shaun&sue

Hello all. We both 44 and lived in Spain ( Valencia region) 1 year now. My wife works full time,pays into the Spanish system,and has a SIP card for full healthcare entitlement.
My question is this. I dont work,but am i also,as her husband, entitled to full Spanish healthcare based on my wife paying into the system? If so what do i do to obtain a SIP card?
If im not why not?
We have asked numerous people and no one seems to know,especially with this new law change for our region

look forward to your replies

Shaun and Sue

SueG

As far as I understand it - yes you are. I understood that you just took down your marriage certificate with your wife´s contract and SIP card to the local social security office and you are also entitled to one. I am sure that if I am incorrect someone will be along to tell me.

Fortaleza

As it says it is a Tarjeta Sanititaria Individual, I reckon the short answer is no. Check the site: http://www.san.gva.es/cas/ciud/sip/t...ml#utilizacion
It says that it is for the exclusive use of the cardholder only.

Have you yourself ever paid into the social security system? Do you claim el paro for being unemployed? I'm not sure what their rules would be if you're not in the system. In any case, it is worth looking into private healthcaer as it is nowhere near as expensive in the UK, and can be used for spouses and children.

intheknow

Yes you are.

Your wife can register you as a 'beneficiario' at your local INSS office (Spanish Social Security: www.seg-soc.es). You will have to take along your marriage certificate (they may ask you for a translation), plus your passport and residencia and padron certificates. Take photocopies of each one.

You will obviously also need your wife's social security number.

But yes, you are definitely entitled to free care.

Mitzyboy

Well thats relatively clear then


Thinking of it completely logically, if your wife for instance were of retirement age then you would also be covered under the Spanish system as a dependent. Therefore my understanding was that if your wife has a card through copntributions then it was exactly the same.

However Fortaleza has thrown doubt on that

aspeangel

My husband pays into the system and I get full cover as his dependant, along with our son. So yes you are entitled. INTHEKNOW spelt out how to get it sorted, which was exactly how we did it.

Fortaleza

Didn't mean to throw doubt, MB! Just looked at website and quoted what it said. However, others seem to know what to do through experience, so go with that

Solarwhizz

The Tarjeta is for the individual, ( like having a Joint account with two cards, you can use yours, and the wife can use yours and hers!!!!),

The entitlement is different to the Tarjeta and usually covers dependants, which is generally spouse and qualifying children, and I believe also Parents of the person that is paying in,

This comes from my Biz partner who pays the social monthly ( as I do), we have tarjetas for myself and my wife, and he has tarjetas for wife, and his parents but bizarrely not for his wifes parents!! Dont ask me to explain it as I just dont know it is just the way it is ( By the way this is Murcia region so there is no entitlement as was in Valencia),

I really believe in Spain, now that nothing is as it seems and it pays to keep testing the system on any aspect until you run out of options or they submit and give you what you want.

gill556

Hi everyone my husband is 60 years of age and as I am 64 he is classed as my dependant. The worry I have is if I died before he is 65 would he still be covered? I have to say that the health care here is ecellent. Thank you to everyone for all the useful advice.

snikpoh

The simple answer, I'm sorry to say, is that once the holder of the card looses it (for whatever reason) then all beneficiaries also loose their entitlement.

gill556

I did think that this may be the case and probably something that a lot of people haven't thought about. When we arrived 4 years ago I got an E106 for my husband to ensure that he had got at least the first 2 years covered although I was advised to add him to my application as my dependant. Thanks for your help.

jjh

Yes, I get covered at the moment under my husband's payments into the Social Security System. I've just turned 60 so now I can progress from green card to the red card, so does anyone know if the benefits differ?

Firefox7

I work and pay tax in Spain, my husband is retired.

He qualifies for a SIP card as my dependent (we live in Valencia, although I assume the qualification rules are the same everywhere?)

You will need to take your marriage certificate, the appropriate social security number of the person paying tax, your NI numbers and your passports, but we found the application system fairly straightforward!