Identification

[Campo Steve]

This question has probably been asked and answered many times before but I can't find it.

It is a requirement to be able to produce ID at any time. Therefore we carry our passports around with us. As residents we probably should also carry our residencia paper (although I believe they are not actually proof of residence, only tax stuff does that), but that isn't practical as it is just the A4 sheet of paper.

Question is, as I have a Spanish Driving Licence which has my NIE on it, is that sufficient for ID, or do I technically need the passport/residencia with me as well?

[Laslomas]

Sorry, can't actually answer that but I want to add an extra question to it.
Is it necessary to keep a valid UK passport simply to use for ID in Spain, if it is out of date is it still ok to use?

[Wicksey]

As I understand it you need to have photo ID, whether it is a passport or driving licence with photo, or the old-style residencia card. I don't have a photo on my driving licence so use my residencia even though it expired 18 months ago. It has always been accepted as ID, even for registering my mobile phone the other month. Knowing how much it is to replace my passport, I am loathe to carry it with me all the time.

Is it necessary to keep a valid UK passport simply to use for ID in Spain, if it is out of date is it still ok to use?

I can't remember the exact details, I'm sure someone here will know, but I thought it was law that as a foreign resident we needed to have a current in-date passport.

[markwilding]

When I asked a policeman friend of mine about this question after having my residence card taken off me, He told me only passports and national ID cards from qualifying coutries were legal ID. The problem of course is for us British is that we don't have a national ID.
He told me it would depend on the officer in front of you to accept a driving licence. You could be fined.
However,carrying a passport is'nt practical and if it gets lost it could be a problem EG: if for some reason you need to get back to the UK quickly, plus to replace it is time consuming and expensive
So I prefer to carry my driving licence and risk a fine and hope if a policeman stops me he will be happy with it .

Has anybody been stopped with just their driving licence and what did the police say?

As for the piece of paper we get now, they told me when it was being issuied that it can't be used for ID purposes and is really just for tax

[Mowser]

Did someone not mention before that they could scan their passport or ID paper to credit card size and laminate it?

[murbisa]

We both had ours copied and certified at the Notary but have had trouble in shops when using a credit card. The fuss at the till in Carrefour was unbelievable so we now caryy passports again

[markwilding]

I've never had a problem using my driving licence as ID in a shop

[Retro P]

Sorry, can't actually answer that but I want to add an extra question to it.
Is it necessary to keep a valid UK passport simply to use for ID in Spain, if it is out of date is it still ok to use?

Wouldn't that make you effectively stateless??

[Beachcomber]

You can thank David Burrage and Peter Woodall for the fiasco over ID cards. These two interfering busybodies who run some kind of 'expat' association stuck their noses in where they weren't wanted with the result that Spain was forced to withdraw the cards for EU foreigners.

They proudly claim this as one of their 'successes' on their web site.

[oliveview01]

You can thank David Burrage and Peter Woodall for the fiasco over ID cards. These two interfering busybodies who run some kind of 'expat' association stuck their noses in where they weren't wanted with the result that Spain was forced to withdraw the cards for EU foreigners.

They proudly claim this as one of their 'successes' on their web site.

How peacefully they must sleep in their beds at night knowing they have moved to a foreign country and got thethe adopted countrys rules changed, all because ´We are British and don´t want ID cards´
My card runs out in December and I only have a small handbag, so don´t want to have to carry my passport about. I liked the ID card

[BENIDORM]

From memory, I've been stopped in Spain three times in twenty years, twice for speeding, once in a road block, they only asked for my passport once, they were more interested in the vehicle papers.
It is wiser to carry your passport, no problems then, and I always leave copies of my passport at home , just in case I lose my passport..I have lost or had my passport stolen several times

I was hoping that id cards would be issued for all British citizens, I can't understand why anyone would be against them , especially now with all of the terrorist activities..

By the way...I've lost count of the times I've been stopped in France, and asked to show my passport, usually roadblocks or motor cycle patrols..I have no problem with that, and I have always been treated with respect...must be my smiley happy face...
Regards,
Gordon...

