Post-Brexit resident permits in France, Italy, and Spain

Expats in France, Italy, and Spain: All the Details on New Residence Requirements After Brexit.

After the UK leaves the EU, British people living abroad will need to make sure they have the right papers to prove they live there.

It was discovered last week that a British citizen living in Denmark failed to register his residency after Brexit by the deadline. He will now be sent home.

Even though a lot of Brits who live in the EU find the information about their legal status to be confusing, you still have to follow the rules.

Here's what you need to know about residence permits in different EU countries after Brexit and what you risk if you haven't applied for yours yet.

When the UK voted to leave the EU, there were about 1.3 million Brits living in the bloc.

Under the so-called "Withdrawal Agreement," the British government has said that UK citizens who lived in an EU country before January 1, 2021, will "continue to have mostly the same rights to live, work, study, and get benefits and services as before Brexit."

But in some EU countries, people from the UK had to reapply or renew their residency.

How can British people legally live in Denmark?

People from the UK who lived in Denmark before December 31, 2020, had to register for a new status as a resident by December 31, 2021.

The Danish government says it has received 290 late applications for the residence permit that will be needed after Brexit.

Since these are still being looked into, more people from the UK could lose their right to live in Denmark.

Brits need to get a new residency card to stay in France.
For people from the UK, the rules in France are similar to those in Denmark.

Before December 30, 2020, Brits who were living in the country had to apply for a residency card called a "carte de séjour."

The original date by which the application had to be sent in was June 30, 2021.

Because of the high demand and COVID rules, the French government then pushed the deadline back to September 30, 2021.

If you haven't asked for a residency card yet, the French government will think you are living there illegally.

The application portal is no longer open, but the best thing to do is go to your local préfecture with proof that you will live in France before 2021.

The government says that late applications may be accepted if there were good reasons why you couldn't apply on time, like being sick.

Do Brits have to reapply to live in Sweden?
Just like in Denmark, UK citizens had until December 31, 2021, to reapply for residency status in Sweden.

But the Swedish government says it can "accept a request for residence status that came in after" this date.

The agency also says that Brits with permanent residence permits can still live in Sweden after the deadline.

Those who have a temporary residence permit may need to apply for a work permit.

Do people from the UK need a residency card in Spain?
Before the end of 2020, people from the UK who lived in Spain did not have to change their residency status.

There is a new non-EU residency card, but you don't have to get it, and the permit you had before 2021 is still valid.

But Spain has had trouble with British people who don't have residency but try to stay in the country.

Some of them have been told to leave the country, while others have been told to apply for a non-EU residency visa.

How does the biometric residency card help people in Italy?
Like Spain, Italy has not required UK citizens living in the country before the end of 2020 to get a "carta di soggiorno" residency card after Brexit.

The card is not required as long as you have proof of residency before Brexit.

But the British Embassy in Italy told Brits to get the card because it's the easiest way to show that you have rights.

Since the card is biometric, people who have it may be able to save time next year when they enter the EU.

Under the new Entry-Exit System, high-tech barriers will be put up at borders in 2023 to get more information from people from outside the EU who are entering the bloc.

Changes are likely to take a long time, but people with residency cards should not have to go through the checks.

Do British people need to reapply for residency in Germany?
Brits who lived in Germany before 2021 do not need to apply for a residency card there either.

Your rights still stand, and you don't need to change your status as a resident.

But the government suggests getting the card to make it easier to get in and out of the country.