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Expats 'must be on town hall census' to get Covid vaccine: How to register for your jab
22/02/2021
IF YOU'RE living in Spain and want to be sure you don't miss the boat for your Covid vaccine when the time comes, you need to make sure you're on the padrón, or your town hall headcount register, warns Marbella's councillor for expatriate residents, Remedios Bocanegra.
She recently held a Zoom meeting with the chairs of several foreign residents' associations in the Costa del Sol town to discuss various issues affecting non-Spaniards who live there for all or most of the year – the main ones of which, in recent months, have been about how to ensure they get the summons for their Covid immunisation, whether they are entitled to it, whether they have to pay and how much, and how to get registered on the public healthcare service.
Remedios Bocanegra stresses that the vaccine is available to everyone as soon as it is their turn in line with the national immunisation programme established, and is free of charge to all those who are employed, registered as self-employed, or in receipt of benefits for sickness, maternity, disability, paternity or unemployment – meaning they are 'in the system' as far as Social Security is concerned – and, for those who do not fall into these categories, anyone who holds a healthcare assistance card, or SIP.
“To get a SIP card, you need to present a series of documents to your local GP surgery – which must include your padrón certificate,” the councillor says.
The padrón: What it is and why you should register
Anyone resident in Spain is required, and entitled, to register on the padrón, which is the town hall's official list of its inhabitants; it does not mean personal information will be shared, and even 'illegal immigrants', or migrants without residence papers, are allowed and expected to sign up to it.
It is not the same as the electoral census, which residents, nationals or foreigners, are required to register on separately if they wish to and are entitled to vote.
As well as being a legal obligation, the advantages of signing on the padrón are numerous, explains Remedios.
“They include your town's being able to get more financial resources from higher authorities, as we are funded per head of our population – this money translates to more healthcare and education staff and facilities, more police and firefighters, and benefits and discounts for registered residents where these are available,” she says.
“In Marbella, these include the Municipal Mobility Card, which allows everyone on the padrón to use round-town public transport for free; and now, it also means being placed on the list for the Covid vaccine, as it's a fundamental requirement for having it.”
Being on the padrón means the town hall knows you are 'out there' and can include you in the immunisation programme; otherwise, they do not know you are living in your town and cannot do so.
Also, as Marbella council's health department had to increase its annual budget by 700% in 2020, compared with 2019, to be able to deal with the pandemic – including mass disinfecting – it ended up spending €1.2 million rather than the previous year's €145,000, so extra funding from provincial, regional and national governments given per inhabitant is very welcome indeed, and benefits everyone.
Whenever a resident has to show a copy of his or her padrón certificate, the document should not be more than three months old, but it is not essential for everyone to be in possession of an up-to-date certificate unless they need to produce it – such as for registering at a GP practice.
Remedios says the certificate must also show that the person has been on the padrón register for at least three months when they go to sign up for healthcare, meaning anyone who has not done so yet should get their name on the headcount roll immediately.
Foreigners in receipt of a State pension from their home country also need to supply Form S1, which their native nation will supply and can advise them about.
“We're very grateful and feel very fortunate to have such an integrated community of foreign residents who participate in life here, which makes our job so much easier – especially in a city as cosmopolitan as ours, which is home to over 140 different nationalities,” Remedios says.
“In fact, 30% of residents in Marbella are non-Spanish.”
Marbella council's local health authority says mayoress Ángeles Muñoz has been 'fighting since day one' for vaccines to be administered as quickly as possible and for 'citizens and expatriates alike' who live there 'to be given the same chances to get their vaccine'.
Finally, Marbella council has urged expatriates to join the Resident Participation Board, so that the local authority can 'hear from non-Spanish inhabitants' living in the town when making decisions.
Comunidad Valenciana: Vaccine registration for early retirees
Procedures for registering for State healthcare and for the Covid-19 vaccine differ from region to region, although nationally, the vaccine and public medical attention are universally available to all residents.
'Illegal immigrants', or undocumented migrants, are also included, but the process to follow is likely to be different from that of people with either a photographic residence card or TIE, or a 'green certificate' in A4 or credit-card size.
Along with the Costa del Sol, another of mainland Spain's most cosmopolitan areas is the Comunidad Valenciana, comprising the provinces of Alicante, Valencia and Castellón.
The Dénia and Marina Alta (northern Alicante province) branch of the charity HELP, which assists foreigners and nationals alike with social and medical needs, has explained how to register for State healthcare and for a vaccine for those who are not already on the Social Security system through their working or contributory benefits or via their State pension.
Those who have never 'paid into the system' and are not yet able to claim their State retirement pension from their home countries are able to use the public health network if they are legally resident, although a high number opt for private medical insurance cover, especially in areas where they are likely to find private clinics with international management who may speak their native language.
“After consulting the healthcare team, I was informed that the Comunidad Valenciana says people with private insurance are able to request being registered for a vaccine by contacting their local health centre and presenting their padrón, residence document, private health insurance card and Spanish telephone number,” says a spokeswoman from HELP of Dénia and the Marina Alta.
“If you find that your local surgery will not register you for the vaccine when you have all of these documents, please give your details to us at help.covid.vaccine19@gmail.com.
“If you do not have a SIP card, but do have private medical insurance, you can register on their website, https://coronavirusregistro.san.gva.es/sipcovid19/registrosinsip?language=es. Once you have completed and submitted the form online, you will receive a text with a SIP number, stating that you are now registered.”
Residents in any region who are not sure how to register with a local GP and get a SIP card allowing them to access public healthcare, or how to ensure they are included on the list for the vaccine, should contact their nearest surgery for advice.
