Sanitas Visa Health Insurance for Spain
We arrange Sanitas policies for people applying for Spanish visas and residence permits. Sanitas designs three for this purpose: Residents and Residents Platinum for residents, and International Students for students. Each has no copayments, a version without waiting periods and a visa certificate. The Residents and Platinum visa versions are for nationals of countries outside the EU, EEA and Switzerland. Which one suits you depends on your visa, your age and how you'll use the cover once you live here. We help you make that choice, then arrange the policy and go through the certificate with you before your appointment.
The three Sanitas visa policies at a glance
| Residents (visa) | Residents Platinum (visa) | International Students | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Best for | Non-EU/EEA/Swiss nationals on residence routes: NLV, DNV, family reunification | Non-EU/EEA/Swiss applicants up to 64 wanting worldwide reimbursement | Students aged 14 and under 35 when applying, on courses of 3+ months |
| Copayments | None | None | None |
| Waiting periods | Waived | Waived | None |
| Maximum age to take out | 75 (until 76th-birthday month) | 64 (until 65th-birthday month) | Under 35 when applying |
| Length | Annual; renewal terms are set out in your schedule | Annual, renews automatically | 3–14 months |
| Treatment outside the network | Optional medical-expense reimbursement add-on, up to €300,000 of medical costs | 90% up to €500,000/yr worldwide | Emergencies abroad up to €12,000/yr |
| Visa certificate | Yes | Yes | Yes |
EU, EEA or Swiss citizen? The visa versions aren't open to you. Instead, Sanitas offers EU/EEA/Swiss nationals the standard Residents plan, which has waiting periods and requires you to live in Spain at least 6 months a year. Our explains what your registration needs.
Which policy for which visa
We arrange visa insurance for these routes: non-lucrative residence, family reunification, self-employed and entrepreneurs, digital nomads, job-search and start-up visas, researchers, and study.
- Non-lucrative visa: usually Residents. Platinum only if everyone is under 65. NLV insurance →
- Digital nomad visa: Residents, or Platinum for frequent travellers. DNV insurance →
- Student visa: International Students, for applicants aged at least 14 and under 35 when they apply, on courses of at least three months. Student insurance →
- Family reunification: cover for each family member joining you. Family reunification →
- EU/EEA/Swiss citizens: the visa versions aren't available to you.
- Work and business visas: it depends on whether you'll be registered with Social Security.
What consulates look for
The Spanish consulate in London asks for public or private health insurance with an insurer authorised to operate in Spain; Spanish consulates in the United States also ask for cover for all the risks insured by the Spanish public health system. Requirements vary by visa route and consulate. Applicants are commonly asked for comprehensive cover without copayments or waiting periods. The relevant visa plan may also include repatriation cover. Sanitas presents its visa policies as meeting residence and student visa requirements.
No one can promise that a visa will be approved; that decision belongs to the consulate. What we can do is compare your insurance and certificate with your consulate's list.
How we arrange your Sanitas policy
- Tell us your route and dates: visa type, appointment or filing date, who's applying and where you'll live.
- We look at whether the plan suits your visa route and circumstances, and if it doesn't, we explain why.
- You complete the application and health questionnaire. We help with the questions people tend to get stuck on.
- Sanitas assesses and approves the application.
- You pay and receive the visa certificate. We go through the names, passport numbers, dates and wording against your application.
- We stay with you after arrival, at renewal, and when you want to change plan.
Why applicants come to us
- Age. Platinum can't be taken out over 64, and Residents not over 75.
- Medical history. Declared conditions are assessed individually. Pre-existing conditions →
- Timing. Appointment dates move, and certificates have to match. Cover normally starts on the first day of the selected month, and the start month may sometimes be adjusted before cover begins, though a change is never guaranteed. If a detail changes, tell us straight away rather than editing the certificate yourself. When to start →
- Families. Every applicant must be properly named on the policy and certificate.
Is Sanitas the right insurer for you?
We only arrange Sanitas. We'll still tell you if Sanitas isn't a good fit: for example, if you're over the maximum age to take out a policy, or if you'll live in Cantabria (including Santander) or Navarra, where we can't currently arrange policies (a limit on our distribution area, not on Sanitas's medical network).
Prices
Your price depends on the plan, your age, where you live in Spain and how many people are insured. Sanitas's April 2026 tariff gives first-year prices for new insured people whose cover starts between 1 April and 31 December 2026; a 0.15% Consorcio surcharge is added. International Students starts from €42.65 a month on that tariff. Residents and Platinum are priced from much larger age, area and household tables, so we'll give you a dated quote for your exact profile.
International Students offers 4% off its "annual" payment option. With a Spanish or other European IBAN, the premium can be paid annually or half-yearly; card payment is for annual payment. Your quote shows the exact premium for your payment schedule.
Frequently asked questions
Is Sanitas accepted for Spanish visas?
Sanitas is authorised to operate in Spain, and its Residents and International Students policies are designed to meet residence and student visa requirements, with a certificate for your application. The visa decision itself rests with the consulate or immigration office.
Residents or Platinum: which do I need for the visa?
Sanitas presents both visa versions as suitable for residence-visa applications; the decision is the consulate's. Platinum adds worldwide reimbursement and extras, but can only be taken out up to age 64.
Can I buy Sanitas from outside Spain?
Yes. You can apply with a passport only; an NIE is not required initially, and a Spanish bank account is not always required. With a Spanish or other European IBAN, the premium can be paid annually or half-yearly; card payment is for annual payment. Arranging cover from abroad →
When do I get the certificate?
The certificate is issued after Sanitas approves the application and the policy is paid. We don't quote a fixed delivery time, so leave yourself enough time to go through it before your appointment. Certificate timing →