The initiative affects UK citizens who have now completed five years of continuous legal residence in Spain following the UK’s departure from the European Union. Those eligible can exchange their temporary Withdrawal Agreement residence card for a permanent version, confirming their long-term residency rights.

Spanish authorities say the new cards provide updated documentation reflecting permanent resident status under the Withdrawal Agreement and are intended to make future administrative procedures easier.

The process does not change residents’ existing rights but serves as an administrative update for those who have reached the five-year residency milestone.

To qualify, applicants must be able to demonstrate five years of uninterrupted legal residence in Spain. As part of the application, residents may be asked to provide supporting documentation such as proof of address, identity documents and evidence of continuous residence.

The move forms part of Spain’s ongoing implementation of the UK’s Withdrawal Agreement with the European Union, which protects the residency rights of British citizens who were legally living in Spain before Brexit took effect.

Officials have encouraged eligible residents to check their current documentation and apply for the updated card once they become eligible, helping ensure their residency records remain current.

The new permanent card offers greater certainty for long-term residents while confirming the rights already granted under the post-Brexit agreement between the UK and the EU.