Actuaciones a favor de los españoles en el exterior y retornados

The functions of support and care for Spanish citizens living abroad and returnees entrusted to the General Directorate of Spanish Citizenship Abroad and Return Policies are materialized in a series of economic benefits and assistance, among which Benefit due to necessity, Assistance pensions for returnees and the Benefit in favor of the "Children of war".

It also develops functions of promoting social and assistance activities for Spaniards living abroad and integration for returnees that are channelled, in some cases, by Spanish centres and associations abroad, through aid and subsidy programmes.

  • Benefit due to necessity

    Among the social rights and benefits recognized by the Statute of Spanish Citizenship Abroad is the Benefit for Reasons of Need, whose objective is to provide sufficient income to cover the basic needs of Spaniards who are in a precarious situation and reside abroad.

    The benefit tries to guarantee a minimum subsistence for Spaniards over 65 years old or disabled, who lack resources and live in countries where public social protection systems do not cover their basic needs.

    The benefit for reasons of need contemplated includes the following benefits:

    • Financial benefit for old age.
    • The economic benefit for absolute incapacity for all types of work.
    • The provision of health care.

    Beneficiaries

    Beneficiaries of the benefit may be Spaniards of origin born in the national territory who, for economic, employment or any other reason, left Spain and established their residence in a country where the social protection system is insufficient and justifies the benefit. Also, Spaniards of origin not born in Spain who reside in one of these countries and prove a period of residence in Spain of 10 years prior to the presentation of the application for the benefit, provided that they held Spanish nationality throughout that period.

    Requirements

    To have reached the age of sixty-five years on the date of the application for the old-age benefit or for the incapacity benefit, to be over sixteen and under sixty-five years of age and to be in a situation of permanent absolute incapacity for all types of work on the date of the application.

    Other requirements that must be met are not to belong to orders or institutes that by their rules must provide assistance to their members; not to have sufficient income, in the terms indicated below; not to have movable or immovable property, with the exception of habitual housing, that exceeds in patrimonial value the amount of the basis of calculation, and not to have donated property, by the same amount, in the five years prior to the application.

    Amount

    The amount of the financial benefit will be the result of subtracting from the basis of calculation that the General Directorate of Spanish Citizenship Abroad and Return Policies establishes annually, taking into account the economic and social protection indicators of each country, the annual income or income available to the beneficiary or, where appropriate, those of his family unit.

    Deadline

    Call open throughout the year.

    Health care

    For beneficiaries of the need-based benefit who do not have health care coverage in the country of residence, or when its content and scope are insufficient, the Ministry of Labour, Migration and Social Security has signed agreements with entities based in 14 countries.

    RENEWAL NOTICE

    More information

  • Benefits for "War Children"

    These are economic benefits intended for citizens of Spanish origin who, during their minority age, were displaced to other countries as a result of the Civil War.

    Beneficiaries

    The beneficiaries of this aid are Spaniards displaced abroad during their minority age, between July 18, 1936 and December 31, 1939, who have spent most of their lives outside the national territory.

    Requirements

    To be entitled to a “Children of War” benefit, you must be a citizen of Spanish origin and have been displaced abroad during your minority age, between July 18, 1936 and December 31, 1939, as well as having developed most of your life outside the national territory. In addition, it must be found in one of the following cases:

    • Reside abroad and receive the benefit due to necessity (or meet the requirements required for its recognition).
    • Reside in Spanish territory and be a recipient of a non-contributory retirement pension (or meet the requirements to do so).
    • Be a beneficiary of the pension of the extinct Compulsory Old Age and Disability Insurance or meet the requirements required for its recognition.
    • Not be entitled to previous pensions for having incomes or incomes higher than the limit established to access them but of less than € 7,802.65 per year.

    Amount

    It is established taking into account the pension and income of the applicant with a maximum limit which, by 2024, has been set at 8,342.12 € per year.

    Deadline

    There is no specific time limit for the submission of the initial application. Every year the "faith of life" and, where appropriate, the declaration of income must be presented, within the first calendar quarter in case of residing in Spain or within the deadline set for your country of residence.

    RENEWAL NOTICE

    More information

  • Assisted old-age pension for returning Spaniards of origin

    It is a pension that is granted to Spaniards of origin living in countries where the precariousness of the social protection system justifies the existence of the benefit due to necessity when they return to Spain.

    Beneficiaries

    They can be beneficiaries of the pension:

    • Spaniards of origin born in national territory who, for economic, work or any other reason, left the country and established their residence abroad.
    • Spaniards of origin not born in Spain who prove a period of residence in our country of 8 years prior to the presentation of the application for the benefit, provided that they held Spanish nationality throughout that period.

    Requirements

    The right to an old-age assistance pension for returnees will be recognized as long as they prove the requirements to be entitled to a retirement pension in its non-contributory form of the Spanish Social Security system, except for periods of residence in Spanish territory.

    Amount

    It will be the one established in the Law on General State Budgets for the retirement pension in its non-contributory form of the Social Security system, in annual computation and referring to 12 monthly payments.
    For 2021, a maximum amount of 5,808.60 € has been established in annual computation.

