# Travelling across europe with spanish Autorizacion de Regreso (expired NIE)



## rohit_md

Hi,

I am from India and I have been living in spain for more than a year now. my NIE expired in July and I have applied for renewal in august. I will get my new card not before january. Now, I have to travel to Italy, Germany and Czech Republic in december. I already have the autorizacion de regreso from spain. I know that I can come back to spain with regreso. I have done it once when I came back from india in august. 
But, now this trip which I have to take next month - I am going to fly to rome first from there to germany then prague. From prague I will go to milan and from there I will take a flight back to madrid. (a lot travelling  uuff..)
So, my question is, is my autorizacion de regreso and expired nie is suffcient to travel within europe? some of my friends have already travelled to various countries in europe with autorizacion de regreso, but usually only to one country and back to spain. Any help to answer my question would be greatly appreciated. thanks.


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## Pesky Wesky

UffH. Too complicated! 
Contact the *Ministerio del interior* directly
[email protected].
website
Ministerio del Interior


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## Joppa

rohit_md said:


> Hi,
> 
> I am from India and I have been living in spain for more than a year now. my NIE expired in July and I have applied for renewal in august. I will get my new card not before january. Now, I have to travel to Italy, Germany and Czech Republic in december. I already have the autorizacion de regreso from spain. I know that I can come back to spain with regreso. I have done it once when I came back from india in august.
> But, now this trip which I have to take next month - I am going to fly to rome first from there to germany then prague. From prague I will go to milan and from there I will take a flight back to madrid. (a lot travelling  uuff..)
> So, my question is, is my autorizacion de regreso and expired nie is suffcient to travel within europe? some of my friends have already travelled to various countries in europe with autorizacion de regreso, but usually only to one country and back to spain. Any help to answer my question would be greatly appreciated. thanks.


Normally, staying within Schengen means there will be no routine document checks, so it should in theory be no different from visiting just one Schengen country. However, you may have to show passport and documents to the airline when you check in, and some may not let you fly with an expired NIE. That's the risk you take, plus any spot check you may encounter (it can be even away from airports such as in the street).
I too would get an official ruling in writing, and if you are allowed to travel, carry it with you.


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## rohit_md

Thanks for the reply. Let me simplify my question for everyone. is it possible to travel to different countries in europe with expired nie but valid authorizacion de regreso?
Basically I have to do a journey like this: Madrid->Rome->Leipzig (Germany) -> Prague -> Milan -> Madrid. is it possible? or do I need more documents than just regreso?
You would be surprised but even the woman at the immigration office who gave me the regreso had no clear idea about traveling with regreso.


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## rohit_md

Joppa said:


> Normally, staying within Schengen means there will be no routine document checks, so it should in theory be no different from visiting just one Schengen country. However, you may have to show passport and documents to the airline when you check in, and some may not let you fly with an expired NIE. That's the risk you take, plus any spot check you may encounter (it can be even away from airports such as in the street).
> I too would get an official ruling in writing, and if you are allowed to travel, carry it with you.


Thanks. Do you know what kind of document will I need (apart from regreso)? and where can I get it? My experience tells me that sometimes spanish authorities seems to be clueless about their own rules...(FYI- I love spain  )


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## Joppa

rohit_md said:


> Thanks. Do you know what kind of document will I need (apart from regreso)? and where can I get it? My experience tells me that sometimes spanish authorities seems to be clueless about their own rules...(FYI- I love spain  )


Sorry I don't know. Not familiar with Spanish immigration. Normally, a non-EU citizen can travel with Schengen D visa, properly activated (i.e. with passport entry stamp next to it) without having to produce local residence permit (new rule that came in about a year ago). Before that you had to get residence papers first before you were allowed to travel in Schengen (all your destinations are within Schengen). Spain may require additional document for allowing you back in, such as regreso.


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## xabiaxica

Joppa said:


> Sorry I don't know. Not familiar with Spanish immigration. Normally, a non-EU citizen can travel with Schengen D visa, properly activated (i.e. with passport entry stamp next to it) without having to produce local residence permit (new rule that came in about a year ago). Before that you had to get residence papers first before you were allowed to travel in Schengen (all your destinations are within Schengen). Spain may require additional document for allowing you back in, such as regreso.


