As The Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, Boris Johnson, was signing the Brexit agreement on Friday, the UK Withdrawal Agreement to leave the European Union on 31 January, British Vice Consul, Sara Munsterhjelm, was addressing the Royal British Legion District Annual Meeting in Alicante, where she touched on the subject of ‘the deal’ and exactly how it will affect UK Expats who are currently living in Spain.

Sara confirmed that now the deal is done, those who are legally registered, and in possession of residency, will have life-long healthcare rights in Spain, as is currently the case, provided they remain as resident.

The same will also apply for those who are not yet residents, provided they complete the necessary procedures by the end of 2020.

She explained that the deal regarding citizens’ rights is now a ‘done deal’ and any further negotiations that are still to take place are all related to trade.

As well at healthcare, legal residency will entitle the individual to receive uprated pensions and to continue drawing any UK benefits to which he or she is currently entitled.

However one area that is yet to be resolved is that regarding motoring, and the Vice Consul strongly recommended those residents who are still to exchange their licenses for Spanish driving licences do so as a matter of urgency.

All necessary information regarding citizens’ rights is available on the Embassy website; gov.uk/livinginspain

Speaking about BREXIT the British Prime Minister said, “this is a fantastic moment, which finally makes the result of the 2016 referendum a reality and puts an end to too many years of discussions and divisions. Now we can move forward as a united country, with a government focused on guaranteeing better public services, greater opportunities and unleashing the potential of every corner of the United Kingdom,” he said.

In this sense, the British ‘premier’ has Johnson said that he intends to build a strong relationship with the EU, as friends and equal parties.

The agreement had been signed early in the day by the president of the European Commission, Úrsula der Leyen, and the president of the European Council, Charles Michel, after which it was taken by train to London.

Johnson’s signature represents a new step in the ratification process, following the approval of the agreement by the House of Commons on January 9. The European Parliament is expected to vote on the agreement on 29 January.

The post With BREXIT now signed off what are your rights to live In Spain appeared first on The Leader Newspaper.

The Withdrawal Agreement which sets out how the UK leaves the EU has now passed into UK law, which, once the European Parliament has ratified it this week, means that the UK is leaving the EU with a deal on 31 January.

This is very positive news for UK nationals who are resident in Spain, as the Withdrawal Agreement contains some really important protections for your rights:

• You will be able to continue to live and work in Spain
• UK state pensioners will continue to have lifelong healthcare as long as they remain living in Spain. This also applies to residents who claim a UK state pension in the future
• Your UK state pension will continue to be uprated
• You will be able to exchange your driving licence until the end of 2020 without taking a driving test and your Spanish licence will be accepted in the UK when you visit

Those rights will be protected for as long as you live in Spain, provided you are legally resident here by the end of 2020.

The Withdrawal Agreement also provides an Transition Period (from 31 January until 31 December) during which time nothing will change for UK Nationals in Spain.

Sarah-Jane Morris said: “The approval of the Withdrawal Agreement is a very important step for UK nationals living here. It provides reassurance on key rights, such as being able to continue to live and work here, and for pensioners to have lifelong healthcare and uprated pensions. Alongside those rights, you have obligations – the main one being to make sure you are registered with a green residency certificate. This remains a valid document after 31 January and we will communicate any details on future residency processes once we have them. For further information visit the Living in Spain Guide on gov.uk”.

To view the latest video message from HMA Hugh Elliott to UK nationals visit: https://www.facebook.com/BritsInSpain/videos/1352265428277649/

To put your questions to HMA Hugh Elliott and Regional Consular Policy Adviser Lorna Geddie join our Facebook Live Q&A on Friday 31 January at midday (CET) on facebook.com/britsinspain

Information for UK nationals can be found at gov.uk/livinginspain

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We know there has been some confusion around the exchange of UK driving licences and whether you need to start the process by 31 January. The information currently on the DGT website referring to the need to register your details by 31 January would apply only to a no-deal scenario.

The UK is set to leave the EU with a deal under the terms of the Withdrawal Agreement. In practice this means that the rules around the exchange of UK licences will remain the same during the transition period.

You will have until 31 December to exchange your UK licence for a Spanish one under the current rules, so there is no need to worry if you are unable to start the process before 31 January.

But don’t leave it til the last minute – book an appointment on dgt.es as soon as you can. Remember you can exchange your licence anywhere in Spain – it doesn’t have to be where you are officially resident.

Once you have made the exchange, your Spanish licence will be accepted in the UK when you visit and you can exchange it for a UK licence again should you return to the UK permanently.

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Following a story that appeared in The Leader, about the falling number of pensioners in Spain, and which also contained references to future healthcare and pension arrangements, the British Embassy asked that we provide clarification on one or two of the points made.

The story says: “After leaving the EU on 31 January UK citizens in Spain still currently have access to free Healthcare, under an EU agreement, with Spain and the UK having a reciprocal agreement, at least until the end of 2020… Reciprocal talks with the UK and Spain will continue during the next 11 months.”

An Embassy spokesperson said: “S1 holders who have moved to Spain before 31 December 2020 will continue to have life-long reciprocal healthcare rights provided they remain covered under the terms of the Withdrawal Agreement. This also applies to those UK nationals resident in Spain before 31 December, but not yet of pensionable age. Once they come to claim their UK state pension they will be eligible to apply for an S1 form and register it in Spain.”

“This means existing healthcare arrangements will not change for those UK nationals who are resident in Spain before 31 December 2020, for as long as they are living in that country and covered by the Agreement.”

So, in layman’s terms, UK state pensioners (both current and future) will continue to have their healthcare paid by the UK, as long as they are resident in Spain before 31 December 2020 and as long as they continue living here.

On the subject of pensions, which the article also referred to it was pointed out that, for those who are are living in the EU, EEA or Switzerland by 31 December 2020 you will get your UK State Pension uprated every year for as long as you continue to live there. This will happen even if you start claiming your pension on or after 1 January 2021, as long as you meet the qualifying conditions explained in the new State Pension guidance.

Further useful information on healthcare in Spain can be found at: https://www.gov.uk/guidance/healthcare-in-spain-including-the-balearic-and-canary-islands

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Apart from the economic implications of Brexit, there are many other complications that have reared their heads since the vote. There is more than one research paper needed to determine the extent of the effects of Brexit.

International students who wish to study are among those who have been unintentionally influenced by Brexit. The exit was first scheduled for 29 March 2019, but the implications were too diverse and an extension was granted to 31 October 2019. However, the date was further postponed to 1 February 2020 and they have finally left the EU.

The next 11 months will show the extent of the effects of Brexit, but students are still left with very few answers to what Brexit means for them.

The difference between a hard and a soft exit

The negotiations between the EU and the UK have officially ended, but there are still many unanswered questions and a number of different scenarios that can play either in favor or disadvantage the international students.

When there is a ‘soft’ exit, or when the UK decides to stay within the European single market, then European students will still be treated as local and nothing will happen to their tuition fees.

If there is a hard exit, European students will no longer be treated like British students and their tuition will go up. Someone who is doing a Master’s in international trade and economics will have more than enough to speculate about during the next couple of months.

What about the British students who want to study in the EU?

The British students who want to go and study in the EU will face similar challenges as European students who want to study in the UK. There is a certain reciprocity that would likely take place. If EU students are to be treated as international students, then the same will apply to British students who wish to study in the EU.

However, they stand to lose so much more as they will likely pay astronomical amounts to study in Finland, Sweden, or the Netherlands, all of which have excellent universities that they can currently attend as locals.

Who will be hit the hardest?

It all depends on where you currently stay. The students who are currently enrolled won’t be affected in any way. They will be able to finish their current studies as it was before Brexit.

Students who hail from Asia, Africa or the US also don’t have to fear Brexit, as they have always been treated as a foreign student. Therefore, their studies and tuition will remain the same. The ones who will have to wait and see the outcome of Brexit are those staying in Britain and those who stay in the EU.

