DWPinSpain

The British Consulate is holding an open event in Alhaurin el Grande, Malaga, to offer advice on some of the issues that matter most to British people living in Spain.

As well as learning more about the services offered by the Consulate, British residents will have the opportunity to find out about their pension and benefit rights and responsibilities. Health matters will also be on the agenda with the team providing information on issues such as how to register for healthcare in Spain and where to apply for the European Health Insurance Card.

In addition, those interested in attending can pre-book one-to-one appointments with the Pension, Benefit and Healthcare Team, and these will follow the main presentation. A Property Advisor will also be attending and will be available to answer questions, as will representatives from Age Concern and The Royal British Legion.

The event will take place on Wednesday 15th June 2011 at 3:30pm in the Casa de la Cultura, Calle San Sebastian 25, Alhuarin el Grande, Malaga. Customers are advised to allow plenty of time for parking, as the session will start promptly. Doors will open at 3pm.

To book a place online, please visit www.ukinspain.fco.gov.uk/opendays. If you experience any problems booking or do not have Internet access, call 902 109 356 and choose options 1, 3 and then 8.

Please note places are limited and can only be guaranteed if reserved in advance.

John and Elaine

The presentation is OK but don't think that an 'open meeting' means questions permitted from the floor.

Question from the floor can very helpful to those attending, as question may be raised which the audience are interested in but either did not think to ask or maybe did not know that the 'problems' existed and thus would not ask about.

The first presentations a couple of years ago did permit questions, but right from the first one, at Calahonda, Mijas, it became apparent that many caused embarrassment to the Consular Staff, who either did not know the answers or were just embarrassed at what they 'had to say.' Like 'Why do UK passports cost getting on for 200 euros, and now must be applied for through Madrid, when a Spanish passport cost 20 euros from the nearest National Police office?"

So if do have a question be sure to book an appointment before the meeting. At least that way you will get an answer, albeit that others will not be able to benefit too from the answer.

scampicat

Yes it would be nice if there could be questions from the floor, but I can see why there are not(unless they were pre-booked). There is a matter of timing and some people will just want to cause trouble.

(As an aside, why do people bang on about the price of passports anyway? If you don't want to apply via the Consulate you can always apply if you are in the UK.Then it will be cheaper. They will 'forward-date' it up to nine months. So for example if your passport expires in October 2011 and you renew it in June 2011, the expiry date will be October 2021. No point comparing it with the cost of Spanish passports, as people are always pointing out, things are different here.).

Rosemary

There are many Brits who have made Spain their permanent home and do not have an address in UK and do not go there but still need a passport.

Rosemary

Rotor

Its one thing telling people their rights to health care but its a whole different thing when it comes to getting healthcare for under 65`s, Spanish health authorities are obstrutive and act illegally with under 65`s

JLFS

I am sure that there are many Spanish in the UK with no address in Spain either that still need a passoprt and have to pay through the nose as well, via the Spanish consulate.

That is just one of the things that was signed on for when moving to a different country, not it does no good moaning about it.

Mitzyboy

You're telling people on the forum that it's no good moaning?

Rosemary

I was not moaning at all merely pointing out to Scampicat that not every Brit in Spain has the facility in the UK to do what she was suggesting.

Rosemary

John and Elaine

I did something about it. I took up my right to an Irish passport (free when I applied for over 65 yr olds).


But the cost in the UK is disproportional, even in the UK, when you consider a Spanish passport costs 20 euros and the holder can go to everywhere that a British PP holder can.


And incidentally, the pre booked questions at the 'open meetings' are answered on a one to one basis, so only the person asking the question gets to hear the answer.

JLFS

OKI will let you off then.

jackytoo

Whatever the rights and wrongs of the cost of a passport it is NOT the DWP's remit. I went to one and a couple of people in the audience disrupted it and spoilt it for others who wanted to find out the real stuff. The seminars are for info' not for a few people going along to vent their anger on a few workers who do not set the policies.

JLFS

Well it is swings and round abouts, and costs of certain thins in Spain are disproportianate compared to theings in the UK.
you can buy a newspaper in England for about 30 odd pence, wheras a Spaniard has to pay around one euro for their local and national papers in Spain.

So passports are cheaper in Spain but newspapers are more expensive, you win some you lose some.

JLFS

I agree totally, a British passport costs more, end of.

scampicat

Absolutely, you get a passport once every ten years, its the everyday Healthcare and Tax etc that people need and want to know about.

JLFS

I have never been to any of the opendays, but I can imagine the frustration if valuable time is taken up talking about "trivialities" like the price of a passport, that as you say is a once every 10 year spend.

There are more important issues to be dealt with during the time allocated, and I presume that the DWP would swiftly move on if faced with a topic.