How Brits in Spain can renew their temporary residency TIE card

On December 31st 2020, the Brexit transition period ended, and the UK officially left the European Union.

Earlier that year, in July 2020, the Spanish government set out rules for the Withdrawal Agreement (WA) for Britons residing in Spain, thus guaranteeing the rights of UK nationals living in Spain before January 1st 2021.

This also included a new TIE (Tarjeta de Identidad de Extranjero or Foreigner Identity Card) for Britons with WA rights, a document which stipulates this 'protected' status.

Brits with EU green residency certificates have been actively encouraged to exchange them for the biometric TIEs to make administrative processes and travelling easier for them. The exchange has never been made compulsory though increasingly strongly advised, especially as the EU's new Entry Exit System comes into force later on this year.

UK nationals who didn't have the green residency documents before July 6th 2020 were also issued these Withdrawal Agreement TIE residency cards if they could prove residency in Spain before the end of 2020.

Those who had lived in Spain for less than five years were issued with a temporary TIE which is valid for five years.

This July 2025 marks five years since the TIE cards first became available to Brits, meaning that from now until the end of the year, many Brits in Spain will be needing to renew their TIEs and exchange it for a permanent TIE, which lasts 10 years.

If you had lived in Spain for more than five years you will have already been issued a permanent TIE and so will not have to renew it in 2025 if you got your card in 2020.

According to Spain's Ministry of Inclusion and Migration, you can renew your TIE from 30 days before it expires and until 90 days after its expiration date.

In order to be able to renew your TIE you need to meet the following criteria:

• Have no criminal records in Spain
• Not be a citizen of the European Union, Switzerland, or the European Economic Area
• You must not be prohibited from entering the country
• Have a valid and passport
• You must have a residence permit
• Have either private medical insurance or be covered by social security
• If you have dependent children, they must be enrolled in school while they are in Spain
• Not be outside of Spain for prolonged periods of absences

You can renew your TIE in one of two ways – either in person at your local foreigners’ office (Extranjería) or police station, or online.

Be aware though, if you choose to do it online, you will still need to go in person at some point in order for the police to take your fingerprints and go and pick up your new card.

In person

If applying in person, the first step is to make an appointment or cita previa at your local foreigners’ office or police station.

Be aware that this step can take a long time because often there are no appointments available.

READ ALSO: Brits in Spain face appointment nightmare for residency card renewals

The problem is that the system is often hijacked by criminal gangs who book up all the appointments using bots so that they can later sell them. In theory, getting an appointment should be free, but when there aren’t any, you may be forced to pay.

Although Spanish police have arrested numerous groups involved in this practice, the issue keeps happening. The problem seems to be particularly bad in areas with a large foreign populations such as Alicante, Valencia, Málaga, Palma de Mallorca and Barcelona.

There are a few tricks in trying to get your appointment, including going online very early in the morning, trying on certain days of the week etc. For example, in Madrid and Barcelona, the system typically releases slots between 5:00 and 8:30 a.m. on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays. Read our guide to find out your options.

When you apply for your appointment, you will need to select either POLICÍA – EXP. TARJETA ASOCIADA AL ACUERDO DE RETIRADA (BREXIT) or TOMA DE HUELLA – RENOVACIÓN DE TARJETA DE LARGA DURACIÓN

Once you finally have your appointment, you will need to gather the following documents to take with you. These are:

• A completed EX-23 form.
• Valid passport or copy and renewal application if expired.
• Proof of payment of fee Form 790, code 012.
• A recent passport-sized photo.
• Your current TIE.
• A recent padrón certificate (within the last 3 months). It's not always mandatory, but it's recommended.
• In some cases, proof of continuous residence, such as rental contracts, electricity or water bills, or registration history may also be required.

There is differing information online about how much it costs to renew a Withdrawal Agreement TIE,

According to Spain's State Bulletin BOE, the price for a Brexit TIE is €12, although it does also mention that a renewal costs €19,30.

Once you given all your information and documentation at your appointment, you will get your fingerprints taken in a process known as toma de huellas. You’ll typically need to apply for another appointment to go and pick your card up once it’s ready.

READ MORE: What to know about Spain’s fingerprinting for residency

Online

To apply online, you will need a digital certificate or cl@ve.

First access the MERCURIO platform here.

Complete form EX23 online and attach scans of your documents as listed above, as well as proof that you've paid the online fee.

For a full step by step guide on how to do this, read our guide here.

Sign with AutoFirma and download your receipt to make sure it’s been sent correctly.

You will then still need to apply for your appointment for the fingerprinting and collection of your card.

The process of fingerprinting includes taking digital copy of your fingerprints on a small special machine, similar to what you may have seen at airports in certain countries. You may have to hold your fingers on for a certain length of time and put different parts on the screen in order for it to be fully completed.

In both cases, online or in person, at the end of the appointment, you will receive a receipt to collect your card when it's ready. This will typically be within a period of one month, but it could be longer depending on where you live and how soon you can get a collection appointment.

Your new card will look fairly similar to your old TIE card but under Type of Permit it will read "PERMANENTE ARTICULO 50 TUE" or "RESI Y TRABAJO PERMANTE NACIONAL DE REINO UNIDO" on the front, and "EMITIDO BAJO ART.18-4 ACUERDA RETIRADA" on the back.

Your new expiry date should also be within 10 years instead of five.