New style documentation

Decided to visit Cartagena Police last week, to renew our NIE´s. Got there around 10am, to the sight of many, many, people, to eventually be told to return  the following morning at 8.30am to obtain a numbered ticket.

We decided to arrive a bit earlier next day, 7.30am, to find just as many people. Then asked to form a new queue, as we were Communitario as opposed to non.

It was very cold, around 3 deg.C. Eventually got issued with tickets as No. 1 & 2 but had to fill out two forms, in the bitter cold, plus it started to get windy, as well. We somehow managed to get the forms filled in, albeit a bit "scribbly".

We were given permission to enter the portals around 9.10am, SHANGRILA warmth.

Sat in rows of seats and thawed out until our numbers were called, upon which we passed through a dividing wall to a line of desks. The first person requested 6.25 Euro from each of us, before passing us on down to another desk.

We were asked for a modern picture, our fingerprints were taken, THEN, THEN, my prized NIE card had the corner cut off before it was returned to me!!

I was then issued with an A4 sheet of paper on which my personal details were printed and told that in future I must carry my passport and the paper at all times!!

The only positive aspect is that the document has no renewal date, we were told.

I feel I have become an outcast extranjero and lost part of my "Spanishness".

I am at a loss to know why the powers that be have decided on this new method of ID?

I can only hope that when constant requests for renewal of the flimsy A4 paper are made, they may revert to the card again?

Don't you mean your Residencia Pilgrim  

   Pilgrim you do not have to renew your NIE number, not that I know of anyway, the cold must be getting to you.   Pat

Hi Pilgrim,

I also think it was your resedencia you renewed. We went through the same thing about a year ago. Still carry my old card though and use that even if it is out of date. At least the new paper resedencia does not need to be renewed every 5 years.

Jean

Sorry if I gave the wrong impression. Of course it was my Residencia, confirmed by the paper they gave me.

It was the loss of the card with my NIE showing rather than the grotty piece of paper!!

I am in fact, also using a previous card at supermarkets, etc. with no problem, so far.

This is all rather like the stupid (in my opinion) UK driving licence. That too became a card and a piece of paper that had to be carried with the plastic to be legal.

I only wish the powers that be would consider the implications before they make these sweeping changes!

Or maybe I am making a mountain out of a molehill? I still think España is magic and have no desire to live anywhere else.

It is, for once, nothing to do with Spain, per sé. It is all because of some twits in Brussels, who never actually venture in to the real world, just carry on a virtual existence, making rules and regulations that are totally impractical and often nigh on impossible to implement. No EU member state is allowed to oblige a citizen of another member to take out ID in their new country of residence, hence the scrapping of ID cards for us. They can, it seems, still oblige us to register as residents, hence the useless piece of green paper you are now the proud possesor of. If you were German, say, you would still have your German ID card which would be perfectly satisfactory. But since Brits do not, as yet, have ID cards, passport it is.

If you wish to feel more "Spanishness", once you have been resident for (I think) five consecutive years, you can apply for Citizenship. And the bonus is, a Spanish passport is a lot cheaper to renew than a British one - plus you don't have to go to Madrid to do it!

Thank you for your input Roberto. Your explanation makes very good sense. Those jobsworthies live on a different planet. As you say, they have no idea of the real world. Cloistered in their environments, with no real experience of day to day life.

Yes, I have a plan!! On the 9th of this month, I will have been resident in Spain for five consecutive years.

I did know I could apply for citizenship and intend to do so. Even better to have a DNI card, in my opinion.

¡Olé!

Pilgrim

It's part of a cunning plan  plan to stop the importation of "Jellied Eels" into Spain

F

Can we please stop mentioning my favourite combination food, or even part of it, I keep dribbling on my keyboard??