# Residency and Healthcare



## AlanM (Feb 9, 2019)

Hello all,

My wife and I are from UK, and arrived Spain (Malaga / Sayalonga) a couple of months ago, hoping to register as a resident before Brexit kicks in.
We are both retired, and have private pensions, but are not yet state pensioners.

I wondered if some of the forum members could advise me on the following points:

1 Healthcare - I had not budgeted for us having to get private healthcare insurance, and was trying to investigate getting covered under 'Universal Health Care' via the law which was passed in July. Is this available to people in our situation in Andalucia? I did try to find out at our INSS, but we cannot yet speak much Spanish and they were very unhelpful, so I am none the wiser.

2 Do our UK private pension / bank documents have to be translated for the residency appointment? If so, can I supply the translation myself, or is there an official method?

3 Health Insurance - are there any companies you would recommend, and any companies you would avoid. Also, approximate monthly cost?

All advice would be much appreciated.


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## Juan C (Sep 4, 2017)

Alan. If I were you I would take someone to translate for you and go back and try for the Spanish provided free health care. At least in theory you are entitled to it

If you do need to take out a private health policy. note that it must be 100% cover with no co-payments


The easiest way to prove your income would have been to have had your pension paid directly to your spanish bank account. Maybe too late for you now, but others may note that. Maybe your P60 would cover it However if one requires a translation of any document it must be made by an official translator 

For info:
http://www.exteriores.gob.es/Portal...as/Traductoresas---Intérpretes-Juradosas.aspx

“. Sworn Translators-Interpreters
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Cooperation has the authority to grant certification to Sworn Translator-Interpreter.”


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## AlanM (Feb 9, 2019)

Juan, Thanks for your reply and for including the link to the list of translators.
Finding someone to translate for us is not an easy option.
I must admit I thought INSS would be more helpful - everyone else has been.
We are also running out of time, so I might just go ahead and get private insurance for residency, then cancel if I'm later successful in obtaining state health care. It is a bit frightening to think there would be no health cover during a wait period, or for pre existing conditions, and no fall back to the UK either.


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## Pesky Wesky (May 10, 2009)

AlanM said:


> Juan, Thanks for your reply and for including the link to the list of translators.
> Finding someone to translate for us is not an easy option.
> I must admit I thought INSS would be more helpful - everyone else has been.
> We are also running out of time, so I might just go ahead and get private insurance for residency, then cancel if I'm later successful in obtaining state health care. It is a bit frightening to think there would be no health cover during a wait period, or for pre existing conditions, and no fall back to the UK either.


Be careful about cancelling. I'm not sure, and I have never had private insurance, but I think there are some conditions about cancelling and some companies will not "allow" you to cancel ...


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## kalohi (May 6, 2012)

Pesky Wesky said:


> Be careful about cancelling. I'm not sure, and I have never had private insurance, but I think there are some conditions about cancelling and some companies will not "allow" you to cancel ...


I've had private insurance with 4 different companies (Sanitas, Adeslas, Caja Salud and Caja Madrid) and none of them have allowed cancellation until the end of the calendar year. You're required to keep paying for the insurance until then. To cancel for the next calendar year you have to notify them at least 30 days in advance.

Of course you may be able to negotiate something different for your particular policy. Just be sure to read the conditions before you sign.


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## AlanM (Feb 9, 2019)

Kalohi, Thank you - useful info on the 30 days cancellation required.
Did you change company because you were moving around, or because you were unhappy with the service?
I had a look at Adeslas and they seemed reasonable.
I've never had medical insurance before, so don't want to make mistakes.


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## kalohi (May 6, 2012)

AlanM said:


> Kalohi, Thank you - useful info on the 30 days cancellation required.
> Did you change company because you were moving around, or because you were unhappy with the service?
> I had a look at Adeslas and they seemed reasonable.
> I've never had medical insurance before, so don't want to make mistakes.


I didn't change company for either of the two reasons you mention. It was always because of price. Much as I might do for auto insurance, I shop around from year to year, get a good quote, and challenge the current company to match the quote. If they won't, I switch company. When switching like that they don't require a waiting period for certain services like they do when you very first sign on for private insurance. And I've found the companies to be almost identical when it comes to how they work and what's included. I have no preference or particular recommendation.


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## anna_knight (Feb 27, 2019)

Hi guys, could you please advice the best Healthcare company for a student? It would be great to apply for a health insurance online. I know that I can get free health care for the first three months. I would very appreciate your help.


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## xabiaxica (Jun 23, 2009)

anna_knight said:


> Hi guys, could you please advice the best Healthcare company for a student? It would be great to apply for a health insurance online. I know that I can get free health care for the first three months. I would very appreciate your help.


EU students studying at university are covered by the EHIC for the duration of the course.


