# Coming home from Spain



## CostaCookie (Nov 6, 2009)

Hi all,
After 4 years living in Spain, we're moving back home. Since living here, we've had 2 children so heading home with a lot more than we left with!
I've heard varying reports that it's difficult/impossible to register on the NHS if you've been abroad for a certain amount of time. From what I've found online, as soon as we return, we're resident & entitled. Am I right in understanding that?
Also, I would like to put the children in nursery for a few hours while I try & get some work. When our daughter is 3 next year, she'll be eligible for 15 free hours a week - a friend has said I won't be entitled to that as we've been abroad. I can't find out online if this is true or not. Does anyone have any experience of this?
Is it best to avoid saying you've been abroad if you can?
Would appreciate advice from anyone who's done it & knows!
Thanks so much.


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## jojo (Sep 20, 2007)

CostaCookie said:


> Hi all,
> After 4 years living in Spain, we're moving back home. Since living here, we've had 2 children so heading home with a lot more than we left with!
> I've heard varying reports that it's difficult/impossible to register on the NHS if you've been abroad for a certain amount of time. From what I've found online, as soon as we return, we're resident & entitled. Am I right in understanding that?
> Also, I would like to put the children in nursery for a few hours while I try & get some work. When our daughter is 3 next year, she'll be eligible for 15 free hours a week - a friend has said I won't be entitled to that as we've been abroad. I can't find out online if this is true or not. Does anyone have any experience of this?
> ...



When you have a UK address you can register with a GP and are therefore entitled to the NHS. I'm not sure about the nursery school thing, it wasnt free at all in the UK when my two were small and I dont know if it makes a difference that your children werent born there, but they'll want to see their birth certificates, so you wont be able to say they were born in the UK?

Jo


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## CostaCookie (Nov 6, 2009)

jojo said:


> When you have a UK address you can register with a GP and are therefore entitled to the NHS. I'm not sure about the nursery school thing, it wasnt free at all in the UK when my two were small and I dont know if it makes a difference that your children werent born there, but they'll want to see their birth certificates, so you wont be able to say they were born in the UK?
> 
> Jo


Thanks for the reply Jo. Are you from Southampton? That's where we're going back to!
Great news about NHS - that was how I understood it.
Don't have birth certificates as they don't do that here in Spain. Can't see there's anyway round that one!


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## jojo (Sep 20, 2007)

CostaCookie said:


> Thanks for the reply Jo. Are you from Southampton? That's where we're going back to!
> Great news about NHS - that was how I understood it.
> Don't have birth certificates as they don't do that here in Spain. Can't see there's anyway round that one!


My husband has the business in Southampton, but we come from Worthing and still have a house there. My husband commutes to and fro, altho does bits and pieces in Spain! And I live permenantly in spain with the children.

My friend has just returned to the UK after being in Spain for 7 years and actually ended up in hospital the week after returning with a serious eye problem. She had no problem receiving treatment.

I think the nursery thing is something you'll have to ask about when you get there, or maybe phone up the education authority or social services????

Jo xxxx


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## JonMMM (Oct 1, 2009)

you will need to do something about the birth certificates as they will have problems latter in life getting passports etc


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## Joppa (Sep 7, 2009)

CostaCookie said:


> Don't have birth certificates as they don't do that here in Spain. Can't see there's anyway round that one!


Did you register your children's birth in Spain, with the local Civil Register Office within 8 days? If you don't register within 30 days (max), you may have trouble doing so later, and without it you cannot register your birth at the British embassy in Madrid so that a permanent record is kept at the General Register Office in England. If you did register locally (it's compulsory), you can ask for a certificate - full one with both parents' names on it, which can be sent to the embassy with completed application form (downloadable from embassy website) fee and required documents, and a British birth certificate will be sent to you.
Birth registration

You can apply for free nursery place for your children once you get to UK, but a place isn't guaranteed and is subject to availability. Just contact nurseries local to you and find out about vacancies. There are state nurseries (usually attached to primary schools) and private ones.
Nursery education for 3- and 4-year-olds: Frequently asked questions - Every Child Matters


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## CostaCookie (Nov 6, 2009)

Thanks for the replies.
Yes, all registered & legal here in Spain. Have the Libro de Familia & the copies of the birth entries in the big book. I was going to apply for UK birth certificates after they were born, but I read (on the internet so it must be true?!) that it was cheaper to do once you were resident in the UK. It's on the top of my ever increasing list of things to do once we're back home.
x


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## Tallulah (Feb 16, 2009)

CostaCookie said:


> Thanks for the replies.
> Yes, all registered & legal here in Spain. Have the Libro de Familia & the copies of the birth entries in the big book. I was going to apply for UK birth certificates after they were born, but I read (on the internet so it must be true?!) that it was cheaper to do once you were resident in the UK. It's on the top of my ever increasing list of things to do once we're back home.
> x


Hi CostaCookie,

Please read through the attached gov. link as it details what you need to do to de-register in Spain and your entitlements upon your return to the UK. I wish you the best of luck. Tallulah.x

Returning to the UK


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## Joppa (Sep 7, 2009)

CostaCookie said:


> Thanks for the replies.
> Yes, all registered & legal here in Spain. Have the Libro de Familia & the copies of the birth entries in the big book. I was going to apply for UK birth certificates after they were born, but I read (on the internet so it must be true?!) that it was cheaper to do once you were resident in the UK. It's on the top of my ever increasing list of things to do once we're back home.
> x


It costs the same, £98 per registration, plus £68 per certificate, at consulates abroad or at Foreign Office in London (postal service only).
Registering a birth


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## Stevan (Jun 30, 2009)

Although you will have no problem with NHS for medical problems you will struggle with dentist and option. Not because you have moved back from spain there are just not many doing NHS work.


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## CostaCookie (Nov 6, 2009)

Joppa said:


> It costs the same, £98 per registration, plus £68 per certificate, at consulates abroad or at Foreign Office in London (postal service only).
> 
> Ouch, that is expensive! £332 for the 2 kids. I thought their passports were pricey enough!


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