How to obtain a SIP card

1. Obtain a copy of your 'Padron'

I think that proves where you live. We got ours from the Town Council in Barx just by asking for it. Someone said they are only valid for one month, I think that there is supposed to be a very small fee.

2. Go to the Social Security Office in Gandia.

On the corner of Republica Argentina and Cadema Cisneros. Go down Argentina (towards Ardy), across the nice roundabout and it is about 2nd left, (red paintwork, with a yellow and red sign). Pascual Marti (the discount electrical shop) is on other corner (but the same side of road) and we parked in their car park!

      Take with you:

         1. Copy of your Padron

         2. Copy of your NIE

         3. Copy of your passport best to have your passports with you also

At the Social Security Office, go to the Receptionist on the left as you go in. We said we wanted a Social Security card Tarjeta de Social Securidad. He gave us a number and we sat on the seats to the left and watched for our number to come up on the screen. We had to go to desk number 19 and the man there spoke some English. We gave him our paperwork and he gave us each a form to fill in. We went away from his desk to a free desk by the door and filled in our name, surname, sex, address, and telephone number and signed at the bottom. We went back to desk number 19 and gave him the forms. He put our NIE number in one of the blank spaces on the form and entered the information onto his computer. He gave us a copy of the form we had filled in and a form that contained the Social Security card within it.

We went to the paper shop almost next door (come out and turn right) and got photocopies of the whole page. Then we asked for it to be laminated but she only had plastic wallets. She took the card from the form and we put it in the plastic wallet. All of that cost 60 cents!

3. Go to the Health Centre at Beniopa (Centre Salut de Beniopa).

It is on the corner of Avinguada de Beniopa and Carrer Primer de Maig (it has a big courtyard in front of it and some sort of metal sculpture). Gandia side of the barranc.

As you enter the main door you will see the Reception to the left and on the same desk to the far right (on the left-hand of the Receptionist) is a man sitting at a computer monitor. Stand in that queue. Ask for the Tarjeta SIP and give him the Social Security card you have just obtained. There is a notice about it on the wall next to the monitor. He will ask for your date of birth, address and telephone number. We gave him our passports for these details. He will enter information and give you a temporary SIP card. It has the name of your doctor on it and the word SIP very faintly in the background. The real card will come in the post about 2-3 months time