Spain has finally issued a press release announcing the end of residence cards for European Union Citizens. 

The new decree established requirement for British Nationals and other EU Citizens planning to reside in Spain to register with Spanish Authorities. A royal decree 240/2007 approved on 16th February 2007 by the Spanish Council of Ministers establishes that from 28th March 2007, European Union Citizens will no longer be issued with Residence Cards.  However, the new decree requires all EU Citizens planning to reside in Spain for more than 3 months to register in person at the Foreigners Office (Oficina de Extranjeros) in their province of residence or at designated Police Stations. They will be issued a certificate stating their name, address, nationality, identity number and date of registration. 

Those EU Citizens in Spain who already have Residence Cards will not need to re-register until their Residence Card expires upon which they will be issued with a certificate.  The British Consular Services recommend British Citizens in Spain to always carry with them some proof of identity. 

Royal Decree 240/2007 is a transposition of European Directive 2004/38/EC to Spanish Legislation. The agreed procedure dictates that the Decree must now have to go to EU justice commission for approval to ensure that it meets with all the requirements, as set out in the original EU directive 2004/38.EC.  Further information is awaited as to the exact details and methods to be employed to register union citizens in order to secure other additional rights, as set out in the EU Directive. Those EU citizens, together with certain close family members, who have already been living in Spain legally for 5 years, will now acquire more rights, plus a permanent right to residence. 

More information on the new requirements will be available on Spanish Ministry of Interiors Website www.mir.es in due course.  Working closely with the consular services, the Spanish ID, known as the documento national de identidad (DNI) is compulsory at age 14 but can be issued before if necessary (to travel to other European countries, for example).  By law, it has to be carried at all times and it is routinely used for identification purposes and is often photocopied by private and public bureaux.  Credit card purchases cannot be made without showing this ID, it is due to be replaced by an electronic DNI.