Just one point- the NIE has nothing to do with residency, as you touch on - residency papers are a separate issue


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## jimenato

As I didn't know NIE's expired and I don't know why one would be needed for travelling around Europe I can't help much on this one.... :confused2:


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## Joppa

jimenato said:


> As I didn't know NIE's expired and I don't know why one would be needed for travelling around Europe I can't help much on this one.... :confused2:


Most of us regulars are either British or other EU residents so don't need anything other than our passport or official ID for travel in Schengen. Requirements for non-EU citizens who are also residents can be very different. Some nationals of countries like US and Japan can travel just with their passport for 90-in-180 days, while others who are visa nationals, like Indians, need a Schengen shortstay visa or a longstay visa (type D) which has been activated. Or if their visa has expired but they have a residence permit, that will be valid for Schengen travel as well.


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## xabiaxica

jimenato said:


> As I didn't know NIE's expired and I don't know why one would be needed for travelling around Europe I can't help much on this one.... :confused2:


I don't think they do either - have to admit that bit confused me too

I suspect he means his resident card, which non-EU residents are issued


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## rohit_md

Joppa said:


> Most of us regulars are either British or other EU residents so don't need anything other than our passport or official ID for travel in Schengen. Requirements for non-EU citizens who are also residents can be very different. Some nationals of countries like US and Japan can travel just with their passport for 90-in-180 days, while others who are visa nationals, like Indians, need a Schengen shortstay visa or a longstay visa (type D) which has been activated. Or if their visa has expired but they have a residence permit, that will be valid for Schengen travel as well.


Exactly. In case of Non-EU nationals who require schengen visa to travel in europe the rules are different than for people from britain or us for that matter. For Indians, e.g. you either need a valid visa or nie. In case your nie is expired but you have already applied for it's renwal then for travelling outside of spain you need to get an authorizacion de regreso which gives you right to come back to spain. Now here's the problem, I can use it to go to say italy and come back directly to spain again (some of my friends have already done this), but it is not clear to me if i can travel to other europian countries like germany or prague from italy. That's what i would like to know.


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## rohit_md

xabiachica said:


> I don't think they do either - have to admit that bit confused me too
> 
> I suspect he means his resident card, which non-EU residents are issued


Resident card for non-EU residents is also called NIE. I think the only difference is the expiry time (which is usually one year for non eu residents). In order to travel around europe (schengen area) it is required for non-eu residents.


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## xabiaxica

rohit_md said:


> Resident card for non-EU residents is also called NIE. I think the only difference is the expiry time (which is usually one year for non eu residents). In order to travel around europe (schengen area) it is required for non-eu residents.


yes, I know & understand about the resident permit & Schengen - can you not have a NIE without a resident permit though?


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## Guest

xabiachica said:


> I don't think they do either - have to admit that bit confused me too
> 
> I suspect he means his resident card, which non-EU residents are issued


*Yours* might not, but *ours* sure as sugar do! 
Life is complicated for us _no-Comunitarios_. I was just at the Foreigners' Office this morning so I feel your pain, OP!

In my experience, *always, always, always* travel with your passport *in addition* to your NIE and _a.d.r._ I almost had a major headache in France, but the second I pulled out my passport in addition to my expired NIE and the_resguardo_ from the renewal they let me through. 

Best of luck, OP!


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## SashaK

*La autorizacion fue suficiente?*

Hi there! I came across your thread because I am in the almost the exact same position as you were . Did you end up travelling through Europe with just the Autorizacion de regreso? Can you let me know what your experience was? I would really appreciate it!!! Were you asked for other documents at the various airports?

Thanks! )


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## rohit_md

SashaK said:


> Hi there! I came across your thread because I am in the almost the exact same position as you were . Did you end up travelling through Europe with just the Autorizacion de regreso? Can you let me know what your experience was? I would really appreciate it!!! Were you asked for other documents at the various airports?
> 
> Thanks! )


