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The following is copied from the
Round Town News, 9th March 2007.
The Royal Decree 240/2007 approved on 16th
February 2007 by the Spanish Council of Ministers establishes that
from 28th
March 2007, European Union citizens will no longer be issued with residence
cards. However, the new decree requires all EU citizens planning to reside
in Spain for more than three months to register in person at the
Foreigners' Office (Oficina de Extranjeros) in their province of
residence or at designated police stations. The notice
does not specify but they are probably comiserias or National Police
Stations. They will then be
issued a certificate stating their name, address, nationality, identity
number and date of registration. Those EU citizens in Spain who already
have residence cards will not need to re-register until their residence card
expires upon which they will be issued with a certificate.
Again, the notice does not say what you should
take along to prove residence but a current nota de empadronamiento
is now OK, or your passport/s with originals of the nota simple for your
Spanish property, or a rental contract for at least one year. Normally
to obtain the nota de empadronamiento, you need these two already, plus a
current invoice showing, for example, your Telefonica or an electricity
bill with the name and address on it.
The British Consular services recommend British
citizens in Spain to always carry with them some proof of identity. Royal
Decree 240/2007 is a transposition of European Directive 2004/38/EC
to Spanish legislation. The agreed procedure dictates that the Decree must
now have to go to the EU Justice Commission for approval to ensure that it
meets with all the requirements, as set out in the original EU Directive
2004/38.EC.
(Suggested proof of identity can be a driving licence
with a photo, a certified passport copy to save carrying your passport
and you should always carry a copy of your nota de empadronamiento
now.)
Meanwhile 'Infringement' proceedings will
continue against Spain for her failure to comply earlier with the Directive,
since they are 11 months late in their compliance. Further
information is awaited as to the exact details and method to be employed to
register Union citizens in order to secure other additional rights, as set
out in the EU Directive.
My note: It has been said elsewhere that you
cannot be punished for not carrying or having applied for a residencia if
you arrived after the 29th April 2006.
Those EU citizens, together with certain close
family members, who have already been living in Spain legally for five
years, will now acquire more rights, plus a permanent right to
residence. More information on the new requirements will be available on
Spanish Ministry of Interior's website
www.mir.es in due course.
Working closely with the Consular Services, the Round Town News will
keep you informed as and when information is released and acquired by us.
The Spanish ID, known as the Documento National de Identidad (DNI),
is compulsory at age 14 but can be issued before if necessary (to travel to
other European countries, for example). By law, it has to be carried at
all times, and it is routinely used for identification, and it is often
photocopied by private and public bureaux. Credit-card purchases cannot be
made without showing this ID. It is due to be replaced by an electronic
DNI.
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