If you are a legal resident with a tax-paying job, you can sign up for Spain’s public healthcare.
During the residency application process, you were likely required to have a private health insurance plan. Once you receive residency and start working, however, you can sign up for the public healthcare system saving you money on insurance premiums.
With a private insurance, you were most likely restricted to specific private health practices. Once you sign up for public healthcare, you will have access to public health services and centers.
Each comunidad will have their own solicitud and webpage with listed requirements. Below, you can find the stated list of requirements to apply for the tarjeta sanitaria in Andalucía. Most comunidades allow you to either apply online or at the Centro de Salud corresponding with your address. For first time applicants (you), it is likely that you will need to apply in person.
To find the government webpage for your region, you can google “Solicitud y renovación de tarjeta sanitaria en (comunidad)”
If you are unable to find information online for your comunidad, you can always go directly to the Centro de Salud that corresponds with your address (typically the nearest center) and ask about applying for a health card.
Because you are not yet in the public healthcare system, it might be impossible for you to sign in and get a waiting number to talk with the front desk. I recommend going when it’s not as busy and approaching the front desk politely with your request.
The requirements between comunidades will be very similar, so the information below will be useful for everyone. These are the specifically requested documents at my local health center.
Requirements (Andalucía):
- Work Contract*
- Social Security Number
- Proof of Residence (Empadronamiento + Rental Contract)
- Proof of ID and Residency (Passport + TIE)
- Solicitud
*You can apply to be a beneficiario/a of your partner to receive acces to the public healthcare system if you are without work.
Work Contract + Copy
It must be a tax paying position, so auxiliar de conversación won’t work as it is considered a tax-free stipend/scholarship.
*Although a work contract was specifically requested at my appointment, others have signed up for public healthcare by being a beneficiario/a of their partner. Nonetheless, many bureaucrats are unfamiliar with this at the healthcare center.
Social Security Resolution + Copy
After applying for a social security number, you will receive a resolution via email. Print the resolution, and bring an extra copy.
Work Authorization and Social Security
Proof of Residence
Make sure that you are applying at the Centro de Salud that corresponds with your address. Empadronamiento + Copy.
You may also need to bring your Rental Contract + Copy.
This will probably not be a requirement for you, but it was requested by the healthcare workers at my center.
Proof of ID and Residency
Bring your passport along with a copy of all of your passport pages (yes, all of them). Again, bureaucrats may not ask for all the requirements. This is just a list of everything I had to present.
You will also need to present your TIE + Copy
Your TIE will indicate that you have residency in Spain. Bring the original and a copy of the front and back.
Solicitud
You will also need to bring a completed application + copy. You can get the solicitud online or in person.
Online: You can often find it in the previously discussed webpage that lists the requirements and application process.
If you can’t find it there, you can also google the following:
“Modelo de Solicitud de tarjeta/Alta/Modificación de datos (Region)”
In person: go directly to the Centro de Salud that corresponds with your address (typically the nearest center) and ask for an application form.
Again, you likely won’t be able to sign in and get a waiting number since you aren’t in the healthcare system yet, so go when it’s not busy and politely approach the front desk with your request.
Below, I have an example of an application form from Andalucía.
To apply in person, you must speak with the front desk at the Centro de Salud that corresponds with your address.
Bring all the necessary documents in an organized fashion, politely approach the front desk when it’s not as busy, and ask to apply for a health card.
The front desk workers may be a bit impatient because you will not be able to get a waiting number, but just try to remain polite. Once they finish taking your documents, they will give you a stamped certificate if everything is in order.
This stamped certificate will function as your health card while it is being processed. You will be sent your official health card by mail to your stated address in the application. It may take up to a year to have everything processed and sent.
At this point, you are now signed up for public healthcare. After registering with public healthcare, I cancelled my private insurance and saved 40 euros a month.
If you aren’t a permanent resident yet or have a special agreement, your healthcare is contingent on your employment.
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