British expats in Spain are rushing to get their residency permits before it's too late: Have you got yours? - CSN

British expats are scrambling for residency permits in Spain!

Louise Brown April 7, 2025 Travel Leave a comment

ALICANTE and Malaga are the two top destinations for British ex-pats seeking to establish their legal status in Spain. Tarjeta de Identidad de Extranjero (TIE).

Alicante is the top destination for British residents who have applied for TIE cards since mid-2020.

The new documents have been obtained by a quarter (25%) of the British residents who lived in Spain before Brexit.

READ MORE British expats living in Spain should check their TIE cards, as an important date is approaching.

Malaga province comes in second, with 39,462 Brits swapping their old EU green certificates for the post-Brexit TIE – nearly 18% of the national total.

The TIE card is an ID card for foreigners that confirms their rights in the Brexit Withdrawal Agreement.

The TIE document, which outlines the distribution of British nationals by province and their families under the Withdrawal Agreement from July 2020 until December 2024. (credit: *Ministerio de Inclusion, Seguridad Social y Migraciones)*

Spanish and British authorities encourage this, even though it’s not a legal requirement.

The card includes biometric identification to ease travel and administrative procedures.

It is also expected to become even more important once the EU’s Entry/Exit System (EES) comes into force at borders – TIE holders will be exempt from registering under the new system.

TIEs have been issued to 222 061 British nationals who lived in Spain prior to the Brexit deadline of 31 Dec 2020.

Around 77% had their official residency documents in place before Brexit. While the remaining 23% could prove through other means, that they had been living in Spain up until the cutoff date.

The vast majority of these British expats are older adults – with 35% aged 65 or over – underlining the enduring appeal of Spain’s coastlines and climate for British retirees.

The total number of UK born residents in Spain has remained relatively stable.

Spain’s population data shows that as of January 2024, there were 285,093 UK citizens living in Spain.

This is a figure that has barely changed from pre-Brexit levels – in January 2016 there were 288,166.

The future looks promising for Costa del Sol residents, with growing optimism despite challenges. For more details, read the full article here: Costa del Sol Residents Are Optimistic About the Future and Happy.