# social security number



## jojo (Sep 20, 2007)

I'm curious. How does one obtain a social security number!! Employers who are going to issue you with a contract of employment ask for one and wont issue a contract until you have it. The social security office, the the foreigners office and the police station all tell me that, no you cant get one unless you have a contract of employment or are autonomo. Oh and you definitely cant have one unless you have NIE/residencia and are on the padron - and if you have recently moved, you have to get all those changed - which isnt simple trust me and could take weeks?!

Am I missing something here?? Can anyone tell me of a simple solution to all of this?? Am I being blonde??

Jo xxx


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## Alcalaina (Aug 6, 2010)

jojo said:


> I'm curious. How does one obtain a social security number!! Employers who are going to issue you with a contract of employment ask for one and wont issue a contract until you have it. The social security office, the the foreigners office and the police station all tell me that, no you cant get one unless you have a contract of employment or are autonomo. Oh and you definitely cant have one unless you have NIE/residencia and are on the padron - and if you have recently moved, you have to get all those changed - which isnt simple trust me and could take weeks?!
> 
> Am I missing something here?? Can anyone tell me of a simple solution to all of this?? Am I being blonde??
> 
> Jo xxx


Well, it looks like you have run into those bureaucratic nightmares Spain is famous for! This might be the sort of situation where it´s best to hire the services of a gestor.

The British Embassy site, which I´m sure you´ve seen already lists the conditions under which British citizens can register with the Spanish social security system here:
Healthcare

So you could try registering at your local health clinic with your EHIC card (since you are in Andalucia they should accept this) and they will issue you an SS number. Or you could try going down the S1 route.


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## jojo (Sep 20, 2007)

Alcalaina said:


> So you could try registering at your local health clinic with your EHIC card (since you are in Andalucia they should accept this) and they will issue you an SS number. Or you could try going down the S1 route.



YOU ARE MY HERO!!!! I have done that already when I broke my leg - Oh, I have a number.................. somewhere, in a box????? :biggrin1: 

Thank you :hail:

Jo xxx


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## VFR (Dec 23, 2009)

Jo it will be on your Health Card (SIP card here in Valencia) assuming you have one.


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## gus-lopez (Jan 4, 2010)

When we wanted soc. sec. nos. we just went in the soc. sec. office ( not the inem one for pensions, tse cards, or when you're un-employed ) , passport, residencia or nie,padron, out the door in 10 mins with 3 numbers. You can't sign on for healthcare here without a soc.sec. no. 1st. 
I would expect to change my padron & nie / residencia ( all on one paper now ) in a morning ( inc. 2 bar stops ) as we don't have to make appointments, just walk in take a no. etc. As long as you've got the correcty paperwork you'll be out in no time. The hardest part is the two offices are about 4 kms apart.


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## jojo (Sep 20, 2007)

gus-lopez said:


> I would expect to change my padron & nie / residencia ( all on one paper now ) in a morning ( inc. 2 bar stops ) as we don't have to make appointments, just walk in take a no. etc. As long as you've got the correcty paperwork you'll be out in no time. The hardest part is the two offices are about 4 kms apart.



BAH!! Not in Benalmadena/Torremolinos!! I went there and had to make an appointment - the earliest being 3rd January 2011!! I was sent away with a wad of forms to fill in and because I have mislaid my NIE/residencia certificate I have to report that as missing to the police before I can do anything. So I went to do that and.................. could I go back later when they're not so busy :mmph:


Jo xxx


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## gerrit (Jul 15, 2008)

It is actually quite well organised in Barcelona, I hope things will be equally well organised in your area. Here is how it went for me:

- I arrived without work contract but with a confirmation letter of the company I'd be working for (contract to be signed first week of employment)
- registered for the NIE first while not having a permanent address yet
- then the same day I went with my NIE to the social security office, and in less than 20 minutes I was issued with a number. That I did not even have a permanent address yet was no issue, they just used the address of my hotel.
- once I had my flat arranged and rental contract signed I went to the ayuntament to get empadronamiento
- with all those paperworks on to the local healthcare office (which here is incorporated in the local clinic) and was registered there in less than 5 minutes


It all went very smoothly. If you want bureaucratic mess, Turkey is where you wanna be. I love Turkey with all my heart, but the only downside I experienced was getting my residence permit arranged, which basically included a whole day of queues and no English speaking staff to tell me how to fill in the application document. In Spain, or at least here in Catalunya, it has all been very smoothly.