[frog]

never carried id,been stopped twice by police let me off,once about 8 years ago,once last march

not saying its good advice but i have no room in my handbag

[DavidSearl]

RE: ID CARDS - DAVID SEARL

First, thanks to all for their posts. Markwilding and his policeman friend have it quite right. The law states that everybody, including visiting foreigners, must have in their possession at all times a current identification document. This lets out expired passports. Acceptable documents are only current passports and national identification documents. End of story as the law is written.

As markwilding's policeman goes on to say, what happens in real life depends on the policeman or checkout girl in front of you. If they are happy with your photocopied, plasticized, little card or your driving licence, you got away with it but that is not the law as she is wrote.

With reference to David Burrage and his Expat Association, they campaigned to have Spain put into force EU directives that require "registration" of resident EU foreigners along with the issuing of a "registration document". As a sideline, there is nothing in the EU regulaton which prohibits this "registration certificate" from taking the form of a plastic card with a photograph but Spain has chosen the cheaper and easier course of a paper certificate.

Best Regards, David Searl

[Campo Steve]

"but Spain has chosen the cheaper and easier course of a paper certificate."

Cheaper for the authorities but not, unfortunately, easier for Joe Public!

[Beachcomber]

I can't see the point of that argument. This type of thing is paid for by the end user not the Spanish authorities so it makes not one iota of difference to them. I think most people would prefer to pay €30 or €40 for a plastic card which serves as ID rather than €6, or whatever it is, for a tatty piece of useless paper.

[tarotwoman]

I now have the useless bit of paper instead of the proper laminated ID card, so I have had a reduced, laminated copy of my passport done to carry around with me. I will have to take my chances and smile sweetly if stopped. Apart from the risk of losing your passport or having it stolen, carrying it around constantly will make it look tatty and tatty passports are not acceptable when used for their true purpose ie. entering other countries.

[Bongtrees]

I now have the useless bit of paper instead of the proper laminated ID card, so I have had a reduced, laminated copy of my passport done to carry around with me. I will have to take my chances and smile sweetly if stopped. Apart from the risk of losing your passport or having it stolen, carrying it around constantly will make it look tatty and tatty passports are not acceptable when used for their true purpose ie. entering other countries.

I carry my passport with me at all times, it has a nice black leather cover with gold lettering.

Tatty it aint

[El Cid]

If you choose to carry a copy of your passport, laminated, reduced or otherwise, it is not a valid ID document - it is so easy to produce a "forged" passport on your PC and such an unauthorised copy can be regarded as a forgery.

If you want to have a copy it is essential that you get it certified as a true copy. This can be done at any notary or your local town hall for a couple of Euros at worst.

I have an A4 copy of my passport, driving licence and residency card, on one page, which has been certified at my town hall.

I have a copy in both of our cars in case we are stopped by the Guardia.

For identification in supermarkets when using a credit card, a Spanish driving licence is usually acceptable.

Sid

[markwilding]

I can't see the point of that argument. This type of thing is paid for by the end user not the Spanish authorities so it makes not one iota of difference to them. I think most people would prefer to pay €30 or €40 for a plastic card which serves as ID rather than €6, or whatever it is, for a tatty piece of useless paper.

When i got my son's DNI card last year. it cost about the same as my piece of paper, And it's done on the spot. they have this machine which they put the card and personal info into and a few moments later you have it. they must still have the old cards because the non EU residents still need one.

I sometimes think The Spanish government like to think up complicated solutions for things that could be quite simple
Why did'nt they just change the name of the card to "non compulsory ID card" for those who want and need one", and instead of waiting hours like I had to last time to get one, allow us to make an appointment, as this system is already in place

[spanish_lad]

I have, for 10 years, always carried my passport, everywhere, and every day.
i was often ridiculed and told i didn´t need it.
now everyone is saying that you do ...
how times change.
i´d much rather an id card tho.