Spanish Police Investigate Brits Using Fake Documents To Get Residency Post-Brexit
Spain News
Published: 26 May 2022 18:06 CET
One Brit has been arrested with another three under investigation for forging documents to allow them to stay in Spain post-Brexit.
Police officers nabbed one of the suspects on the island of Tenerife in the Canaries with another three under investigation for forgery.
It is believed that all four of the suspects who live in Southern Tenerife had doctored their Padron certificates, the local census document which is issued by the town hall and provides proof of residency.
Investigators claim that the four had modified the dates on the certificates to before the end of the Brexit transition period so they would be covered by the Withdrawal Agreement.
Under the Withdrawal Agreement which was thrashed out between the UK, Spain and the EU, any British nationals living in Spain before December 31, 2020, would not need to go through the official channels and apply for residency.
Being covered by the agreement makes the whole residency process a lot easier and grants Brits more rights. One advantage of being covered under the agreement is that they do not need to provide proof of income and savings which is currently a requirement for anyone from outside of the EU applying for residency post-Brexit.
Any Brits arriving in Spain after January 1, 2021, who were not covered by the agreement would need to go through the official residency process which has to be undertaken by all non-EU nationals. A process that many British nationals would rather avoid due to their ignorance of the Spanish administration process, which can at times be difficult to navigate. The language barrier is also an obstacle for many Brits.
The British Embassy in Spain which is based in Madrid, warned expats back in November 2021 saying, “The Spanish authorities have asked us to warn UK Nationals against submitting fraudulent residency applications, either directly or through a third party.
“They are particularly on the alert for forged healthcare insurance, padrón certificates and lease contracts, as well as people falsely claiming student status.
“Of course, this only applies to a very small minority, but it is useful as a reminder that if you are using a gestor, do make sure they are as reputable as possible.
“We recommend using the online database of registered gestores [on our website] or asking for personal recommendations from people you trust.
“And if you are submitting your application yourself it is important to provide as much documentation as possible to avoid being turned down for lack of evidence of having moved to Spain before 1 January 2021.”
It is unknown if there are many more Brits taking this route to gain legal residency in Spain, however, the Spanish police have not ruled out further arrests as a result of their ongoing investigation.
Source
https://www.mirror.co.uk/news/world-news/brit-arrested-canary-islands-over-27069861
https://www.thelocal.es/20220525/britons-investigated-for-using-fake-documents-to-stay-in-spain-after-brexit/
