# Problems with my husband getting his Covid vaccines



## Sherrie (Dec 31, 2010)

Can anyone offer any advice on this, please?
I'm self-employed and pay tax and make social security payments into the Spanish system.
I assumed that my husband, who is a pensioner, would automatically be covered on my social security as a dependant, and this was confirmed by my asesor. 
This has not been the case.
Very long story short...
I had both my vaccines in April and May.
My husband is still waiting for his first.
In order for him to be even entered into the health system, I had to submit a translation of our marriage certificate and his form S1 from the UK, which I did in June.
Three months later, he is still waiting and on chasing this up today, I've been told that we have to reapply (ie: start again) and also submit a picture of my husband holding his TIE. 🤨
I completely understand that he has to prove he is who he says he is, but this seems a little over the top and I'm wondering if anyone has had similar problems?
Going a little loopy.
Thanks for any advice.


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## kaipa (Aug 3, 2013)

But how long have you been in Spain? I assume your husband has private medical care and you havent changed over. To get onto the national medical system then obviously he will need to register using you as his support. If he doesn't have residency then you will need to go through the whole process again


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## snikpoh (Nov 19, 2007)

kaipa said:


> But how long have you been in Spain? I assume your husband has private medical care and you havent changed over. To get onto the national medical system then obviously he will need to register using you as his support. If he doesn't have residency then you will need to go through the whole process again


Why would he need to do any of that if he has an S1?


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## Sherrie (Dec 31, 2010)

kaipa said:


> But how long have you been in Spain? I assume your husband has private medical care and you havent changed over. To get onto the national medical system then obviously he will need to register using you as his support. If he doesn't have residency then you will need to go through the whole process again


Hi Kaipa,
We've been in Spain since 2001 and are both residents.
We used to have a business here, and my husband was making payments into the Spanish system in his own right. At that time, _I_ was _his _dependant.
When we sold the business, he stopped making social payments (on the advice of our gestor) and took out private health care.
Then, when I was arranging our Covid vaccines, I realised that he is no longer in the Spanish health system (understandably, as he stopped making social payments years ago) but I assumed I'd be able to organise his as my dependant.
But I can't.
I've been to the health centre to ask for advice, but they just shrug their shoulders. There's nothing they can do until he's registered in the health system.
I understand that, but it's infuriating that after all this time, we're still no further forward.


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## Sherrie (Dec 31, 2010)

snikpoh said:


> Why would he need to do any of that if he has an S1?


Well, that's what I thought. I'm completely flummoxed.


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## Sherrie (Dec 31, 2010)

For info, this is the part of the form that asks for the photo holding the ID card.


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## Alcalaina (Aug 6, 2010)

Which autonomous region are you in? In Andalucia there is a form which residents who aren't in the state system can submit and get a vaccine. I know people who have done it - they actually got their jabs before I did!

Or just go to a gestor and get them to sort it out. They can often find ways to get things done that are beyond the capability of ordinary mortals.


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## xabiaxica (Jun 23, 2009)

Sherrie said:


> Well, that's what I thought. I'm completely flummoxed.


So does he have an S1? 


You say that he's retired. By that do you mean that he receives a state pension & therefore qualifies for an S1?


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## Sherrie (Dec 31, 2010)

Alcalaina said:


> Which autonomous region are you in? In Andalucia there is a form which residents who aren't in the state system can submit and get a vaccine. I know people who have done it - they actually got their jabs before I did!
> 
> Or just go to a gestor and get them to sort it out. They can often find ways to get things done that are beyond the capability of ordinary mortals.


We're in Andalucia, Alcalaina, and my gestor _*is *_arranging it! I was planning to do it myself, but it seemed very complicated so he is doing it for me.
I just found a form online that can be used for residents who aren't in the system, but I think they have to have private health insurance? I'm not sure, but I think so. Do you know if the people you know had private health insurance?
Covid Vaccination for ex-pats and foreigners - Atlantic Clinic
We don't have health insurance, but we are members of an organisation called Helicopteros Sanitarios, which doesn't qualify as health insurance, just medical assistance.
I know that everything can take longer than usual over the summer but even so, I feel like we have been waiting for a long time.


