I am UK tax resident but spend about 5 months a year in Portugal. I currently have a EH1C health card for emergency treatment, but was told after age 65 the form 'S1' would entitle me to healthcare both here and in the UK. I downloaded this form but it is a Home Office form for stateless persons!! I now believe it might be form E121/S1 but this seems to be only for persons emigrating permanently, and anyway I cannot find a download anywhere. Can anyone please help?  

As your a "visitor/holidaymaker" i.e you don't exceed 183 days in any 12 month period, then you use your UK issued EHIC card for treatment with Portuguese Health Service, it does not cover private treatment.
As you will be required to pay for treatment, prescriptions etc at the same rates as a Portuguese National if you read the conditions you can possibly claim that money back from Portuguese Social Security or on return to UK, you need to keep all receipts.

S1 is only for UK Citizens moving to Portugal to work or live on a permanent basis.  

Hi goody!

Perhaps it has other applications, but we`ve just been through this particular hoop.

The S1** is a European Commission document completed and issued automatically by the (UK) International Pensions Centre AT THE POINT OF QUALIFICATION FOR A UK STATE PENSION (& in our case, where we had previously registered our overseas address during the Pension application process). For us as a married couple, the non-Pension spouse then qualifies as a dependent. All the procedures and niceties are explained in a covering letter; but you simply take the two copies provided to the Portuguese Health Centre at which you are or wish to be registered.

As Canoeman says, it does not cover private treatment or other costs normally borne by residents.


** grandly headed
“Coordination of Social Security Systems
Registering for health care cover”
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The tears happen: Endure, grieve, and move on.


My email address is mbcjg @ talk21.com 

The IMPORTANT point is that the S1 is ONLY for 2 main categories, yes there are others but lets keep it simple

1. for Portuguese Residents of any EU Nationality working and paying UK Tax & NI
2. For UK pensioners RESIDENT in Portugal

although goodytwoshoes hasn't responded in their situation they require a EHIC for any treatment, without it they would be charged and for a lot of holiday insurance companies it is mandatory as part of insurance cover.

S1 is supposed to be handed into your REGIONAL Social Security office for processing NOT your local Health Centre.
The purpose of the S1 form is to register you with the Portuguese Social Security system NOT the Health System.

Suggest you check, as you say in your post
" All the procedures and niceties are explained in a covering letter;"
you should have received a letter from Portuguese S/Security sayng Registration completed and your Portuguese S/security numbers, the UK Overseas dept. would have issued you new EHIC's cards for treatment in EU outside of Portugal, when they received completed forms back from Portugal.  

- eMBee

The S1** is .........

** grandly headed
“Coordination of Social Security Systems
Registering for health care cover”

- Canoeman

The purpose of the S1 form is to register you with the Portuguese Social Security system NOT the Health System.

I`ve never claimed to be the worlds`best writer, but I can read, and I have the form in my hand as I type.

Anybody wanting a copy, please ask.

 

I went to get a prescription from my local Centro to be told that my social security number was out of date and I should go to the Social Security. They told me I needed an S1 form as I am now receiving state pension. On completion of the form the social security gave me a new number which pleased the Centro de Saude, but this apparently has to be renewed every year. More pain!!!
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Kate 

Interesting but your Social Security number should be like your UK NI or your Fiscal & Patient number here i.e for life or all the time your a Registered Resident.

Just to recap on S1 form they should be registered with the Regional Social Security offices, unless your extremely lucky to have a very efficient local office who knows what they are and the department or person they need to go too for processing and return to Newcastle.