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## Juan C (Sep 4, 2017)

I just found this. It appears to say a student needs a special EHIC, if using a ‘normal’ one they will be charged 

https://www.nhs.uk/using-the-nhs/healthcare-abroad/moving-abroad/studying-abroad/


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## Allie-P (Feb 11, 2013)

Hi, Alan

Have you obtained your residency, yet ?

Malaga ( Fuengirola ) are not allowing Brits to make any residency appointments online, until after the 29th March. 

I know this, because I applied for a duplicate residency card on the 11th March. I obtained the original in March 2013 and unfortunately lost/mislaid it......

I took all my original documentation to this appointment, including a stamped letter from my Spanish bank account which showed the monthly receipt of my U.K. pensions- plus a police report detailing my loss.

They wouldn’t accept it - saying that they needed a written award letter from one of my pension providers, translated into Spanish by an official translator. This was not required the first time around !!

This, despite my having been officially registered as a resident for more than 5 years.

All appointments after ‘Brexit day’ will be at the Non- Eu office at Malaga. They are really not making it easy for Brits.

Goodness knows what will happen if, as it seems, we will not be ‘out’ on the 29th 🤔


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## kaipa (Aug 3, 2013)

If you are registered for 5 years you don't need to show anything other than passport. Less and you need to demonstrate requirements again. Get a Spanish speaker to help you


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## kaipa (Aug 3, 2013)

Why are you asking them for a residency card if you are UK? Maybe you have confused them?


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## kaipa (Aug 3, 2013)

If we are not out on 29th we are in. So there will be no change to anything.


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## kaipa (Aug 3, 2013)

Why are they not allowing Brits to register?Are they allowing Irish? Is Spain discriminating? Or is it that there are no appointments for anyone? Are the Spanish making things difficult or is it the usual lazy perception


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## Juan C (Sep 4, 2017)

We Irish are not affected by Brexit. We are, and will remain as we were

Spain are not being difficult with the British it is that without a deal, if they leave, they will be treated the same as all other non EU nationals. Unless a special arrangement is made !


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## kaipa (Aug 3, 2013)

Exactly we haven't left so why would the Spanish be refusing appointments to Brits? I don't believe this is true. These are how rumours start


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## xabiaxica (Jun 23, 2009)

kaipa said:


> Exactly we haven't left so why would the Spanish be refusing appointments to Brits? I don't believe this is true. These are how rumours start


Perhaps not 'refusing' - but certainly in the Alicante region it's impossible to get an appt. & I believe that it's the same in Málaga. And has been for several weeks. We've heard of those who had appointments in March who have been contacted & told that their appointments are now in April.

We have to make them online, & when we access the site, after selecting Alicante, we find this








The British Citizen category is new.

Upon clicking that, we come to this








The clicking further, putting in your info etc., there are no appointments available.

I discovered this a few weeks ago when trying to help a new student to get registered.


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## Pesky Wesky (May 10, 2009)

kaipa said:


> Exactly we haven't left so why would the Spanish be refusing appointments to Brits? I don't believe this is true. These are how rumours start


Don't you think it might be that they are not giving appointments because they don't yet know what status British people will have as it's not yet known if Britain is leaving the EU or not? If things change there will surely be a few months that the Spanish, Italians, Romanians etc need to to update their systems


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## kaipa (Aug 3, 2013)

But you can't stop people registering before 29th that would be contrary to law. We are still EU citizens and therefore are afforded EU rights. Our status is now EU citizens that cannot be taken away by an individual funcinario


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## Juan C (Sep 4, 2017)

There is no hidden reason why uk nationals are not being permitted to make appointments for after 29th. It is because at present U.K. leave the EU on that day 

Had there been an agreement signed then whatever had been agreed would be happening. That would have included the translation period as published 

No agreement means: U.K. nationals will be non EU citizens as from 29th March, without any transition period. That is why no appointments are being allowed. 

And, if nothing changes, as from 30th March U.K. nationals will be subject to the same rules that apply now to non EU nationals.


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## xabiaxica (Jun 23, 2009)

Juan C said:


> There is no hidden reason why uk nationals are not being permitted to make appointments for after 29th. It is because at present U.K. leave the EU on that day
> 
> Had there been an agreement signed then whatever had been agreed would be happening.
> 
> No agreement means U.K. nationals will be non EU citizens without any translation period


Exactly

You can't really expect the 27 to wait & see & not have things in place


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## Pesky Wesky (May 10, 2009)

kaipa said:


> But you can't stop people registering before 29th that would be contrary to law. We are still EU citizens and therefore are afforded EU rights. Our status is now EU citizens that cannot be taken away by an individual funcinario


That's true, but from what I understand, there has also been a last minute rush from British people hoping to register before B day, so it is quite feasible that all the appointments are booked


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## xabiaxica (Jun 23, 2009)

Pesky Wesky said:


> That's true, but from what I understand, there has also been a last minute rush from British people hoping to register before B day, so it is quite feasible that all the appointments are booked


Yes, I was speaking to a Dutch person a few days ago who can't get an appointment.


