Bollo from the Tobacconist!!
 

We're in the process of getting residency (me, hubby and son). We've been to the Town Hall, they've taken photocopies of our codice fiscale, passports etc. The Vigili have visited us. He uttered something about a "bollo" and told us to pop back to the Town Hall to see if they need anything else. We popped back and the woman there uttered something about getting a "bollo" from the tobacconists. :confused: So we'll trot along there shortly and get the "bollos". Any ideas if that's all we'll need, coz I've read somewhere that we might have to make a declaration on legal type paper, (also available from the tobacconists) of how we'll support ourselves financially. :unsure: Can anyone offer any advise please? :blink: Cheers

Re: Bollo from the Tobacconist!!
 

Did you get health insurance? This is the one thing that is getting in the way of me getting residency! I'm elective, are you? Or is your husband italian or here for a job? I know I'm being nosey but I'm still dithering about the Health Insurance and need to get it sorted pronto.

Re: Bollo from the Tobacconist!!
 

hahaha! Have I heck as sorted health insurance yet! I haven't done anything except mess about with my bloomin' internet connection! I suppose that will be next on our agenda, once we sort the residency thingy! Husband is english too, otherwise I'd have had him phone TI to sort out the internet! I did tear myself away from the computer earlier though to go to the tobacconists for 3 "bollos". He had a ciggy hanging out of his mouth and the shop was FULL of smoke, hahahahahaha. Didn't seem like he cared one iota about the smoking ban! Calabrese people must make their own rules!
Must admit I tend to concentrate quite intensely on one thing at a time, so I haven't really given the health insurance much attention yet. And a few hours ago, I found a tick in my dog so that's my priority now! Tut! No ticks in England. Why, oh why, did I want to live in Italy? I must be mad! haha

Re: Bollo from the Tobacconist!!
 

I thought "Bollo" was to do with car tax;)

Re: Bollo from the Tobacconist!!
 

Hi Margaret
An italian lady today told us that at one time they had a "bollo" for almost everything, but now they don't! In fact this lady said she thought they had "scrapped" it and seemed rather surprised that we had been asked to get one for us to apply for residency! Oh well, we'll see what tomorrow brings!

Re: Bollo from the Tobacconist!!
 

Margaret
Addition to prev msg!
What did you have to do to get residency? I forgot to ask you before!

Re: Bollo from the Tobacconist!!
 

Was quite easy really, but probably had too much Primativo to answer that tonight - will answer the question tomorrow - certainly no private health insurance.

Re: Bollo from the Tobacconist!!
 

Hi Ginty - for what it's worth - here in Florence I've been told I can't have residency until I have Health Insurance... Which is why I was wondering if you were working here. Sounds like the law is being interepreted in the usual haphazard way - or you could get there tomorrow and find you need it too. Let me know! BTW the law changed last Feb, just in case anyone who got residency without, before this , was wondering. It's different for the retired too.

Re: Bollo from the Tobacconist!!
 

OK, we went to the Commune Office with our agent, who happens to know the lady in the office quite well. On the first visit she wasn't interested in our earnings - we are technically pensionata, although not yet of state pension age. All she wanted then was our Passports, Codice Fiscale and proof of some sort of health cover. Showed her our EHIC, which we know technically is not valid, but she accepted that, and gave us a temporary receipt to prove we were applying.

Police then visited, and we went back to finalise things - this was in July. We also went to our bank to try to change our account - can't do it without the "certificate" they said.

Our agent then chased the Commune, who eventually a couple of weeks ago said we didn't need a "Certificate". Bank insists that yes, we do, or an Identity Card to change the account. So - Monday back to Commune to get an Identity Card, which we did, at which time dear lady said she wanted proof of income, although she did give us the Identity Cards on my promise to return next day with Payslips from our private pensions. Still no certificate though, but the bank have changed the account.

So, we now have Identity Cards, Residents bank account, and Libretti :thumbup:Sanitori - I gues we now have Residency, but your guess is as good as mine

Re: Bollo from the Tobacconist!!
 

