Residency or Exemption

[Dave G]

Our Residency expires next month and we will have to start the renewal process over again, we are long term residents, slightly over 60, have our own property with deeds and have not been out of the country for 6 or 7 years, can anyone expand on the advantages and disadvantages between Residency and Exemption that I have listed below so that I can decide which way to go

Residency

Advantages?

Disadvantages, 2 years during, expensive

Exemption

Advantages, 5 years during, cheaper

Disadvantages, ?

Any expansion would be appreciated

[rockpebbler]

Advantages of the Exemption is that you dont need to worry about it again for 5 Years, also it saves you 5 years payments (who knows how much it will increase in the near 5 years???)
The only disadvantage is the emergency health cover has to be arranged by you, so you can use the govt scheme or private cover or not bother and just pay if you need to use the state hospital (this is what we do as you are only covered for emergency treatment and paying as you use it is very reasonable cost wise)

[steveodp]

The only possible issue with the exemption is that its unclear if it will count towards continual residency, so if you wanted to apply for permanent residency at some point in the future it may count as a gap. As mentioned above, you don't automatically get the usual health cover with it, but as long as it's not a first time application you can use the govt website to easily get the cover.

[Groucho]

Is it expensive? I think it's a bargain. I prefer to keep my 20 years unbroken record of full residency.

[alphamike]

Ah that dream of full residency....can't see that ever coming. I used to be ever hopeful but no longer. There are far too many foreigners here nowadays. Broken now anyway as I got 5 year exemption.

[Dave G]

Thanks everyone, we have over 10 years unbroken temporary residency and I don't think we will ever get full residency.

Just out of interest, has anyone got full residency or does anyone know someone who has received full residency by just having unbroken residency, not work permit etc.

[alphamike]

I only know one British couple who have full residency, but they lived here forever as in well before any housing boom (think late 70's/early 80's).

[Dave G]

If they have been here since 70/80 I assume they must have been working as 50 years or so is a long time to be retired

[alphamike]

I just thought that after I posted Dave. Doh, what a pillock!

[benjaminbutton]

Like alphamike, I also know of people who have been coming here on holiday since late 70's when land was being thrown at them for 100 pounds a plot and you obtained permission etc within weeks. More or less the same as people who moved early/mid 80's. Age was irrelevant.

[Sukicat]

If you apply for the 5 year exemption and get it how many years emergency health insurance do you have to pay upfront? Can you just pay for say 2 years as with normal residency.

[buddy]

If you apply for the 5 year exemption and get it how many years emergency health insurance do you have to pay upfront? Can you just pay for say 2 years as with normal residency.

Yep my husband bought one year .

[Sukicat]

Thank you for response Buddy.