The last months of the year are one of the times most chosen by Spaniards to take a vacation and leave Spain. However, Social Security has been reminding for several months that it is essential to obtain the European Health Card to visit other countries of the European Union. But, what happens if you have requested it late and it will not arrive on time?
There is no problem. The Administration anticipates this type of conflict, which is why it provides a different alternative so that the citizen is not left without health care outside the Spanish borders: the Substitute Provisional Certificate.
What is the Substitute Provisional Certificate?
The Substitute Provisional Certificate is a document that temporarily replaces the European Health Insurance Card. Basically, it does the same function as this other identification while the official one is missing.
It is a personal and non-transferable document that certifies the right to receive the health benefits that are necessary during a temporary stay in the territory of one of the participating States, regardless of whether it is for tourism, professional activity or studies.
The States in which the Substitute Provisional Certificate is valid are Germany, Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Cyprus, Croatia, Denmark, Slovakia, Slovenia, Estonia, Finland, France, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Iceland, Italy, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Norway, the Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, the Czech Republic, Romania, Sweden, the United Kingdom and Switzerland.
It should be remembered that Social Security warns that this document has some planned and agreed uses, and that in no case can it be used for any other purpose:
– It can only be used when the stay in the country is for tourist reasons, a professional activity or for studies.
– It is not valid when the displacement is for the purpose of receiving medical treatment. In this case, the corresponding form issued by the National Institute of Social Security (INSS) or the Social Institute of the Navy (ISM) would be necessary.
– It is not valid when the owner moves his residence to the country of destination.
In some cases, it will be necessary to assume a fixed amount or a percentage of the expenses derived from health care in another country.
How can I request the Substitute Provisional Certificate?
To obtain the Substitute Provisional Certificate, you must follow the same procedures that were used to apply for the European Health Insurance Card. First of all, it will be necessary to go to the Electronic Office of the Social Security and access Your Social Security. To do this, you will need to identify yourself:
– If you access as an interested party with Username + Password (permanent Cl@ve), to guarantee a higher level of security, a code will be sent via SMS to the mobile number that you must enter to gain access.
– If you access as a representative, you must include the code sent to the represented party via SMS.
– If you access as a proxy, you must be registered in the Electronic Registry of Powers of Attorney.
Once identified, you can obtain the Substitute Provisional Certificate by accessing the European Health Insurance Card application section and clicking on ‘Download Substitute Provisional Certificate’. Finally, all that remains is to indicate the validity period of the certificate (maximum 90 days).
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