https://feeds.thelocal.com/ Read the latest news and views from Spain in English en-us news@thelocal.com (TheLocal) webmaster@thelocal.com (TheLocal) TheLocal RSS Feed Scores of UK nationals attempting to renew their Brexit-proof TIE Spanish residency cards before they expire continue to be told by Spanish police to wait until after the expiration date even though the law states they can renew before then. https://www.thelocal.es/20260504/brits-in-spain-rejected-when-renewing-residency-cards-before-expiry Mon, 04 May 2026 14:24:03 +0200 brits-in-spain-rejected-when-renewing-residency-cards-before-expiry If you're a non-resident in Spain, there are certain services and rights you will have access to and others that you won't. Read on if you're on the fence about whether you should become a Spanish resident or remain a non-resident. https://www.thelocal.es/20250520/what-you-can-and-cannot-do-as-a-non-resident-in-spain Tue, 20 May 2025 10:22:08 +0200 what-you-can-and-cannot-do-as-a-non-resident-in-spain Immigration campaigners have warned that undocumented migrants wanting to regularise their legal status, as part of Spain's migration amnesty, are facing an increased number of scammers when trying to book appointments. https://www.thelocal.es/20260416/spains-cita-previa-scams-grow-ahead-of-mass-regularisation-process Thu, 16 Apr 2026 11:54:44 +0200 spains-cita-previa-scams-grow-ahead-of-mass-regularisation-process Does a change of address within Spain mean that you’re legally obligated to get a duplicate of your TIE residency card for non-EU citizens? Here’s what the law says. https://www.thelocal.es/20251229/do-i-need-to-get-a-new-tie-residency-card-if-i-change-address-in-spain Mon, 29 Dec 2025 11:05:57 +0100 do-i-need-to-get-a-new-tie-residency-card-if-i-change-address-in-spain Bureaucratic backlogs and rule changes on residency rights are having an increasing impact on the lives of foreigners living around Europe. Many say they have been left in legal limbo with their lives effectively on hold. https://www.thelocal.es/20260411/a-nightmare-lives-of-foreigners-across-europe-hit-by-residency-card-delays Sat, 11 Apr 2026 11:53:39 +0200 a-nightmare-lives-of-foreigners-across-europe-hit-by-residency-card-delays If you're an EU/EEA/Swiss citizen living in Spain you will probably have a green residency card or certificate. But do these documents ever expire? And do you need to renew them? https://www.thelocal.es/20260325/do-spains-green-residency-certificates-for-eu-nationals-expire Wed, 25 Mar 2026 13:04:35 +0100 do-spains-green-residency-certificates-for-eu-nationals-expire Need to get a duplicate TIE card in Spain because you've lost the document or your wallet has been stolen? How about if you've changed address in Spain? Here's how to apply and why this process differs from renewing your card. https://www.thelocal.es/20260309/how-to-get-a-duplicate-tie-residency-card-in-spain-if-its-lost-or-stolen Mon, 09 Mar 2026 15:21:58 +0100 how-to-get-a-duplicate-tie-residency-card-in-spain-if-its-lost-or-stolen Certain countries across Europe demand foreign citizens pass a language test to qualify for certain residency permits. But how does each country compare and what level of language do they require? https://www.thelocal.es/20260307/which-countries-in-europe-impose-language-tests-for-residency-permits Sat, 07 Mar 2026 10:36:10 +0100 which-countries-in-europe-impose-language-tests-for-residency-permits If you're leaving Spain for good or for a long period of time, then you will need to make sure that you deregister before you leave, essentially giving up or renouncing your Spanish residency. Here's how to do it. https://www.thelocal.es/20220408/reader-question-how-do-i-deregister-my-spanish-residency Fri, 08 Apr 2022 08:26:18 +0200 reader-question-how-do-i-deregister-my-spanish-residency Tens of thousands of applications for Spanish residency and work permits have been put on hold due to a failure in the computer system used to check whether the applicant has a criminal record or not. https://www.thelocal.es/20260211/it-glitch-causes-residency-permit-delays-for-150000-foreigners-in-spain Wed, 11 Feb 2026 12:54:17 +0100 it-glitch-causes-residency-permit-delays-for-150000-foreigners-in-spain The Local has spoken to two lawyers to find out if the new decree promising to give