The ultimate tuition question

The effect of tuition fees is one of the more difficult aspects to predict. Whether you are an EU student or a British student, there is likely to be a change. In all likelihood, the universities in the UK are likely to experience an increase in tuition.

However, in the event of a hard exit, the economic uncertainty will surely put pressure on the pound and it will lose value. This will mean that in the short term, while the universities are adjusting their fees, the fees will be lower, but that will change as well.

Who are now welcome?

International students have and always will be welcome in the UK universities, that message was made very clear by faculty and educators alike. Policy regarding international students will change, however.

The current administration is in the process of amending current immigration policies, including student immigration policy. This will ultimately make it much more difficult for international students to study in the UK.

In this case, never mind getting a writing helper or getting my assignment help from seasoned international students or assignment writing services where you say ‘’write research paper for me please‘’ and get the work done at affordable prices. Numbers have already suggested that students are looking for other EU universities that offer courses in English.

The quality of education

Finally, the quality of education is another area that is under pressure. The UK has a reputation for having some of the most impressive universities in the world. However, they owe their academic strength to their international academics. From argumentative essay topics for middle school to research at the university level, that can change all too quickly if the process of getting into the UK as an educator becomes too unpredictable.

Conclusion

There is much that still needs to happen for the full effects of Brexit to be felt. One thing is for sure, the way things used to be is going to change forever. No matter how much they try and minimalize the effects. There are going to be unforeseen complications and education is one of the sectors that is going to experience and unnecessary amount of turmoil. Only the future will tell whether it was a good idea or not.

Author Bio:

Ray Campbell is an academic writer working with online assignment services that provide thesis, dissertation and college essays to students. He specializes in economics and finance, accounting and statistics. When he’s not at work, he writes for his trading blog, practices yoga and cooks Thai food for his family.

The post What Does Brexit Mean for International Students in the UK? appeared first on The Leader Newspaper.

On 17 and 18 March the British Consulate in Alicante is holding four separate outreach events to update UK nationals in Alicante and Murcia on what the UK’s departure from the EU means for them.

Members of the consular and Embassy team will explain the citizens’ rights protections included in the Withdrawal Agreement and advise on any action you need to take during the transition period (to 31 December 2020). There will also be a Q&A section for you to ask questions on issues including residency, pensions and healthcare.

British Consul Sarah-Jane Morris said: “The approval of the Withdrawal Agreement is a very important step for UK nationals living here. It provides reassurance on key rights, such as being able to continue to live and work here, and for pensioners to have lifelong healthcare and uprated pensions.

We will provide an update on the latest residency processes at our March events, but meanwhile be assured that if you already have the green registration certificate (A4 or credit card-sized) this will remain a valid residency document even after the transition period ends on 31 December this year.

For further information visit the Living in Spain Guide on gov.uk and follow our Brits in Spain channel on Facebook”.

Event details:

Date                      Town                                     Times

17 March             El Campello (Alicante)  10:30am              

Sala Ramón Llul, Biblioteca Pública        Municipal, Plaza de Canalejas, 6, 03560 El Campello, Alicante

17 March             San Fulgencio (Alicante)              2:00pm                

Centro Social La Marina Urbanización, corner between Calle San Francisco de Asis and Avenida San Fulgencio (behind the tourist information office and health centre), 03177 Alicante

18 March             Lorca (Murcia)                   10:30am              

Centro Cultural de Lorca, Calle Presbítero Emilio García, 30800 Lorca, Murcia

18 March             Hondon Valley                 4:00pm 

Teatro Auditorio del Ayuntamiento de Hondón de los Frailes, Avenida Albatera s/n, 03689 Hondón de los Frailes, Alicante

Advice for UK nationals living in Spain can be found at: gov.uk/livinginspain and you can follow us on Facebook at facebook.com/britsinspain

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The Spanish government has launched a new telephone service “Brexit 060” will began operating a little over 3 weeks ago. Its objective is to inform and respond to calls from members of the public, both Spanish and British, in relation to the implications and requirements of the United Kingdom leaving the EU.

The main information that will be provided revolves around the main themes: Residency, Healthcare, Driving Licenses, University study, Travel and Business.

To access the service you should call 060 if you are within Spain or 902 887060 if calling from abroad.

After a brief recorded introduction an automated digital voice system will guide you through a series of topics related to “Brexit” and in the requirements of you being fully prepared for the withdrawal.

Callers can also be attended to by representatives who will answer on any issue related to Brexit.

The Spanish government has also recently updated its Brexit information page.

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• The British Embassy, the British Chamber of Commerce and Santander Bank honour good trade relations between Spain and the United Kingdom
• These awards recognise companies such as Cosentino Babcock, InCom, Solarcentury, GlaxoSmithKline and Savills Aguirre Newman at a Gala chaired by the British Ambassador and attended by the Spanish Trade Minister, Xiana Méndez

21 FEBRUARY 2020 – The British Embassy in Madrid – through its Department for International Trade (DIT) -, the British Chamber of Commerce in Spain and Banco Santander held yesterday the first UK-Spain Business Awards at the Palacio de La Bolsa, in Madrid.

The UK-Spain Business Awards recognise companies that have helped to build the strong commercial relationship between the two countries through their day-to-day business.

There were fifteen awards in eight different categories: six were granted by the Embassy (Growth in the UK, Driving Collaboration, Winning Business in Spain, Partnership in Business, New UK investor and Clean Growth); one by the British Chamber of Commerce in Spain (British Investment in Spain); and another one by Banco Santander (Spanish Investment in the UK).

The UK’s Trade Commissioner for Europe, Andrew Mitchell, hosted these new awards, created with the aim of rewarding companies working to strengthen trade relations between Spain and the United Kingdom.

The British Ambassador to Spain, Hugh Elliott, opened the ceremony, emphasising, “I am delighted to celebrate the first edition of these awards, which are a sign of the strong commercial relationship of the hundreds of British and Spanish companies that together have helped the economies of our two countries to grow.

Today, we reward fifteen of these companies that make us proud of this UK-Spain trade relationship, which we hope continues to grow.”

The Spanish Industry, Trade and Tourism Minister, Xiana Méndez, attended the ceremony and presented the ‘Winning Business in Spain’ awards. During her speech, Xiana Méndez highlighted the strong economic and commercial ties that characterise the relationship between Spain and the United Kingdom and the desire that “they endure post-Brexit.

A broad and deep free trade agreement between the EU and the UK, the negotiations of which will begin shortly, will be instrumental to this.”

Winners of the first UK-Spain Business Awards:

• Category ‘Growth in the UK‘: InCom and Consentino
• Category ‘Driving Collaboration’: Fenin and Finnovating
• Category ‘Winning Business in Spain’: Babcock and Oncimmune
• Category ‘Partnership in Business’: Isolée and Fricodan
• Category ‘New UK investor’: AISTech and TRIA
• Category ‘Clean Growth‘: Solarcentury
• Category ‘British Investment in Spain’, awarded by the British Chamber of Commerce in Spain: GlaxoSmithKline and Savills Aguirre Newman
• Category ‘Spanish Investment in the UK’, awarded by Banco Santander: Irizar and Sagardi

The United Kingdom and Spain have had an extensive business relationship for decades. According to data published by the UK’s Office for National Statistics, trade in goods and services between the two countries was 60 billion euros in 2018, and has continued to grow in recent years.

In the same year, the trade balance was favourable for Spain: the United Kingdom’s exports to Spain reached 22 billion euros, while imports from Spain were 38 billion euros.

The United Kingdom is the second largest investor in Spain. The United Kingdom was the first worldwide destination for foreign direct investment in Spain, with over 400 Spanish companies registered in the United Kingdom.

About the Department for International Trade (DIT)

The UK Ministry of International Trade (DIT) is responsible for promoting the British trade sector worldwide and attracting foreign investment to the British economy. It is a specialist government agency and undertakes the responsibility of negotiating trade policies, supporting businesses, as well as promoting a diplomatic and commercial strategy abroad.

