This blog will be of interest (and importance) to people living in Almeria only, especially those who have yet to register as residents – sorry everyone else! I will aim to create a new blog for legal matters in the near future to keep La Chanca Life for entertainment.
For some time now it has been generally impossible for British citizens to obtain an appointment at Almeria foreign office (oficina de extranjería) to apply for residency (certificados UE)
A message comes up saying there are no appointments available until after March 29 (the erstwhile Brexit date).
Today however, as I was routinely trying the system, a new option appeared: “Trámite para la documentación de nacionales del Reino Unido”.
In other words, you can now get an appointment for “processing documents of UK nationals”.
I hotfooted it down to the foreign office to find out more. The woman at the desk told me that “nobody knows anything” about exactly how these residency applications are going to be dealt with, but that yes, there is now the opportunity to make an appointment.
Then at the time of the appointment, the application will be dealt with according to whichever rules are in place.
She told me that people should basically turn up with all the usual paperwork and see what happens.
Presumably the same appointment category will be used for a change of the current residency certificates to a TIE (tarjeta de identidad de extranjero) if and when Brexit happens and the UK is no longer in the EU.
When I subsequently applied for an appointment online, I was only offered three dates, with one time on each date, not the calendar view with various dates and times that used to be available.
I succeeded in making an appointment for a married couple at the end of April (in fact two appointments are required, I applied consecutively and was given the same time for each, at different desks, called UK1 and UK2).
What will happen at the appointment will be a different story, but for now, at least we have it!
If anyone would like me to handle their residency application, please contact me separately at emma.v.randle@gmail.com.
La Chanca Life 