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How UK Armed Forces veterans can get help with residency in Spain

Age in Spain is reaching out to Spain-based UK Armed Forces veterans (of all ages) and their families, dependents and carers to offer free help with the Spanish residency process post-Brexit. Here's how they can assist.

How UK Armed Forces veterans can get help with residency in Spain
A British soldier at the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst in Camberley, southwest of London. Photo: Brendan Smialowski/AFP

UK veterans and/or their family members living anywhere in Spain (and whatever their age) can contact Age in Spain for information and varying levels of support – according to their residency needs.

“As Patron of the Royal British Legion in Spain, I am committed to making sure that veterans living here get the support they deserve,” British Ambassador to Spain Hugh Elliott said.

“Therefore, if any veterans of the UK´s Armed Forces, or their family members, living in Spain are struggling with the residency process, I encourage them to access the free support available from Age in Spain, Babelia and IOM who the British government has helped fund so that they can provide the help to those who need it most, supporting them to continue their lives in Spain.”

“It is important to remember that, as with other UK Nationals, Veterans who were legally living in Spain before December 31st 2020 can apply for residency under the conditions of the Withdrawal Agreement, even if they have not yet started the process,” writes Age in Spain.

“Theres still time.”

Veterans and their families can contact the Age in Spain Residency Helpline on: +34 932 20 97 41 or email [email protected]

READ ALSO:

BREXIT: When is the deadline for Brits to apply for residency in Spain?

Why some residency applications by Britons in Spain are rejected (and how to appeal)

Commenting on the importance of reaching Armed Forces veterans, Age in Spain Director, Helen Weir, said: “There is a special sense of achievement when we help someone who is a veteran of the UK’s Armed Forces. Partly that’s because of Age in Spain’s longstanding relationship with the network of great services organisations and with individual veterans in Spain and in the UK.

“But there’s also the sense of privilege when it’s our turn to serve, sometimes in very little ways, people who served us – sometimes in unimaginably important ways.”

How Age in Spain helps Armed Forces veterans with obtaining residency in Spain

One example of how the Age in Spain residency helpline recently helped an Armed Forces veteran’s family is the following:

“John (name changed) phoned the Age in Spain Residency Helpline to ask for help as he was the full-time carer for his disabled mother, who had been resident in Spain for 20 years but Jonny needed to start his own residency process.

“He had previously not seen himself as resident but only his mum´s carer but the end of the transition process made it clear that he needed to act to secure his rights.

“He was worried as he did not seem to meet the criteria as he was an informal unpaid carer with no salary.

“Age in Spain discussed John’ss options for residency with him and he has now requested all his documentation, opened a bank account and is progressing with his residency application with confidence on how to meet the criteria.”

Which organisations are offering help to Britons with registering in Spain?

Age in Spain is one of three organisations delivering the United Kingdom Nationals Support Fund (UKNSF) in Spain.

The UK Government recently announced it was extending its support for potentially at-risk groups including pensioners, disabled people and those with language difficulties who live in Spain by continuing the activity of the UK Nationals Support Fund (UKNSF) and supplementing it with an additional £1 million.

In Spain, the UKNSF is delivered by Age in Spain, Babelia and IOM.

Age in Spain is the acting as the point of contact for Armed Forces veterans who need help with residency from anywhere in Spain.

For the general UK National population , Age in Spain supports people living in Aragon, Asturias, Balearics, Basque Country (Pais Vasco), Canary Islands, Cantabria, Catalonia, Galicia, La Rioja, Navarra).

·       Age in Spain website

·       email: [email protected]/[email protected]

·       Age in Spain contact form

·       helpline: +34 932 20 97 41 available Mon to Fri, 9am to 6pm

Member comments

  1. Don’t enjoy too much of that real strong sun in that area of the world. Luke’s book 12 and 14 forsake everything, and everybody, and your life 4 Him.
    Matthew’s 5-7 work for Me, never for money, then I’ll give you the food and clothes.
    Mark’s 16 share the Truth to everyone.
    John’s 17 work together, to show love.
    Do not take the Mark of the Beast; right hand or forehead, only way to buy or sell (not a mask or vaccine, but could be a quantum implant or tattoo thing). The Revelation 13 + 14.
    USA maybe the Babylon, to be destroyed with fire in 1 hour. Revelation 17 + 18.

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TRAVEL NEWS

EES: Could the launch of Europe’s new border system be delayed again?

After being postponed several times already Europe's new biometric Entry/Exit border system (EES) is set to be rolled out in October, but with fears of lengthy queues, problems with a new app and demands for more time, could it be postponed again?

EES: Could the launch of Europe's new border system be delayed again?

Could the entry into operation of the EU entry/exit system (EES), the new biometric passport checks for non-EU citizens at the Schengen area’s external borders, be delayed yet again?

Originally planned for May 2022, EES has already been postponed many times.

The current launch date, set for October 2024, was chosen to avoid periods of peak traffic and France in particular had requested to avoid it being launched until after the Paris Olympics this summer.

When asked to confirm the October start date this week a spokesperson for the EU’s Commission told The Local that the “roadmap” for the EES IT system foresees it will be ready for Autumn 2024. But the actual start date, in other words, the day when passengers will have to register, would be confirmed nearer the time.