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## Sherrie (Dec 31, 2010)

xabiaxica said:


> So does he have an S1?
> You say that he's retired. By that do you mean that he receives a state pension & therefore qualifies for an S1?


Yes, xabiaxica, he is retired, receives a state pension, and has an S1.
Maybe that means he can't be a dependant of mine, because he is automatically covered by the health system in his own right as a pensioner. I'm not sure.


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## xabiaxica (Jun 23, 2009)

Sherrie said:


> Yes, xabiaxica, he is retired, receives a state pension, and has an S1.
> Maybe that means he can't be a dependant of mine, because he is automatically covered by the health system in his own right as a pensioner. I'm not sure.


Has he registered his S1 with the INSS?

Is he not registered at the local centro de salud?


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## kaipa (Aug 3, 2013)

What do you mean that you dont have health insurance? How does he get treatment if he doesnt have a doctor? If he jas an S1 why cant he just register with that? I thought that you just presented an S1 and you were put on the public health system.


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## Sherrie (Dec 31, 2010)

xabiaxica said:


> Has he registered his S1 with the INSS?
> 
> Is he not registered at the local centro de salud?


xabiaxica, he _was _in the health system, and made contributions while he was working, but he never actually registered at the local Centro de Salud. 
He only got his S1 three months ago, which was given to our gestor who is arranging things on his behalf, so I assume it was registered with the INSS, but I don't know for sure. 
Today, the woman from the gestor's office called to let me know that the reason for the delay is that the social security office hadn't replied and when she contacted them to find out why, she was told it was because my husband hadn't filled in this form: Asistencia Sanitaria
He hadn't filled in the form because he didn't know he needed to.
Anyway, he's doing it now, which I hope will help to hurry things along.


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## Sherrie (Dec 31, 2010)

kaipa said:


> What do you mean that you dont have health insurance? How does he get treatment if he doesnt have a doctor? If he jas an S1 why cant he just register with that? I thought that you just presented an S1 and you were put on the public health system.


kaipa, we are members of an organisation called Helicopteros Sanitarios, which provides medical assistance, eg; clinic and home visits by a medical team, so on the two occasions in 20 years that my husband's needed medical attention, they've provided it, but it's not health insurance.
I have no idea why he can't register with his S1. I assumed that when the gestor asked for the form in June, my husband would be added to the health system soon afterwards, but we're still waiting.
He was asked today to complete the form below, so I hope that will resolve the situation.
Asistencia Sanitaria


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## kaipa (Aug 3, 2013)

If he was making contributions then he must have been working- I cant understand why you never registered with the State system at the time or at least before he reached retirement? You only needed to take your SS number and padron to the central salud


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## Sherrie (Dec 31, 2010)

kaipa said:


> If he was making contributions then he must have been working- I cant understand why you never registered with the State system at the time or at least before he reached retirement? You only needed to take your SS number and padron to the central salud


Yes, kaipa, he was working -- we had a business here. We were both registered in the health system.
After we sold the business, I eventually became self-employed but my husband's status in the state system obviously lapsed somehow, because he's not in it any more. (Which is why we're going through the process of trying to get him re-registered).
Because we are members of the medical organisation I mentioned before (Helicopteros Sanitarios), my husband was happy for things to remain as they were after he stopped working -- he doesn't like going to clinics or surgeries, so he didn't register with the local doctor. Not the best idea I realise now, but that's the way it was.
It was only because we wanted Covid vaccinations that this situation has arisen. I thought I would be able to have my husband covered as my dependant, and so did my gestor but, so far, that hasn't been possible.
I've already been to the local Centro de Salud with all the documents, and they say they can't do anything until he's registered on the system.