About the British Chamber of Commerce

Founded in Barcelona in 1908, the British Chamber of Commerce is the only independent British-Hispanic business organisation in Spain. Its objective is to independently foster and create trade and investment relations between both countries, with a key role in supporting newly arrived companies.

The Chamber, represented through British Chambers in the United Kingdom, has an exclusive database that includes over 800 associate companies and institutions. With offices in Barcelona, Madrid and Málaga, it also supports and is supported by some of the most important trade and business institutions, such as ICEX in Spain or DIT in the United Kingdom.

On Santander Bank

Banco Santander (SAN SM, STD US, BNC LN) is a leading retail and commercial bank, founded in 1857 and headquartered in Spain. It has a meaningful presence in 10 core markets in Europe and the Americas, and is one of the largest banks in the world by market capitalization.

Its purpose is to help people and businesses prosper in a simple, personal and fair way. Santander is building a more responsible bank and has made a number of commitments to support this objective, including raising over €120 billion in green financing between 2019 and 2025, as well as financially empowering more than 10 million people over the same period.

At the end of 2019, Banco Santander had EUR 1.05 trillion in total funds, 145 million customers, of which 21.6 million are loyal and 37 million are digital (52% of active customers), 12,000 branches and 200,000 employees. Banco Santander made underlying profit of EUR 8,252 million in 2019, an increase of 2% compared to the previous year.

The post FIRST EDITION OF THE UK-SPAIN BUSINESS AWARDS appeared first on The Leader Newspaper.

ONE of the consequences of the UK leaving the EU with a deal on the Withdrawal Agreement on January 31st gave assurances to those British citizens living legally in Spain now and before the end of December 2020 that their access to healthcare and annual uprating of State Pensions would not be affected.

There is no doubt that many that may have considered returning to the UK can now continue living their lives here unchanged…but equally a significant number of people may have delayed moving to Spain due to the uncertainties.

The Mayor of San Fulgencio – José Sampere Ballester – backed up by Councillors Samantha Hull, Francisco Molero and Darren Parmenter held a meeting with local estate agents to discuss how they could take advantage of this situation and to make 2020 the year to give San Fulgencio and the Urbanisations the boost it needs.

Councillor for Tourism Darren Parmenter said: “Our estate agents are in the front line when it comes to promoting our municipality.  I believe there will be a ‘mini-boom’ for the area over the next six months or so anyway as people finally decide to make the break from the UK and come to live or retire in the area, but with the help of some extra promotion it could result in an even greater benefit for San Fulgencio.”

The Councillor asked the estate agents to look at targeting the traditional over 65s market, as well as the early retirees between 50 and 60-years old who may be looking for business opportunities.

“The village of San Fulgencio also gives perfect opportunities for people who want to completely throw themselves into the Spanish lifestyle or perhaps fancy the challenge of renovating properties,” said Darren.  He also suggested that there may be people of all ages currently working in agriculture in the UK concerned about the future in that business due to the UK leaving the EU, and that continuing that career in San Fulgencio, where new blood is desperately needed to continue this traditional industry, could indeed by an option.

2020 is going to be an important year for San Fulgencio, carrying on with a number of initiatives and projects to benefit residents and tourists alike.  It’s their ‘2020 Vision’!

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It looks very much as though Boris Johnson is pushing along with his Brexit plans and is not expecting to ask for any extension beyond the end of the year. As such the United Kingdom will most certainly leave the single market and EU customs union on December 31

As the trade negotiators from Britain and the EU embark on their fourth round of negotiations today politicians from neither London nor Brussels expect to see a breakthrough anytime soon.

Meetings are currently continuing by video link but once the latest cross-Channel video conferences are over, Prime Minister Boris Johnson and the new EU chief Ursula von der Leyen will meet to decide how to proceed further.

Unfortunately key disagreements still remain to any trade deal with the UK wanting a simple trade deal that is tariff free. The EU, however, want an all-encompassing agreement which they say will establish a level playing field.

This would give British firms access to most — but not all — of the benefits of the single market, without exposing their European rivals to attempts to undercut standards.

Chief EU negotiator Michel Barnier says failing to reach agreement will have consequences — which “will be added to the already very serious consequences of the coronavirus crisis”

He told The Sunday Times that the two sides have a “joint responsibility” to head off any potential disaster.

A British spokesman said, “We expect the round to be constructive and to keep the process on track ahead of the high-level meeting later this month.”

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On Monday 6 July the Spanish Government launched a new residency document for UK nationals who are protected by the Withdrawal Agreement – the Tarjeta de identidad de extranjero or TIE. This means some changes to the appointments process and that anyone registering from now on will be issued with the biometric TIE card, rather than the current green paper document.

Spain is one of the first EU countries to bring in a new residency system for British nationals and HMA Hugh Elliott welcomed its introduction. He also clarified what it means for UK nationals in a short video here saying:

“We’ve seen lots of questions and concerns on social media, so I want to underline two key points. First, I want to assure you that all British nationals, who are legally resident in Spain by the end of this year, will have their rights protected, including the right to live and work here, and lifelong access to healthcare for UK state pensioners, including those who claim a pension in the future.

And second, whether you already have the green residency certificate – A4 or credit card-sized version – or in the future the TIE, they are equally valid in demonstrating your residence status and your rights as a beneficiary of the Withdrawal Agreement. Almost 360,000 British people are already registered here in Spain. And whilst you may choose to exchange your current certificate for a TIE at some point in the future, there is no requirement to do so. The green residency document gives you the same rights as the new TIE card. So please be assured on that point.

There is one group of people who must take action. If you live here, but don’t already have a green residency certificate, you must apply for the new TIE as soon as possible. A link to the Spanish administration website is here.”

The British Embassy is holding a Facebook Live Q&A at 19:00 on Wednesday 8 July. Please join via www.facebook.com/britsinspain. It will also be available to watch afterwards.

Information for UK nationals is available at gov.uk/livinginspain – sign up for email alerts to be kept updated. This is in the process of being updated to reflect the new process.

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• The UK Government’s Foreign Office has launched a vital information campaign targeting more than one million UK nationals across Europe with support and advice on steps to protect their rights after the transition period ends on 31 December
• Foreign Office also offers assistance to those UK nationals who may struggle to complete residency applications through £3million support fund
• British Embassy in Madrid continues to run a range of activity to reach UK nationals including digital Q&A sessions and videos

Information campaign

The UK Government has launched a public information campaign across Europe to help UK nationals prepare for the end of the UK’s transition period on 31 December.

UK nationals living in Spain will receive information about specific actions they need to take to keep their rights and access to services in Spain, including around residency,  healthcare, driving licences and passports.

The campaign will use multiple channels – including Facebook, digital media and newspaper and radio advertising in – urging people to take necessary action to protect their rights so that they can continue living, working and travelling in Europe after the transition period.

This builds on the work the British Embassy and Consulates have already been doing to support UK Nationals in Spain.

Hugh Elliott, British Ambassador to Spain is one of several British Ambassadors from across Europe, who is featured in a video encouraging UK nationals to take action which can be found here.

UK Nationals Support Fund

Following the United Kingdom’s departure from the European Union, three organisations in Spain have received funding to provide practical support to at-risk UK nationals to complete their residency applications in Spain and secure their rights under the UK-EU Withdrawal Agreement.

Age in Spain, Babelia and Organización Internacional para las Migraciones (IOM) are each receiving government funding to support those who need additional help to complete the paperwork required for residency applications. This may include pensioners, people with disabilities, those living in remote areas or who have mobility difficulties, and those who require help with language translation or interpretation.

British Ambassador Hugh Elliott welcomed the initiative: “Supporting UK nationals is one of our highest priorities and the assistance available through this fund builds on the support that we are already providing at the British Embassy and through our network of consulates. We are delighted that this project will help the most vulnerable UK nationals get the support they need to protect their residency rights and continue to live safely here in Spain.

