Health in Spain: the steps, from official sources
What applies everywhere in Spain on health, each with the official page that confirms it, then the regions whose own rules add to it.
Your plan, in your order. Documents, offices, hours and fees for your city, for your passport and visa.
Open the guideAcross Spain
Get your vaccines in Spain
Spain’s public health system offers a national vaccination calendar for every age, plus a yearly flu and COVID-19 campaign each autumn.
Health insurance requirements for non-lucrative and digital nomad visas
The non-lucrative visa needs public or private health insurance with an insurer authorized to operate in Spain.
Public healthcare and the health card with international protection
People granted international protection have access to healthcare on the same terms as Spanish nationals (Ley 12/2009, art.
Convenio especial - buying into Spain’s public health system
The convenio especial de prestación de asistencia sanitaria (regulated by Real Decreto 576/2013) lets legal residents in Spain who are not otherwise entitled to public healthcare (e.g., not employed, not a pensioner…
Seeing a specialist and mental health care in Spain
In Spain’s public health system your family doctor is the way in to specialists and to mental health units.
Where a region adds its own rules
Andalucía
Aragón
Asturias
- Access your Asturias digital health record (Mi asturSalud and Historia Clínica Digital)
- Book a GP appointment (cita previa SESPA)
- Continue US prescriptions and bring medication into Spain
- Dentists and eye care: what the public system covers
- Find your assigned public health center (centro de salud)
- Get vaccinated in Asturias (seasonal campaign and appointments)
- Know urgent care vs the ER (and when to call 112)
- Mental-health support: 024 line and SESPA services
- Obtain the Asturias public health card (tarjeta sanitaria)
- Private health insurance: when it is required
- Understand the convenio especial (paying into public healthcare)
- Use pharmacies and find the farmacia de guardia
- Your first Asturias health card is issued in person
Canarias
- Book a GP appointment (cita previa)
- Find or change your health center / GP in Canarias
- Get vaccinated in Canarias (seasonal campaign and appointments)
- Get your Canarias health card (Tarjeta Sanitaria Individual)
- Pharmacies and duty pharmacy (farmacia de guardia)
- Specialists and mental health care in Canarias
Cantabria
- Book a GP appointment in Cantabria (cita previa, MiSalud@SCS)
- Find or change your health center and GP in Cantabria
- First-time tarjeta sanitaria (health card) in Cantabria: at your health center
- Get vaccinated in Cantabria (seasonal campaign and appointments)
- Healthcare access in Cantabria for foreign residents without legal residence authorization (Orden SAN/2/2023)
- Obtain the Cantabria public health card (tarjeta sanitaria)
- Specialists and mental health care in Cantabria
- Use pharmacies and find the farmacia de guardia in Cantabria
Castilla y León
- Book a GP appointment (cita previa, Sacyl Conecta, phone)
- Find or change your health center and GP
- Get vaccinated in Castilla y León (seasonal campaign and appointments)
- Get your Sacyl health card (tarjeta sanitaria)
- Pharmacies and duty pharmacy (farmacia de guardia)
- Specialists and mental health care in Castilla y León
Castilla-La Mancha
- Book a GP appointment (cita previa)
- Choose or change your health center and GP
- Get vaccinated in Castilla-La Mancha (seasonal campaign and appointments)
- Get your SESCAM health card (tarjeta sanitaria)
- Pharmacies and duty pharmacies (farmacia de guardia)
- Specialists and mental health care in Castilla-La Mancha
Cataluña
Community of Madrid
- Book a GP appointment in Madrid (Cita Sanitaria)
- Choose or change your health center and GP in Madrid (libre eleccion)
- Get vaccinated in Comunidad de Madrid (seasonal campaign and appointments)
- Know urgent care vs the ER in Madrid, and when to call 112
- Obtain the Madrid public health card (tarjeta sanitaria)
- Specialists and mental health care in Comunidad de Madrid
- Use pharmacies and find a duty pharmacy (farmacia de guardia) in Madrid
Comunitat Valenciana
- Book a GP appointment (cita previa)
- Find or change your health center / GP
- Get vaccinated in Comunitat Valenciana (seasonal campaign and appointments)
- Get your regional health card (tarjeta sanitaria SIP)
- Pharmacies and duty pharmacy (farmacia de guardia)
- Specialists and mental health care in Comunitat Valenciana
Extremadura
Galicia
- Book a GP appointment in Galicia (cita previa)
- Choose or change your GP and health center
- First-time SERGAS tarjeta sanitaria application in Galicia
- Get vaccinated in Galicia (seasonal campaign and appointments)
- Get your Galician public health card (tarxeta sanitaria)
- Pharmacies and out-of-hours pharmacy (farmacia de garda) in Galicia
- Specialists and mental health care in Galicia
Illes Balears
- Book a GP appointment (cita previa)
- Find or change your health center and GP
- Get vaccinated in Illes Balears (seasonal campaign and appointments)
- Get your IB-Salut health card (tarjeta sanitaria)
- Pharmacies and duty pharmacies (farmacia de guardia)
- Specialists and mental health care in the Balearic Islands
La Rioja
Navarra
- Book a GP appointment in Navarra
- Find or change your health center and GP in Navarra
- Get vaccinated in Navarra (seasonal campaign and appointments)
- Get your Navarra health card (Tarjeta Individual Sanitaria, TIS)
- Specialists and mental health care in Navarra
- Use pharmacies and find the duty pharmacy (farmacia de guardia)
País Vasco
Región de Murcia
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