    Deadline

    There is no specific time limit for the submission of the initial application. Every year the "faith of life" and, where appropriate, the declaration of income must be presented. The income to be declared by the applicants, both in their initial application and in the life faith and declaration of income, will refer to the year in which the applications or renewals are submitted.

    Documentation:

    Place of presentation:

    RENEWAL NOTICE

    More information

  • Extraordinary assistance for residents abroad

    They are aid intended to alleviate the situation resulting from the lack of resources of Spanish emigrants and their dependants, as well as to cover the extraordinary expenses derived from the fact of emigration, provided that insufficient resources are proven.

    Extraordinary expenses are considered those incurred in the country of emigration for health care resulting from serious health problems of the emigrant or his dependants who require immediate attention and which cannot be provided by the Social Security or Social Services agencies. Also the expenses arising from legal assistance in socio-labor proceedings, in civil proceedings relating to separations, divorces and claims for food, and civil and criminal proceedings arising from causes of gender violence, provided that the applicant of the aid cannot access the benefit of free justice. In no case, labor or Social Security proceedings initiated against Spanish institutions will be funded.

    Beneficiaries

    Spanish residents abroad and temporarily displaced Spanish workers, in a situation of need, can benefit from this aid.

    Special consideration for the purposes of granting aid is given to cases in which a situation of dependency arises or it is proven to be a victim of gender violence by any means of evidence admitted in law.

    Amount

    The amount of aid will vary depending on the causes that generate the application and the economic and family situation of the interested parties.

    Deadline

    Call open throughout the year.

    More information

    1. HEALTH CARE ABROAD

      Among the social rights that the Statute of Spanish Citizenship Abroad recognizes is in a prominent place (article 17 of Law 40/2006, of December 14) the right to health protection, with the ultimate purpose of equating the one granted to residents abroad with the one provided by the National Health System in Spain.

      Beneficiaries of the need-based benefit are entitled to health care contingency coverage (which includes health and pharmaceutical benefits) when they do not have it in the country of residence or when its content and scope are insufficient. To this end, the General Directorate of Spanish Citizenship Abroad and Return Policies maintains agreements and agreements with various institutions in various countries, where the scope of the provision of health care and its financing is determined.

      This coverage may be extended to other Spaniards residing in the countries in which a Convention for the provision of health care has been signed, in duly accredited need, as well as the spouse and relatives of Spanish nationality, for consanguinity or first-degree adoption of the beneficiaries, provided that they are economically dependent on them and are also part of the economic unit of coexistence.

      Regulations

    2. HEALTH CARE ON TEMPORARY TRIPS TO SPAIN OR IN CASES OF RETURN

      Access in these cases is regulated by Royal Decree 180/2026, of March 11, which regulates the recognition of the right to health protection and health care from public funds of foreign persons who are not legally resident in Spain.

      The most significant novelty for Spanish citizens abroad is in its first final provision, which amends article 26 of Royal Decree 8/2008, of January 11, which regulates the benefit due to necessity in favor of Spanish residents abroad and returnees, and whose main aspects to highlight are the following:

      1. Beneficiary subjects

        The right to health care through the National Health System is recognized in favor of the following beneficiary subjects, provided that they do not already have such coverage provided by Spanish Social Security legislation or by the standards International Social Security Conventions:

        1. Spanish people of origin living abroad: all Spanish people of origin living abroad will have the right to health care on their temporary trips to Spain. Previously, this right was granted only to employed and self-employed persons and to Spanish pensioners of origin residing abroad.
        2. Foreign relatives of Spanish people of origin: The royal decree extends the right to family members who accompany Spanish people of origin on their temporary trips to Spain.
      2. Definition and requirements of family members

        Family members with the right to health care through the National Health System are:

        • The spouse or partner of the Spanish person of origin: The legal spouse or the person living with the Spanish owner in a relationship of affectivity similar to the conjugal one.
        • The descendants of the Spanish person of origin: Children (of the owner, of their spouse or of their de facto partner) who meet one of these two conditions:
        • Be under 26 years of age and be in charge of the owner.
        • Be older than 26 years with a recognized disability in a degree equal to or greater than 65%, provided that they are in charge of the holder.
      3. Recognition of the right

        In all these cases, the recognition of the right is the responsibility of the National Social Security Institute (INSS), which is the body responsible for issuing the accreditation document upon the request of the persons concerned.

        This document is the key piece that allows Spanish people of origin and their family members to effectively access health care through the National Health System.

      4. Documentation to be presented at the INSS

        People interested in obtaining the recognition of the right to health care during their temporary trips to Spanish territory must provide the corresponding documentation:

        1. Valid identity document or passport of the applicant.
        2. Birth certificate, where the Spanish nationality of origin is reflected.
        3. Certificate of the Register of Spanish Residents Abroad (PERE).
        4. Declaration responsible for not being able to export the right to health care from another country and, in addition, if you reside in a country with which Spain applies an international social security standard that includes health coverage, certificate issued by the competent institution in the field of health care of that country of residence, accrediting that the export of health coverage under your charge is not appropriate.
        5. Documentation accrediting the family status of Spanish people of origin, residing abroad, who accompany them on their temporary trips to Spain.
        6. Certificate or document accrediting to have a disability of degree equal to or greater than 65 percent for persons over 26 years of age with disabilities.

