Spanish Visa Health Insurance: Your Questions Answered
Here are short answers to common questions about health insurance for Spanish visa and residency applications. The links lead to more detail for each route, and your consulate or immigration office's current checklist always has the final word.
Requirements
Does every Spanish visa require private health insurance?
No. It depends on the route and the applicant's circumstances. The guide by visa type is the best place to start.
Does the insurer need to be authorised in Spain?
Official NLV and DNV guidance we have checked, including the Spanish consulates in London and the United States, refers to insurance with an insurer authorised to operate in Spain. It's still worth reading the wording for your own route and office.
Must the policy have no copayments or waiting periods?
Applicants are commonly asked for comprehensive cover without copayments or waiting periods, but the exact wording varies. See the guides to copayments and waiting periods.
Is repatriation always a visa requirement?
Not as a universal rule. The consular texts we reviewed didn't state it, although the relevant visa plans may include it as a benefit.
Choosing a plan
What is the age limit for Residents?
You can apply for Residents and Residents Visado through age 75, until the month of the 76th birthday, and for Residents Platinum and Platinum Visado through age 64, until the month of the 65th birthday. Meeting the age limit doesn't guarantee acceptance: every application is subject to Sanitas's medical assessment and the issued policy documents.
Is the visa version available to EU citizens?
Sanitas publishes the visa version for nationals outside the EU, EEA and Switzerland. EU, EEA and Swiss applicants can take out the standard Residents version. It's worth confirming what evidence your registration office accepts.
Can you arrange cover in every province?
Not quite. 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.
Application and eligibility
Can I apply before moving to 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. There's more in the before-moving guide.
Are pre-existing conditions covered because the visa policy has no waiting periods?
Not necessarily. Waiting periods and the underwriting of a declared condition are separate questions. See pre-existing conditions and no waiting periods.
Is there a medical questionnaire?
Eligibility and underwriting depend on the product and the applicant. Answer every question accurately; the medical questionnaire guide explains the process.
Certificates
Is a receipt the same as a visa insurance certificate?
No. A receipt proves payment; a certificate is an applicant-specific document used as evidence of cover. Our certificate guide has more detail.
Should the certificate be in Spanish or English?
Use the language accepted by the office receiving your application, following its current document and translation rules. There's more on Spanish and English certificates.
How quickly is the certificate issued?
The certificate is issued after Sanitas approves the application and the policy is paid. We don't quote a fixed delivery time, so allow enough time to go through the document before your appointment.
Price and renewal
How much does visa health insurance cost?
Price varies by plan, age, Spanish residence area and, for Residents products, household size. Sanitas's April 2026 tariff gives first-year prices for new insured people whose cover starts from 1 April through 31 December 2026, and a 0.15% Consorcio surcharge is added. International Students starts from €42.65 a month, and we can give you an exact quote for your profile. The visa insurance cost guide explains how pricing works.
Does a visa policy renew automatically?
It depends on the product. Renewal and plan-switching rules differ between policies, so your schedule and conditions are the place to look. The renewal guide covers the detail.
Students
Who can apply for Sanitas International Students?
Published Sanitas information describes the product for students aged 14 and under 35 when they apply, for courses of at least three months, with policy durations from three to fourteen months. Ask us about the rules for applicants under 18.
How can a student's policy be paid?
Sanitas publishes monthly, quarterly, half-yearly and annual payment options for International Students. Card payment is for annual payment. The policy runs for three to fourteen months to match the course, and your Particular Conditions confirm the premium and duration.
If your question isn't answered here, ask us through the quote form.