26 June 2025 – Spain and the United Kingdom strongly advise British nationals living in Spain to apply for the Foreigner’s Identity Card (Tarjeta de Identidad de Extranjero, TIE) ahead of the implementation of the new EU Entry/Exit System (EES) scheduled for autumn 2025. This measure will help ensure smooth international travel and residency rights under the updated border control framework.
The matter was a key topic during a meeting on Wednesday between Spain’s Minister of the Interior, Fernando Grande-Marlaska, and the UK Home Secretary, Yvette Cooper, held at the Spanish Ministry of the Interior headquarters. Additional details about the meeting are available here:
Spanish Ministry of the Interior statement.
Both ministers emphasized the importance for British citizens covered by the EU Withdrawal Agreement to obtain the TIE (specifically the TIE under Article 50) if they have not done so already. Many still hold the EU Citizen Registration Certificate (“green card”), which will no longer exempt them from registration once the EES is active.
Under the new system, individuals presenting the “green card” will be registered in the EES and subject to the Schengen 90-day limit within any 180-day period. To stay longer, they must visit a National Police station to verify their resident status and request correction in the EES records. Failure to do so could lead to border complications or being flagged as overstayers.
The TIE is a biometric card containing fingerprints and facial recognition data and will be the sole valid document that exempts British residents from the EES registration and associated stay limits. Minister Grande-Marlaska described the TIE as the official identification for non-EU residents in Spain, granting full access to their legal rights.
Issuance and Support Measures
Since 2020, Spanish authorities have issued 138,106 permanent residence cards and 101,094 temporary cards for Withdrawal Agreement beneficiaries, plus cards for their family members. However, it is estimated that around 50,000 British residents in Spain have yet to apply for their TIE.
To expedite processing, the National Police have increased staffing, especially in regions with large British populations, such as the Valencian Community, Andalusia, and the Balearic Islands.
Given the time required to complete applications and issue cards, Ministers Grande-Marlaska and Cooper strongly encourage British residents to begin the TIE application process immediately to avoid complications when the EES system becomes operational.
