# Autonomo and health care insurance



## kaipa (Aug 3, 2013)

Moving to Spain within a month. Wanting to get residencia as soon as possible. Have spoken to the town hall concerning empadramiento which is fairly straightforward. Note that we do this is Spanish so the information is not being filtered through third parties. Was told that residencia ( green card) requires certain conditions being met which again seems straightforward. We will have an escritura and sufficient funds in the bank. In terms of health care he told us that EU health care would be okay. I'm not sure this is right so erring on the side of caution I need some information.

We intend to open our own business and so be autonomo. I don't think we will be trading for 3/4 months. Should I register for autonomo before applying for residencia or take a private health care insurance? As I understand it if I have autonomo this will cover health care for my family and I have a time period where it is discounted. If I take private insurance how much will we pay and can we cancel it anytime or will we be fixed for a period of a year of something? Don't want to end up paying twice for health care if it can be avoided.

Any advice?


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## Lynn R (Feb 21, 2014)

kaipa said:


> Moving to Spain within a month. Wanting to get residencia as soon as possible. Have spoken to the town hall concerning empadramiento which is fairly straightforward. Note that we do this is Spanish so the information is not being filtered through third parties. Was told that residencia ( green card) requires certain conditions being met which again seems straightforward. We will have an escritura and sufficient funds in the bank. In terms of health care he told us that EU health care would be okay. I'm not sure this is right so erring on the side of caution I need some information.
> 
> We intend to open our own business and so be autonomo. I don't think we will be trading for 3/4 months. Should I register for autonomo before applying for residencia or take a private health care insurance? As I understand it if I have autonomo this will cover health care for my family and I have a time period where it is discounted. If I take private insurance how much will we pay and can we cancel it anytime or will we be fixed for a period of a year of something? Don't want to end up paying twice for health care if it can be avoided.
> 
> Any advice?


If you take out private health insurance you will be committed to paying for a full year and will have to give notice before cancelling it at the end of that period. It used to be two months' notice required, but I think I remember reading somewhere that had been reduced to one month.

You have up to 90 days in Spain before you need to register as a resident, so it might be better to start paying your autonomo contributions just before then so you will have health cover that way for you and your family when you go to register.


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## kaipa (Aug 3, 2013)

Thanks Lynn. That is what I was thinking. I will be autonomo within a year so I don't want to be paying for insurance as well . In terms of residencia will my wife be able to satisfy the health care condition under my autonomo or will she need health insurance separately?


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## Lynn R (Feb 21, 2014)

kaipa said:


> Thanks Lynn. That is what I was thinking. I will be autonomo within a year so I don't want to be paying for insurance as well . In terms of residencia will my wife be able to satisfy the health care condition under my autonomo or will she need health insurance separately?


As far as I know she'll be covered, but other forum members know a lot more than I do about being autonomo.


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## Simon22 (May 22, 2015)

Yes autonomo payments cover both of you although I had to wait three months before the resicencia was allowed to progress. I also had to take a bank statement showing the payments had been made and the last one in the last 30 days.


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## Mud (Oct 9, 2013)

Lynn R said:


> If you take out private health insurance you will be committed to paying for a full year and will have to give notice before cancelling it at the end of that period. It used to be two months' notice required, but I think I remember reading somewhere that had been reduced to one month.
> 
> You have up to 90 days in Spain before you need to register as a resident, so it might be better to start paying your autonomo contributions just before then so you will have health cover that way for you and your family when you go to register.




(excuse the mega old post revival, but this applies perfectly to something i am looking for an answer about, so thank you for discussing this!)

In those first 90 days, is it possible (or is it the right way to do it) to (as an EU passport holder):

-rent a place and have a document proving you live there
-sign up for NIE
-sign up for autonomo
-sign up for residencia

^ in this specific order, will I have the right documentation to proceed correctly to each stage?