        The relatives of the returned Spanish people who settle with them must provide the corresponding documentation to prove the following elements:

        1. Documentation accrediting the family status of the Spanish person of origin who returns to Spain.
        2. Documentation certifying that the procedures for obtaining residence permits have been initiated in the case of foreign persons.
        3. Documentation accrediting that you have initiated the procedures for the establishment of your habitual residence in Spain in the same domicile of the Spanish person of returned origin.
        4. Declaration responsible for not being able to export the right to health care from another country and, in addition, if it comes from a country with which Spain applies an international social security standard that includes health coverage, certificate issued by the competent institution in the field of health care of that country accrediting that the export of health coverage under its charge does not proceed.
        5. Certificate or document accrediting to have a disability of degree equal to or greater than 65 percent for persons over 26 years of age with disabilities.
        6. Consular certificate stating the registration and unregistration of the Spanish person of origin returned in the Registration Register issued by the consulate of the country of origin.

        Regulations

        • Royal Decree 180/2026, of March 11, which regulates the recognition of the right to health protection and health care from public funds of foreign persons who are in Spain and do not have their legal residence in Spanish territory.
        • Resolution of 25 February 2008, jointly by the Directorate-General for Emigration and the Directorate-General of the National Social Security Institute, regulating the procedure for access to health care for returning Spaniards and for pensioners and employed Spaniards residing abroad temporarily moving to the national territory. BOE 01/03/2008.

  • Grant Programs

    Definition and Objective:

    The Directorate-General for Migration, a governing body attached to the General Secretariat for Immigration and Emigration, is responsible, among other functions, for the management of subsidy and aid programmes for Spaniards abroad and returnees.

    Currently, there are six programmes of action regulated by the current legislation: the Associations programme, the Centres programme, the Projects and Research programme, the Communication programme, the Senior and Dependent programme and the Youth programme.

    Programs of Action:

    Associations

    What is its purpose?

    • To contribute to the financing of the operating expenses of the Federations, Associations and Centres of Spaniards abroad.
    • Subsidize the expenses caused by the repairs and maintenance of the centers and facilities of entities located abroad, whose purpose is social, health and sociocultural assistance in favor of Spaniards from abroad.

    Who can request them?

    • This aid may be granted to federations, associations or centres of Spaniards abroad, which have a number of associates greater than fifty, and which carry out assistance work in favour of Spaniards abroad, as well as entities whose purpose is the support and sociocultural promotion of Spaniards abroad.
    • The applicant entities must be non-profit-making, legally constituted, based abroad and registered, where appropriate, in the Census of Associations and Centers of the General Directorate of Migration, two years before the date of submission of the application.

    Centres

    What is its purpose?

    • To contribute to the expenses of new works, works for the rehabilitation and adaptation of buildings and facilities, and acquisition of equipment, of entities located abroad, whose purpose is social, health and sociocultural assistance in favor of Spaniards from abroad.

    Who can request them?

    • Federations, associations or centers of Spaniards abroad, which have a number of associates greater than fifty and which develop a sociocultural, health or assistance work in favor of Spaniards from abroad. The entities must be non-profit-making, legally constituted, based abroad and registered, where appropriate, in the Census of Associations of the General Directorate of Migration two years before the date of submission of the application.

    Projects and Research

    What is its purpose?

    • To encourage the carrying out of research studies aimed at historical or current knowledge of the situation of Spaniards abroad and returnees.
    • To enable the implementation of projects whose purpose is to improve the quality of life of Spaniards abroad and returnees.

    Who can request them?

    • Any natural person and public and private entities, Spanish or foreign, for assistance, social, informative, cultural or educational purposes.

    Communication

    What is its purpose?

    • The implementation of actions related to the distribution of specialized periodicals among centres and associations of Spaniards abroad.
    • The realization of actions, in the field of communication, directed to Spanish citizens abroad, through written or audiovisual media, such as press, radio, cinema, television and Internet.

    Who can request them?

    • Natural persons, or public or private entities, Spanish or foreign, among whose purposes are the activities subject to this program.

    Elderly and Dependent

    Support for assistance activities and care for elderly and dependent persons:

    What is its purpose? :

    • To improve the living conditions of the elderly and/or dependent Spaniards abroad by supporting social centres, day centres and homes for the elderly, in order to carry out activities of an informative, social or assistance nature of the institutions whose purpose is the care of this group.

    Who can request them?

    • Day centres, nursing homes or other institutions that receive elderly and/or dependent persons not belonging to the active population, who have the status of Spaniards abroad, or are spouses of these, and lack sufficient means to subsist on their own.

    Young people

    What is its purpose?

    • To subsidize initiatives aimed at promoting the social and labor integration of young Spaniards living abroad through specific actions that allow them to continue their training abroad or, where appropriate, the use of their experience for the return to Spain.

    Who can request them?

    • Companies and non-profit entities, based abroad and in Spain, that have among their purposes the realization of the activities object of the program.

    More information:

Enlaces de interés