A British expat who relocated to Spain six months ago has issued a warning to fellow expats about an obscure visa rule. Mark Danby, a vlogger who posts Spanish-themed videos on his YouTube channel ‘Tapas Guy’, has offered a vital piece of advice regarding the intricate Spanish visa system.
In his latest video, titled ‘Things I wish I knew before moving to Spain after 6 months living here’, Mark highlighted a timing snag he encountered during his visa application process, which took approximately three months to arrive. Spain adheres to Schengen area rules, which stipulate specific passport requirements and allow for visa-free travel within the zone for up to 90 days in any 180-day span.
Yet, when Mark’s visa finally arrived, the 90-day window had already passed, and contrary to his belief that possessing a visa would enable him to exit and re-enter Spain, he discovered this was not the case.
Mark explained: “I wish I had known before leaving that after I got my visa, I would not be allowed to leave the country and return. So, what’s all this about?
“Okay, so what happened is, it took me about three months to get my visa, which is obviously about 90 days. So, by the time I had got my visa, I had used up all my 90-day allowance.
“Now, I thought that once I got my visa, that that would not then be a problem. I thought after I had my visa that I would then be able to freely leave the country and return.
“Once again, no. Once you have your visa, that then allows you to apply for your TIE, and it’s your TIE card that allows you back into the country, so having the visa alone is no guarantee of being allowed back into the country.”
A Spanish Foreign Identity Card, known in Spanish as tarjeta de identidad de extranjero (TIE, which translates as foreigner identity card), proves an individual’s legal status as a foreigner in Spain. It’s required by those who have a visa that lets them stay for longer than six months.
However, Mark claims that obtaining a TIE can take “months and months and months”, meaning there’s a gap between getting your visa and securing your TIE, which can take “three or four months very easily”.
He pointed out that during this period, one might have “used up” their 90 days, so “technically” they wouldn’t be permitted to exit and re-enter the country.
Nevertheless, Mark revealed a potential solution to this predicament through a form known as a “Regreso”. He also mentioned that acquiring this can be “very difficult”, especially before your initial TIE appointment.
He said once this has occurred, it becomes a “lot more simple”, but also claimed that during the period between getting your visa and then applying for your TIE and getting your first appointment, it’s “almost impossible to get a Regreso form”.
Mark stressed that people should ensure they don’t fall foul of this, not leaving the country and attempting to return to Spain in the period between getting their visa and getting their TIE card if over the 90 days.
For more Spanish travel advice, visit the GOV website here.