Re: What are you using for ID?
 

Then they would say that's a copy and we need to see the original.

If a copy were a forgery (and illegal) how would one ever get a copy certified.

Re: What are you using for ID?
 

Because you have to produce the original for checking against the copy and only then can they certify it.

Re: What are you using for ID?
 

It is a copy which you are using to claim that it proves your identity.

That makes it a forgery.

Re: What are you using for ID?
 

However if the Ayuntamiento have authenticated it against you and your original passport with an official stamp (in blue). You do not claim it is your passport just an authenticated copy. I am sure jdr posted that the Guardia give you a short period to produce the original docs at the police station (just like the pink "producer" issued by the police in UK). Why is this wrong?

Re: What are you using for ID?
 

Seems I was wrong

It is not illegal. Here is my authority

http://press.homeoffice.gov.uk/press...orts?version=1

Sorry Fred but cannot agree it was going to be a forgery not unless you claim the document you produce is the original passport.

Also read somewhere you can make a colour photocopy.

Could the Guardia seriously say that you produced the laminated photopage and tried to say that was your passport?

Re: What are you using for ID?
 

We have always had a black and white photcopy of our passports with us when we travel just as instructed by the passport office and always leave the original in the hotel safe and take the copy out with us when we are out. When we come over to Spain in October I shall try the authenticaed, laminated copy for ID purposes until I sort out driving licence and residencia.

Re: What are you using for ID?
 

Which brings us back to the question at hand, is a driving license consider legally valid ID.

Re: What are you using for ID?
 

In most countries you need to carry ID if you are a foreigner and as the UK does not have an ID card for it`s citizens then you are supposed to carry your passport with you at all times.

Re: What are you using for ID?
 

Contrary to what some people say, it is not a legal requirement in Spain to carry ID.

It used to be and it was an offence not to do so.

If you are stopped by the police you may be required to prove who you are but you are not required to carry that ID with you.

That said, it is very inconvenient to have to prove your ID if you do not carry some form of ID and you could end up detained until you can do so.

As for the forgery issue, using a photocopy of a document can be considered as a forgery - the Guardia have taken this attitude in the past and I would not wish to challenge that.

A certified copy of a document may not be accepted but it can never be classed as a forgery.

Re: What are you using for ID?
 

All that says is " Photocopy your passport: In case you lose your passport on your travels, it is always handy to have a photocopy on hand because then you will know your passport number and other key details. "

It says nothing about using the photocopy for ID.

Re: What are you using for ID?
 

My point was that to photocopy your UK passport is legal.

To produce that photocopy to attempt to prove identity can hardly be illegal in the UK although depending upon the person you produce it to it could be ineffective. From what I have read I can see some Guardia may well take that line in Spain.

Unless Spanish law on forgery is very different to standard definition of forgery I do not see how a Spanish Judge would find you guilty of forgery for producingthe photocopy simply as proof of identity.

Unless you can show me different authority I believe that to use a copy, holding out the copy as the original is forgery.

Re: What are you using for ID?
 

I agree unless the copy is used in a form of deception then I can see no problem you can produce the original if required within a certain time frame at the police station and this keeps your originals safe. Now copies of euro notes would be different because the forgery act covers possession I don't want to go into the realms of guilty knowledge etc but having laminate copies in your car of documents you hold the original copies too would be laughed out of the police station because the policeman on the street tuts his dismay means nothing in a court,Besides I very much doubt if the average police officer can read your English documents anyway,They only look for dates to check validity in Madrid/Costa del Sol it may differ :eek:

Re: What are you using for ID?
 

Getting back to the original question, in my opinion it all depends on the situation where you might be required to show ID. If driving I always have my passport, photo licence, vehicle documents all original, just in case of a Guardia check point when they may or may not be in a good mood. When walking or shopping, then any photo ID card works for things like credit card validation in supermarkets. Always beware of pickpockets in the streets so I dont carry passport etc then if I can help it. By way of example, you will not get through a border control without a passport. The means of ID you choose to carry should, in my opinion, balance the risk of theft with the potential need to convince a guardia of who you are.

Re: What are you using for ID?
 

Of course it is legal to copy your passport - nobody said it wasn't.

It's how you use the copy that matters.

It isn't illegal to copy €500 notes but it's not a good idea to give one to a checkout girl!

Since it is so easy to get certified copies in Spain I cannot see the need to use anything less.

Re: What are you using for ID?
 

We've just got spanish driving licences as we were sick of carrying our passports around. We were told you don't need them in Spain now as the UK licence will do but we only had the paper UK licences as we had never applied for the photo ones back home.

I think the whole point about ID is that it has a photo on it as well as having been issued by an appropriate EU government authority.

Rosemary