Paperwork

An estimated 500 British expats may have to leave Spain by tomorrow because they failed to apply for Spanish residence or it was rejected.

New rules have been introduced since Britain left the European Union and if you haven’t got the right paperwork you will be asked to leave. Simple as that. Should the alarm bells be ringing in expat circles?

Well ofcourse not, you have always needed the right paperwork but Britain’s European Union membership made things alot easier.

The Foreign Office in Spain has been advising Britons living here to get their paperwork in order for years now and gone are the days when British expats could live here without a residence permit.

I don’t think you can blame the Spanish authorities, they have spent alot of money and earmarked extra resources to help British citizens get new residence cards.

The fact that 500 Britons, according to newspaper reports, are facing deportation is a sure sign that the party is over. Get your act together or you are out is the message from the Spanish authorities.

Brexit is impacting our lives in Spain because Britain now has “third country status.” For those who have been living legally in Spain for the last few years, there is no real problem although some of our rights, such as the vote in local elections, could be curtailed. New residents face a number of hurdles on all fronts from employment to discounts.