The spokesperson said: “The exact date will be determined by the European Commission and announced on the EES official website well in time for the start of operations.”

READ ALSO: Your key questions answered about Europe’s new EES passport checks

But the reasons are adding up to suggest an October start date is optimistic, perhaps even unlikely.

In the annual report on the ‘State of Schengen’ published last week, the European Commission spelt out that severe challenges remain if member states are to be ready on time.

“In 2023, efforts to ensure the entry into operation of the Entry-Exit System in the autumn of 2024 were accelerated… While important progress has been made across the Schengen area, some Member States are still falling behind, notably regarding the effective equipment of border crossing points. The Commission calls on all Member States to urgently accelerate preparations to ensure the timely implementation of the system…”

A map in the report shows that preparation is still “in progress” in 13 Schengen area countries, including Germany, Norway and Switzerland. “Outstanding issues” still impact Portugal, Malta and Bulgaria.

The state of play for the preparations for EES across EU and Schengen states. Image: European Commission.

There are also reports that EU heavyweight Germany is trying to persuade Brussels to delay.

Matthias Monroy, editor of the German civil rights journal Bürgerrechte & Polizei/CILIP claimed on his website that “the German government is lobbying in Brussels to postpone the date once again, as otherwise the German tests of the EES cannot be completed in full. Other EU countries are also behind schedule, with only eight of them having reported successful integration.”

Even on a French government website it talks of EES being rolled out some time “between the end of 2024 and 2025” rather than stating October 2024.

And according to recent media reports, French airports have been advised to be ready for November 6th, rather than October. 

READ ALSO: EES and Etias – what are the big upcoming travel changes in Europe?

A planned EU app, believed to be essential to the smooth operation of EES because it would allow non-EU visitors to register in advance of travel will not be ready, Gwendoline Cazenave, Managing Director of Eurostar International, the company operating train services via the Channel Tunnel, has told the BBC. The EU however insists the app does not need to be up and running before EES is introduced.

In the UK, which will be heavily impacted by EES due to the fact it is no longer in the EU and so British travellers are no longer EU citizens, the House of Commons European scrutiny committee is conducting an inquiry on the potential disruption the introduction of the EES will cause at the border.

Several respondents have recently raised the alarm about the possible delays the system could cause, especially at the UK-France border, which is used by millions of passengers each year who head to France and other countries across Europe.

Ashford Borough Council in Kent has warned of the possibility of more than 14 hours queues to reach the Port of Dover, which has already been struggling increased checked after Brexit.

The BBC reported that back in March, a P&O Ferries director said the IT system should be delayed again.

Airlines have also complained about the fact pre-travel EES requirements would make last minute bookings impossible.

The Union des Aéroports Français (UAF), which represents airports in France, has simply said more time is needed.

In other words, it would be little surprise if the roll out was delayed again beyond October 2024.

But the Commission spokesperson told The Local that “the timeline for the entry into operation of the EES took into account all the necessary activities to be performed by all relevant stakeholders to ensure a timely entry into operation. 

“The Commission is working very closely with eu-Lisa [the EU agency in charge of the IT system], the Member States and carriers to ensure that everything is ready for the timely and successful launch of the Entry Exit System.

“The roadmap for the delivery of the new IT architecture foresees that the Entry/Exit system will be ready to enter into operation in Autumn 2024.”

New digital border

The EES is a digital system to register travellers from non-EU countries when they cross a border in or out of the Schengen area, the travel-free area. It will be deployed in 29 countries across Europe including 25 EU states plus Norway, Switzerland, Iceland and Liechtenstein. Ireland and Cyprus are the only EU members who won’t apply the EES system.

It doesn’t apply to non-EU nationals who are legally resident in an EU/Schengen area country or those with dual nationality of an EU /Schengen county. The system was designed to increase security and to ensure that non-EU nationals visiting the Schengen area short-term do not stay more than 90 days in any 180-day period.

Instead of having the passport stamped, travellers will have to scan it at self-service kiosks before crossing the border. However, fingerprints and a photo will have to be registered in front of a guard at the first crossing and there are huge concerns the extra time needed could generate long queues in the UK, where there are juxtaposed border checks with the EU.

Preparations are ongoing throughout Europe and some countries have made good progress.

In France, Getlink, the operator of the Channel Tunnel, has recently reported that new EES infrastructure is finished at its French terminal of Coquelles, which will allow travellers to register their biometric data while travelling.

Eurostar is also installing 49 kiosks in stations for the registration of passengers. But the Union des Aéroports Français (UAF), which represents airports in France, said more time is needed.

Exempted

Meanwhile, the Polish government has urged UK citizens who are beneficiaries of the EU-UK Withdrawal Agreement to get a residence permit “in the context of EES/ETIAS”, even though there was not such an obligation to stay legally in Poland post-Brexit.

“Having such a document is beneficial as it will exempt from future Entry/Exit System (EES) registration when crossing external borders and from the need to obtain an ETIAS travel permit in relation to short-term travel to EU/Schengen countries,” the government page says.

This article as published in collaboration with Europe Street news.

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