Also, do the sufficient bank funds for being self employed or self sufficient need to be proven with translated screenshots, or how? Spanish bank account opening and money depositing? I have a danish bank currently, with funds in DKK.


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## Mud (Oct 9, 2013)

oh and padron after residencia?? or when


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## baldilocks (Mar 7, 2010)

iris muddy said:


> (excuse the mega old post revival, but this applies perfectly to something i am looking for an answer about, so thank you for discussing this!)
> 
> In those first 90 days, is it possible (or is it the right way to do it) to (as an EU passport holder):
> 
> ...


To count, your funds and/or income must be in a Spanish bank


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## Pesky Wesky (May 10, 2009)

You don't have to live here to get an NIE, so you might want to do that before you get here...


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## Megsmum (Sep 9, 2012)

I’m pretty sure there have been posts de autónomo and getting residency not being that easy unless you have accounts....


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## Mud (Oct 9, 2013)

baldilocks said:


> To count, your funds and/or income must be in a Spanish bank


ah ok! Thank you! I have seen Sabadell bank recommended, and heard that you only need a passport number to open a basic account that you can then make into a normal account once you have residency and such. Any info on if this is true? Would like to get it sorted ASAP 





Pesky Wesky said:


> You don't have to live here to get an NIE, so you might want to do that before you get here...


oh, perfect, I will! Do I need to translate documents into Spanish for that?
Thank you!



Megsmum said:


> I’m pretty sure there have been posts de autónomo and getting residency not being that easy unless you have accounts....



Hm. Thank you! I want to open a spanish bank account as fast as possible then. that's what you mean right?


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## Mud (Oct 9, 2013)

Pesky Wesky said:


> You don't have to live here to get an NIE, so you might want to do that before you get here...


by the way, should i get this within 3 months of other documentation? Does it have some expiration, the certificate? or sooner is fine? Just checking because I think I read something about 3 month validity on some documents necessary for these procedures.


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## Phil Squares (Jan 13, 2017)

Not to be contrary, but when I got my NIE, I had no Spanish account at all. I had a UK and a US account. I provided 3 months worth of bank records, all translated by an approved translator, statement of pensions, all translated and multiple copies of each. 

There was never a question at all about self-sufficiency or why the funds were not in a Spanish bank. This was in Madrid and as we know the same rules can and are applied differently.


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## Megsmum (Sep 9, 2012)

iris muddy said:


> ah ok! Thank you! I have seen Sabadell bank recommended, and heard that you only need a passport number to open a basic account that you can then make into a normal account once you have residency and such. Any info on if this is true? Would like to get it sorted ASAP
> 
> 
> 
> ...


I actually meant trading accounts. Unless you have proof of income.


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## Mud (Oct 9, 2013)

Megsmum said:


> I actually meant trading accounts. Unless you have proof of income.



trading accounts? stock market?


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## xabiaxica (Jun 23, 2009)

Phil Squares said:


> Not to be contrary, but when I got my NIE, I had no Spanish account at all. I had a UK and a US account. I provided 3 months worth of bank records, all translated by an approved translator, statement of pensions, all translated and multiple copies of each.
> 
> There was never a question at all about self-sufficiency or why the funds were not in a Spanish bank. This was in Madrid and as we know the same rules can and are applied differently.


They do now ask questions when you apply for a NIE, such as why you need one. 

You don't have to provide any proof of income nor healthcare provision though - that's for registering as an EU citizen exercising treaty rights.


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## Mud (Oct 9, 2013)

xabiachica said:


> They do now ask questions when you apply for a NIE, such as why you need one.
> 
> You don't have to provide any proof of income nor healthcare provision though - that's for registering as an EU citizen exercising treaty rights.




