Headline news on this weeks copy of the Costa Blanca News
Thousands of EU residents in Espana will no longer have to queue up for hours to obtain or renew their Residence Cards, thanks to Ministry of Presidency Royal Decree 240/2007 published in the BOE official state bulletin on February 28th. The decree states that EU citizens who wish to live in Espana more than 3 months, must personally request their signing on the Registro Central De Extranjeros register - a procedure that can be carried out at the provincial foreigners office, or at a national police station. Residents must provide a valid passport or national identity card to sign the register, and a certificate will be issued on the spot, indicating the persons name, nationality, address, NIE no, and registration date.
Despite the non-obligation of carrying a residence card, residents are advised to carry passports as a form of identification, as the new certificate will not suffice when it comes to purchasing goods with credit cards etc...plus when driving in Espana, passports should be carried as the local plods like to see them if they stop you.
This cancellation of the Residence card should eventually make things like getting on the Spanish disability system a lot easier, but be reminded, this is Spain, and things take a while to filter down to all levels of beurocracy - royal decree or not !