Private health insurance that meets Spanish immigration requirements, and the right route into public healthcare once you live here. Checked by the same lawyers who file your residence permit.
Consulates and immigration offices reject applications every week because of health insurance that looked fine: a copayment hidden in the small print, a waiting period, a travel policy, or an insurer not authorised in Spain. Fixing it later costs weeks you may not have.
If you will not be covered by Spanish Social Security from day one, you need private insurance for your residence application. This applies, among others, to:
Retirees and people living from savings or passive income.
Remote workers not registered with Spanish Social Security.
Registration Certificate (CUE) for non-working EU citizens.
Spouses, children and dependent parents joining you.
Students and other permit holders have similar requirements. Some consulates also ask for repatriation cover or the full year paid upfront: we check your consulate's rules before you buy.
We work with brokers specialised in visa-compliant health insurance, who compare insurers and negotiate good deals for our clients. Send us four details and we come back with a free, no-obligation quote.
Moving as a family? Add each person's age in the same field.
Public healthcare in Spain is not bought: you access it through work, a pension or a special agreement. Which route applies depends on your situation.
Your employer registers you with Spanish Social Security (alta) before you start work. From then on, you and your registered family members are covered.
Registering in the special scheme for self-employed workers (RETA, Régimen Especial de Trabajadores Autónomos) gives you public healthcare. New self-employed workers pay a reduced flat rate of €80 a month in their first 12 months (about €89 in 2026 with the mandatory intergenerational surcharge).
After one year of residence, people without public cover can join the public system for a monthly fee: €60 under 65, €157 from 65. In Catalonia it is managed by CatSalut, the Catalan Health Service.
Pensioners from the EU, the European Economic Area, Switzerland or the United Kingdom can transfer their public cover with form S1, registered with the National Social Security Institute (INSS, Instituto Nacional de la Seguridad Social).
Contact us. Through our network of partner accountants specialised in international freelancers, we take care of your RETA registration, the reduced first-year rate and your ongoing filings, so you are covered from the start. Read more about RETA registration for digital nomads.
| Your situation | Health cover for the application | Later on |
|---|---|---|
| Retiree or living from savings (Non-Lucrative Visa) | Private insurance | Convenio especial possible after one year |
| Remote employee of a foreign company (Digital Nomad Visa) | Private insurance, unless registered with Spanish Social Security | Public, if registered |
| Self-employed digital nomad | Private insurance until RETA registration | Public, through RETA |
| Employee of a Spanish company | Public, through your employer | Public |
| EU, EEA, Swiss or UK pensioner | S1 form, or private insurance | Public, through S1 |
Remote workers covered by their home country under a social security agreement (for example with a certificate of coverage) are not in the Spanish public system and need private insurance.
Your health cover planned as part of your residence application, not as an afterthought.
Which permit, which family members, and whether you qualify for public cover.
The cheapest compliant route today, and the best one for next year.
Start dates and duration aligned with your visa and arrival.
Compliant offers from specialised brokers, compared for you.
Policy certificate, S1, Social Security or RETA paperwork prepared.
Every document checked against your consulate's or office's requirements.
Registration with your health centre and your individual health card.
Yes. Send us your moving date, age, nationality and future place of residence, and we come back with a quote at no cost and with no obligation to buy.
Only if the insurer is authorised to operate in Spain and the policy gives full cover in Spain without copayments or waiting periods. Many international plans do not meet all of these conditions.
Not for a first application: it requires at least one year of prior residence in Spain. It can become an option later on.
Not necessarily. If you start working in Spain, register as self-employed or transfer an S1, you enter the public system. We plan the switch so you are never left without cover.
Yes. Our partner accountants specialised in international freelancers handle your registration and ongoing obligations, and we coordinate it with your residence permit.
Request your free insurance quote, or book a consultation to plan your health cover together with your residence permit.
MigratioLex · Carrer Joan Reglà, 5, 3-B · 17600 Figueres (Girona) · contacto@migratiolex.com · +34 602 54 15 16. This page is general information and does not constitute legal advice. Requirements can vary between consulates and immigration offices.
Expert firm in Immigration and Spanish Nationality, offering fast and effective solutions for residency, visas, and citizenship.
This action is promoted and subsidized by the Department of Business and Labor and co-financed by the European Union through the European Social Fund Plus.
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