DUMMIES GUIDE FOR NIE AND RESIDENCIA DOCUMENTS

It seems pretty clear that there is still a lot of confusion regarding what is NIE and what is residencia, and what do they look like, so here you have a very simple way to differentiate them:

Lets put some examples, so you can understand me better. Imagine that you call your fridge "freezer". Both fridge and freezer are in the kitchen and have a similar roll, and you can even find them to be part of the same appliance. But a fridge is not a freezer, so even if you would like to call "freezer" the fridge it wont make it true that a fridge is a freezer.

Another example. In Spain we have our DNI (documento nacional de identidad) and our passport. Both documents show our ID number in them, and both can be used to identify yourself. But a DNI is NOT a passport.

It is the same with NIE certificate and residencia documents.

This is the NIE certificate:

And these are the current EU residencia documents. The big green A4 is not longer issued but it is still valid.

The green old residencia A4 document is NOT a NIE certificate, it is your residencia paperwork. NIE literally stands for Número de Identificación de Extranjero (foreign ID number), and it is simply a number that identifies you within the Spanish system.

Having NIE does not mean that you are resident. You are only resident if you have registered with the national police as foreigner living in Spain. They then give you a document commonly known as "green residencia card", which before the current small green card size document it was a green A4 page. 

The residencia card and the green A4 both quote the NIE number, as it is the number that identifies you within the system. But if you check your small green residencia card you will notice that at the back of the card (the laminated part of the card) has a number. That is your residencia card number, and it links the information that it is hold about you in the front of the card with the application that you submitted with the police. And this is why is laminated and why when you are asked to present a copy of your residencia card, you need to photocopy both the front and the back.

Therefore, on your card you have your residencia card number and your NIE number, same as in our ID cards, where we have the ID number and the ID card number, which are not the same. The old green A4 document also has a residencia number, which is located at the top of the page on the right hand corner.

If you are asked to prove that you have a NIE, you can either show your NIE certificate or one of your residencia documents (green A4 or small green card), but if you are asked to prove that you are resident you wont be able to do it if you only have your NIE certificate.

This is the old residencia plastic card with picture, which is not longer valid, and you if never renewed it you will not be considered resident anymore.

And finally, this is the TIE (Tarjeta de Identidad de Extranjero), which is the residencia plastic card for non EU citizens. Once the implementation period is over, British citizens will have to exchange their current EU residencia documents for this TIE, or to apply directly for it if you have not gained residencia before the end of the implementation period.

HOW TO LEARN THE LINGO WITHOUT FEELING STUPID IN THE PROCESS

Simply put, you can't. 

I have been there, I know how it is, I know how it feels. I know that when you start speaking in another language you really want to hide yourself like an ostrich, fire coming up from your belly to your face, which lights up in a red color.

Or at least that is what you think is happening. In reality your face is still its normal tone, and the world does not stop spinning because you are speaking in Spanish, and more importantly, nobody starts laughing at your accent hysterically.

On the contrary, the other person appreciates your attitude and your effort, and you are rewarded with big sincere smiles.

The secret to learn a new language is to stop being afraid. You don't need to be afraid of being ridicule, nor of saying the totally wrong thing (quite possibly a funny one for the listener), or getting your verb tense wrong and only being able to use the present.

Be brave, and always carry on trying, every opportunity you have. This will not only allow you to communicate with people and become more independent (and stop needing the services of people like me), it will also allow you to understand our culture a lot better. And this will help you to integrate in the country. 

At the end of the day this is why you moved to another country, to live a different life.

And there is no better feeling like when you use a new word (for you anyway) for the first time in a sentence. No one will light fireworks, but you would feel like they should. You will feel immensely proud, and this feeling will get you to learn more and more.

In summary, you will feel stupid for a while, but be brave as it will be worth it.

BRITS IN SPAIN - SHOULD WE GAIN RESIDENCIA NOW?

After many delays, a lot of confusion and disbelief, Brexit finally happened, thankfully with a withdrawal agreement in place which will allow Spanish citizens already living in UK and British citizens in Spain to keep their rights as they are now.

However this will only happen for those citizens that are already register as EU members living in Spain, which is commonly know as residencia.

In a word, we don't know what is going to happen afterwards, but we do know that any agreements will be reached base on reciprocity.

UK government has recently announced a points system for people wanting to move to UK from Jan 2021, after the implementation period. Anybody wanting to relocate there will have to prove a high English level, a desirable skill or profession, and/or a work contract for at least 31.000€ per year. This will mean the borders will closed for anybody that would like to go there to learn the language and work in a bar, or any other unskilled job.

Based on this information, it is quite possible that the Spanish government will follow the strictest requirements for new British citizens wanting to move to Spain. 

At present you need to prove earnings of 550€ a month per person, as a 3rd country citizen you will need 2200€ per month per person, and this just an example. We don't know if a good level of Spanish will be required, but this could be a problem for many people.

If you are already living in Spain and have not yet registered as resident, you should do it as soon as you can, even though you will have to re-register in the future after the implementation period. This way all your right will be protected. If you don't do it you risk not complying with whichever future requirements are asked for in the future and having to go back to UK. 

You will always be able to come back to UK whenever you would like to do so, but do not leave this big decision out of your hands.

If you are thinking about relocating to Spain in the future, I would suggest you do so before the end of the year, so you will have the time to register as resident in Spain as per current process.