The latest update on the Brexit situation in Spain is nothing new but underlines the importance of having your paperwork in order. “The Withdrawal Agreement sets out the terms of the UK’s withdrawal from the EU and provides for a deal on citizens’ rights. You will be covered by the Withdrawal Agreement if you are a UK national lawfully residing in another EU country at the end of the implementation period, on 31 December 2020,” said the latest statement from the British government.
I think the British government in Spain should be congratulated on is its having managed to persuade British citizens living in Spain to get their paperwork in order before the deadline. Their success is clearly underlined by the fact that there are large queues at the Foreigner’s Department in Palma because of the sheer number of Britons who are doing their paperwork.
Officially speaking at the moment there are just 16,000 Britons living legally across the Balearics. We all know that this figure is really much higher and I suspect that when the new population figures are revealed we will see a rise in the number of British residents. This is not because there has been an increase in the number of new British residents rather that those living here are getting legal.
I suspect that as soon as Britain leaves the European Union a by-lateral agreement will be signed with Spain which will safeguard our present rights and privilages in Spain. The Brexit process is coming to an end and those Britons who haven’t got their paperwork in order need to act sooner rather than later.