UK nationals should visit our Living in Guides on gov.uk where they can find more information on the steps they need to take and how to access support.”

This project is funded by the UK Government as part of the UK National Support Fund (UKNSF), which has made available a total of £3 million for charities and organisations to provide practical support for UK nationals living in the EU. Residents in countries including Cyprus, France, Germany, Italy and Poland will also benefit.

The services available for people who need this additional support include:

• answering questions about residency applications, such as the documents required and application procedure
• guiding individuals through the process, if necessary
• supporting people facing language barriers or difficulty accessing technology

IOM will cover Andalusia, Madrid and Murcia, Babelia will cover Alicante, and Age in Spain will cover Catalonia and the Balearic Islands. There will also be information provided through the organisations’ websites and helplines, which will be available for people across Spain.

If you or someone you know is having difficulties completing their residency paperwork, you can contact them using the details below to discuss how they may be able to help you.

IOM – The International Organisation for Migration (Andalusia, Madrid and Murcia)

Visit the IOM Spain website

Email: UKnationalsSP@iom.int

Helplines: Andalusia: +34 650 339 754, Madrid: +34 699 581 855, Murcia: +34 648 642 543, all available Mon to Thurs, 3.30pm to 5pm

Babelia (Alicante)

Visit the Babelia website

Email: info@asociacionbabelia.org

Helpline: +34 865 820 229 available Mon to Fri, 9am to 2pm

Babelia contact form

Age in Spain (Catalonia and Balearic Islands)

Visit the Age in Spain website

Email: residency@ageinspain.org

Age in Spain contact form

Helpline: +34 932 20 97 41 available Mon to Fri, 11am to 1pm

Further information for UK nationals on residency is available at:

https://www.gov.uk/guidance/residency-requirements-in-spain

www.facebook.com/britsinspain

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If you are legally resident in Spain before the transition period ends on 31 December 2020, you will be able to stay. You must register as a Spanish resident if you want to stay in Spain for more than 3 months. Children must also be registered with their own residency document.

If you are living in Spain before 1 January 2021 and register as a resident after 6 July 2020, you will be issued with a biometric residence card called a Tarjeta de Identidad de Extranjero (TIE). This card will prove your rights under the Withdrawal Agreement.

If you registered as a resident before 6 July 2020, you will have a green A4 certificate or credit card-sized piece of paper from Extranjeria or the police. This is still a valid document and will prove your rights under the Withdrawal Agreement, including after the transition period ends.

You can exchange your paper residence document for the new TIE but you are not obliged to.

The green paper residence certificate and the new biometric TIE card will continue to be equally valid in proving your residence status and rights in Spain. But, the Spanish government advises that the biometric card is more durable and may simplify some administrative processes.

The post British Government update on residency in Spain appeared first on The Leader Newspaper.

Asociación Babelia and its team for the UK Nationals Support Project are delighted to announce that, in collaboration with the Department of International Residents of Orihuela Costa Town Hall and the support of the Department of Statistics (Padrón), we are holding an informative talk in Orihuela Costa on Monday 28th of September at 10:30 AM for those UK nationals who have not yet applied for residency.

We would especially like to extend this invitation to those who may struggle with the paperwork.

If you are interested in attending this talk or in receiving individual advice afterward, please confirm your assistance:

by email to: residentes@orihuela.es

by phone: (+34) 669 68 59 61

The event will take place at the Town Hall of Orihuela Costa in Plaza del Oriol, 1, Urbanización Playa Flamenca, 03189 (see map).

For further details, please visit our website.

Very important:

Due to current Covid-19 restrictions, the number of attendees is limited, masks must be worn at all times and social distancing must be observed.

The post Gaining Residency in Spain appeared first on The Leader Newspaper.

The British Embassy in Madrid has issued a further update on the situation regarding residency and so forth in Spain and how expats wishing to remain should prepare following the implementation of the withdrawal agreement.

It is produced below in full.

1. Residency information:

–          We know that there are still many rumours around that green residency certificates must be exchanged for the TIE by 31 December. Please be assured that this is not the case. While the Spanish Government has highlighted that there may be some advantages to having the TIE – it is more durable, contains biometric data and may speed up administrative processes and border crossing – they make it clear that the green certificate remains valid evidence of your residency status and rights under the Withdrawal Agreement, even after the end of the Transition Period. See their Q&A document for more detail.

–          You may be aware that some UK Nationals have been issued with TIEs with incorrect wording. We continue to work with the Spanish authorities on this issue. The Spanish have emphasised that these cards remain valid documents, however, we appreciate the desire of UK nationals to obtain a card with the correct wording and are awaiting further information from the Spanish authorities on the process for doing this.

–          We know that it is still difficult to get residency appointments in many areas. Please encourage anyone who is struggling to obtain an appointment to make sure they have all the documentation necessary for their application and to prove that they are legally living in Spain by the end of this year.

–          We have published a series of videos on residency on our Brits in Spain Facebook channel: an FAQ video, a video specifically for first time applicants and a third on exchanging the green certificate for a TIE. In addition, we have updated our page on gov.uk on registering as a resident in Spain.

–          If people are particularly struggling with the residency process as first-time applications, please do signpost them to the organisations that have received funding from the UK Nationals Support Fund to assist them. The level of support may vary depending on where in Spain you are, but their helplines are open to people from across the country. You can find their details here.

2. Driving licences

–          As you know one of the key actions for UK Nationals living in Spain is to exchange their UK driving licence for a Spanish one. However, recently it has been extremely difficult to get an appointment. We have a key update from the DGT:

–          The DGT is aware that UK and other licence holders are facing problems in obtaining an appointment. They will soon introduce a new process to streamline the current exchange process until the end of the year. UK licence holders will be asked to complete a form with the details the DGT needs in order to verify the driving licence with the UK authorities. This form must be submitted to the DGT by 25 December at the very latest.

Once a person has presented their form, they will need to obtain an appointment with DGT to finalise the exchange process. However, as long as the form was submitted by the date above, and the licence verified by the DGT before the end of the year, the appointment to complete the process can be after 1 January 2021. We will share information on the new process as soon as we have it.

–          So, whilst further details are needed about the system and when it will come into effect, this should be welcome news to people who may be struggling to get through the exchange process. In addition, the UK continues to negotiate the rules on the recognition and exchange of UK driving licences from 1 January 2021 onwards with member states, so do encourage people to sign up to email alerts on gov.uk/livinginspain, so that they are kept informed of the latest information.

3. UK bank accounts

–         We are aware that some UK nationals who hold UK-based bank accounts, but are resident in the EU, have received letters from their UK bank, informing them that these accounts are to be closed.

–      Most people living in Europe shouldn’t see any change to their banking at the end of the transition period (31 December 2020). Whether UK banks can service EEA-based customers is a matter of local law and regulation. Also banks are set up differently and may have taken different actions to continue to serve their customers.  Your bank or finance provider should contact you if they need to make any changes to your product or the way they provide it. If you have any concerns about whether you might be affected, contact your provider or seek independent financial advice.

–      Meanwhile, please be assured that your UK state pension can be paid into your Spanish bank account. This link from gov.uk may be useful.

4. Passports

From 1 January, passport validity rules are changing for travel to European countries. You’ll need to have at least 6 months left on an adult or child passport to travel to most countries in Europe (not including Ireland).If you renewed your passport early last time, any extra months added to the normal 10-year validity will not count towards meeting this requirement, so we encourage everyone to doublecheck their passport validity online now at: gov.uk/checkpassport

5. Healthcare

–          We held a Facebook Live Q&A session with colleagues from DHSC on Tuesday. You may want to point people who have health-related questions to the video, which is now available to watch.

–          The team has also created a useful infographic (attached), which explains the different ways people can access healthcare in Spain. Please do share this with anyone who may need clarification on the system here, as well as signposting our healthcare page on gov.uk.

