Question
Seeking guidance from retired U.S. federal employees using FEP Blue Cross Blue Shield for Spain non lucrative visa applications, particularly on presenting the insurance effectively for overseas coverage in Barcelona or Tarragona.
Answers
These are the answers of some Facebook group members:
”I have TRICARE and VA but had to purchase additional insurance because they don’t meet the requirements. Not sure about BCBS”
”I am a former Federal employee and retiree also have FEP Blue. We are considering applying to Spain for the NLV visa. Unfortunately, the consulate advised me that my insurance does not comply with the requirements.
The consulate says: “We have finished our research into the coverage letter. Unfortunately, it cannot be accepted for the visa, as the insurance provider must be registered in Spain with the list of insurance providers of the Directorate General of Insurances and Pension Funds, which BlueCross BlueShield is not.
Should you decide to get a different insurance policy in order to apply for the visa, please note that it must be a full insurance with a coverage similar to that of the basic service portfolio of the Spanish National Health System (arts 7 et seq. of Law 16/2003), without any deductible, co-payment or waiting period. Should the insurance policy be limited to a certain amount, it must be over €30,000.” Hope this helps”
”We are immigration lawyers and pretty much only Spanish insurance companies are accepted for these 3 reasons: – Must have full coverage similiar to the Spanish healthcare system. – Must have no co-pays – Must have no exclusions or limitations The document required by the consulate “certificate of insurance” must state the above.
Spanish health insurance is cheap. Full insurance with the above condition can cost 416€ a year for under 50yrs. If anybody needs it I can send a list by e-mail of insurance policies accepted for the NLV, residency and a rough idea of prices. Then you can shop around and find the best deal. It takes 2-5 days to get the documents”
”Wondering this also. We have Foreign Service Benefit Plan. Please let us know what you find out”
Conclusion
In conclusion, according to Spainguru Facebook group members, it seems that for Spain non lucrative visa applications in Spain, the consulate requires insurance that matches the coverage of the Spanish National Health System, with no co-pays, deductibles, or limitations.
Unfortunately, some US-based insurances like FEP Blue Cross Blue Shield might not meet these specific requirements. Spanish insurance policies are typically accepted, and they can be relatively affordable, starting around 416€ annually for those under 50 years old. If you’re exploring options, reaching out to Spanish insurance companies directly for a policy that complies with these conditions could be the best route.
