HBG

After a frustrating six weeks, I finally managed to renew my residencia and I’m now in possession of a photo-less document which doesn’t appear to serve any useful purpose. Unfortunately my wife, who put all the papers together, handed over my old photo residencia because it had expired.

The queuing I had to do on four different occasions was soul destroying, luckily it only took half-an-hour this morning. I’m now thinking of a way to have the thing reduced and somehow put a photograph on it, it’s of no use as ID the way it is. I know a shop in town that does it, but have no idea of the legality – I’m not trying to defraud anyone, I just want to be able to show it on the few occasions I have to.

Whatever happens, I’m going to frame the original to remind me of the queuing. At this particular police office, only the foreigners have to stand in a queue, Spanish people sit down until their name is called.

snikpoh

Unfortunately, us foreigners have to carry passports around as well as a copy of our NIE (or residencia if that's all you have).

I personally think this is discrimination but until we 'brits' have a useful form of ID, then what else can we do?

The fact that we don't necessarily need or want a passport, and it costs a small fortune to renew, seems to be irrelevant!

Mitzyboy

If you look at the top of it, it says that it is not proof of identification, or something along those lines

missile

I find most will accept a reduced size laminated photocopy passport. I find everyone will accept a photo driving license.

Fred James

That would be a complete waste of time - as Mitzy said, it specifically says it is not an ID document so sticking a photo on it would be pointless.

For us poor Brits with no national ID card, the only totally acceptable ID is a valid passport - not a copy. Most places will accept a Spanish driving licence as that is a Spanish issued document. Reduced photocopies of anything are less likely to be accepted.

Notarised copies of documents are usually OK.

jojojojojo

I use a laminated credit card sized copy of my passport, with my NIE written on the back and its been fine for the last 3 years, even the guardia have accepted it when I've been stopped at road blocks!! Only once was it questioned and that was by a grumpy checkout operator in Mercadona, but she let it go!

Jo xxx

HBG

It’s not a problem when I’m driving, I carry the lot; but living in a built-up area I’m on foot most of the time and was quite happy just to carry my photo residencia. I’ll try a laminated copy of my passport from now on (thanks, Jo); I’m not prepared to walk around with my original passport or driving licence, not where I live.

It shouldn’t be a problem, even the local police carry hand-held computers now and can easily check on my residence status.

Perhaps at some stage we’ll be chipped like our dogs, why not?

gill556

take your passport to any solicitor and ask him to get it notarised, usually costs approx 10 euros and is considered a legal document, I have just returned from visiting numerous Caribbean Islands and every port accepted my document. When my husband had his wallet stolen we just went back to solicitor and got another copy, a bit different to a few years earlier when we had to go to the British Embassy, pay a fortune for documents to get us back to UK, then apply and pay for new passports.

Fred James

Don't waste money on a solicitor - you can get it authenticated at any town hall or notary for a couple of Euros.

I have a copy of my passport, driving licence and registration document on one A4 piece of paper and that has been authenticated.

Mitzyboy

Or alternatively just use your driving licence for everything day to day. I cant even remember the last time I showed my passport to anyone other than at the Police station for the "residency" certificate or the tax office once in Valencia. My driving licence has been accepted everywhere as ID

HBG

Is it a UK or a Spanish licence?

snikpoh

I would imagine it has to be Spanish.

HBG

Why? If the purpose of someone asking you for ID is merely to establish that you’re in Spain legally, then a UK licence with your photograph and address is quite sufficient.

Mitzyboy

It's a UK photo licence. It's ALL I use for ID as I said, except for serious official stuff

HBG

I used to do that, but found that the A4 paper, once it was folded to fit into the back pocket of your shorts or trousers, would deteriorate very quickly, and I believe a notarised copy has to be the original one, not another copy of the stamp.

It’s only the recent queuing that has made me paranoid, I often forgot to take my residencia with me, which is why I hadn’t realised it expired last year.

Once the panic dies down, I’ll be back to not worrying about ID, at least not too much. If it comes to it, I have a large cardboard box of papers indoors with forms galore, all stamped and legal as far as I know.