 2 February.

With regard to your enquiry, identity cards will be issued to those who are legally resident in the United Kingdom. British citizens living abroad will not be required to apply for a card. Although the Identity Cards Act 2006 is sufficiently flexible to enable British citizens resident overseas to register, there are no plans to do so in the early rollout stages of the Service.

We understand the frustration of British citizens resident in Spain if Spanish authorities are no longer issuing photocard residence permits. However, the National Identity Service is primarily intended for UK residents and the first identity cards were rolled out on 30 November 2009. These cards are being offered on a voluntary basis at a fee of £30 to British citizens aged 16 and over, resident or working in the Greater Manchester area and on a voluntary basis to British citizens and EEA nationals working at Manchester and London City airports.

Unfortunately, the website and registration capability launched on the 6 May 2009 limits registration to those people with a UK postcode. Those registering will receive e-newsletters that aim to provide further information about the introduction and development of the Service and provide guidance around identity protection matters.

Should you wish to register to receive this information and do not have a UK postcode, can I suggest you register using the postcode SW1V 1PN which is the postcode of the Identity and Passport Service head office this will allow you to receive the email updates and keep you informed of the introduction of identity cards including details of when the Service may be made available to overseas residents such as yourself.

You can find out more on our online information service, available through the DirectGov website, where you can express your interest in identity cards and find out when identity cards will be made available in your area. The website is available at: www.direct.gov.uk/identity.

Yours faithfully,


On behalf of James Hall, Chief Executive and Registrar General

Adzil

Hi Fred

Right, I took the plunge and have done the interview for the card. Actually it wasn't very much of an interview at all, but let me explain about the form first.

The application form arrived in the post with a leaflet explaining how to fill it in, and a letter saying thank you for applying. The form looked daunting at first until I realised that lots of the categories don't apply to me (and I suspect most other people applying for a card). Irrelevant things it asks for include, for example, parent's details for applicants who don't have a British passport. As you have to have a British passport to get a card this question did seem a bit odd to me. Anyhow, mostly the information is what you would expect: name, address, previous addresses if you've not lived at your current address for more than five years, nationality, date of birth, your passport details etc. It also asks for a referee, and I presume this is the person they check with to see if you are who you say you are and it asks for a number they can be contacted on. Your referee has to be a current British or Irish passport holder too. Finally it asks you to tick a box saying which supporting document you've enclosed with the application. Again, if you're a UK citizen with a valid passport then that's all you need to bring.

Going along to the interview at the passport office was much less worry than I thought it would be. You go to the Passport Office in Victoria, and they direct you upstairs. I sat at reception with a pleasant woman, who checked I'd filled in my form properly and entered the details on her computer, and then she took my passport to check it. I then paid my 30 quid and was given a sheet of secret questions to choose answers from, so they can verify who I am if I lose my card. Next, after a short wait, it was into the enrollment room. That was a fairly quick process: they entered my secret answer questions and then I 'enrolled my biometrics' as the lady put it. In a nutshell this involved staring at a camera and a computer screen while it took my photo, and then putting my fingers and thumbs onto a scanner which copied my fingerprints. And that was it. Pretty painless. Back at reception they told me to expect my card in around ten days. I was in and out in about 20 mins.

I did ask about using it as a passport and they were very informative, as you might expect. It can be used instead of a passport in and EU or EEA country, and they said they had had a couple of problems with airlines not recognising them at first because they were so new, but they were all OK with it now.

All very efficient really.

Adzil