[carbexpat]

Hi all,

I'm new here, and just getting my feet wet.

I'm a US citizen & resident. I hold dual citizenship in the EU.

I'm exploring a relocation to the EU, but not to the country I hold dual-citizenship in. It will be a personal, not a business, expat/relo.

I'm just getting started with understanding the rights etc. that a EU Citizen holds across the EU countries.

My first question is pretty basic -- I'd appreciate any knowledgeable answer, or pointer to any relevant documentation & reading materials.

I understand that as a EU citizen I have a right of free movement -- to live & work -- across the EU, and to participate in the healthcare system of the EU.

My question is:

If I were to relocate from the US to any EU country other than that which I hold dual-citizenship in, do I immediately have access to the healthcare system in my new country of residence, as an EU citizen?

Or is there some time that needs to pass, or tax/payment requirement, before I have that access?

As I said, I'm just starting to wrap my head around this, and trying to get a sense of the magnitude of the change.

Thanks for any help!

Richard

 

[Bevdeforges]

OK, as an EU citizen (hope that's not the UK, cause if it is, all bets are off as things unwind for this Brexit stuff), you have the right to live and work in any other EU country. How you get into the national health care system is a separate question, as there is no "EU wide" healthcare system, only the national systems.

Also, in many EU countries, there is a requirement that you have "adequate" health care coverage on arrival. You may have to wait a while or establish residence in order to come under the national system (it varies by country) and for some countries, to register for the national system after however many months of residence, you must show proof that you have health coverage (usually private).

In most countries, too, you will have to pay into the system to some extent before you get health coverage. Usually, this is through a payroll deduction system, but for retirees or other "inactive" workers, it may be a flat percentage of your annual income or other assessment if you're living off income from outside the EU. (Again, it varies by country.) Though this would be pretty much the same even if you moved to the EU country in which you have your citizenship.
Cheers,
Bev

 

[BBCWatcher]

We can likely provide more specific advice if you name the country of citizenship and country of intended residence.

When you say it's a "personal" relocation, what do you mean by that? Do you simply mean that you have an offer of employment (with another employer) and are considering accepting that offer and moving to that country -- without your current employer posting you on an assignment, for example?

 

[Bevdeforges]

You may want to inquire in the section for the country you're thinking of moving to. I see you've indicated Spain as your "expat in" country. I have no familiarity with the health care system there, but the folks over in the Spanish forum can help you out.

For France, for example, I would strongly recommend getting a private health policy for at least six months - or possibly the first year - if you aren't going to be working in France on a French employment contract. To apply for the French system, you must have three months of residence in France (and proof of your health coverage during that time), and then your payment is based on your prior year's income. The process of enrollment can take "a few" months, so it can be much simpler to just assume you need the private cover for the first year and then you'll have the tax documents and all to make a somewhat easier application at the end of your first year there.
Cheers,
Bev