the legal right to work and reside in Spain to 500,000 undocumented migrants could apply to 'under-the-radar' Brits in Spain who never registered as residents. https://www.thelocal.es/20260203/can-undocumented-brits-in-spain-get-residency-under-new-regularisation Tue, 03 Feb 2026 12:11:27 +0100 can-undocumented-brits-in-spain-get-residency-under-new-regularisation What happens when a non-EU national residing in Spain has travel plans but their TIE card has expired already, is due to expire while they're out of the country or expires soon after returning? What steps should they take in each scenario? https://www.thelocal.es/20260206/how-to-travel-back-to-spain-on-an-expired-or-soon-to-be-expired-residency-card Fri, 06 Feb 2026 11:36:15 +0100 how-to-travel-back-to-spain-on-an-expired-or-soon-to-be-expired-residency-card The EU hands out thousands of Blue Cards to highly-skilled third country nationals each year, according to the latest figures. But which nationalities receive the most and which EU country gives out the most? https://www.thelocal.es/20260204/which-nationalities-get-the-most-eu-blue-cards-and-where-do-they-go Wed, 04 Feb 2026 12:56:51 +0100 which-nationalities-get-the-most-eu-blue-cards-and-where-do-they-go The Local Spain's reporter Esme Fox goes over the trials and tribulations of renewing her TIE residency card in Spain, comparing her experiences to that of other foreigners who've faced issues and contradictory information from immigration officials. https://www.thelocal.es/20260128/reporters-insights-it-took-three-appointments-to-get-my-tie-card-renewed-in-spain Wed, 28 Jan 2026 12:50:05 +0100 reporters-insights-it-took-three-appointments-to-get-my-tie-card-renewed-in-spain Unions have warned that Spain's proposed regularisation of over 500,000 undocumented migrants could "collapse" immigration offices in the country, something likely to have a knock-on effect and hinder processing times overall for foreigners. https://www.thelocal.es/20260130/why-spanish-residency-processing-times-could-be-even-longer-in-2026 Fri, 30 Jan 2026 09:45:30 +0100 why-spanish-residency-processing-times-could-be-even-longer-in-2026 Spain's government approved a decree on Tuesday which will see more than 500,000 undocumented migrants given the right to work and reside legally in the country. Here are all the details, from the requirements, to the residency card they'll get and more. https://www.thelocal.es/20260127/qa-how-spain-will-give-residency-to-half-a-million-undocumented-migrants Tue, 27 Jan 2026 17:06:18 +0100 qa-how-spain-will-give-residency-to-half-a-million-undocumented-migrants Being born in Spain gives you the life-long right to apply for Spanish nationality after a year of residency, but if you’re a foreigner who left Spain as a child or later, do you also have the automatic right to move back to the country? https://www.thelocal.es/20231214/does-being-born-in-spain-give-me-spanish-residency-rights-for-life Thu, 14 Dec 2023 18:01:10 +0100 does-being-born-in-spain-give-me-spanish-residency-rights-for-life Changes to entry rules to Spain, higher financial requirements for Spain's main visas, tens of thousands to get new residency documents and Spanish citizenship - there are lots of changes in store for foreigners in Spain next year. https://www.thelocal.es/20251223/listed-visa-residency-and-citizenship-changes-in-spain-in-2026 Tue, 23 Dec 2025 13:01:19 +0100 listed-visa-residency-and-citizenship-changes-in-spain-in-2026 It’s been five years since the end of the post-Brexit transition period and for many British citizens living in the EU this means 2026 will be the time to upgrade to a permanent residence card. But what happens if you forget or leave it late to apply? https://www.thelocal.es/20260102/dont-miss-out-why-brits-in-europe-should-upgrade-their-post-brexit-residence-permits Fri, 02 Jan 2026 11:23:16 +0100 dont-miss-out-why-brits-in-europe-should-upgrade-their-post-brexit-residence-permits The Spanish government is considering implementing a new system to prevent criminal groups from selling immigration office appointments to desperate foreigners. https://www.thelocal.es/20251229/spain-eyes-new-way-for-foreigners-to-avoid-cita-previa-appointment-scam Mon, 29 Dec 2025 14:40:24 +0100 spain-eyes-new-way-for-foreigners-to-avoid-cita-previa-appointment-scam