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P.O. Box 5261, 08080, Barcelona, Spain Email: barcelonanlus@gmail.com |
| NEWS YOU CAN USE |
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| We are pleased to be able to disseminate information about activities of interest to our members. Disclaimer: We can only perform a certain amount of due diligence on verifying information prior to publication. Therefore, we are not responsible for misinformation and hold no repsonsability for forwarding erroneous information. |
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| Send us information at barcelonanlus@gmail.com |
| Received from the Madrid office handling Social Security matters for U.S. Citizens Time to File for Medicare? Life was simpler in the good old days. Back then, when you attained age 65 you could file for both retirement and Medicare benefits at the same time. But, since 2003, the age at which you can receive full retirement benefits has risen. Many people wait until after age 65 to contact us about filing for benefits and Medicare, and although Medicare won’t pay for health care or supplies you get outside of the United States, this could be a mistake. If you’ve worked in the United States for 10 years or more and are a frequent visitor to the United States or stay for extended periods or plan to repatriate to the United States, you should seriously consider filing for Medicare at age 65. Medicare Part A Hospital Insurance is free, if you are fully insured. As a general rule this means that you must have at least 10 years or 40 credits on your social security record. You can enroll for Medicare Part A at anytime from three months before age 65 onwards. If you file for Medicare, you don’t have to file for benefits at the same time. Medicare Part B Medical insurance is optional. It helps pay for doctors services and supplies that are not covered by Medicare Part A. However, there is a seven month window for first-time enrollment. It consists of the three months before age 65, the month of attaining age 65 and the three following months. If this window is missed, enrollment can only be made between January 1st and March 31st of subsequent years. Late enrollments also mean there will be higher premium. If would like more detailed information about Medicare please visit www.medicare.gov. If you want to make an appointment to file for Medicare or Social Security benefits please contact the Federal Benefits Unit in Madrid. ********* Submitted by Dirk Jan van der Grift, Operations Supervisor , FBU Madrid Tel.: (34) 91 587 2255 , Fax: (34) 91 587 2260, Email: Dirk.Vandergrift@ssa.gov |
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| Information on Social Security and Medicare |
| On February 1, 2008, the U.S. Government will increase its fees for
certain U.S. citizen passport services. For adult applicants renewing a
passport, the total fee will increase to $75. For first-time applicants
age 16 and over, the total fee will increase to $100. The fee for
minors under 16 years of age will be $85.
Effective February 1, 2008, passport applicants who are U.S. citizen minors under the age of 16 must appear personally with their parents to establish identity, proof of citizenship and proof of relationship. For parental application permission, both parents must appear together and sign, or one parent may appear to sign and submit the other parent's notarized statement, or one parent may appear, sign, and submit primary evidence of sole authority. Minors age 16 and 17 may apply in person with their own identification, but for security reasons, parental consent may be required. If your child does not have identification of their own, a parent will be required to accompany the child and present identification. Please refer to the Department of State's website at www.travel.state.gov for complete information on all new requirements, including downloadable revised forms that must be used as of February 1, and the U.S. Embassy website at http://barcelona.usconsulate.gov <http://barcelona.usconsulate.gov/> for complete U.S. passport application instructions. Americans traveling abroad should regularly monitor the U.S. Embassy's website http://barcelona.usconsulate.gov <http://barcelona.usconsulate.gov/> and the U.S. Department of State's travel website at www.travel.state.gov, where the current Worldwide Caution, Travel Warnings, and Travel Alerts can be found. The U.S. Embassy also encourages U.S. citizens to review to "A Safe Trip Abroad," found at http://travel.state.gov/travel/tips/safety/safety_1747.html, which includes valuable security information for those both living and traveling abroad. In addition to information on the Internet, travelers may obtain up-to-date information on security conditions by calling 1-888-407-4747 toll-free in the U.S. and Canada, or outside the U.S. and Canada on a regular toll line at 1-202-501-4444. Citizens living and residing in Spain are advised to register their presence in the country through the U.S. Department of State's automated online registration system, https://travelregistration.state.gov. U.S. citizens may also contact the Consular Section at the U.S. Consulate General in Barcelona via e-mail consularbarcel@state.gov or by calling from 03:00 pm to 05:00 pm +34 932802227. This complete message is available on the Consulate's website at http://barcelona.usconsulate.gov <http://barcelona.usconsulate.gov/> . U.S. Consulate General consularbarcel@state.gov Paseo Reina Elisenda, 23 Tel.: 34-93-280-2227; Fax: 34-93-280-6175 Website: http://barcelona.usconsulate.gov <http://barcelona.usconsulate.gov/> |
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| Passport Fees Increase and New Parental Signature Requirement for Minors |
May 15th, the Illinois Wesleyan University Collegiate Choir performs in a free concert, open to the public, at the Santa Maria del Pi church, Plaza del Pi. May 29th, The Yale Alley Cats will perform in a free concert at the North American Institute. |
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| American performances in Barcelona..... |