Hi TestaRossa
Well, well, lo and behold! We've been to the Town Hall again and guess what, same as you've been told in Florence. They told us to go to a local insurance company (at least I think that's what they said) to get some health cover. Is that the same as you've been told? Does it mean we have to purchase private health insurance? It all seems very vague and has totally confused us. We aren't working here so we aren't making Italian National Insurance contributions at the moment. Do you think that's what they mean we must do?

Re: Bollo from the Tobacconist!!
 

Hi Margaret
We're the same as you! Not of pension age yet for a good few years! We don't have any pension income though. We are selling our house in England and intend living off the proceeds. I never thought to show them our EHIC cards, as I know that once we get residency, they'll be invalid. So have you actually been to your local Azienda Sanitaria to get your Tessera Sanitaria (EU Health Ins Card for Italy). What did you have to take with you and did you have to pay anything?

Re: Bollo from the Tobacconist!!
 

Another addition!!
We bought 3 "bollos" coz our son is here too, but they've given us 1 bollo back saying they only need 2!! My son wants residency too so I wonder why only 2!! Perhaps the bollo isn't anything to do with our application for residency after all!! hahahahaha its so confusing, it's laughable! NOT!!

Re: Bollo from the Tobacconist!!
 

We don't have a Tessera Sanitaria, we have a Libretto Sanitaria, which I gather covers us for healthcare in Italy, but maybe not in EU. We did go to the local Azienda Sanitaria, again with our agent. All we took was our little slip saying we had applied for Residency, our Passports, and our Codice Fiscale. We were immediately registered with a Doctor and given the Libretti.

I do have the paperwork from DHSS for the type of card we should have, but haven't sent it back yet. Must contact them for help filling it in.

Hubby has 4 years to go to state pension, and I have about 6 (I think) with the new phasing in changes.

The same lady who accepted our EHIC insisted a few days earlier that our friends took out private insurance. Think it is a case of who you know, like most things here.

Am I correct in thinking once we are resident we are entitled to health care anyway, without private medical insurance, in which case why don't people take out the insurance, get the residency, then cancel the insurance - or am I missing something?

Re: Bollo from the Tobacconist!!
 

Ginty - you've been told the same as us and yes you can go to SAI, Generali, INA etc. for private health ins. which I believe is about a 10th of what you would pay through BUPA but accepted by the ASL/town hall. Sounds like you have still got further than me though - basically Florence won't even start to process without PHI, which is why I'm still non-resident! I have also been told you have to get the highest level of cover for it to be acceptable. Your proof of income can be a bank statement, which if it has your house sale in will almost certainly be enough for their needs. I think you need to prove income of about €30,000/year for a family. I'm assuming you will make more than this on your house!!

Margaret - I "believe" that once you have the PHI this then covers any use you make of the ASL - so instead of National Ins. paying your insurance company does - your GP, hospital etc. makes all their claims for payment through your PHI, so even though you appear to be covered by the Italian Health system, you aren't without your PHI, so if you cancel it after getting your card, you can't use the system as you have to have the ins. even if you are prepared to pay out of pocket yourself. Does this make sense? I have also heard that once you have residency and you have paid into a scheme for a year you can then sign up for the free service, but not sure if this is an urban myth! When did you start applying for residency? Was it before last Feb? Having said that the Consul here thought that an EHIC should be enough as well and they believe it is actually against EU rules to make us take out PHI but there is nothing they can do. There is residency and residency - it will probably flag somewhere on your card or something that you need PHI if you are elective.

Re: Bollo from the Tobacconist!!
 

We started applying for Residency last July. I have and Identity Card, a bank account as a Resident, and the Libretta Sanitaria with no expiry date, and they have registered me with a doctor. I guess I will have to wait and see what happens if or when I need the doctor. As far as I can see it is the same card Italians have. It just shows name, date of birth, place of birth etc.