Well, I had a terrible time. Here's the thing, the immigration office in spain doesn't have any clue how the rules works when you are travelling with a regresso to schengen countries. One lady told me you can, so I went with my plans. I was supposed to go to Germany via Italy. When I was at the airport here in Madrid I showed my documents (Passport, regrso, expired NIE) to the visa check counter of ryanair. I told them I am travelling to germany onwards from Rome (another flight after 2 hours), they told me I will have to show my documents again at the airport and i shouldn't have any problem. When I got to rome the guy at the airport in rome told me I CAN NOT TRAVEL with a regreso to go to germany from Italy since the regreso says I can come back to spain and nothing about travelling to other countries. I went to ask the italian police and they tell me they don't have any problem but it's the compnay policy so if they say ou can't travel then they can't help you with that. Apparently I was eligible to travel to Italy with a regreso but not to germnay via italy even though I was travelling within schengen countries. I was also eligible to go to germany directly form spain ( but not from italy). It's a big mess! So basically I ended up spending a few days in italy and came back to spain. When I was travelling with easyjet they didn't even have any visa check like ryanair. The guy at the boarding gate just wanted to check my name on passport and boarding pass (He said he didn't really need to see the regreso. don't know why!?) 
My Advice to you is, call the embassy of the country you are travelling to and get everything confirmed. btw I have a friend who was in the smae situation like me, but she was able to travel to sweden and denmark from spain. I guess I was having a really bad day 
I am sure about one thing though that you can travel to and fro between any ONE schengen country directly with a regreso (e.g. Spain->Italy->Spain). 
So, call the embassy and get everything cleared. Get the required visa if you need to. 
I hope this helps you.


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## peri86

*Bus or Plane*

I am ALSO in the same situation. Now, as I've been reading from above, it also depends on some luck. But they say that things are different when you travel by plane or my train. Apparently they don't check anything when you travel by train (is this the same by bus?)

I also read from the Spanish Extranjeria that when you don't travel by plane, you don't even need the Permiso.

Any thoughts on this??


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## NitinBh

rohit_md said:


> Well, I had a terrible time. Here's the thing, the immigration office in spain doesn't have any clue how the rules works when you are travelling with a regresso to schengen countries. One lady told me you can, so I went with my plans. I was supposed to go to Germany via Italy. When I was at the airport here in Madrid I showed my documents (Passport, regrso, expired NIE) to the visa check counter of ryanair. I told them I am travelling to germany onwards from Rome (another flight after 2 hours), they told me I will have to show my documents again at the airport and i shouldn't have any problem. When I got to rome the guy at the airport in rome told me I CAN NOT TRAVEL with a regreso to go to germany from Italy since the regreso says I can come back to spain and nothing about travelling to other countries. I went to ask the italian police and they tell me they don't have any problem but it's the compnay policy so if they say ou can't travel then they can't help you with that. Apparently I was eligible to travel to Italy with a regreso but not to germnay via italy even though I was travelling within schengen countries. I was also eligible to go to germany directly form spain ( but not from italy). It's a big mess! So basically I ended up spending a few days in italy and came back to spain. When I was travelling with easyjet they didn't even have any visa check like ryanair. The guy at the boarding gate just wanted to check my name on passport and boarding pass (He said he didn't really need to see the regreso. don't know why!?)
> My Advice to you is, call the embassy of the country you are travelling to and get everything confirmed. btw I have a friend who was in the smae situation like me, but she was able to travel to sweden and denmark from spain. I guess I was having a really bad day
> I am sure about one thing though that you can travel to and fro between any ONE schengen country directly with a regreso (e.g. Spain->Italy->Spain).
> So, call the embassy and get everything cleared. Get the required visa if you need to.
> I hope this helps you.


Hi Rohit

I'm also in a similar situation as yours. However My NIE is going to expire by December End. I'm currently working as an intern in Berlin and have internship work permit for Germany. I'll be applying for NIE Extension soon and take the regreso as well. I'm planning to visit India in Jan and then come back to Berlin. I don't have a German VISA, therefore, I'm planning to take this route while returning (New Delhi -> Madrid ->Berlin) since I don't have valid documents to enter Berlin directly. 
Now I had read it on someone's blog that when you return to Spain, you have to submit your Authorizacion de Regreso. I had also read that you can take only 1 regreso at a time.

Did you experience the same?
If that is the case, I'll have to submit it and take another regreso when I'll have to return to collect my NIE.

Thanks in advance for your help.


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## bharatsmilling

my current situation is im doing my Masters in Spain i have a option to do my 2nd semester of Masters in Paris. so when i tried to apply for France visa where i can stay till end of the year i got my appointment on 16 of March but my college starts from 4th of March . im not clear about NIE that i can visit schengen countries?? thats the problem


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