Health Insurance Plans for Spanish Visas and Residency
The best plan depends on your visa or residency route, nationality, age and how you expect to use healthcare after moving to Spain. We'll help you narrow down the options and explain the differences in plain English.
We specialise in one insurer's plans, so this isn't a whole-market comparison. Our job is to explain the available options honestly and tell you when a plan does not fit your circumstances.
Start with nationality
Nationality comes first, because the Residents plans come in different versions depending on where you're from.
- Outside the EU, EEA and Switzerland: the Visado versions are designed for applicants who need visa documentation.
- EU, EEA or Swiss: the Visado versions aren't available to you. Sanitas lists the standard Residents version for this group. It has waiting periods and a minimum-residence condition. The evidence needed for an EU registration application depends on your circumstances, so check what your registration office asks for.
Plans by situation
Applying for a Spanish residence visa
For a non-EU/EEA/Swiss applicant, the choice is usually between Residents Visado and Residents Platinum Visado. Both are presented by Sanitas as no-copayment products with visa versions in which standard waiting periods are waived.
Compare Residents Visado and Platinum Visado.
Studying in Spain
Sanitas International Students is for eligible students aged 14 and under 35 when they apply, enrolled on a course in Spain lasting at least three months. Policies can run from three to fourteen months.
Living in Spain after the visa stage
At renewal, you might keep your existing policy or move to a plan designed for residents. Más Salud Sin Copago has no copayments but has waiting periods, so talk to us before relying on it for a first visa application.
Compare the two Residents tiers
| Question | Residents / Residents Visado | Platinum / Platinum Visado |
|---|---|---|
| Maximum age to join | Through age 75, until the month of the 76th birthday | Through age 64, until the month of the 65th birthday |
| Copayments | None | None |
| Main distinction | Sanitas medical network, with an optional medical-expense reimbursement add-on | Wider reimbursement benefits, including 90% reimbursement up to €500,000 per insured person per year |
| Visa version | For people outside the EU/EEA/Switzerland | For people outside the EU/EEA/Switzerland |
The optional Residents reimbursement add-on covers medical expenses up to €300,000. It is a healthcare benefit only.
Where we can arrange policies
We can't currently arrange policies for people living in Cantabria (including Santander) or Navarra. This is a limit on our distribution area, not on the insurer's medical network.
Get a recommendation
Tell us your nationality, your visa or residency route, the ages of everyone who needs cover and where you'll live. We'll work out which plans fit and prepare an exact quote.
Frequently asked questions
Which plan is suitable for someone over 64?
Platinum cannot be newly taken out after its joining limit. Residents and Residents Visado remain available through age 75, subject to the other eligibility requirements and medical assessment.
Can I change plan after my visa is approved?
It's worth reviewing before renewal, because the switching and underwriting rules depend on the product. See the after-visa plan guide.
Are prices the same for everyone?
No. Ask us for an exact, dated quote rather than relying on an undated example. See the cost guide.