Are there any suggested ways to formulate the 'why'? Because I saw a thread here where a person had huge trouble acquiring the NIE because he explained fully that it was for intending to get residencia. I'm seeing a pattern that it's better to only reveal part of your plan? haha


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## xabiaxica (Jun 23, 2009)

iris muddy said:


> Are there any suggested ways to formulate the 'why'? Because I saw a thread here where a person had huge trouble acquiring the NIE because he explained fully that it was for intending to get residencia. I'm seeing a pattern that it's better to only reveal part of your plan? haha


It's simple. If you're planning to live here you register as resident & they issue a NIE at that time.

A simple NIE is for those not planning to live in Spain, but perhaps are purchasing a holiday home, or for inheriting property.

There is anecdotal evidence that some people have been asked to provide proof of the reason given.


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## Mud (Oct 9, 2013)

xabiachica said:


> It's simple. If you're planning to live here you register as resident & they issue a NIE at that time.
> 
> A simple NIE is for those not planning to live in Spain, but perhaps are purchasing a holiday home, or for inheriting property.
> 
> There is anecdotal evidence that some people have been asked to provide proof of the reason given.


Ah, ok, helpful to know what the NIE is for. Thank you!

What I don't understand (and I also asked for clarification about it in my other post, sorry for asking almost the same question haha) is what other way than 
NIE -> autonomo -> residencia 
someone wanting to avoid getting private health insurance to then pay into the social security and get health insurace would go through? If I do
residency (NIE included) -> autonomo
aren't I ending up with some loose ends I have to tie up just because of documentation needs??


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## Simon22 (May 22, 2015)

iris muddy said:


> Ah, ok, helpful to know what the NIE is for. Thank you!
> 
> What I don't understand (and I also asked for clarification about it in my other post, sorry for asking almost the same question haha) is what other way than
> NIE -> autonomo -> residencia
> ...


We did this, but had to have three autonomo payments before getting Resicencia. Yes the payments were from a Spanish account which showed a balance over 20000€ and income of over 700€ per month. I never had private health insurance, just autonomo.


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## Mud (Oct 9, 2013)

Simon22 said:


> We did this, but had to have three autonomo payments before getting Resicencia. Yes the payments were from a Spanish account which showed a balance over 20000€ and income of over 700€ per month. I never had private health insurance, just autonomo.



Ah!
So you had an NIE? or no?

20000 is more than enough, right? I don't have nearly that much but I think, from reading other posts about the amount, that I will have enough.

Didn't those three payments take you over the 90 days? Is that okay? I'm worried about time sensitivity of all this


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## Simon22 (May 22, 2015)

iris muddy said:


> Ah!
> So you had an NIE? or no?
> 
> 20000 is more than enough, right? I don't have nearly that much but I think, from reading other posts about the amount, that I will have enough.
> ...


Yes NIE first and then sign up for autonomo, then 90 days (or more) and get residencia.


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## Phil Squares (Jan 13, 2017)

xabiachica said:


> They do now ask questions when you apply for a NIE, such as why you need one.
> 
> You don't have to provide any proof of income nor healthcare provision though - that's for registering as an EU citizen exercising treaty rights.


The NIE was to move to Madrid. No issue of not having a non-Spanish bank. The residencia was issued at the same time.


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## Mud (Oct 9, 2013)

Simon22 said:


> Yes NIE first and then sign up for autonomo, then 90 days (or more) and get residencia.


ok, thank you!!


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## Megsmum (Sep 9, 2012)

Trading accounts are your income and expenditure through your autónomo work. Ie you have an income. However it varies from region to region, town to town and funcionario to funcionario. Welcome to Spain 

Keep us posted as it’s helpful for others to see your progress


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## Mud (Oct 9, 2013)

Megsmum said:


> Trading accounts are your income and expenditure through your autónomo work. Ie you have an income. However it varies from region to region, town to town and funcionario to funcionario. Welcome to Spain
> 
> Keep us posted as it’s helpful for others to see your progress


Ah yes  ok! I think I have a better grasp of how it will go once I begin the process in a couple of months.

Will do! It has been so so helpful for me to find this forum and other pages with information!! I knew nothing up until days ago!!


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