The UK has voted to leave the EU leaving many British residents in Spain are wondering what it means for them. The UK Government has just launched a new webpage to help British Nationals through this time.
If you are a British National living and working in Spain you have no doubt been wondering what it will mean for you and what effects it will have on your lifestyle.
The first point is that the UK is still a full member of the EU and will remain so for at least 2 years whilst the process of negotiating the separation is undertaken. During that time your rights of travel, healthcare and pensions etc. will remain absolutely unchanged.
The British Government has set up a webpage to give guidance to British ex-pats over the time of the change and this will provide useful information for those concerned for the future. There is reassurance that the Government wants to protect the legal rights of British Nationals living in Europs and equally those of EU residents living in the UK. There are vested interests on both sides here and it is unlikely that either side will see any great change in their living arrangements.
The website includes links to information on all aspects of living in the EU and will be a useful point of reference.
So far as the Spanish GOvernment is concerned it is already being said that Spain values its British residents and its relationship with British holiday makers and property buyers too much to want to see that relationship diminished.
The UK Government website also includes information amount dual citizenship although at this time Spain does not permit dual Spanish / British citizenship. The UK does allow dual citizenship although to date Spain does not allow Dual British/Spanish citizenship. There is however a petition, which has been launched on Change.org, which is asking the Spanish Government to agree Dual Citizenship rights for British Nationals living in Spain, just as they have done for many South American countries and indeed in 2015 dual nationality rights were granted for the Sephardic Jews.
There are no doubt twists and turns to come on the Brexit road but the general feeling is that one way or another Brits living in Spain will not see too much change to their lifestyle.