6. Q&A sessions

–          We have a number of Q&A sessions coming up on our Facebook page. The current schedule is:

27 Oct: Travel and swallows

10 November: Education

1 December: Residency

10 December: General Q&A

Please do signpost people who have questions to these sessions, but be aware that the schedule is subject to change, so do keep an eye on the page for the latest dates.

The post Updated Information for UK Nationals In Spain appeared first on The Leader Newspaper.

As you know, one of the key actions for UK Nationals living in Spain is to exchange your UK driving licence for a Spanish one, but recently a lack of appointments has made this difficult. Therefore, to speed up the licence exchange and ensure UK Nationals can begin the process before the end of the year, the DGT has put a new system in place which went live on their website yesterday.

It is a two-step process. The first step is to make an application to the DGT before 30 December. You can do this via their online portal if you have a digital certificate/CLAVE or by calling 060. In some provinces it may also be possible to do so by downloading the form and taking it to your local office, though you may wish to ring ahead to confirm this. You can also ask a representative (eg a gestor) to do this on your behalf. We understand that for this part of the process you do not need to have a residency certificate or TIE, but you will need a NIE.

If you do not hear anything from the DGT in the meantime, three days after submitting your application you can request an appointment with the DGT to do the exchange. This should be booked on the DGT’s website.

As long as your application has been submitted before 30 December, and the UK authorities have verified your licence by the end of the year, your appointment to exchange your licence can be after 1 January 2021, provided it is within the first 6 months of next year. Please note that you will need a residency certificate/TIE to do final exchange, so if you are in the process of applying for residency you may want to choose a later date for your appointment.

Irrespective of whether a UK licence has been verified for exchange by the end of the year, you will be able to drive in Spain using your UK licence for 6 months from 1 January 2021. The future rules on exchange and recognition of UK licences are still subject to negotiation.

For more information and a link to the online application form visit: https://sede.dgt.gob.es/es/permisos-de-conducir/canje-permisos/canje-permisos-extranjeros/canje-renovacion-sustitucion-uk/index.shtml?Reino%20Unido. Please note that you can change the site’s language to English by selecting it in the drop-down menu in the top right hand corner of the page.

To keep up to date with the latest information on driving, please sign up for alerts to the Living in Spain guide on gov.uk.

The post New protocol to exchange UK Driving Licence appeared first on The Leader Newspaper.

• UK GOVERNMENT WRITES TO MORE THAN 100,000 BRITS LIVING IN SPAIN TO HELP THEM PREPARE FOR THE END OF THE TRANSITION PERIOD
• One of the largest UK Government direct mail campaigns to UK Nationals living in EU and EFTA member states, with 365,000 customers on Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) database contacted.
• UK Nationals resident before 31 December can continue living and working in Spain, but will need to register as soon as possible if they have not already done so.
• UK State Pensioners will continue to receive their healthcare cover and pensions as they do now.
• UK Nationals Support Fund has so far assisted more than 37,000 UK Nationals in Spain.

The UK Government has written to 365,000 UK Nationals living in Europe with advice on the actions they need to take to prepare for the end of the UK transition period on 31 December. This includes 102,087 letters issued to people on DWP’s database in Spain.

The letters, sent to UK State Pensioners and benefit recipients, give advice on how to register for residency and healthcare, exchange driving licences and check new passport validity rules online. It is one of the largest-ever mail outs by the UK Government to UK nationals living in the EU, Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway and Switzerland.

The UK Government has also allocated £3 million for charities and community voluntary organisations across Europe to assist UK Nationals that may need additional help in applying for residency.

This includes potentially at-risk groups, such as pensioners and disabled people and those living in remote areas or who have mobility difficulties. In Spain, three charities – Age in Spain, Babelia and IOM – have received funding and by the end of September over 37,000 people had accessed their services. For details of how to contact them visit gov.uk/livinginspain.

British Ambassador to Spain Hugh Elliott said:

“Supporting UK Nationals is one of our highest priorities. The organisations receiving funding to support British people with their residency are making a huge difference and, since 2017, we have organised nearly 300 outreach events. Whilst face-to-face events are currently limited by COVID restrictions, we continue to provide support through our Facebook Live Q&As. Our next session on residency is on 1 December, so please do follow us on BritsinSpain on Facebook to take part.”

The UK Government has been running a public information campaign featuring online, radio and newspaper adverts across 30 countries informing UK Nationals of the actions they need to take.

Ambassadors, Heads of Mission and Consuls General from across Europe have recorded a video message reminding UK Nationals of the actions they may need to take before the end of the Transition Period. You can view the video here.

UK Nationals can find the most up to date information on actions they may need to take at gov.uk/livinginspain and on www.facebook.com/britsinspain.

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The port of Cartagena is opening a direct container route to the UK in anticipation of a ‘No Deal BREXIT’.

The route, linking Cartagena with Liverpool, will be operated by Containerships, who have been trialling the operation for the last 3 months.

The new route, which will take six days, will make it easier for the region and it’s companies to trade with the UK when it departs from the EU in three weeks time.

Yolanda Muñoz, who has just celebrated her first 12 months as the President of the Port Authority, said that the option that the new route will provide will turn any adversity around and provide a much more solid trading platform for manufacturers and farmers.

The UK currently ranks as number five on the list of countries receiving exports from Murcia and the introduction of the route should make it much easier to retain, and `possibly build on, the trade that is already in place.

Sea Freight already accounts for a large part of Cartagena’s economy, which operates well with a number of other Non EU nations,  and it is hoped that one the current UK backlog is resolved in Britain’s ports the Cartagena to Liverpool route will prove an attractive option to companies well beyond the Murcia region

The post Cartagena opens a container route with the United Kingdom in the face of ‘Brexit’ appeared first on The Leader Newspaper.

In the words of Michelle Barnier as he announced the Brexit deal on Thursday afternoon, “The clock is no longer ticking,” a phrase that was very much his own and one that he repeated time and again during the last 12 months of negotiation.

EU Chief Negotiator Michel Barnier says “today is a day of relief, but tinged by some sadness, as we compare what came before with what lies ahead”

“We have finally found an agreement. It was a long and winding road but we have got a good deal to show for it”

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen says “it is fair, it is a balanced deal and it is the right and responsible thing to do”

So at long last, Brussels and the United Kingdom have reach a historic trade agreement that will avoids the one thing that no-one wanted, a hard Brexit, which would have meant the imposition of tariffs between the two blocks.

The president of the Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, confirmed the agreement at a press conference in Brussels together with the negotiator of the European Union (EU, Michel Barnier. Von der Leyen has described the settlement as a “good agreement”.

She said that the agreement respects the sovereignty of the two blocks. “European regulations will be respected”, said the President of the Commission, who stressed that European fishermen will have five and a half years of stability as they continue to work in British waters.

She let it be known that fishing was the very last obstacle that delayed the agreement, given the British refusal to allow total freedom to the European fishing fleet to operate in its sovereign waters.

British Prime Minister, Boris Johnson, said in London that “this agreement allows the start of a new relationship between the United Kingdom and the EU, “The one we’ve always wanted: a prosperous business and economic relationship between a sovereign UK and our European partners and friends”.

The agreement avoids the imposition of tariffs on trade relations between the two blocs from January 1, when Brexit will take effect

The agreement finally reached by the two blocs comes after four years of negotiations, European negotiators have stressed, and is less ambitious than the EU would have liked. However, it will allow no tariffs to be imposed on the trade relationship between the EU and the United Kingdom in exchange for the British assuming equal rules on competition.

The parties are still examining legal ways so that the new trade and association agreement can be put into practice on a “provisional” basis as early as January 1 to avoid a disorderly break.

The post Brussels and London finally reach agreement over ‘Brexit’ appeared first on The Leader Newspaper.

Pedro Sánchez has been accused of taking another step toward handing over Gibraltar, not so much to the UK as to the British colony itself, with both the Brexit agreement and the resignation of Spain to fight for the Rock.

