Questions
What British and other non-EU citizens ask us
British residents since Brexit, retirees from further afield, remote workers on a third-country passport: your route runs through a visa and a card. These are the questions we are asked most.
I am British. Am I EU or non-EU for these procedures?
Non-EU, since the end of the Brexit transition. If you lived in Spain before 2021, the Withdrawal Agreement protects your residence and you hold, or can obtain, a TIE that says so. If you arrive now, any long stay needs a visa.
NIE and TIE are one letter apart. What separates them?
One is a reference, the other a piece of plastic. The card carries the reference, your photo and your type of residence, and it is only issued once a visa or authorisation has been granted.
Where do I give my fingerprints on Tenerife?
At a police office that lists TIE issue. Between the two main offices of the island, that is Santa Cruz, on Calle Ramón Pérez de Ayala; the south office in Adeje does not list it.
I want to retire on the island. Where do I start?
At the Spanish consulate in your country, with the non-lucrative residence visa: proof of means, private health insurance and the other documents it asks for. The TIE follows on Tenerife.
Can I get a NIE before I move?
Yes, as a non-resident with form EX-15, at a Spanish consulate or at a police office on the island, if you have a reason such as a purchase. It does not give you residence.
Can I buy property to obtain residence?
Not any more: the golden visa was abolished in 2025. Owning a home gives no right to live on the island; a visa or an authorisation does.
My TIE expires while I am abroad. What happens?
Start the renewal before the expiry date. If you have to travel while it is in progress, ask for an autorización de regreso (return authorisation), which the Santa Cruz office lists.
Request help
Your question is not here?
Write it in the form with your town and nationality: we reply by email with the answer for your case, and the next step if there is one.
- North or south: we check which office takes your procedure.
- EX-15, EX-18, EX-17 or EX-19, prepared for your case.
- Plain English with you, the right Spanish on the forms.