The coronavirus has pushed Brexit on to the back burner but obviously the process is still going ahead and there will be changes for British citizens in the Balearics in the near future.
A new residence card will be issued for British citizens, possibly this year, replacing the so-called green certificate which is issued only to citizens of the European Union. But that is in the future and the Foreign Office in Spain is continuing to advise British citizens to get registered and become a resident. British ambassador, Hugh Elliott and Consul General Lloyd Milen, both stressed this residency point in an interview with the Bulletin yesterday.
The ambassador said that the process to change your residence permit from the green certificate to the new residence permit would be like renewing your driving licence and he indicated that he foresaw few problems with the process. The Spanish Foreigner´s Department has now reopened again and British citizens can book an appointment, a move which was welcomed yesterday by British Consul General, Lloyd Milen. Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez said that he wants British citizens to “feel at ease and at home” after the Brexit process. Issuing new residency permits to more than 300,000 British citizens living in Spain will be a long process but the Spanish government has said that they will be recruiting more staff at Foreigner´s Departments across the country. Interesting times.