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## kaipa (Aug 3, 2013)

Sherrie said:


> Yes, kaipa, he was working -- we had a business here. We were both registered in the health system.
> After we sold the business, I eventually became self-employed but my husband's status in the state system obviously lapsed somehow, because he's not in it any more. (Which is why we're going through the process of trying to get him re-registered).
> Because we are members of the medical organisation I mentioned before (Helicopteros Sanitarios), my husband was happy for things to remain as they were after he stopped working -- he doesn't like going to clinics or surgeries, so he didn't register with the local doctor. Not the best idea I realise now, but that's the way it was.
> It was only because we wanted Covid vaccinations that this situation has arisen. I thought I would be able to have my husband covered as my dependant, and so did my gestor but, so far, that hasn't been possible.
> I've already been to the local Centro de Salud with all the documents, and they say they can't do anything until he's registered on the system.


Ahhhh. Okay I see now.


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## xabiaxica (Jun 23, 2009)

The S1 might be causing the problem...

If he was working & paying SS contributions in Spain, he is entitled to a Spanish pension & state healthcare that way - & shouldn't have & doesn't need an S1.

When he retired he should have applied for his pension via Spain as it is the last place he worked. The UK DWP would then have been contacted & his pension contributions sort of 'added together' between the two countries.

I'm afraid that you seem to have bad advice from this gestor.


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## kaipa (Aug 3, 2013)

xabiaxica said:


> The S1 might be causing the problem...
> 
> If he was working & paying SS contributions in Spain, he is entitled to a Spanish pension & state healthcare that way - & shouldn't have & doesn't need an S1.
> 
> ...


I agree. It first sounded as if he retired in uk then moved to Spain but now it appears he was working in Spain but has taken a UK pension so it goung to create problems. If he paid SS up until retirement his healthcare should continue


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## Alcalaina (Aug 6, 2010)

Sherrie said:


> We're in Andalucia, Alcalaina, and my gestor _*is *_arranging it! I was planning to do it myself, but it seemed very complicated so he is doing it for me.
> I just found a form online that can be used for residents who aren't in the system, but I think they have to have private health insurance? I'm not sure, but I think so. Do you know if the people you know had private health insurance?
> Covid Vaccination for ex-pats and foreigners - Atlantic Clinic
> We don't have health insurance, but we are members of an organisation called Helicopteros Sanitarios, which doesn't qualify as health insurance, just medical assistance.
> I know that everything can take longer than usual over the summer but even so, I feel like we have been waiting for a long time.


My friends did have private cover but the form clearly says it's for foreigners and those without insurance. It's also been used by unregistered Moroccans who couldn't return to their home country because the border is closed.


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## Sherrie (Dec 31, 2010)

xabiaxica said:


> The S1 might be causing the problem...
> 
> If he was working & paying SS contributions in Spain, he is entitled to a Spanish pension & state healthcare that way - & shouldn't have & doesn't need an S1.
> 
> ...


That's very helpful, xabiaxica. And interesting.
When I asked my gestor about my husband's Spanish pension, he said, (paraphrasing), 'It won't be much, so it's not worth applying for'. So, yes, bad advice!
I have a meeting with him next month, so I'm going to ask him about it again.
I should point out that when my husband stopped working in Spain (after we sold our business), he stopped making contributions, so between him finishing work and officially retiring, he didn't pay anything because he wasn't earning. He didn't claim anything either during this time, obviously.
Anyway, thanks again for the information.


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## Sherrie (Dec 31, 2010)

Alcalaina said:


> My friends did have private cover but the form clearly says it's for foreigners and those without insurance. It's also been used by unregistered Moroccans who couldn't return to their home country because the border is closed.


Thanks so much, Alcalaina!
If it looks like the route we've taken is going to take much longer, I'm definitely going to try this.


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## Sherrie (Dec 31, 2010)

kaipa said:


> I agree. It first sounded as if he retired in uk then moved to Spain but now it appears he was working in Spain but has taken a UK pension so it goung to create problems. If he paid SS up until retirement his healthcare should continue


No, he didn't pay SS up until retirement. As I mentioned, when we sold the business and he stopped working, he stopped paying SS, as advised by our gestor at the time. I think that's why his status in the health system lapsed and he's no longer registered.


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