Good to know · Health
A living will: instrucciones previas
Instrucciones previas (a living will, also called voluntades anticipadas in some regions) is a written document in which an adult states in advance their wishes about medical care for a time when they cannot speak for themselves. Each region has its own register and form, and the Ministry of Health keeps a national register that receives the regional entries.
- Why it matters
- If you receive care in Spain, the document you file with your region’s register is what the health team can find. The names, forms and signing rules differ by region, so the official page for your region is the one to follow.
- When
- You want to record your wishes about medical treatment, or you want to know how a document made in one region is found in another.
- Official page
- Registro Nacional de Instrucciones Previas
- Last checked
- 26 Oct 2026
In the guide: the 4 steps, what to bring (3 items), the 2 offices with addresses and hours, and 3 Easy to miss lines, with every official source.
One Easy to miss, on us
The Ministry FAQ says you present the document at your region’s register, not at the national one; the national register holds what the regional registers send.