Current Driving licence info - consolidated - Page 3

Geordiemark wrote on Mon Jul 25, 2022 2:06pm:

This situation doesn't affect me, I just have a holiday home and I'm not resident, but I've been following the driving licence saga with interest. Just to see how Spain and the UK can come to terms on this issue in the hope that more flexibility will come on the 90/180 rules.

What I'm having trouble with, is understanding how so many people didn't switch licences when they knew Brexit was happening?...

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Geordiemark wrote on Mon Jul 25, 2022 2:06pm:

This situation doesn't affect me, I just have a holiday home and I'm not resident, but I've been following the driving licence saga with interest. Just to see how Spain and the UK can come to terms on this issue in the hope that more flexibility will come on the 90/180 rules.

What I'm having trouble with, is understanding how so many people didn't switch licences when they knew Brexit was happening?...

Read more...

...

DarioMartin wrote on Mon Jul 25, 2022 3:10pm:

Differing from the driving licence issue, which are rules and regulations applicable in the sovereign nation of Spain, the 90/180 rule is not localised to Spain - it's a Schengen ruling applying to ALL Third Country Nations entering the Schengen Zone.  There will be no leeway on that for Bri...

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...ts as it would first set a precedent for all other TCNs to demand parity of treatment, and secondly it would require agreement from all EU nations within the Schengen.  Can't see that happening

Geordiemark wrote on Mon Jul 25, 2022 3:28pm:

But as a Sovereign nation surely Spain could decide for itself and pass a law, if it wanted to offer additional time in Spain Only? I thought I read exactly that was being requested by Governers of the provinces heavily reliant on tourism?

DarioMartin wrote on Mon Jul 25, 2022 4:05pm:

Ah yes, Sovereign with regards control of entry etc etc but has signed an international treaty (Schengen Treaty) which allows borderless travel between member states and so therefore can’t be varied by an individual member state without breaking the treaty.

The sticking point to that is the “borderless travel between member states”, because a Brit here with a localized treaty with a Third Country Nation would be able to cross from Spain into France etc without passport - immediately making said Brit an illegal overstayer if he or she had been he...

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...re longer than 90 days.

The only way to ensure it wouldn’t happen, would be to institute checks at Spains borders … which kind of defeats the object of being in the Schengen.

I have seen nothing in the government sites to say this is even being considered, let alone discussed.  That one’s a non-starter I’m afraid - you’re likely to have more luck convincing UK to rejoin Common Market than you are of getting 90/180 changed for Brits.

Geordiemark wrote on Mon Jul 25, 2022 4:18pm:

I wasn't holding my breath, probably wishful thinking. I don't even do 45 days out of my allowed 90, so it really isn't an issue. I read something in the Express I think, about calls to extend the 90 days. But your posts are usually dead accurate, so thanks for clearing that up.

I've now got a better plan, when I do retire, I'm going to buy an apartment in Hurghada. I'll use that in the cooler months in Spain and a month or 2 back in the UK visiting the kids. The Egyptians don't care. You want to stay longer, no problem, buy a multi entry visa. Give us the money we don't...

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... care.

Geordiemark wrote on Mon Jul 25, 2022 2:06pm:

This situation doesn't affect me, I just have a holiday home and I'm not resident, but I've been following the driving licence saga with interest. Just to see how Spain and the UK can come to terms on this issue in the hope that more flexibility will come on the 90/180 rules.

What I'm having trouble with, is understanding how so many people didn't switch licences when they knew Brexit was happening?...

Read more...

...

David62 wrote on Mon Jul 25, 2022 5:12pm:

In truth this is equally affecting those Brits wishing to move to Spain post Brexit.

There was very little notification from the Spanish or UK side as to the need to potentially exchange licences (certainly as far as we were concerned moving post Brexit). We were dealing with the multitude of requirements from Visas through to avoiding duty on transported goods and frankly the li...

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...cence issue was barely raised on our radar. I suspect that this was largely because all parties (inc. British government and Spanish advisory bodies) were working on the assumption that the exchange would be a formality that would permitted. I appreciate that "to assume makes an ass out of you and me" however it was a fair assumption to make, given that nearly all the other EU countries had agreed to it.

That said, we are where we are and it looks like it will get go ahead once Spain has had its additional stipulations met (eg data access etc).

We're getting there, poco a poco.

L181SKY wrote on Mon Jul 25, 2022 6:43pm:

They don’t say it will be for everyone moving to Spain post Brexit though and that’s important. Surely all of this is not just for those already in the queue!