Talk Quesada forum

Tom1957 wrote:Am I right in thinking then that by presenting my EHIC card and Padron I can obtain a SIP card which allows access to all medical services, not just emergency cover? When I visited the Dona Pepa medical centre recently I was told that the EHIC only covers emergency treatment. Had I been in possession of a temporary SIP presumably there would have been no issue.

No it covers exactly the same as the EHIC card, it just saves you filling in the forms each time you go to the doctors.

TonTri - you say that you’re here for the next 5 months. I guess that means that Spain isn’t your primary place of residence?

Ian2009 - you’ve made it clear that you’re non-residents.

In both cases, signing on the Padron is illegal.
I realise that the local council is encouraging people to do this, as it puts more funds in their coffers, but that doesn’t make it legal. Their actions will most likely eventually result in the money being recovered from the local authority and a large fine being imposed on them as well. This has happened in other areas and effectively bankrupts the local authority.

You should read this thread on the sister forum for more info:
https://www.costablancaforum.com/area/almorad%C3%AD-spain-11/residency-in-almorad%C3%AD-padron-residencia-passport-advice-23/jims-guide-illegally-registering-on-the-padrn-45644/

Pete.

Pete, I have read several threads with the arguments for and against signing on the padron.

We are here for 5 months over the winter and again for 2 to 3 weeks in May/June. We also rent our apartment out in the summer months. Therefore we use the services of Rojales council for a large part of the year so in my mind it is only right that they get reimbursed from central government.

The padron is also the equivalent of the electoral roll in UK. By signing on it, you will be entitled to vote in local elections. That is against the law as you can only be registered in one place for this.

The actual Ley Organico 2000 which deals with the right of foreigners and the padron is quite specific. In article 53 d it categorically states:
Consentir la inscripción de un extranjero en el Padrón Municipal por parte del titular de
una vivienda habilitado para tal fin, cuando dicha vivienda no constituya el domicilio real del
extranjero. Se incurrirá en una infracción por cada persona indebidamente inscrita.

Which is:
Allowing the registration of a foreigner in the Municipal Register to the owner of
a dwelling authorized for that purpose, when said dwelling does not constitute the actual domicile of the said
Foreigner is an infraction of this law and an infraction will be incurred for each person wrongly registered.

So PeterKnight is correct, you should not register on the padron if this is not your main home.
However, I can see the reason that places like Rojales/Quesada does this. As over 60% of all homes in the Quesada area are not owned by those who actually live here then it would be very difficult to provide many services without having the financial support of the local government. I understand Rojales (and several other areas) are in dispute with this law saying that they provide services to the local community whether or not they are domiciled here and that the amount they pay in non resident income taxes should be returned to the municipality in which they live.

Be interesting to see the outcome.

TonTri wrote:Pete, I have read several threads with the arguments for and against signing on the padron.

We are here for 5 months over the winter and again for 2 to 3 weeks in May/June. We also rent our apartment out in the summer months. Therefore we use the services of Rojales council for a large part of the year so in my mind it is only right that they get reimbursed from central government.

That’s your choice, but if you’re fined between €501 and €10,000 for each of you then you might feel differently about the situation.
I think that if this happened then there’d be quite a few who would blame Rojales town hall for allowing/encouraging this illegal registration.

Pete.

We would personally be fined for doing what everyone tells us is the right thing to do if we are here any length of time??? Have there been any cases of fining individuals in Alicante province. How else do we get temporary SIP cards or get a permit to go to the rubbish tip? As far as we're concerned, we have 2 homes, Spain in winter and UK in summer, we use the services of each more or less equally. In the UK we pay vast amounts of council tax but in Spain, we should just sponge off the income the council gets for the local residents.

Yes, you would be personally fined, as what you’re doing is illegal.
I have no idea if people have been fined in the past, but even if nobody has then that’s no guarantee that you won’t be fined in future.
The local authority get around €177 per year per person registered on the Padron., but the absolute minimum fine you would recieve is almost three times that amount.

A temporary SIP card doesn’t give you anything that an EHIC card gives, and you’ll still get one anyway if you go to the Salud with your EHIC and passport.

However, as far as I’m concerned, the law is the law - break it at your own risk. I just want you to be aware that what you’re planning to do is illegal, and for you to understand what the potential penalties are.
The choice is yours.

Pete.

I'm not averse to bending the law a little if the law is an ass, but I'm not prepared to have to fork out €20000 for the privilege. What I don't understand is why the council are encouraging people to sign on if it's illegal and they can get personally fined; I thought just the council would get fined if anyone.

Sigh....it saddens me though as we were just trying t do what we thought was the right thing.

I just signed on the padron and got a temporary sip card last week. I am now resident here but my appointment to apply for residency is in 3 weeks time. My sip card expires in 6 months but will only cover me for emergency treatment? Once I get my residency should I go back to the town hall with my residencia for a permanent sip card or should I wait until the temporary one expires?

Ian2009 wrote:We just got our Padron but we are not in Rojales - we took our passports and a suma (council tax bill) and although they didn’t speak any English it was processed easily there and then We stay for 2 / 3 months a time but are not residents so I didn’t think we could get a temporary SIP or am I wrong? Is it something that just gives you easier access to your local doctor for everyday medical treatment if needed?

"Temporary" SIP cards are something that Rojales issues for convenience - they last 6 months and have to be renewed. They are for use by non residents with their EHIC card, i.e. for urgent medical attention or care that cannot await their return to the UK.