At last I have a minute

I am only answering what I know to be fact in my experience
I know it is frustrating trying to find out what is fact and not fiction

Here were your questions..........

In the valencia com...can someone advise on

1. Can I get an SIP card without an E106 Yes you can get a temporary card with your European health card from your home country initially 6 months, sometimes, not always renewable.

2. If I get an SIP card what does this cover and for how long initially for 6 months Health care in the country of the cards origin

3. Does each person in my family have to have their own SIP cards? Yes

4. If the SIP expires what are my options then? Try to renew if not you need to either get private health insurance or an E106 which gives you a certain amount of cover dependant on contributions and this is to transfer your cover from your own country

5. Will children regardless of my wife and I status be able to avail of free health care, and Dental work? Not dental work but free health care if they are your dependants and that includes your spouse. ie only one person needs to be working or paying into the system.

6. If I need to then I will pay into the system...as youc an in Ireland and UK. In Spain it appears you have to register some kind of activity to register as self employed (autonomo)...do the authorities ever check ....do you have submit returns..what happens if you have an income of €100 only at the end of the year? To register as self employed you have to pay 238.79 each month that you are registered. It doesnt matter what your income is this is the minimum. You can set up doing almost anything you want as in UK this is the amount you pay and how much you make affects the tax that you may or may not have to pay.

7. As I calculate things I am 21 years to retirement, so if I paid SS in Spain I would also be entitled to a pension...(Maybe small but..) this would cost at todays rates €3,000 if I took out private health insurance with Sanitas its €4,000...I know we are not talking about apples to apples...but any views or experience from anyone? Sorry not sure on this one

8. If I transfer all rights to Spain...(23 years worth) does this count towards my state pension in Spain (ie 15 years)...is it any benefit to me at all doing this? You have to pay into the system for 15 years despite what you already paid in the UK but you will still be entitled to this pension when you do retire which can be transferred and paid here in Spain.

9. In Ireland I can come back for 3 years for elective treatments....does this effect my rights in spain? Not entirely sure, I doubt it but dont quote me. How would they know? My husband had bad burns some 15 years ago and they told him to come back for operations to release skin whenever he wanted just to call the hospital.

As far as I am aware Ireland is classed as part of the UK so why you are being told you cannot get an e106 if you ahve paid into the system if you do not intend to work here I am not sure i have personally registered client's e 106's because they have not been of retirement age yet and they have not intended to work. Some have been for 1, 2 and as many as 3 years. The E106 is to show you have paid into the system already and entitled to the reciprocal health care in another EEA country. Maybe they are not understanding as you can get an E109 if you are working at home but your dependants are still living in Spain.

This is taken from the website.................


Living (but not working) in another EEA country

If you are going to live, but not work, in another EEA country, you may get healthcare cover from the UK for yourself, and for any members of your family who depend on you and who go with you, under the state scheme of the other country. But this cover will only be for a limited time. How long it lasts will depend on whether you could still get UK short-term Incapacity Benefit if you claimed it. When this period ends, the UK cannot give you any more healthcare cover unless anything in certain sections may apply please consult the website below to see what applies to you.

Before you move abroad, write or ring on the numbers or to the details below, Tyne View Park and ask for a claim pack to be sent to you.

When you get forms E106, register the forms by giving them to the authorities who run the sickness insurance scheme in the country where you live. If you have family members who cannot be issued with form E106 in their own right, they may be covered as members of your family on your own form E106, but this is a matter for the authorities in the country where you reside. Ask them if they can include your family members when your form E106 is registered.

Prior to visiting any other EEA country you will need to get a European Health Insurance Card (EHIC) from the UK for your medical cover. When form E106 is issued to you, you will also be sent an EHIC Application Pack . Send the completed form to the PPA in the envelope provided.

If you start work in the country where you live you should become insured for health care under that country’s sickness insurance scheme. The forms E106 and the EHIC issued by the UK will then no longer to apply to you.

If you do not meet the rules for form E106 yourself, and cannot be covered as a member of the family of someone who you depend on and live with, you may be able to pay voluntary contributions to the state sickness insurance scheme of the country you move to. This depends on the law of that country. If not, you will have to take out private medical insurance. In most other EEA countries, you must prove that you have adequate healthcare cover before you will get a right of residence.

If you want to know more about benefits and related healthcare cover write to:

Department for Work and Pensions
The Pension Service
International Pension Centre
Tyneview Park
Newcastle-upon-Tyne NE98 1BA
When you write, with

your full name;
your date of birth; and
your National Insurance number (if you know it).
If you are phoning or sending a fax from outside the UK, dial the international code, then:
tel: 44 191 21 87777
fax: 44 191 21 83836

You can phone or fax The Pension Service, Tyneview Park, on:
tel: 0191 21 87777
fax: 0191 21 83836
email:tvp.internationalqueries@thepensionservice.gsi.gov.uk

Hope I have answered some of your questions at least.

Whereabouts are you moving to?
edited by Shar on 28/10/2007