I have just joined,not sure if this is the correct forum to be on as an ex-WRAF.But I am currently in Spain,had a business here & retired & stayed.But after 35 years have thrown in the towel & relocating back to Scotland shortly.Like thousands of ex-pats.living in an EU country we have had to take the brunt of the Brexit debacle despite being deprived of a vote in the referendum.We were assured that "nothing would change" as we had a permanent recidencia(ID card).Hollow laugh,every week it seems some new regulation means a shift in our status.For sometime we have been aware that the Continentals regard us as untrustworthy at best .I live in a small town of mostly Scandinavian with also Dutch & German Nationals who are polite to our face but the general feeling is "good riddance".The latest ourcry with us Brits.is the closure of Bank accounts held in UK where many have their pensions rather than converting it into euros at the ever changing currency rate,& this week the cancellation of our Health cards.We will need to apply for a new one despite mine which states it is valid for several more years.Also that"permanent" ID has to be changed to one that states we are"from a non-EU member country".In fact rather like stateless persons since we shall have no-one to fight our case if we have a grievance.That is apart from the British Embassy or Consulate,another hollow laugh from me.Ask that poor lady stuck in Iran because of big mouth Boris.I know I am an old cynic but do people in UK really believe that the (dis)United Kingdom will flourish after leaving the EU?
That is a bit crap, isn't it? How are you losing your health card for a start? If you have permanent residency you retain all your rights after Brexit including access to healthcare. The only difference is that you will get a new EHIC card which will retain your rights to healthcare in any EU country unlike UK residents who will lose the cards. You will get new one (free of charge) which you can use to access healthcare in UK and any other EU country except Spain as you already get your healthcare there. So the bit about losing your healthcards is a lad of crap, isn't it?
My bank, Natwest, has informed me nothing will change regarding holding a bank account in UK. The only ones I've heard of that might lose them are Barclaycard customers as their T&Cs have always stated you must have a UK address.
And you haven't had a permanent ID card. You've had a little card that states you are a permanent resident if you've been there over 5 years. The only thing is, that card states you are on the register of foreign EU nationals resident in Spain. After 1st Jan you won't be hence you get a new card (at the extortionate sum of €12) which will be a proper ID card and valid for 10 years when it will be renewed free of charge. You will be from a non EU country after 1st Jan so stop being so bloody precious.
Funny place you live in. We have loads of nationalities here and don't get any of the attitudes you seem to be facing. We get on rather well with the Scandinavians, the Dutch, the Germans and even the Russians thank you very much.
You'll be nothing like a stateless person, will you? There will still be a British Embassy and didn't you just received a letter from them saying that if you were legal nothing will change? You'll still get your healthcare, your right to reside in Spain, to carry on exactly as you have been provided you are legal. Yes, loads of Brits under the radar will suffer (oh, what a bloody shame) and will probably have to pay their fair taxes, stop getting the fake MoT to keep their car here and so on.
You, on the other hand, have just made loads up.
Oh, and getting that new EHIC card? Two clicks on a computer web page and all done. Your new one will arrive by the end of the year.