Do EU citizens need health insurance to register as residents in Spain?

Checked on 2026-10-25

Only if you won't work. EU and EEA citizens employed or self-employed in Spain register without a health insurance requirement. Those not working must show public or private health insurance giving cover in Spain equivalent to the National Health System, plus sufficient resources. Pensioners can use a certificate of entitlement from their pension state. Register within three months.

Key facts

What	The law says	Source
Employed or self-employed	Right to reside over three months; you prove the job or the self-employment, no health insurance condition	RD 240/2007, art. 7.1.a; Orden PRE/1490/2012, art. 3.2.a–b
Not working	Sufficient resources for you and your family, and health insurance covering all risks in Spain	RD 240/2007, art. 7.1.b
What insurance counts	Public or private, contracted in Spain or another country, giving cover in Spain equivalent to the National Health System for your residence	Orden PRE/1490/2012, art. 3.2.c
Pensioners	Condition met with a certificate of entitlement to healthcare paid by the state paying the pension	Orden PRE/1490/2012, art. 3.2.c
Students	Full cover in Spain; a European Health Insurance Card valid for the whole residence period is accepted	RD 240/2007, art. 7.1.c; Orden PRE/1490/2012, art. 3.2.d
Deadline	Apply in person within three months of entering Spain, at the foreigners’ office or police station	RD 240/2007, art. 7.5

What the law says

Real Decreto 240/2007 lets an EU or EEA citizen live in Spain for more than three months if they are employed or self-employed in Spain, or if they have sufficient resources and a health insurance covering all risks in Spain, or if they are enrolled as students with health insurance covering all risks and a declaration of sufficient resources (art. 7.1). Family members who accompany or join them get the same right if the citizen meets one of these conditions (art. 7.1.d and 7.2).

Orden PRE/1490/2012 sets the documents. Workers bring an employer’s declaration, an employment certificate or a registered contract; self-employed people bring proof of self-employment, such as registration in the census of economic activities or with Social Security (art. 3.2.a–b). No insurance is listed for them.

People who don’t work must prove both health insurance and sufficient resources (art. 3.2.c). The insurance may be public or private and may be contracted in Spain or abroad, as long as it gives cover in Spain for the period of residence equivalent to that of the National Health System. Pensioners meet the condition with a certificate showing they are entitled to healthcare paid by the state that pays their pension.

Students need insurance giving full cover in Spain. A European Health Insurance Card is accepted for them if it is valid for the whole period of residence and covers medically necessary care (art. 3.2.d).

You apply in person for registration in the Central Register of Foreigners at the foreigners’ office of the province, or the police station, within three months of entering Spain (RD 240/2007, art. 7.5).

What the Ministry of Health adds

The Ministry of Health’s guidance says the European Health Insurance Card only gives access to the public system during temporary stays and is not a valid document to establish residence in Spain. Pensioners from the EU, EEA, UK or Switzerland can prove their entitlement with the S1 form. After five continuous years of legal residence, EU and EEA citizens hold permanent residence and are entitled to publicly funded care without a convenio especial.

Economically inactive residents without other cover can join the public system by paying under a convenio especial after one year of residence (Ministry of Health guidance).

Sources

Change history

2026-10-25: Page created

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