Laurence Crumbie
MARBELLA’S Councillor for Foreign Residents, Remedios Bocanegra, has reminded expats that they need to be on the town hall register if they wish to receive the COVID-19 vaccination.
“We have recently been consulted on how the issue of vaccination stands, who will have the right to be vaccinated, how it will be done and what procedures people must carry out to be within the Andalucian health system,” she said at a meeting earlier this month.
Bocanegra, reiterating what the national Health Ministry stated in January, also explained that all foreigners, whether employed or self-employed, will have access to the vaccine if they are registered with the Spanish social security system, as will those who possess an Andalucian health card (which should entitle holders to healthcare in all of Spain, like the SIP).
To apply for an Andalucian health card, expats must have been on the town hall register – called padron in Spanish – for at least three months prior to the application date, and pensioners must bring along their S1 form.
Expats on the Costas have received much criticism over the years for not signing on with their local town hall, even though there are a lot of plusses that come with being on the padron.
These include the town being able to get “more financial resources from higher authorities,” as funding is distributed based on headcount, and “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,” said Bocanegra.
“In Marbella, these include the Municipal Mobility Card, which allows everyone on the padron 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.”
The process for signing on to the padron can vary slightly according to region, but it is generally straightforward.
In Marbella, you begin by making an appointment via the following link: https://citaprevia.marbella.es/
Then you need to bring along the following documents:
-Your ID card from your country and the residence permit issued by the police station. Or, failing these, just bring along your passport.
-If you rent accommodation: rental contract and a utilities bill for electricity, water or real estate tax addressed to the contract holder.
-If you own accommodation: deed or land registry report or real estate tax for the dwelling.
-For minors: if they do not have a passport, the same documentation as the adults; those born may use the family record book or birth certificate.
Having your name on the padron effectively signals to your town hall that you live there, allowing them to include you on the inoculation list.
In theory, you will then be contacted when your target group is due for the jab.
The Spanish government, on the website of its vaccination program, has stated that “in this first phase, with a limited number of doses, all people included in the priority groups will be vaccinated, regardless of their nationality or their type of insurance.”