I'm surprised you didn't have social security yet when you've lived in Spain a few years already. Usually it is one of the first things people get (excluding those who rent without a valid rental contract -- as this means you cannot rely on the social network and benefits it is advised not to go that way but still some people choose to rent illegally and take the risk...)


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## jojo (Sep 20, 2007)

gerrit said:


> I'm surprised you didn't have social security yet when you've lived in Spain a few years already. Usually it is one of the first things people get (excluding those who rent without a valid rental contract -- as this means you cannot rely on the social network and benefits it is advised not to go that way but still some people choose to rent illegally and take the risk...)


I havent needed social security??? Even when I broke my leg I was covered by my EHIC initially and then went privately. I'm not renting illegally am I????? I have an NIE number/residencia - well I've lost the original (I have a photocopy), but its getting sorted and I'm about to sign on the padron!

Jo xxx


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## Alcalaina (Aug 6, 2010)

Jo, ocial security means different things in UK and Spain. In the UK it refers mainly to welfare benefits, jobseekers allowance etc. In Spain it refers mainly to State-provided healthcare. 

Gerrit, it´s quite possible not to have an SS number if you have never worked in Spain and are not otherwise eligible for State healthcare.


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## lynn (Sep 25, 2008)

Alcalaina said:


> Jo, ocial security means different things in UK and Spain. In the UK it refers mainly to welfare benefits, jobseekers allowance etc. In Spain it refers mainly to State-provided healthcare.
> 
> Gerrit, it´s quite possible not to have an SS number if you have never worked in Spain and are not otherwise eligible for State healthcare.


That's right Alcalaina. We don't have an SS number because we don't work in Spain, and the S1 used to access healthcare here for the first 2 years doesn't give you a number as it is temporary.
Actually, it doesn't give us access to healthcare either at the moment, but that's another story....


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## Alcalaina (Aug 6, 2010)

lynn said:


> That's right Alcalaina. We don't have an SS number because we don't work in Spain, and the S1 used to access healthcare here for the first 2 years doesn't give you a number as it is temporary.
> Actually, it doesn't give us access to healthcare either at the moment, but that's another story....


Really? Two years ago when it was still called E106 we used it to register and were given SS numbers. We never got the cards they promised us though.

We still get free healthcare, even though our E106 cover has expired and we aren´t yet on a state pension, because we are on a very low income. I think they only do this in Andalucia though.


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## lynn (Sep 25, 2008)

Alcalaina said:


> Really? Two years ago when it was still called E106 we used it to register and were given SS numbers. We never got the cards they promised us though.
> 
> We still get free healthcare, even though our E106 cover has expired and we aren´t yet on a state pension, because we are on a very low income. I think they only do this in Andalucia though.


Yes, the old E106 was not a problem, but the new S1 is causing grief (see my thread: http://www.expatforum.com/expats/sp...pain/61160-frustrations-over-new-s1-form.html)


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## Alcalaina (Aug 6, 2010)

lynn said:


> Yes, the old E106 was not a problem, but the new S1 is causing grief (see my thread: http://www.expatforum.com/expats/sp...pain/61160-frustrations-over-new-s1-form.html)


Yes I read that  you have my deepest sympathy!


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## gerrit (Jul 15, 2008)

I know some people don't bother to get the social security because they have a European Healthcare card, not sure what exactly that covers though and to what extent.


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## Alcalaina (Aug 6, 2010)

gerrit said:


> I know some people don't bother to get the social security because they have a European Healthcare card, not sure what exactly that covers though and to what extent.


It is meant to cover you for emergency treatment when you are visiting another EU country. But some parts of Spain allow you to use it for even when you´ve lived here for years.

The country giving the treatment claims the cost back from the patient´s country of origin.


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## jojo (Sep 20, 2007)

Alcalaina said:


> It is meant to cover you for emergency treatment when you are visiting another EU country. But some parts of Spain allow you to use it for even when you´ve lived here for years.
> 
> The country giving the treatment claims the cost back from the patient´s country of origin.


