Spanish ID cards are acceptable for entry into the UK.

I agree, they must be - a French friend of mine who doesn't have a passport but does have a Spanish residency card travels regularly between Spain, France and the UK.

But only if you are Spanish and your card doesn´t say "extranjero".

I´ve tried getting into Gibralter and the UK with my card and was stopped both times, (Had my passport in reserve as I was expecting problems, but just wanted to test it!).

Someone told me that the reason you can´t use your ID card to get into the UK is something to do with the fact that the UK didn´t sign up to the (apologies in advance for the spelling of this) Schenigen agreement, whereas the other European countries have.

Well, it depends where you got your NIE!!

We got ours in the UK.
Other people have got both their NIE and their Residency at their local Spanish police station, but that's not an option for us!
We have to go to the capital of our region, and go to the Oficina de Extranjeros.

It seems like most things in Spain, it depends where you live, or who you speak to!!

A residencia card is not a national ID card in the legal sense so that is why you cannot use it to enter Gib or anywhere else that has border controls.

The UK did not sign the Schengen agreement so they retain border controls.

For entry into the UK from the EU you need either a passport or a National ID card.

But you'd never get out again by airline No passport, no travel

I once travelled to Paris and back by car with no passport at all

I was also told that there was no need as it was being phased out.

I think that is hardly likely as the registration certificates have only just been introduced by the EU.

Also remember that they do not apparently need to be renewed and if you have been a resdient for 5 years you can apply for a certificate of permanent residency.

What has been suggested, and I have nothing to back this up, is that when the Spanish introduce their new biometric ID card (within a year I think) then it "may" be possible for foreigners to apply for this type of ID.

I would stress that this, although being a very convenient form of ID, would not replace a UK passport because only your home country can issue a "national" ID card. That's why the old residencia card is not accepted as an entry document in the UK.

I just picked up my new residencia card this morning. It was a replacement for one I had stolen a month ago. I half expected them to insist on giving me a certificate instead, but was given a brand new tarjeta totally free. So they are still issuing them to foreigners which bodes well for anyone about to renew theirs.

we got our NIE at the local 'oficina de extranjeros' at the police station.........so it sounds like we maybe have to go there

we never applied for the old 'residencia' because it wasn't a requirement & had no advantages to us.........also we heard a couple of years ago that it would be phased out at some stage, so couldn't see the point

You cannot go into any old police station to get the residencia certificate done it has to be the 'oficina de extranjeros'. So presume for you it will be the same place as you gained your NIE.

I thought that you would have already got the residencia card as you are working here. Rules seem to change all of the time and I do not think that even the people dealing working in the police stations know what the exact answer is at any given time.

Rosemary

We haven't got one either ... it was on the list to do ....
I've got the forms, just need to go to the police station in Gandia

We got our done in Gandia but the chappie was not pleased because he said we should have gone to Alzira.

I was only surprised that Lynxa does not have a residencia card because I thought you needed residencia in order to work, but I am obviously wrong.

We are like you 'doing' the ticky boxes.

Rosemary

If working legally in Spain you didn't (under the old system) need to apply for residencia, as, by dint of working here you were deemed to be resident.

We have been here 4 years and working and were told the same thing. You don't need a residents card if you work here. We decided to apply for one just because it made life easier and applied Jan 2005, we had a letter telling us to go for fingerprinting in Nov 2007. This was all done in Alicante province and we would have to return there to get the card. The thing is we live in Andalucia now and we aren't sure whether to go and get them or not incase they aren't issuing them.
We thought we would forget them and just apply for the new certificate here.

Anbody else still waiting and wondering ?