rbs_gb

I'm sure we've all heard anecdotes about expulsions for overstays or for residence omisions, but according to the EU's own oracle, Eurostat, Spain had not expelled any UK citizen since Brexit and up to Q3/2022. The figures are not yet available for Q4/2022 so we'll see if that changes. Be interested to hear what you guys and gals make of these stats:
https://ec.europa.eu/eurostat/databr.../table?lang=en

astera

The question is what does this entail? Does someone leaving who is caught out at the border, gets a ban or re-entering Spain (or actually Schengen since any ban covers the entire area), but is then allowed to depart on their scheduled flight get included on this list? I mean they haven't been "ordered to leave" but simply allowed to leave on their own accord, albeit with an unforeseen decoration added to their passport.

Or maybe the list goes even further and only takes into account those who have been "ordered to leave" by receiving a courteous letter by snail mail instructing them to leave the country by so and so date? So those forced out/deported are not taken into account as the list only applies to people who have been nicely told to leave.

SanNico

Guessing that doesn't include extradition then:
Briton pleads guilty to hacking stars' Twitter accounts to steal Bitcoin | Science & Tech News | Sky News

rbs_gb

If you work around the menus at the top of the page, you'll find all the explanatory notes. FYI: Here is the extract of what the stats include:
Presentation of the data source(s)/national registers/Source Data
Third-country nationals refused at border NATIONAL POLICE
Third-country nationals found to be illegally present NATIONAL POLICE
Third-country nationals who are subject to an obligation to leave NATIONAL POLICE
Third-country nationals effectively returned by type of return and citizenship NATIONAL POLICE
Third-country nationals effectively returned to a third-country by type of return and citizenship NATIONAL POLICE

rbs_gb

UPDATE: Q4/2022 is now available too, and Spain still did not force any Brits to leave:
https://ec.europa.eu/eurostat/databr.../table?lang=en

tdrinker

I wouldn't feel confident if I was illegal because the situation can and probably will change at some point, possibly without forewarning. I wouldn't want to worry every time I crossed a border (or has some interaction with the authorities) that this may be the time I get caught out. Others are of a less nervous disposition, if course.

rbs_gb

Totally agree and I'm not suggesting for one minute that anyone should ignore the rules. I'm just pointing out that all the bovine excrement that we've all heard, about people being refused re-entry or being ejected at the border is not bourne out by any of the EU's statistics. Spain has expelled tens of thousands of people during this time, but ZERO have been UK citizens.

spainrico

I read somewhere weeks ago about this and Sweden has expelled most Brits for not complying with residence rules compared to any other EU country - sorry don't have a link for that.

This as far as I know is all to do with the post-Brexit situation for complying with the residence laws for each EU country and nothing to do with extradition.

Although I don't have firsthand knowledge of other countries I think we Brits have had it pretty easy to remain in Spain post-Brexit assuming we were legal pre-Brexit - OK the DL situation was messy for some. Still, in the round, we have had to do nothing except apply for TIE if we wanted too. (I am talking about those living in Spain before the Brexit deadline - 1/1/21)

Barriej

Doesnt surprise me after I know personally of a couple who have been allowed to do this..
And will probably get the NLV they flew back to the Uk to apply for before returning here after having spent nearly five months here.

What annoys me most is that someone who may mistime the 90 days, maybe through no fault of their own, like a delayed or cancelled flight, will in likelihood be the one person that gets singled out the next time they fly.
Not those who have decided that its not hard to defeat the border control and looking at those figures it aint hard....
No wonder convicted murders etc can move around the EU and even fly into Ireland (and the UK when it was part of the EU) and face no recriminations).
There have been documented cases of this actually happening and them having a no fly ban.

Im not giving anything away here but the best time to arrive in certain Spanish airports is very late at night or before 4am in the morning as you just get waved through..
This is fact as my son did this, the only desk open was the EU passport one and they just briefly looked at his passport and everyone else on the flight... Didnt stamp anyones passport at all....
He did get an out stamp but the border guard wasn't even checking for the in ones (again this was a very late night flight out of Alicante last October)..

I had heard (but dont have evidence) that there are a few people living on the campsites in Benidorm who had been back to the Uk and returned a couple of times since 1/1/21 and were still not resident here...

And before the "but the ETIAS system will stop this' is spouted. There are and have been rules and laws to prevent people from entering countries without permission.
There must be a way of flagging this up but unfortunately the Spanish way will be for the official to decide which bits of the rules he/she/they/it want to actually take any notice of..

I have stood in the immigration area in lots of airports many times during overseas visits to work in the past and having to explain in detail why I am there (even though I had a perfectly legal in date work visa) and having all the paperwork required etc.
I even got refused once because the work visa in my passport said BARRY and it should have been BARRIE., that of all places was the US and I was off to fix the bundling machine in the US bank note printers....funniest three hours of my life....

Anyway this subject is annoying me again and I have to go out for dinner with some good friends later so Im off....

dave7777

Surely if no Brits have been expelled, that's a good thing right? Or am i missing something?

Stingychips

I heard of someone getting caught overstaying in Spain. They got told not to come back for 6 months. I keep hearing how this etias is going to be the end of uk overstayers but I can’t see it happening. UK will be back in the EU by the time it’s in place. Spain and the rest of the EU know that too.

dave7777

I thought it was starting next year? There's no way UK will rejoin in next 5-10 years

Stingychips

maybe. But having a closer aligned relationship is definitely on the cards. The government have already back tracked on the bonfire of EU laws. Labour haven’t ruled out going into partnership with the Lib Dem’s. Brexit was just a lovers tiff.

dave7777

Even if what you say is true (which I doubt very much) Labour could not be held to ransom by the Lib Dems ref Brexit, middle England and the red wall seats would desert them in droves again, and without those seats Labour have no chance of anything close to a majority, seeing as the SNP continue to deny Labour in Scotland. Its just unworkable, And I doubt the EU wouldn't allow the UK to region on past terms, i am sure it would mean Schengen, the Euro etc etc. that is not going to happen in the UK in the even medium term let alone short term.

bobd22

Whether it's a good or bad thing I suppose depends on ones personal situation . I guess many would say if they have bothered to comply re Schengen rules or residency why should others just be allowed to ignore the rules. Of course if I was living under the radar I would think it a good thing. It makes a mockery of laws / rules if the border officials ignore there own rules, what's the point of having them?