British citizens living in Spain were urged to take action immediately following a significant update from the British Embassy in Madrid. The embassy has confirmed that the old Green Residency Certificate is not valid for travelers when implemented using the EU's Entry Exit System (EES).
The automated EE, designed to streamline border checks across the European Union, was originally scheduled to be released early, but is now behind in early 2027. Despite the postponement, British residents of Spain are highly recommended to replace an outdated green paper certificate (Tarjeta de Identidad de Extranjero) to avoid future travel disasters.
The British Embassy warns that anyone attempting to enter Spain or another EU country with a green certificate could face serious problems.
“People who attempt to enter Spain or another EU country with a certificate of Spain or Green may discover that their documents are not accepted as valid evidence of residence and may be falsely accused of overstaying in the EU,” the embassy said.
Without a valid Thai card, UK residents may be denied entry and sent back to the UK.
The embassy has reiterated that it is the only way that British citizens resident in Spain can register with the EE and exempt them from traveling smoothly across the Spanish-EU border.
The deadline for EES implementation has been extended, but it remains high for British foreigners to make the transition to tie urgently. Once operational, EES collects biometric data from travelers, including face images and fingerprints already featured on Spanish Thai cards.
The Council of Europe highlights the benefits of the EES, saying that border security agencies across the EU will have access to traveler data and travel history.
The system is designed to comply with approved lengths of stay in countries in the Schengen region, including Spain.
“As a result, EES will significantly reduce the likelihood of identity fraud and overstaying and strengthen the security of the Schengen region,” the council added.
British foreigners are advised to begin the process of obtaining their tie cards as soon as possible to avoid complications when the EES is finally enforced.
