Johnbologna63

My wife is Italian and we both live in Italy. However I'm a UK resident, work for a UK company and pay UK taxes and am classified as a domicile in Italy, I haven't been back to the UK for at least 3 years now, mainly because I've been working all over Europe. Recently I tried making enquiries regarding getting a Covid vaccine, however there doesn't seem to be anything in place for my situation. The UK government don't want people flying back to the UK just to get a jab, as a sudden influx of returning Brits could lead to a Covid increase. I know that anyone including non residents and non registered in the UK are entitled to a vaccine, Is there anything like this in Italy? We've asked doctors and medical facilities but no one can help. Has anyone any suggestions or in a similar situation?
Thanks for your time

Geordieborn

You have Italian health care?

modicasa

Ignoring all the questions about why you arent an Italian resident and the Brexit problems that you now have, there are 'open days' in certain cities - and Im sure Bologna has them, where anyone can go and just turn up and get vaccinated. They are designed mainly for illegal immigrants and people below the radar, such as yourself. Id call the comune in Bologna, or even Caritas or the church as they are likely to be more help than doctors etc on this one. Whatever happens, its going to open a can of worms about your residency.

philat98

Do you fit in any of these categories?
https://vaccinocovid.regione.emilia-...omagna-persone

Johnbologna63

No I have the European health card.

Johnbologna63

Thanks for that. I spend around 3 months of the year in Italy. The rest of the year I'm working throughout the EU and Switzerland. That's one of the reasons I'm not a resident.

Johnbologna63

I will check, thanks.

37100

You might be better off vaccinated in the UK as, although you will be issued with a vaccination cert, without an Italian EHIC, SPID or an Electronic I.D. card, the green pass, at this point in time, is a mirage.

Johnbologna63

Yes I was thinking that also. Thanks.

christmasoompa

It doesn't sound as though you're eligible for NHS care though? So not sure that will work, if you haven't lived in the UK for years and aren't resident there.

Johnbologna63

As stated in my original post, I am a UK resident. I work for a UK company, pay UK taxes and National insurance. It's just that my job takes me all over Europe for work, so haven't been back for a few years now.

christmasoompa

I assumed you meant tax resident, rather than resident. If you return to Italy rather than the UK when not working, I don't see how you'd be eligible for a vaccine form the NHS personally.

jiminalpago

The concept of "residence" is still not embedded in UK, despite the efforts of successive Home Secretaries. If John is a tax payer, his Tax reference is his old NHS number. With that he has an entry to UK health care.

christmasoompa

Paying tax in the UK doesn’t give one a right to healthcare under the NHS? Loads of non-residents pay tax in the UK, NHS eligibility is purely residence based, nothing to do with taxes.

From the NHS website -

“Most NHS services are free to people who are ordinarily resident in the UK.Being ordinarily resident is not dependent on nationality, payment of UK taxes, National Insurance (NI) contributions, being registered with a GP, having an NHS Number or owning property in the UK.

Ordinarily resident means living in the UK on a lawful and properly settled basis for the time being”

I’ve no idea about the vaccine and eligibility for somebody who lives in Italy and isn’t ‘ordinarily resident’ in the UK, but just wanted to flag it as a possible issue. Would be awful if the OP spent 10 days quarantining to get the jab, only to find he’s not eligible anyway.

jiminalpago

My comment was based on my personal experience over the years I have been resident in Italy, and registered at Newcastle as such. When I have needed medical treatment I have attended the local surgery and my eligibility has never been challenged. I must admit it has never occured to me to check my entitlement.
As it happens, before I was vaccinated here, a letter was sent to my son's address, where I stay at when I am in Glasgow, with an appointment for vaccination there.
To be honest, the point I really wanted to make is that it is easy to be discouraged by the sort of wording you quote, which has crept into more and more UK pronouncements. It isn't like that on the ground.