I understand that the Spanish were very reluctant to bring in the certificate but were forced by the EC.
Graham

How long is a piece of paper going to last
We carry a notarised copy of our passports but again it's a bit of tatty paper now. We used to have a shrunk version of our passport that was plasticised but we were told that's not acceptable.
I have also heard that even these bits of paper are going to be phased out eventually.
Yes, we definately need an ID card of some description, passports are too precious to carry around all the time.

Spanish nationals carry an ID card, which the great British public keepo saying they don't want, but the ID card also works as a passport within the EU (as long as they don't want to go to the UK).

If this is the case then I unreservedly apologise!

Yeah I have seen them use them at the border into Gib.

All I know is, round here, no-one will even know what it is, let alone accept it. They know what a tarjeta looks like.

I can just imagine showing it to the local shopkeepers. '?Que? Donde esta la targeta?''

Oh well, We may ahve returned to the UK by the time our tarjetas run out......

It´s true.....I´ve managed to go to both France and Germany with just my tarjeta de residencia (but they wouldn´t let me into Gib with it though!!).

We got fags and drink and the Guardia sent us over to have our passports swiped, the Spanish guy in front got stopped cos his card had run out.... all for a pack of fags, dont know how he got on or if he got through ok.

The form (EX-16) is also used for residents cards which are still being issued but only to non-EU citizens who are the family of an EU citizen.

You need to tick the first box in section 3 for a certificate.

If you already have a residents card and it has expired you are entitled to a certificate of permanent residency as you have been here for more than 5 years. In that case tick the third box down.

In either case you do not need photos - these are only required if you are applying for a families residents card.

Many thanks to everyone who has replied to my O/H's thread.

Would you believe it............we "applied" for our Residencia in October '06 via a gestor who was recommended to us.
When we hadn't heard anything by the New Year, we started phoning him asking for news, and we've had a whole host of excuses:

Oh, I think the Office of Foreigners has lost your application!
No, I don't have a reference number for your application.
Don't worry, I've got copies of all your paperwork if it's needed.
I'll go to the office tomorrow/next week.
I'll phone you if there's any news.
I'm really busy doing tax returns; I'll go next week.
I'll phone you tomorrow.
I went to the office, but it was full of Moroccans, so I didn't stay and wait!!
or now, after several frustrating phone calls, "Sorry, he's just gone out!!" :curse:

So call us naive, but we initially thought the lack of any news was just part of the "joy" of living in Spain.
This bloke is now doing my head in!! The only reason I've continued to phone him, is that I still can't ascertain whether he ever submitted our applications at all!!??
We didn't want to apply again, only to be told somewhere along the line that we're already in the system!? Don't think the Spanish system will cope with that too well

I tried phoning the Office for Foreigners, but after choosing the option on the recorded message 3 times, I still couldn't actually speak to a real person!

We've now decided that we're going to visit the Office for Foreigners in person on Thursday (Guess what? Tomorrow is a Fiesta!) and see whether we can get ANY information that makes sense??

We have a feeling that the information about the new certificate might not have made its way through the various channels in these here parts just yet!!
Certainly, the gestor knew nothing about the change in the law - but then why doesn't that surprise me!?

Sooooooooooo frustrating!!!

Make sure that you take your NIE numbers with you on Thursday because that is one method that they can use to look you up on the computer. Better than your names!!!!

Rosemary

Thanks for the tip Rosemary

Yes, we're taking: (originals and photocopies)

NIE numbers
Empadramiento certs
Passports
Health cards
Photos (whether we need them or not! )
Driving licences
Form Ex 16 (thanks Fred )

Can you think of anything we've forgotten?

Sam x

A good book to read...and a picnic hamper...

I like your style!

Maybe a sleeping bag too??

so you just go to where you got your NIE?