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IF YOU'RE living in Spain and want to be sure you don't miss the boat for your Covid vaccine when the time comes, you need to make sure you're on the padrón, or your town hall headcount register, warns Marbella's councillor for expatriate residents, Remedios Bocanegra.
She recently held a Zoom meeting with the chairs of several foreign residents' associations in the Costa del Sol town to discuss various issues affecting non-Spaniards who live there for all or most of the year – the main ones of which, in recent months, have been about how to ensure they get the summons for their Covid immunisation, whether they are entitled to it, whether they have to pay and how much, and how to get registered on the public healthcare service.
Remedios Bocanegra stresses that the vaccine is available to everyone as soon as it is their turn in line with the national immunisation programme established, and is free of charge to all those who are employed, registered as self-employed, or in receipt of benefits for sickness, maternity, disability, paternity or unemployment – meaning they are 'in the system' as far as Social Security is concerned – and, for those who do not fall into these categories, anyone who holds a healthcare assistance card, or SIP.
“To get a SIP card, you need to present a series of documents to your local GP surgery – which must include your padrón certificate,” the councillor says.
The padrón: What it is and why you should register
Anyone resident in Spain is required, and entitled, to register on the padrón, which is the town hall's official list of its inhabitants; it does not mean personal information will be shared, and even 'illegal immigrants', or migrants without residence papers, are allowed and expected to sign up to it.
It is not the same as the electoral census, which residents, nationals or foreigners, are required to register on separately if they wish to and are entitled to vote.
As well as being a legal obligation, the advantages of signing on the padrón are numerous, explains Remedios.
“They include your town's being able to get more financial resources from higher authorities, as we are funded per head of our population – this money translates to more healthcare and education staff and facilities, more police and firefighters, and benefits and discounts for registered residents where these are available,” she says.
“In Marbella, these include the Municipal Mobility Card, which allows everyone on the padrón to use round-town public transport for free; and now, it also means being placed on the list for the Covid vaccine, as it's a fundamental requirement for having it.”
Being on the padrón means the town hall knows you are 'out there' and can include you in the immunisation programme; otherwise, they do not know you are living in your town and cannot do so.
Also, as Marbella council's health department had to increase its annual budget by 700% in 2020, compared with 2019, to be able to deal with the pandemic – including mass disinfecting – it ended up spending €1.2 million rather than the previous year's €145,000, so extra funding from provincial, regional and national governments given per inhabitant is very welcome indeed, and benefits everyone.
Whenever a resident has to show a copy of his or her padrón certificate, the document should not be more than three months old, but it is not essential for everyone to be in possession of an up-to-date certificate unless they need to produce it – such as for registering at a GP practice.
Remedios says the certificate must also show that the person has been on the padrón register for at least three months when they go to sign up for healthcare, meaning anyone who has not done so yet should get their name on the headcount roll immediately.
Foreigners in receipt of a State pension from their home country also need to supply Form S1, which their native nation will supply and can advise them about.
“We're very grateful and feel very fortunate to have such an integrated community of foreign residents who participate in life here, which makes our job so much easier – especially in a city as cosmopolitan as ours, which is home to over 140 different nationalities,” Remedios says.
“In fact, 30% of residents in Marbella are non-Spanish.”
Marbella council's local health authority says mayoress Ángeles Muñoz has been 'fighting since day one' for vaccines to be administered as quickly as possible and for 'citizens and expatriates alike' who live there 'to be given the same chances to get their vaccine'.
Finally, Marbella council has urged expatriates to join the Resident Participation Board, so that the local authority can 'hear from non-Spanish inhabitants' living in the town when making decisions.
Comunidad Valenciana: Vaccine registration for early retirees
Procedures for registering for State healthcare and for the Covid-19 vaccine differ from region to region, although nationally, the vaccine and public medical attention are universally available to all residents.
'Illegal immigrants', or undocumented migrants, are also included, but the process to follow is likely to be different from that of people with either a photographic residence card or TIE, or a 'green certificate' in A4 or credit-card size.
Along with the Costa del Sol, another of mainland Spain's most cosmopolitan areas is the Comunidad Valenciana, comprising the provinces of Alicante, Valencia and Castellón.
The Dénia and Marina Alta (northern Alicante province) branch of the charity HELP, which assists foreigners and nationals alike with social and medical needs, has explained how to register for State healthcare and for a vaccine for those who are not already on the Social Security system through their working or contributory benefits or via their State pension.
Those who have never 'paid into the system' and are not yet able to claim their State retirement pension from their home countries are able to use the public health network if they are legally resident, although a high number opt for private medical insurance cover, especially in areas where they are likely to find private clinics with international management who may speak their native language.
“After consulting the healthcare team, I was informed that the Comunidad Valenciana says people with private insurance are able to request being registered for a vaccine by contacting their local health centre and presenting their padrón, residence document, private health insurance card and Spanish telephone number,” says a spokeswoman from HELP of Dénia and the Marina Alta.
“If you find that your local surgery will not register you for the vaccine when you have all of these documents, please give your details to us at help.covid.vaccine19@gmail.com.
“If you do not have a SIP card, but do have private medical insurance, you can register on their website, https://coronavirusregistro.san.gva.es/sipcovid19/registrosinsip?language=es. Once you have completed and submitted the form online, you will receive a text with a SIP number, stating that you are now registered.”
Residents in any region who are not sure how to register with a local GP and get a SIP card allowing them to access public healthcare, or how to ensure they are included on the list for the vaccine, should contact their nearest surgery for advice.
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You may also be interested in ...
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