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## Allie-P (Feb 11, 2013)

kaipa said:


> Exactly we haven't left so why would the Spanish be refusing appointments to Brits? I don't believe this is true. These are how rumours start


I only post about what has personally happened to me !! It is certainly not a rumour......I would never post anything to mislead anyone. It is a * fact * which I posted in order to advise other Brits of the current situation in this area. 

The last day for applying for anything residential, at Fuengirola, was on the 11th March. The day of my appointment, when I applied for and was turned down for a duplicate for the reasons outlined in my original post. 

/SNIP/

The officials have obviously suspended appointments because nobody knows in what manner we will be leaving the EU and.... If/When we do leave we will be required in the future to change our cards to non- Eu. These officials, therefore, do not want to duplicate the procedure.

However, I have been registered as a resident for more than six years and was applying for a duplicate. Such bad timing, on my part !!

Also, I do speak Spanish. Your comment about taking a Spanish speaker with me was irrelevant. Some of us Brits have made the effort.


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## Allie-P (Feb 11, 2013)

I have read some of your previous posts, Kaipa, and note that in December 2018 you were in the same position as myself, having lost/mislaid your EU residency card.

You were asking for advice from members on here. I am unaware of the Spanish region where you live - your address states Scotland. 

Did you obtain an appointment ? What was the result ?

I appreciate that in my case, the timing was bad and presume that..... because * All *Brit residents will be required to apply for the non Eu TIE, I was ‘lumped’ together with new applicants.

The British PM is about to request an extension to the end of June. We will wait and see what happens to the residential appointments for April. It would be inappropriate to hold them at the non - Eu offices in Malaga.

For those of you who have an interest, I will keep you posted.


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## kaipa (Aug 3, 2013)

So if residency appointments are not being offered to UK citizens how long will it continue?Until end of June? That could mean people are not completing legal obligations given that it sounds like people have been waiting longer than 3 months. I'm not doubting what happened but are you sure you were refused an appointment because you were British and not just that the offices are full? And why do you think the Spanish are making it difficult?


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## Allie-P (Feb 11, 2013)

kaipa said:


> So if residency appointments are not being offered to UK citizens how long will it continue?Until end of June? That could mean people are not completing legal obligations given that it sounds like people have been waiting longer than 3 months. I'm not doubting what happened but are you sure you were refused an appointment because you were British and not just that the offices are full? And why do you think the Spanish are making it difficult?


I wasn’t refused an appointment, personally - there were no further appointments at Fuengirola for residency matters for anyone, after the 11th of March. 

I was told at the police station that it * was *because of Brexit. They were not making any more residency appointments for anyone in the EU, until after the deadline of the 29th March. From April, all appointments would be at the Malaga office. 

The deadline is now going to be extended to the 30th June- so, Spanish officialdom will, obviously, have to review the system. They won’t be able to delay appointments until July.

Did you acquire your ‘Duplicado’ ? In what region of Spain ?

I think that they made it ‘difficult’ for me, so as to cut costs and to save the process being repeated again. We were meant to be leaving the EU on the 29th. 

This uncertainty of Brexit is making it difficult for everyone in the EU applying for Spanish residency.


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## Juan C (Sep 4, 2017)

Allie-P said:


> kaipa said:
> 
> 
> > ..........
> ...


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## xabiaxica (Jun 23, 2009)

Thus far they have refused 20 June as far as I'm aware but offered a shorter extension - or a longer one which May has said she won't accept.


My money is on 23 May or just before, due to the EU elections.


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## Allie-P (Feb 11, 2013)

xabiaxica said:


> Thus far they have refused 20 June as far as I'm aware but offered a shorter extension - or a longer one which May has said she won't accept.
> 
> 
> My money is on 23 May or just before, due to the EU elections.



The EU have offered the 30th June extension, on condition that TM’s deal is voted through, next week. If it isn’t, we could leave on the 29th March with the default position of No deal - unless a long-term extension is requested/certain legalities to prevent are put into place.

We could wake up, Saturday week as non- Eu and, subsequently, be heading off to our nearest immigration offices to acquire out TIEs !!


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## xabiaxica (Jun 23, 2009)

Allie-P said:


> The EU have offered the 30th June extension, on condition that TM’s deal is voted through, next week. If it isn’t, we could leave on the 29th March with the default position of No deal - unless a long-term extension is requested/certain legalities to prevent are put into place.
> 
> We could wake up, Saturday week as non- Eu and, subsequently, be heading off to our nearest immigration offices to acquire out TIEs !!


The EU discussion isn't until today, so we don't know yet what extension if any, will be offered. 

But yeah, whatever the EU offers, we could still find ourselves out in 8 days & 13.5 hours.


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