Digital nomad visa
Health Insurance for the Digital Nomad Visa
Spain's digital nomad visa (officially the international telework visa or residence permit) requires you to show health insurance. If you won't be covered by Spanish Social Security, that commonly means a policy from an insurer authorised in Spain, with the cover your consulate or the UGE asks for. Sanitas Residents in its visa version is designed for this, and we arrange it around how and where you're applying.
Consulate or UGE: why it matters for insurance
You can apply in two ways, and your insurance needs to fit the route:
| Visa at a Spanish consulate abroad | Residence authorisation from inside Spain (UGE) | |
|---|---|---|
| Where you apply | Your home country or country of residence | Online to the UGE, while legally in Spain |
| When cover must start | As your consulate's list requires | As the UGE requirements set out |
| What you submit | Certificate with your application | Certificate uploaded with the online application |
| What we check | Dates match your appointment | Dates match your filing and stay |
Cover normally starts on the first day of the selected month, and policies may be arranged up to six months ahead.
The Spanish Consulate in Buenos Aires' requirement sheet, for example, asks for public or private health insurance from an insurer authorised to operate in Spain, active for the whole authorisation period, and says travel insurance doesn't count. Wording varies between consulates, so your own consulate's list is the one to go by.
Which plan fits a digital nomad?
- Sanitas Residents (visa version, for nationals outside the EU, EEA and Switzerland): no copays, waiting periods waived, visa certificate. The standard choice for DNV applicants who mainly need cover in Spain.
- Residents Platinum (visa version): for applicants up to 64 (until the month of their 65th birthday) who travel a lot or want treatment outside the network, with 90% reimbursement worldwide up to €500,000 a year and wider cover abroad.
A rule of thumb: if you'll be based in Spain and travel occasionally, Residents covers emergencies on trips of up to 90 days. If you're regularly working from other countries, Platinum is worth a look.
Bringing a partner or children
Family members joining you on the DNV need health insurance too. Insuring everyone together keeps the dates aligned, and Residents Visado has separate tariff tables for one, two, three, and four or more insured people. Children under 2 can only be insured alongside another insured person.
"Can I use my international health insurance?"
The answer depends on whether the insurer is authorised in Spain and whether the policy meets the no-copay, no-waiting-period and full-cover expectations. Some global nomad policies are travel-based and fall short. Send us your policy and we'll tell you honestly. If it already works, you don't need to buy anything from us.
What if I'll pay Spanish Social Security?
DNV applicants also sign a declaration committing to meet Spanish social-security obligations before starting work. That declaration is a separate requirement from health insurance. The Buenos Aires sheet also accepts a certificate of entitlement instead of insurance for people covered under an international social-security coordination agreement. We'll tell you if you don't need a private policy.
Medical history and approval time
Every applicant completes a health questionnaire, and Sanitas may contact you about declared conditions. Build this into your timeline, especially if you're filing with the UGE on a deadline. How long approval takes →
Renewing your DNV
Your DNV residence permit is renewed later, and the renewal checklist in force at that point is the one to follow. We help with your renewal when the time comes and review whether your plan still suits you once you're settled. Renewals →
What it costs
Price depends on age, plan, where you live in Spain and how many people are insured. Sanitas publishes dated April 2026 tariffs by age, area and number of insured people; they apply in the first year to new insured people whose cover starts from 1 April through 31 December 2026, before a 0.15% Consorcio surcharge.
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. The visa health insurance cost guide explains what changes the price.
Why arrange it with us
- We fit the policy and certificate to your route (consulate or UGE) and your dates.
- English-speaking specialists on phone, email and WhatsApp.
- Family applications in one place, with every applicant's details checked against the certificate.
- We stay with you through renewal and plan changes.
Need help with the visa application?
We arrange the insurance. If you'd like help preparing and submitting the visa application itself, see digital nomad visa application help.
Frequently asked questions
Do I need insurance before I apply to the UGE?
The UGE's current list sets out what health-insurance evidence it asks for and when cover must start. Policies may be arranged up to six months ahead, and cover normally starts on the first day of the selected month.
Am I covered when I work from other countries?
Residents covers emergencies on trips of up to 90 days. Platinum adds worldwide reimbursement up to €500,000 a year.
Can my family be on the same policy?
Residents Visado has tariffs for policies covering one, two, three, and four or more insured people, and every applicant must be properly named on the policy and certificate.
Can I pay monthly?
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 payment options that apply to you.