Talk Quesada forum

Having lived in Spain for 5 years our uk EHIC cards ran out. A check on the UK Gov website indicated we could not renew as we did not reside in UK.


So we made appointment with INSS in Torrevieja and they have said that because we do not work here and because we don't have a UK state pension (we have a government pension and pay into health system under convenio especial rule) we were not eligible for an EHIC card here in Spain.





So what do we do now has anyone with similar circumstances ie live here not of state pensionable age changed their EHIC cards and if so how/where did you do it.




Many thanks for any advice

Telephone 0044 (0)191 218 1999 from abroad, (Monday to Friday 8am to 5pm).
That is the overseas health team at Newcastle and they are a different office than the one that deals with UK EHIC cards. Once you move abroad, your UK EHIC Is no longer valid but you will be issued an EHIC valid in all other countries except the one you are residing in (Spain). As you received a government pension from UK, then UK is responsible for providing the EHIC, not Spain which are only available to those covered by the Spanish Social Security system.
These cards are not available online.

nigelandkath wrote:Having lived in Spain for 5 years our uk EHIC cards ran out. A check on the UK Gov website indicated we could not renew as we did not reside in UK.


So we made appointment with INSS in Torrevieja and they have said that because we do not work here and because we don't have a UK state pension (we have a government pension and pay into health system under convenio especial rule) we were not eligible for an EHIC card here in Spain.





So what do we do now has anyone with similar circumstances ie live here not of state pensionable age changed their EHIC cards and if so how/where did you do it.




Many thanks for any advice

The Spanish version of the EHIC is called a Tarjeta Sanitaria Europea (TSE) and allows Spanish residents to benefit from emergency medical treatment and care when travelling within the EU.

There is some info here about what to do if you are not eligible:
http://www.tumbit.com/how-to-guides/art ... ident.html

The TSE is only issued If you are res­id­ent in Spain, have a Span­ish so­cial se­cur­ity num­ber and you are act­ively pay­ing your con­tri­bu­tions into the Span­ish So­cial Se­cur­ity sys­tem.
Even that Tumbit link says However, one exception is those who are resident in Spain, but not paying social security subscriptions, and claiming a pension from another EU Country. Under these circumstances applications must be submitted to the UK by post.

having contacted Newcastle just we find out that the UK will not cover us as we pay into the healthcare system here in Spain through the convenio especial. The lady directed me to the UK living in spain site where I found the following information




No entitlement to healthcare cover? If you are not entitled to healthcare cover from Spain or the UK, you might be able to join the Spanish government’s special pay-in health insurance scheme known as the Convenio Especial. This scheme provides access to the state healthcare system for a monthly payment of €60 per person under the age of 65 and €157 for those age 65+. It covers all pre-existing medical conditions but it does not cover prescriptions. You will not be issued with a European Health Insurance Card (EHIC) for healthcare cover outside of Spain (within the EU).



So this now leaves us without an EHIC card we can only get cover in spain

The EHIC in Spain
The EHIC is called a Tarjeta Sanitaria Europea (TSE) in Spain. It allows legal residents of Spain to benefit from emergency medical treatment and care when temporarily in a member country.

Anyone covered by the Spanish social security system or a system is entitled to a TSE.

Residents of Spain can apply to the local Social Security Service and Information Centre (CAISS) for the card. No online application is available.

However, one exception is those who are resident in Spain, but not paying social security subscriptions, and claiming a pension from another EU Country. Under these circumstances applications must be submitted to the UK by post.
You can request an application form sending out for you and your dependants by calling the International Pension Centre (IPC) on +44 191 218 7777.

jpeg wrote:The EHIC in Spain
The EHIC is called a Tarjeta Sanitaria Europea (TSE) in Spain. It allows legal residents of Spain to benefit from emergency medical treatment and care when temporarily in a member country.

Anyone covered by the Spanish social security system or a system is entitled to a TSE.

Residents of Spain can apply to the local Social Security Service and Information Centre (CAISS) for the card. No online application is available.

However, one exception is those who are resident in Spain, but not paying social security subscriptions, and claiming a pension from another EU Country. Under these circumstances applications must be submitted to the UK by post.
You can request an application form sending out for you and your dependants by calling the International Pension Centre (IPC) on +44 191 218 7777.

But you can't be covered for a TSE unless you are paying into the social security system of Spain and the convenio especial does not include that.
This is from the Citizens Advice Bureau in Spain regarding Convenio Especial
However, what is not covered, because they are separated out and are not part of 8a, is the provision of the TSE (Tarjeta Sanitaria Europea) which is the Spanish EHIC. So you are not covered if you travel to another European country, except for emergencies, so it is essential that you obtain private travel insurance. In addition, out patient prescription costs are not subsidised, so you will have to pay the full costs of any drugs. Fortunately lots of drugs are quite cheap in Spain, but other depending upon your condition may be expensive.

The fact that UK won't cover you is annoying as you are receiving a government pension. When we moved out here originally and were under state pension age but receiving a government pension (Army) we got EHIC cards issued for use outside Spain. Fortunately, at the time, we were allowed to get a SIP card (had to pay for prescriptions) but they changed all that but when my wife reached retirement age a year later, we both received an S1 and new applications for EHIC (outside Spain).
I wish they'd stop changing the system.

I read this as if getting Government pension you are entitle to EHIC from UK

"However, one exception is those who are resident in Spain, but not paying social security subscriptions, and claiming a pension from another EU Country. Under these circumstances applications must be submitted to the UK by post.
You can request an application form sending out for you and your dependants by calling the International Pension Centre (IPC) on +44 191 218 7777."

jpeg wrote:I read this as if getting Government pension you are entitle to EHIC from UK

"However, one exception is those who are resident in Spain, but not paying social security subscriptions, and claiming a pension from another EU Country. Under these circumstances applications must be submitted to the UK by post.
You can request an application form sending out for you and your dependants by calling the International Pension Centre (IPC) on +44 191 218 7777."

Which is what I put at the beginning but nigelandkath have said they've tried that and had no luck. Seems a bit of a bummer considering government pensions are taxed at source in UK so they are still paying into the system.
I would keep trying that number and hope you get someone a bit more helpful.

I think its because its nothing to do with tax its regarding national insurance which we don't pay in the uk on the pension here in spain we pay into the system via the C E but that exempts EHIC so I think we are stuffed