Smaller but still useless

IT seems rather odd to me that the Spanish government have now decided to downsize our residence permits but not scrap them. According to new legislation we will soon have “pocket sized” residence certificates which fit easier in wallets and purses. As we all know our residence permits, the infamous green certificates are not valid ID, therefore it really doesn't matter what size they are because you still have to carry your passport.

A rather senseless decision. I was hoping that the government would abolish the green certificates and replace them with our old style residence permits which included a photograph and therefore it was a valid form of identification. The new Balearic leader, Jose Ramon Bauza, has pledged to lobby Madrid in an effort to get the law changed. It became quite an issue during the local election campaign, but so far there is still no light at the end of the tunnel. I wish I could say that the smaller certificates are a step in the right direction but it is not the case. I can't understand why the Madrid government doesn´t see the error of its ways. Replacing our residence identification cards with a green certificate was a silly decision which has angered many expatriates. It seems that until there is a change of government there is going to be no progress on this issue. If Spain wants more expatriates to come and live here then they should make it as easy as possible. With green certificates this is not going to be the case. It is as simple as that.