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Date Published: 21/03/2025

UK nationals in Spain need to replace Green Certificate to avoid EU travel issues

Only TIEs will be recognised by the EU’s Entry/Exit System, which will be rolled out in Spain later this year

If you’re a British citizen living in Spain and still using the Green Certificate as proof of residency, it’s time to make the switch to a TIE (Tarjeta de Identidad de Extranjero) sooner rather than later.

The British Embassy in Spain is urging all UK nationals to apply for a TIE following confirmation this week from the Spanish Government that the Green Certificate will not be recognised under the EU’s new Entry/Exit System (EES).

The EES doesn’t have an official start date yet but it’s expected to come into force later this year ahead of the related ETIAS system, which has been pushed back to early 2027.

Once the EES is in place, non-EU short-stay visitors will need to register their name, passport details, fingerprints and facial image (biometric data) every time they enter Spain or another Schengen country. Since this information will be stored for three years, it should greatly cut down on the amount of time it takes British travellers to get through border control when they land in Spain.

It also means that Britons making frequent visits to Spain won’t need their passports stamped, and they won’t have to go through the same registration process every time.

The good news is that if you’re a Briton who is legally resident in Spain, you should be exempt from this system. To prove this, you’ll need a valid biometric residency card. But herein lies the problem, since the Green Certificate won’t be accepted because it doesn’t meet the EU’s updated security and formatting requirements.

Only a TIE will be accepted by Spanish and EU authorities. If you try to enter Spain (or any other Schengen country) using your Green Certificate, border officials won’t recognise it as valid proof of residency. This could lead to you being denied entry and returned to the UK.

If you’re still using the Green Certificate, don’t wait - apply for a TIE now. The Spanish Government has made appointments widely available, particularly in key expat areas, to help speed up the process.

For full details on how to apply and book an appointment, visit the ‘Living in Spain’ guide on gov.uk.

British Ambassador to Spain, Sir Alex Ellis said:

"We want British residents in Spain to be able to travel smoothly into this country. That's why it's really important that anyone with a Green Certificate gets a TIE. It can take a few months, so start the process now to ensure smooth travel once the EES comes into force later this year."

Here are some more useful links:

EU guidance: https://travel-europe.europa.eu/ees_en   
Spanish TIE application: https://www.interior.gob.es/opencms/es/servicios-al-ciudadano/tramites-y-gestiones/extranjeria/oficinas-para-tramites-de-extranjeria/ 
Spanish information on being denied entry: https://www.interior.gob.es/opencms/es/servicios-al-ciudadano/tramites-y-gestiones/extranjeria/regimen-general/entrada-requisitos-y-condiciones/

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