[Anonymous]

Well, I’ve lived here since 1967 and have had a residence card since around 1970 – a white thing, then a red thing, then a snappy little version of the Spanish Documento Nacional de Indentidad… but tomorrow, after 40 years under Franco, Spain’s amusing version of democracia and European partnership, I am booked in to the Almería immigration authority where my residencia will be scissored and trashed.
So much for that.
Instead of my handy little card, with my tax number, drivers’ licence number and ID number all rolled into one, together with a representation of my pulgar and a full colour picture, I will be issued with an A4 letter which will tell anyone who cares to read it – until I’ve folded it a few times and it’s fallen to bits – that my tax number is such and such and that, together with my passport, I am legal and a respected member of our citizenry.
So- 40 years a resident and now a tourist again.

[katy]

Yup, what is the point. I have not renewed mine, ran out last year. Still use it though when requested, no-one seems to notice. Getting to the point where I don’t care! I would probably lose the bit of paper anyway.

[Anonymous]

My commiserations lennox.

My card was renewed in 2006 so it will stay valid until 2011.

Who knows what will happen between now and then, but I hope whatever it is, they will have done away with the A4 teachers note.

[Anonymous]

Our cards ran out last June, days before we were going to the Notary to conduct some business. We had to get the new certificates.

On the application form I entered our passport details and not our residencia card details and took along copies of our passports etc. and the residencia cards were not asked for.

I use mine regularly in Mercadona without any problem. However, on Tuesday we had to go to the INSS office in Velez Malaga to register our E121s and took along our new certificates, which usually stay in a box file at home.

[Anonymous]

Hi Lennox,
After 40 years in Spain, you should not be thinking the way you are. You can use a plastic A4 sleeve. I still have my paper driving licence in a sleeve. I refuse to change and even if did change it. My signature does not fit in the space that is allocated for, in the signature box of the application form.

Incidentally, can you please advise your experience to the UK authorities as they are hell bent on introducing a card in UK.

[Anonymous]

Well – I went to the Almería extranjería office (zipped through the special door for whites – I’m not kidding) and was whisked by a gestoría contact to my fate. They took away my residencia, photocopied my passport, told me the printer for the A4 was bust and waved me good-day. I am – in theory – eyedee-less at this moment.
Why have you taken away our residence card, I asked.
It’s all to do with Europe… our hands are tied… well, each country can do what it wants… (and finally – and perhaps nearer the mark) it was to stop the Romanians and Bulgarians getting residencias.

In our case down here in Almería, we will be given a reduced photocopied version of the A4 which will be plastificated to be carried in our wallets and, together with our trusty passport, we will be (sort of) legal. To be fully legal, you’ll need your passport and the A4, freshly pressed in a nice plastic sleeve. The Spanish state should give us a dapper looking carpeta for all our paperwork so that we will be readily recognisable as a guiri.

‘In the ninth year of the twenty-first century, in a European country far, far away…’

[Author]

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