The UK Embassy in Madrid has advised The Native that they advise Brits residing in Spain towards travelling with an expired TIE from October twelfth when the brand new EES passport checks start, at a time when many are struggling to resume their residency paperwork.
The EU’s new Entry/Exit System generally known as EES will probably be rolled out throughout the bloc ranging from this Sunday October twelfth by to its full implementation in April 2026.
It will imply new border checks for non-EU residents who enter the Schengen Space, such because the taking of images and fingerprinting.
READ ALSO: UK Embassy in Spain spells out new EES travel rules for Brits
Crucially although, when you’re a non-EU citizen however are a resident in Spain, you’ll not need to register for it.
The British Embassy in Spain advised The Native that “British Residents in Spain ought to journey with a sound TIE, which is able to exempt them from registering within the EES”.
Nevertheless, “these with no legitimate TIE ought to apply for a brand new TIE as quickly as potential, and ideally earlier than they journey.
“We don’t advocate travelling on expired documentation”, UK embassy representatives in Madrid careworn.
If journey is critical, UK residents with out legitimate documentation (resulting from expiry/loss) “are inspired to journey on to the host State through which they get pleasure from a proper to reside”.
READ ALSO: Can Brits in Spain renew their TIEs in another town or immigration office?
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TIE stands for Tarjeta de Identidad de Extranjero and it is the Foreigner’s Id Card of non-EU residents in Spain.
For those who’re a UK citizen who moved to Spain earlier than Brexit and are due to this fact coated underneath the Withdrawal Settlement (WA), you’ll have been inspired to alternate your earlier EU inexperienced residency certificates for a biometric Withdrawal Settlement TIE which enshrines a lot of your earlier EU rights in Spain.
For those who nonetheless have the paper and photo-less inexperienced residency doc, you’ll in all probability know that the British Embassy has repeatedly inspired you apply to alternate it for a TIE as quickly as potential to keep away from any points on the borders once you journey, particularly now that EES begins to come back into power on October twelfth 2025.
READ ALSO: UK Embassy insists Brits in Spain get TIEs or risk being ‘treated as overstayers’
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Sadly, the EES launch has coincided with the renewal course of for momentary WA TIE card holders in Spain, and hundreds of Brits are at the moment struggling to get appointments to replace their expired residency playing cards for everlasting ones with Spanish authorities.
The British Embassy in Spain has beforehand advised The Native that: “We’re conscious that some UK Nationals in sure areas of the nation have had difficulties making an appointment and we’ve requested the Spanish Authorities to make extra appointments out there”.
READ MORE: Brits in Spain face appointment nightmare for residency card renewals
Subsequently, there may be the very actual chance that many UK nationals residing in Spain will probably be confronted with this dilemma of whether or not to journey or not with an expired TIE.
“Must you nonetheless plan to journey earlier than receiving your alternative TIE, we’d encourage you to hold as a lot proof as potential of your residency, together with your expired TIE, and be ready to clarify your scenario to frame officers. Be sure that you receive your new TIE earlier than you subsequent journey,” the Embassy has careworn.
It is vital to recollect although that even you probably have a TIE, you’ll nonetheless additionally must journey along with your passport.
For those who’re a vacationer simply visiting Spain, you’ll go to the non-EU passport management space and must present your passport and should have your fingerprints and photograph taken.
Up to now, the brand new EES System is just anticipated to be operation at Madrid Barajas on October 12th, however will probably be rolled out at different airports shortly. Authorities haven’t but acknowledged which of them these will probably be or when.
READ ALSO: Can Brits travel back to Spain if their TIE residency card has expired?
