Residency basics: EU registration and the TIE

EU citizens who settle here register as residents and receive the green certificate (Certificado de Registro de Ciudadano de la UE) — apply at the Oficina de Extranjería or designated police station with a cita previa, proof of income or employment, and healthcare cover. Non-EU citizens — including British arrivals since Brexit — need a visa obtained in their home country first, and once here apply for the TIE card (Tarjeta de Identidad de Extranjero) with fingerprints at the police station. UK residents who lived here before 2021 hold Withdrawal Agreement rights and exchange to a TIE without a visa. Rules, income thresholds and appointment availability change often — this is the one area where paying a gestoría or immigration lawyer earns its money many times over.

Updated 12 Sept

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