Passport and/or Residencia at border

[Wicksey]

What is the procedure for leaving and entering Spain regarding producing passport and residencia? Do you have to present your passport when leaving and re-entering the country, but how do you avoid getting it stamped as surely the TIE should be sufficient for entering Spain?

We don't know of anyone doing anything other than queuing up with all the other Brits at passport control when coming back home, when I understand there is a separate EU channel as well which may accept the TIE?

[PuffTheMagicDragon]

When I recently went to Britain, my passport was stamped both ways, and I don’t think they were interested in my TIE.
As I understand it, if you are resident, a stamp in your passport is of no real consequence.

Puff

[daveboy]

What is the procedure for leaving and entering Spain regarding producing passport and residencia? Do you have to present your passport when leaving and re-entering the country, but how do you avoid getting it stamped as surely the TIE should be sufficient for entering Spain?

We don't know of anyone doing anything other than queuing up with all the other Brits at passport control when coming back home, when I understand there is a separate EU channel as well which may accept the TIE?

Entering Spain everyone has to queue in one line until you get to the booths and then there is a separate booth for EU citizens. If its like the summer and several flights arrive together you will Q with all the Brits until you get to passport booths.

[El Cid]

You must show a passport as that is your only official form of ID. If you show your TIE they should not stamp your passport but don't be surprised if they do. As Puff said, it's of no consequence for residents, but a stamp is essential for non residents.

Sid

[elusive]

when I understand there is a separate EU channel as well which may accept the TIE?
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I can't imagine they would as its your Nationality that matters not your residents status.

[Wicksey]

That's a shame then, as I think the EU queue may be shorter at times. I read there are going to be some sort of digital or automatic machines at entry next year which will make it easier to keep tabs on the comings and goings of non EU visitors here. So presumably they will have to be able to note if you are entitled to stay here if you have the TIE otherwise they'd keep flagging residents up as overstaying. I will rarely go to the UK but my OH has to so he was hoping to sneak in through the EU channel.

[daveboy]

if its not quiet you can walk straight to the EU residents booth. The problem is when its busy you have to stand in the Q with everyone else until the booths are visible. I think the auto booths are going to operate from 2022 with some sort of digital system to pick up the over stayers. I overstayed by 3 days and passport control said nothing. Just stamp and go. I won’t push my luck and return until i have the reset in December.

[markwilding]

That's a shame then, as I think the EU queue may be shorter at times..

Odd thing is that in Bilbao the queue for Non-EU booth is always much much shorter than the EU one as most travellers are from Spain and there are only ever two booths. I haven't tried since the change but it will be interesting when I do eventually go back to the UK to see if I can get through quicker than my wife in both the UK and on the return to Bilbao.
I am going to Amsterdam in December but in this case there isn't normally any passport control so won't need to have my passport stamped in or out.

[Wicksey]

Travelling within Spain or the Schengen countries is bliss. No passport control at either end, just flash the TIE at the boarding gate. I certainly will not be travelling back to the UK anytime soon, even if it did not entail testing and quarantining in my case. My OH is dreading the journey especially as it will be winter there.

[Wicksey]

On leaving Spain my OH presented his UK passport and TIE and they did not stamp his passport, but did wish him a pleasant journey! We'll see what the homebound passport control do

[daveboy]

On leaving Spain my OH presented his UK passport and TIE and they did not stamp his passport, but did wish him a pleasant journey! We'll see what the homebound passport control do

The fun and games is when you re enter Spain if the airport is busy. AGP is still quite busy even at this time of year.

[Wicksey]

We chose a Wednesday afternoon for the outbound trip as it is often one of the quietest times. OH said it was empty when he got there. Friends have had horror stories of huge queues just to get through security, then there is passport control as well if you are going back to the UK. Thankfully it was an excellent journey and the plane was early.

[El Cid]

My daughter flew out on Sunday, Gatwick to Málaga on Easyjet arriving at 13.30. 90 minutes after touchdown they arrived here in La Herradura having collected their hold luggage and picked up their hire car.

She returned on Wednesday at 11.00. Straight through Málaga airport controls. At Gatwick, flight was 30 minutes early. Had their booked Covid test at the airport. It could not have been an easier trip.

Sid

[Manchesteral]

As an addition to this post, I have Spanish residencia but Finnish nationality, for medical reasons I had to leave Gran Canaria last January to get treatment in Finland.
I am heading back to Gran Canaria in December for a one month holiday, however I no longer have the address which is on my green residencia card (small, flimsy, green credit card sized thing) as I no longer have an official address in Gran Canaria can anyone speculate what is likely to happen when I reach passport control in Gran Canaria ? will they check my address, should I just present my Finnish passport or what ? anyone have any opinions on this or better first hand experience, thanks in advance Al.

[Wicksey]

If you have a Finnish EU passport then why not use that? No need to faff around with the residencia then. I honestly don't think the fact that your address is out of date on it would be noticed anyway as your passport doesn't have any address on it so why query the address on your green card?

My original photo ID card from the early 2000s had my previous address on it for years as I held onto it after I had the green card and used to use it when photo ID was needed. Surely it's only really relevant if you are going to use it to open a bank account or to get TIE etc I would have thought.

[Wicksey]

OH presented his TIE and passport at passport control leaving and entering Spain and did not have his passport stamped. On returning last night there were only two border control booths open and they didn't differentiate between EU/non EU.