Hi, I’m hoping someone has been in this situation and can help clarify this:

I am marrying my Spanish Fiancee, and I plan to live with her in Spain.  When I talked to the Spanish Consulate here in the US, they didn’t tell me anything about needing medical insurance, but is that the case?  According to the consulate’s website (http://www.maec.es/SUBWEBS/CONSULADOS/LOSANGELES/ES/MENUPPAL/VISADOS/RESIDENCIA/Paginas/Residencia.aspx) I not only need insurance but also need to show economic proof I can survive in Spain without work.

If I am going to be living in my wife’s home town, do I need to get myself medical insurance and have a large store of cash before I can even apply to legally obtain residency?  If so, does anyone know how much I need to have saved up as a financial guarantee?

Thanks in advance for any help!

You need to ask yourself a couple of questions…

What are you going to do if you become ill whilst you are over here?

What are you going to do for a living?

If you are lucky enough to find an employer who will give you a contract, the he will pay towards the cost of the Social Security payments, you will also pay a contribution.

If you are self employed it will cost you about 260Euros per month in S/S contributions.

or…you can organise Private Health Insurance.

Check out these two links on this forum…

http://www.spainexpat.com/spain/information/visas_in_spain_for_work_or_holiday

http://www.spainexpat.com/spain/information/social_security_in_spain_social_security_numbers_and_healthcare_unemploymen/

Hope this helps…

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epsilon1983 - 04 February 2011 02:15 AM

Hi, I’m hoping someone has been in this situation and can help clarify this:

I am marrying my Spanish Fiancee, and I plan to live with her in Spain.  When I talked to the Spanish Consulate here in the US, they didn’t tell me anything about needing medical insurance, but is that the case?  According to the consulate’s website (http://www.maec.es/SUBWEBS/CONSULADOS/LOSANGELES/ES/MENUPPAL/VISADOS/RESIDENCIA/Paginas/Residencia.aspx) I not only need insurance but also need to show economic proof I can survive in Spain without work.

If I am going to be living in my wife’s home town, do I need to get myself medical insurance and have a large store of cash before I can even apply to legally obtain residency?  If so, does anyone know how much I need to have saved up as a financial guarantee?

Thanks in advance for any help!

you do not need a medical insurance. when you get your eu family member visa or your your eu family member residence card, and you are “empadronado” in the area in spain you living, you can get your sss number and then go to your local “centro de salud” and apply of the “tarjeta sanitaria” (health card).
you can also start looking for a job, which very hard to find right now due to the recession.

i am heading to the government office in malaga on tuesday the 8th for my residence permit, i can let you know what happens, I am a canadian that married a spanish and i am currently living in fuengirola, close to malaga; and i dont think you need to buy health insurance (although i also have read that you do);

from what i know you need, a family book (proof of marriage) 3 passport pictures, the ex16 form filled out, with 3-4 copies and a copy of your wife’s eu identity….

it is quite a headache all this ‘stuff’ the consulate in toronto was helpful to me, and they strongly recommended i get the family book (libro de familia), so there are no problems with the marriage certificate,

also, it is pretty rare for north american people to be coming to spain, unless travelling…

anyways ill let you know yankee! ciao