So if you have a social security number, who pays your health costs if you're not working ?? Bearing in mind that my costs are paid for by the reciprocal agreement between the UK and Spain thru my husbands NI contributions in the UK

Jo xxx


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## gerrit (Jul 15, 2008)

If you have a Spanish social security number you can use the state-provided healthcare in Spain regardless if you are employed or not. The UK won't need to pay a cent. That would be different if you'd use a Spanish hospital with a European healthcare card. Once you have a Spanish social security number, the costs are on the Spanish state (that is, if you use the state-provided healthcare rather than a private clinic)

Alcalaina, correct me if I understood things wrongly


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## jojo (Sep 20, 2007)

gerrit said:


> If you have a Spanish social security number you can use the state-provided healthcare in Spain regardless if you are employed or not. The UK won't need to pay a cent. That would be different if you'd use a Spanish hospital with a European healthcare card. Once you have a Spanish social security number, the costs are on the Spanish state (that is, if you use the state-provided healthcare rather than a private clinic)
> 
> Alcalaina, correct me if I understood things wrongly



Thats if you are an autonomo (self employed) and paying roughly 280€ a month into the system. Which I dont need to do

Jo xxx


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## gerrit (Jul 15, 2008)

Well, you work, right? Then your employer will deduct a part of your payroll and donate to social security. It is very standard as part of the taxes you pay. In my company, the company arranges it for us and deducts it themselves from our net payment we receive. We then contribute a certain percentage to social security.

But to get the number itself, you don't need to already be employed. Proof that you are residing here and a document of your future employer showing you will work here, should be OK. I doubt that even the latter is needed because some people retire in Spain having worked in another country all their lives.


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## jojo (Sep 20, 2007)

I am now the ecstatically proud owner of a "numero seguridad social"!! It was not easy to get and it was not straight foward. although I probably spent more time driving to places I was told to go to and waiting in waiting rooms than actually doing anything productive. It didnt help that I have mislaid my original NIE/residencia certificate and the copy I have simply blew them away, it was that complicated. I darednt tell them I've changed my address!

I'd say getting it was Spanish bureaucracy at its best/worst. I now need a lay down!!!!

Jo xx


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## Alcalaina (Aug 6, 2010)

jojo said:


> I am now the ecstatically proud owner of a "numero seguridad social"!! It was not easy to get and it was not straight foward. although I probably spent more time driving to places I was told to go to and waiting in waiting rooms than actually doing anything productive. It didnt help that I have mislaid my original NIE/residencia certificate and the copy I have simply blew them away, it was that complicated. I darednt tell them I've changed my address!
> 
> I'd say getting it was Spanish bureaucracy at its best/worst. I now need a lay down!!!!
> 
> Jo xx


Congratulations! Keep this up and you'll soon be able to get work as a _gestor_ for all the British expats in your town ...


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## gerrit (Jul 15, 2008)

jojo said:


> I am now the ecstatically proud owner of a "numero seguridad social"!! It was not easy to get and it was not straight foward. although I probably spent more time driving to places I was told to go to and waiting in waiting rooms than actually doing anything productive. It didnt help that I have mislaid my original NIE/residencia certificate and the copy I have simply blew them away, it was that complicated. I darednt tell them I've changed my address!
> 
> I'd say getting it was Spanish bureaucracy at its best/worst. I now need a lay down!!!!
> 
> Jo xx


I signed up with the address of the hotel I was in when first arriving in Spain. When I got my flat and permanent address I never bothered changing the address, they told me it isn't even that important.

If you think Spanish bureaucracy is complex, then praise yourself lucky you are not in Turkey. The bureaucracy there is 100 times worse than here (but that said, I'd go through it all again if only I could move back to lovely Turkey)


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## jojo (Sep 20, 2007)

gerrit said:


> I signed up with the address of the hotel I was in when first arriving in Spain. When I got my flat and permanent address I never bothered changing the address, they told me it isn't even that important.
> 
> If you think Spanish bureaucracy is complex, then praise yourself lucky you are not in Turkey. The bureaucracy there is 100 times worse than here (but that said, I'd go through it all again if only I could move back to lovely Turkey)



You're talking about the NIE number I think Gerrit, which isnt the same as a social security number at all!!! As for Turkey??? hhhmmm, I think when bureaucracy is too complicated people dont bother

Jo xxxx


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## gerrit (Jul 15, 2008)

jojo said:


> You're talking about the NIE number I think Gerrit, which isnt the same as a social security number at all!!! As for Turkey??? hhhmmm, I think when bureaucracy is too complicated people dont bother
> 
> Jo xxxx


No, I'm talking both NIE and social security. I got both before I signed my rental contract and got my permanent address. No hassle whatsoever. The empadronamiento obviously is something else, there I had to show my rental contract and all that jazz...


Indeed, Turkish bureaucracy is a maze and a lot of people work and reside there illegally. I wanted to be legal so I left with pain in the heart and with the intention to return as soon as I could with an employer offering a legal way. I'm still waiting  The economical crisis isn't helping much... The day Turkey joins the EU I jump on the first plane.


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