Gibraltar’s Chief Minister, Fabián Picardo, has publicly thanked the PM for a new climate of understanding with the Government of Spain saying that he is happy with the treatment of Pedro Sánchez and Pablo Iglesias.

It is said that Spain has completely wasted any negotiating tool that they had during the Brexit negotiation to claim the co-sovereignty of the Rock.

The previous Government of Mariano Rajoy, in the time of José Manuel García Margallo at the Foreign Office, said there was a possibility of vetoing the Brexit agreement for Spain in the event that any agreement surrounding Gibraltar did not respect national requirements.

Now it is felt that the Sánchez Government has definitely renounced that power and it will not be easy for it to once again have such a good opportunity to claim co-sovereignty from the United Kingdom with such clear and obvious strength.

The damage done by Pedro Sánchez remains to be seen, but every dispute with the Rock from now on will be a bilateral issue between Spain and the United Kingdom, or perhaps between Spain and Gibraltar, if the United Kingdom decides to marginalize Spain, forcing it to deal directly with Picardo.

The post Spanish Press accuse Sánchez of surrendering Gibraltar appeared first on The Leader Newspaper.

What foods are banned?

The post BANNED FROM EU: APPLES, BEEF, CHEESE AND OTHER ITEMS YOU CANNOT TAKE IN BAGGAGE appeared first on The Leader Newspaper.

• Some Supermarkets and Independent businesses in Spain faced with supply problems in post-Brexit rules on exports to EU

By Andrew Atkinson

Although the British Government reach a Brexit agreement with the EU just prior to the end of the year, the politicians responsible would now seem to have washed their hands of many of the problems that the agreement has introduced.

Increased paperwork and trade delays are causing problems for retailers that stock European products as well as producers that export their goods overseas, with the red tape damaging for both importers and exporters, even putting some business at risk.

The government has set up a new dedicated team to work with the food industry on how to streamline the movement of goods, but to date it would appear to have yielded few results.

Of course it is not only the import of goods to supermarkets in the UK that are suffering from the fallout of the Brexit deal but many Supermarkets and Independent businesses here in Spain have also been faced with supply problems, because of post-Brexit rules on exports into the EU.

Fresh produce at 20 Marks and Spencer stores in France, Morrison’s in Gibraltar, and a chain of UK supermarkets in Belgium is reportedly on the verge of closure – with no deliveries since December. Indeed one Marks & Spencer store in Paris has now shut its doors after experiencing weeks of food shortages and delays of fresh food imports from the UK.

Overseas Supermarkets in the area have also had issues, with deliveries caught up by the new EU regulations, with one employee saying they had ‘no idea where their delivery was’ after vegetables were delayed in January.

That is still very much the case, with no immediate forecast of things getting back to normal any time soon, although the company has recently turned to Irish supermarket chain SuperValu to help fill the growing number of gaps on their shelves and in their deep freeze cabinets.

Deeside based Iceland MD Richard Walker said, pre-Brexit, he was not concerned about food shortages on shelves after January 1 – whether or not a Brexit ‘deal’ was secured.

After Ministers had warned supermarkets not to stockpile, Mr Walker wrote on Twitter: “How would we stockpile fresh food – or even frozen, given that depots are 100% full with Christmas stock? Deal or no deal, I am not concerned about shelf shortages.”

Comments from Mr Walker, who reportedly voted to leave the European Union, came as the BRC also sought to reassure shoppers there was no need to panic buy – in the event of ‘no-deal’ as negotiations between the UK and the EU continued, pre-Brexit.

BRC CEO Helen Dickinson had said retailers were preparing for all outcomes and stockpiling extra products, including toilet rolls, tinned foods and other longer life items, to ensure continued supply of essentials.

Some businesses in Spain were also caught up in the new customs and VAT process since leaving the EU, with The Little Painter in Los Montesinos alarmed at the additional VAT (IVA) costs incurred, in importing stock to Spain, as previously reported by The Leader.

“Retailers have also been building new customs and VAT processes, working with suppliers to ease logistics, and more,” said BRC CEO Helen Dickinson, ahead of the pre-Brexit ‘deal’.

Aldi in Quesada had their shelves full, with no issues during a visit by The Leader on February 9.

Another store that anticipated the problem was the International supermarket in La Marina which stocked its shelves and its warehouse prior to Christmas, however that too now has one eye on its suppliers, none of whom have had any deliveries this year, with some beginning to run out of many popular items.

Exporters are being overwhelmed by the amount of paperwork needed to bring products through customs in France.

They say it is taking UK suppliers 3 weeks to prepare the paperwork for shipment alone, and that a separate form has to be completed for each individual item. With some consignments moving hundreds of items at a time in a single lorry, this is a long, drawn out and expensive process.

If just one form is completed incorrectly this will then delay the whole shipment, which attracts additional costs in manpower and transport, as a result of which supermarkets do not know the cost of their produce until it arrives at the door.

With UK exporters now facing significant additional costs and paperwork, many are rethinking their post-Brexit strategy and analysing whether it is viable to supply European markets. Some have already decided to stop exporting to Europe which will mean that our favourite British foodstuffs may be even harder to source.

Those that do carry on are unlikely to absorb extra costs which inevitably means price rises for the consumer.

Post Brexit bureaucracy mean that many stores and supermarkets supplying British foodstuffs find that their supplies are in a pretty sorry state, without a single delivery of food from the UK in almost 6 weeks, so if your taste for UK products includes custard creams, shortbread, pilgrims cheese, corned beef, proper bacon or British bangers, those days could soon be over, if not you can be absolutely sure that they will certainly come at a premium.

The post British shoppers feeling the Brexit effect appeared first on The Leader Newspaper.

• Brexit has brought on many changes for Britons, including those who own property in Spain. Learn more about how Brexit affects Spanish property owners here.

Spain is famed for its beaches, pleasant year ‘round temperatures, and high quality of life — which are all factors that would make anyone want to buy a property and live there.

However, after Brexit went into effect on January 1st of this year, many UK citizens who are also Spanish property owners are worried about the implications of the UK withdrawing from the European Union.

In this article, we’ll be taking a closer look as to how Brexit affects Spanish property owners, residents, and why the ETIAS Europe will be an extremely important program for EU property owners starting in 2022.

What are the changes for current property owners?

It’s no secret that many EU-based Britons are starting to feel the Brexit effect, and naturally, have many questions regarding what changes are happening after the UK withdrew from the EU – in particular, what changes will affect those who own property in the EU.

According to data from Banco de Espana, the central bank of Spain, UK citizens are the largest group of foreign buyers of holiday homes and apartments in Spain, way ahead of the Germans, French, and Moroccans.

If you currently own property in Spain, good news: Brexit will not affect your rights as a property owner in Spain. This is because property rights are not linked to residency status, and all foreign homeowners have the same rights as the locals.

However, there are two important changes to be aware of. The rate of non-resident income tax for British nationals has increased from 19% to 24% and came into effect on January 1st, 2021.

Likewise, the rules regarding how long you can stay in Spain have changed. As a Briton, you can no longer stay more than 90 days over a 180-day period, and this ‘calendar’ starts from the moment that you enter any EU country. For example, if you take the Eurostar high-speed train from London to Paris and spend a week in France before heading to Spain, those seven days would count against your 90 day limit.

Once your tally of 90 days is up, you would need to wait another 90 days before being allowed to enter the EU (and Spain) again. To negate the effects of this new law, we recommend visiting Spain in shorter bursts (i.e. two weeks instead of two months at a time) so that you have plenty of time in your ‘travel bank’.

What are the changes for residents of Spain?

If you are a Briton with official residence in Spain — i.e. you have a Spanish residence permit, called the Tarjeta de Identidad Extranjero — your rights in Spain and the EU do not change after Brexit.

