Brexit has been a reality since 31 January 2020. It is the date on which the Withdrawal Agreement was finally approved by the UK Parliament. However, the Withdrawal Agreement set a transition period between 31 January and 31 December 2020. During this period, UK citizens will keep their rights to live and work in an EU country on the same terms they had until the approval of the Withdrawal Agreement.

UK citizens already living in Spain in 2020, or who plan to move to Spain before 31 December 2020, can benefit from the transition period set out in the Withdrawal Agreement and apply for a residence document between 6 July 2020 and 31 December 2020 to keep their rights to reside and work in Spain from 2021.

1. UK citizens already living in Spain who hold of a “certificado de registro” can apply for a residence document at the corresponding Police Department of the province of residence. This document will be issued in the form of a “foreigner identity card” (TIE).
2. UK citizens already living in Spain who do not hold a “certificado de registro”, or UK citizens who are not yet living in Spain but are planning to move there before 31 December 2020, can apply for a residence document at the corresponding immigration office of the province they reside, or plan to reside in before 31 December 2020, explain the Ecovis experts in Spain. Once this document is granted, the interested party will have one month to apply for a TIE at the corresponding Police Department of the province of residence.

Are you a UK citizen and would like to settle in Spain? Then you should take advantage of the Brexit transition period until the end of 2020. We can support you with questions about immigration or other Brexit-related

If you are resident in Spain at the end of the transition period, you will be covered by the Withdrawal Agreement and your rights will be protected for as long as you remain resident in Spain.

The advisors at ECOVIS Legal Spain will be pleased to help you benefit from the transition period established in the Withdrawal Agreement. Should you wish to move to Spain after the transition period, we will also happily assist you in applying for a residence and/or work permit, although the rules to be applied are still subject to negotiation between the European Union and the United Kingdom. Therefore, should you have short-term plans to move to Spain, we advise you to do it in 2020.

For further information please contact: ECOVIS Legal Spain, Madrid, Spain