Jason Moore02/04/2014 00:00
TW
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THE end of our green residence certificate is now in sight after the Balearic parliament approved a motion yesterday calling for the return of our old-style residence cards which are also valid identification because they include a photograph. Kate Mentink, President of Europeos por España (E-por), said yesterday that she expected the green certificates to be scrapped by the end of the year. The move is a major victory for the foreign community and Kate Mentink because the green certificate is deeply unpopular because it is not valid identification and does not include a photograph. It has been dubbed the "useless certificate." The government in Madrid are also working on the process to phase out the certificate in favour of the old-style residence card. Kate Mentink was in the Balearic parliament yesterday with other members of E-por to watch the historic vote. "After a four and a half year battle I think we can now say that the green certificate is history," she said.

And there was further good news yesterday because plans to up-date the foreigner´s department where residence cards are issued in Palma were also approved. "You will now be able to download the forms off the internet, make an appointment and your residence application or renewal will be processed in the same day. You can even pay the necessary charge at the office," said Kate. Up until now the whole process was extremely complicated and even involved having to go to a bank branch to pay the charge for the residence card.