Thanks to a law that was passed in July 2020, the Spanish government introduced a new residency card for citizens from non-EU countries who reside in Spain. Referred to as a TIE (tarjeta de identidad de extranjero), the holder has a right to live in Spain without any limits.

What is the ETIAS for Europe and why do I need one as a Spanish property owner?

Starting in 2022, the European Union is going to get a major overhaul of its visa policies. One of the most important developments is the ETIAS, which stands for European Travel Information and Authorization System, and is a new type of visa waiver that grants the owner entry into the European Union.

The ETIAS will replace the Schengen Zone requirements currently in place. Citizens of countries who currently enjoy visa-free access to the European Union, such as the United Kingdom, Canada, Japan, the United States, and Australia, among others, will need to apply for the ETIAS. The good news is that the ETIAS is valid for 3 years (or until the holder’s passport expires, whichever comes first) and is good for both touristic and business purposes.

The ETIAS is valid for 90 days and covers all countries in the Schengen zone. This means that you can choose to spend all 90 days at your property in Spain, or enjoy a 3-week vacation through Italy, Germany, and Austria without the need to re-apply every time you wish to cross a border.

How to apply for the ETIAS

The process for applying for an ETIAS is extremely simple and should only take a few minutes to do so. Applying for an ETIAS is done entirely online and from the comfort of your own home — all you need is a device with internet access (such as a smartphone or personal computer).

The ETIAS will have an application form that asks basic questions about the traveler (first and last name, date of birth, contract information, gender); their passport (serial number, issue date, expiration date, nationality); and the traveler’s plans in Europe. There will also be a yes/no section regarding the traveler’s health history, criminal record, and security questions.

Once the application has been filled out, all you need to do is pay the processing fee and submit it for consideration. The majority of ETIAS applications are approved within a few hours, although it may take up to three business days during high season.

The post How does Brexit affect Spanish property owners? Everything you need to know appeared first on The Leader Newspaper.

• The Spanish Government is working to provide maximum legal certainty for British citizens resident in Spain.

From 1 January, UK Nationals have been able to spend 90 days out of every 180 within the Schengen area for tourism or other specific purposes, such as business meetings, without needing a visa. Any stays beyond the 90 days will be dependent on Spain’s visa and immigration rules and any UK Nationals who would like to discuss extending their stay should contact their local extranjería office or call 060.

All foreign nationals intending to stay in Spain for longer than three months have always been obliged to register for residency – whatever their nationality. Therefore if you arrived in Spain before 1 January you must take steps to become resident if you consider your home to be here. Otherwise, you should be arranging to return to the UK.

If you are trying to become resident and are in the process of registering or appealing against your application having been rejected, the 90-day rule does not apply to you.

HMA Hugh Elliott said: “I’m aware that many second home owners are concerned about overstaying as we reach 31 March. The Spanish Government has been clear that it will take a pragmatic approach to anyone who is stuck in Spain due to circumstances beyond their control, so I don’t want people to be overly worried on that count. However, if people do not intend to become resident here in Spain and see the UK as their base, we do expect them to take steps to return to the UK as soon as they can.”

A Spanish Ministry of Inclusion spokesperson said: “The Spanish Government is working to provide maximum legal certainty for British citizens resident in Spain. Throughout the negotiations, the issue of citizens’ rights has been, and remains, one of the main priorities. Spain is the country of residence of the largest community of UK nationals in the EU.

“The Spanish Government has no plans to deport British citizens who have made Spain their home and, for this reason, Spain has been one of the first EU countries to establish a documentation procedure under the Withdrawal Agreement, which consists of a declaratory system to apply for the new residence permit (TIE).

We remind British citizens that, although there is no time limit, it is important to make this application as soon as possible as, among other things, it will facilitate the administrative processing and the crossing of the external borders of the European Union.”

If you are in the UK and considering travelling to Spain or are in Spain and have friends or family wanting to visit, you should be aware of the continuing travel restrictions on both leaving the UK and entering Spain.

UK Nationals must make sure that they meet both the requirements to leave the UK and those to enter Spain, bearing in mind that they are not the same.

From 30 March, entry to Spain will only be granted to those passengers who can demonstrate that their journey is essential, as well as to those who are already legally resident in Spain. Entering merely to visit, even if you have a second home here, is not a justified reason for entry.

You may be questioned on arrival by Spanish border authorities to ensure you meet the entry requirements and they will only grant entry if they are satisfied that your journey to Spain is essential and reserve the right to deny passage. Ultimately, the decision on whether to grant entry into Spain is made by Spanish border officials as set out in our Travel Advice.

For the latest information and links to the restrictions on leaving the UK and entering Spain, we advise people to visit our Travel Advice page on gov.uk and sign up for alerts, so that they are notified of any changes: https://www.gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice/spain

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• San Fulgencio hosts a conference to discuss the effects of Brexit among British citizens
• The Regional Secretary for the European Union and External Relations, Joan Calabuig, meets with members of the San Fulgencio Town Hall, and listens to a presentation about the concerns for future British residents.

The Mayor of San Fulgencio, José Sampere, together with the Councilor for International Relations, Darren Parmenter, met with the Regional Secretary for the European Union and External Relations, Joan Calabuig, and the Territorial Director Antonia Moreno, on Friday at the Cardenal Belluga Theatre, where they discussed the effects of Brexit for those wishing to come to live in Spain in the future.

The purpose of the meeting, which was attended by residents and a number of Resident Associations, was to explain the issues raised by the visa and residency regulations introduced in Spain, and to discuss the negative impact they could have on towns like San Fulgencio, where there is a large British expatriate resident community.

The mayor introduced the meeting, saying that, “We are a municipality that is open to residents of the European Union, as well as a to a large number of people from the United Kingdom who have chosen the area in which to live, and that is why we want to simplify, as much as possible, any procedures that need to be carried out, which have been introduced as a result of Britain’s decision to leave the EU ”.

The Councilor for International Relations, Darren Parmenter, said that the main problem for the British, especially for those who apply for residency after Brexit, and who are not included in the scope of the Withdrawal Agreement “are the financial requirements to be eligible for a non-lucrative visa”.

Under the new regulations, he explained that, “a very high minimum income is required that, for example, a retired couple, the most common resident profile, cannot offer in most cases.” To be able to apply for a non-lucrative visa, a retired couple must have an income of more than 2,800 euros per month, or an equivalent amount, for one year in their bank, raising it to more than 33,800 euros.

The economic conditions will be even tougher when this visa has to be renewed after one year, with the requirement that “the applicant must have double the original amount that they had in the bank at the time of the first visa application, or continue receiving the minimum monthly income required”, said Parmenter.

Both the Councilor for International Residents and the mayor have pointed out the negative consequences that these demands could have for San Fulgencio, by causing British citizens to decide to retire in other EU countries with more flexible requirements, such as France or Portugal.

In the long term, the mayor estimates that this situation would affect the registration figures, since “it would significantly reduce our number of inhabitants”, in addition to also affecting the economy of the municipality, and having a negative impact on real estate sales and local businesses owned and operated by international residents from the UK.

For his part, the regional secretary for the European Union and External Relations stated that the Generalitat Valencia has been working for a long time to minimize the effects of the new situation on future British residents.

“Before leaving the United Kingdom we already started the meetings and, since then, the contacts have been continuous with the Government, the Embassy and the Consulate.”

Guaranteeing the rights of British residents in the Community and those of Valencians in the United Kingdom, maintaining commercial exchanges and guaranteeing the permanence of tourist exchanges, have been three of the priorities for the Generalitat Valenciana. In fact, next Monday the president of the Generalitat, Ximo Puig, will meet with the British Ambassador, Hugh Elliot, in Madrid.

Calabuig explained that “as a result of the effort and responsibility of citizenship” the Valencia Community has the best figures in Spain on the incidence of Coronavirus, so it will continue to insist that the United Kingdom authorise travel, taking into account the regional and not the national figures. “We have been working for a long time to ensure that the Community is given the same consideration as the islands, and we will continue to do so,” he said.

