Elizabeth

Hi, when you were booking online for the health cards, you had to tell them where your residency is

"https://www.ehic.org.uk/Internet/frequentlyAsked.do"

"apply now" and on terms and conditions: "I agree that all persons to be specified in this application are UK residents." Click on "?"

"UK Residents
Everyone included on this application must normally live at a UK address. Channel Islands and Isle of Man residents are not entitled to a UK issued EHIC. For further information visit www.dh.gov.uk/travellers. If you have a query concerning your residency please contact our enquiry line on 0845 605 0707."
(Think you received your cards because you were implying you were UK residents by using UK residents' address.)

You get the european health card if you are booked in one of their national health services, but England doesn't cover you if you aren't resident in England, and Italy doesn't cover you if you aren't working in Italy, or a student or married to an italian citizen (my fiance is employed by the medical profession here in Italy).

About the car, you've been able to get them cause they were registered already in Italy, otherwise if you had to register an english car in italy, you would be asked for your pds, but you can't get a pds if you aren't covered by an health insurance. So one not working has got just two chances:
1) apply for a private insurance
2) make a donation (ca 360 euros) to the italian health service to be covered.

Ps.A british friend of mine,who's 7 months pregnant with a british husband & who was living here for 3 years(1year longer than me)has returned to UK to have her baby!)
Pps.If any one has any tried & tested advice of how to get round my problems with bureaucracy please let me know?

TestaRossa

The thing is because of the law change you now do need residency to buy a second hand car and you can't get residency unless you are working here and paying taxes or have private health insurance if you are not. The nice thing is if you had all this done BEFORE the law change (April and Feb.) it won't now be taken off you. The EHIC card doesn't count, it has to be private health insurance - it's just another instance of Italy breaking the EU laws again!! Yes, we should be entitled to join the health scheme here, even if we have to pay into it but Romania and Bulgaria have b******d that up for the rest of us by joining the EU.

I've already tried for residency and been told to get the insurance. Don't understand how it stops you being able to drive a car though? Or did you buy it before getting residency and clashed with the law change?

BTW - the consul here in Florence told me to get my EHIC cards even though we are living here and not the UK! Dodgy advice or what?! Still did it!