Photos courtesy San Fulgencio Ayuntamiento

The post San Fulgencio conference – Brexit effect on Future British Residents appeared first on The Leader Newspaper.

A big chunk of the British population is invested in Online Casinos and Gambling in general. And there is no doubt that a large part of the entire British economy is dependent on the Gambling Industry. However, with Brexit happening, just like many other industries Gambling Industry has its share of problems. Shortly you as a gambler will face many troubles for sure. This detailed article will discuss all the anomalies that will pop up when Brexit reaches its last stage. 

Gambling Licenses

Gambling has always been in the news. That is why the European Union has always kept an eye on the Gambling Industry using Gambling Licences. In 2014 UK passed the Gambling Act, which made it compulsory for all the existing online gambling institutions to get a licence approved by the UK Gambling Commission to continue their business in the UK. Thanks to that, gambling will not get affected as much as we thought from the licencing perspective.

But according to some sources, the case seems different. There is a chance that Brexit will force all the Gambling institutions to renew their Licences with the UK Gambling Commission. That will cause some problems for Gamblers who love to gamble daily. However, it will not just end with that. Many online gambling gaming companies such as Yggdrasil will also be affected by these drastic changes and lose many valuable customers. 

The fate of Gibraltar

There is a big chance that Brexit might affect how Gibraltar functions as a gambling hub for the UK. Thanks to all the island’s tax relaxation, most online casino businesses call it their HQ for operations. This island has been a disputed land between Spain and the UK.

Gibraltar enjoys closeness with Spain by receiving daily workers for this online gambling business. Almost 60% of the staff that work in Gibraltar lives in Spain. After Brexit, there is a chance that this harmony will be disrupted, which will lead to the shut down of many online casinos. 

How Does This Affect You?

As we have already mentioned, Brexit may force all the existing online casino sites to obtain new licenses from UK Gambling Commission if they wish to continue operating. It may sound easy, but getting approval will take a long time. And that is going to be a pain for players who are looking into sites to gamble on. 

That is one of the problems you will face as a gambler. One other problem is that many people may relocate to keep still working in the industry once Gibraltar stops being the heaven for gambling companies. Furthermore, with Brexit, many other countries might also start thing about leaving the European Union.

And as we all know, how strict and popular the EU is when it comes to Gambling Regulation. And with many countries leaving the EU, the Gambling Rules and Regulations will also differ in many countries. That will lead to less competition and a lower rate of bonuses for players like you.

Conclusion

In this detailed article on how Brexit changed the online casino industry, we have discussed all the possible scenarios that might happen after Brexit. We hope that this article has helped you find the answer you were looking for. 

The post How has Brexit changed the online casino industry? appeared first on The Leader Newspaper.

By Andrew Atkinson

Murcia fruit and vegetables companies are beginning to dump the UK following the withdrawal from the European Union at the turn of the year.

The decision comes after an increase in costs – that includes the big increase in fuel consumption prices – leading to produce from small companies in southern Spain feeling the pinch.

Tortasola, based in Cartagena, have said that their costings and the amount of waiting time to enter the UK has led to smaller companies finding difficulties to compete in the marketplace, reported by manager José Antonio Hernández.

And big haulage company Agetrans manager Domingo Ortiz has revealed that their 40 shipments has been increased to 60, on the back of the smaller companies suffering.

Following Brexit services have seen an increase in business costs increase by 20%. Also customs clearance protocols have increased, along with the costs of the training of new lorry drivers’ during a shortage of personnel that has brought a big headache since Brexit.

Ortiz is reported as saying that the UK market is no longer an attraction to the Spanish companies, due to a plethora of changes.

The post Murcia fruit and veg companies begin to dump UK following Brexit appeared first on The Leader Newspaper.

Following publication of a report by the EU Parliamentary Committee on Constitutional Affairs last week, calling for a second BREXIT referendum, London based talkRadio has sparked hundreds of reactions after sharing a poll on the suggestion – and getting an answer it didn’t anticipate.

The radio station asked followers to say how they would vote if there was another referendum “tomorrow” on the UK’s European Union membership – and, at the time of writing, of over 150,000 votes cast, 75.4 per cent said they would vote Remain, versus only 24.6 per cent voting to Leave.

At last week’s EU meeting, MEPs received the report suggesting that, at the time of the referendum in 2016, Britons did not have all the necessary information on the implications of leaving the EU in order to make a balanced decision.

The report is now suggesting that a second vote takes place in order to provide a demographic safeguard on the final decision of the UK to leave the European Union.

The parliamentary statement said, “[The Committee] believes that, given the nature of the decision to leave the Union and its fundamental impacts on citizens of the departing Member State, the holding of a referendum to confirm the final decision to leave can be an important democratic safeguard.

“It considers that the confirmation of this final choice by its citizens is also crucial in case negotiations of a withdrawal agreement fail to conclude, provoking a no-deal scenario.

“It considers that all possible steps should be taken during this process to avoid disinformation, foreign interference and funding irregularities.”

The post Brits now want to stay in Europe as EU calls for second vote appeared first on The Leader - News, Sport, Spanish Property for Sale, Business Directory, Classifieds, and Advertising for Spain.

What is the Tarjeta Europea de Estacionamiento?

Card validity

Cardholder rights

• park or stop in areas reserved for loading and unloading
• benefit from discounts in places where a fee has to be paid for parking
• access restricted traffic areas

Limitations on the use of the card and penalties

How to apply for the disabled parking badge

Where can I request the blue badge?

We will now explain a couple of those points in more detail:

How to apply for the disabled parking permit, step by step?

Requirements to apply for the disabled parking permit

How does the disabled parking permit work and who can use it?

• Loading and unloading zones with no time limit.
• ORA (blue parking) zones without having to pay the corresponding fee.
• In some cities you will be able to access areas restricted to traffic.

What is the fine for improper use or falsification of the disabled card?

More information about the disabled parking permit from the Spanish Governemnt

Concusion

The post How to apply for a disabled parking permit appeared first on News, Sport, Information, Property, Business in Spain - News, Sport, Spanish Property for Sale, Business Directory, Classifieds, and Advertising for Spain.

In March, an agreement was finally reached for the exchange of United Kingdom issued driving licences held by residents in Spain for the Spanish equivalent, without the need to sit a test, as per the rules following Brexit.

The agreement meant that those UK licence holders who are resident in Spain were again allowed to drive, but only until the exchange had been carried out. It should be noted that residents should have already exchanged their licence once Spain became their habitual residency.

The temporary agreement established that all valid permits or licences of current residents issued prior to its entry into force may be exchanged, while for permits issued after said entry into force it will be an essential requirement to access the exchange that the permits have been issued in the country where the applicant had legal residence.

With this pact, those British citizens residing in Spain who had not had their driving licence exchanged before Brexit, nor in the successive extensions granted, would be able to do so as of Thursday, March 16. However, a timeline had been put on doing this, as, again, this is just another, albeit final, extension period.

To facilitate administrative processing at the provincial traffic headquarters, a period of six months has been granted during which British citizens can drive in Spain with their original permit while they process the exchange. We are now halfway through the transition period, so if you havn’t already, you must act NOW to exchange your licence, as this new transition period is to allow for delays caused by the backlog.

In addition, Spain and the United Kingdom undertake to provide each other with information on the data of the vehicles and their owners for the purpose of investigating traffic offences related to road safety, especially in cases of speeding, not wearing a seat belt, failure to stop at a red light, driving while intoxicated, driving under the influence of drugs, not wearing a crash helmet, driving in a prohibited lane, or illegal use of mobile phones.

The post Clock Ticking for UK Licence Holders first appeared on N332.es – Driving In Spain.

The post Clock Ticking for UK Licence Holders appeared first on News, Sport, Information, Property, Business in Spain - News, Sport, Spanish Property for Sale, Business Directory, Classifieds, and Advertising for Spain.