Medical certificates and insurance for Spanish visas

Picking up your life and moving to Spain is certainly exciting, but first you’ll need to navigate the country’s visa process and submit all required documents. Which documents you need depends on where you’re from and how long you intend to stay. It’s critical to check with your local consulate for the rules that apply to you.

If your stay is under 90 days, all you’ll need is health insurance to cover your time in Spain. For longer stays, you’ll need proof of health insurance and a medical certificate of good health from a physician.

Keep reading for more on the following topics:

Medical requirements for Spanish visas

All Schengen area and Spanish national visas have medical requirements. Which type of visa you need depends on how long you intend to stay in the country and your nationality.

Those moving to Spain long-term, whether studying, working, investing, or retiring, will need both health insurance and a medical certificate in almost every single case.

The health requirements for Spanish visas generally adhere to these rules:

Type	Relevant nationalities	Time period	Medical requirements
Schengen area visa	Third countries without Schengen treaties	Up to 90 days (short-term stay)	Health insurance coverage
Spanish national visa	Anyone from outside the EU, EEA, or Switzerland	More than 90 days (long-term stay)	Health insurance coverage and a medical certificate

However, it’s important to check with your local Spanish embassy or consulate to see if different rules apply to your nationality, length of stay, and visa type. Once you’ve selected a consulate, you can find more information about visas via the ‘consular services’ tab.

What are the vaccinations required to travel to Spain?

At this time, there are no specific required vaccinations for a Spanish visa. Having said that, it’s good to make sure you’re up-to-date on the routine vaccinations for your country of origin. You might also want to check with your doctor or the Spanish consulate to see if there are any additional vaccinations to protect you during your time in Spain.

Who needs health insurance to get a Spanish visa?

Everyone entering Spain on a visa will need health insurance before traveling to the country.

Everyone entering Spain on a Schengen or national visa must have health insurance coverage. Providing proof of coverage is part of the visa application process and you cannot proceed without it.

Even if you do not need a visa to travel to Spain, it’s still advisable that you have health insurance to cover your entire stay. Depending on which country you’re from, medical costs incurred abroad can be extremely high and are usually not included in your domestic health insurance policy.

Proof of coverage typically means a copy of the first page of your insurance policy. Insurance cards are not accepted for Spanish or Schengen area visas. It’s important to make sure you choose an insurance provider who is authorized in Spain and can give you proper proof of coverage.

What should your health insurance plan cover?

Health insurance plans for Spanish visas must cover at least €30,000 in medical expenses per person. The plan must cover you for the entire duration of your stay in Spain and other European countries.

The EU requires that health insurance for visa purposes should cover urgent healthcare and emergency hospital treatment for the entire stay in Spain and the rest of the Schengen area. Your insurance plan must also cover the costs of repatriation in cases of medical emergency or death while abroad.

If you’re having trouble deciding which insurance plan is right for you, insurance companies like ASISA work specifically with expats and offer all services in English available 24/7.

How to get health insurance for a Spanish visa

You can purchase a Spanish visa-compliant health insurance plan quickly and easily from one of the following companies:

• Allianz Care
• ASISA
• Cigna Global

If you’re applying for a multiple entry visa (where you may leave and re-enter the Schengen area as often as you like), your insurance must be valid for the first entry. For any future trips, you’ll need to make sure your insurance is extended or you take out a new policy.

Who needs a medical certificate to get a visa for Spain?

If you’re applying for a Spanish national visa, you need to submit a medical certificate as part of the process. A medical certificate is an official written statement signed by a doctor. It declares you free from diseases that threaten public health according to the 2005 International Health Regulations.

The rules for medical certificates can vary by visa type and country of origin. You should check your Spanish consulate’s website for specific instructions. However, in general, you can expect the following regulations:

• The certificate’s issue date cannot be more than three months before submitting the visa application
• The certificate must include the doctor’s name and signature, plus their license number and expiration date, along with an official stamp
• You must use a template provided by your Spanish consulate or the doctor’s official letterhead paper for the certificate
• If there is no version of the certificate written in Spanish, a certified translation is required

You are expected to submit the original medical certificate with your Spanish visa application. You are also responsible for presenting it for possible inspection at the border upon arriving in Spain.

How to get a medical certificate from your doctor

The first step in getting a medical certificate to enter Spain is contacting the local Spanish consulate and asking them which doctors in your area are approved to issue the document. They should be able to give you a template to send to the doctor if the doctor doesn’t speak Spanish.

You can then make an appointment with an approved doctor or clinic for a general check-up. Be sure to mention beforehand that you have plans to travel to Spain and that you’ll need a medical certificate as a result of the visit.

You can likely email your consulate’s medical certificate template directly to the doctor’s office.

Fill out your portion of the paperwork at the same time your doctor fills out theirs, and take the original one home with you. You’ll need to bring this version to the visa appointment at your consulate so that they can make a copy of it. They’ll give you back the original to take with you to Spain.

Medical requirements for dependents and family members

The health insurance requirement for Schengen area visas applies equally to all dependents and family members entering Spain. This means every person applying for a visa must have insurance coverage for at least €30,000 in medical expenses for their entire stay in Spain.

You and your family members may be able to get a medical certificate from the same doctor, possibly in the same visit. Just check with your local consulate and ask about the process for a family traveling to Spain together.

Health insurance and medical certificates for visa renewal

Those staying long-term in Spain do not need to present a medical certificate again to renew their national visa but they do need to submit proof of health insurance.

When it comes time to renew your Spanish visa or residence permit, you must show that you have public or private health insurance coverage. Foreigners only need a medical certificate or examination the first time they enter Spain, so you will not need to undergo these tests again for renewal.

Short-term stays in Spain, with a Schengen area visa, are usually not renewable unless you can prove you are unable to leave the country for some reason.

Useful resources

• Medical certificate of good health – a sample medical certificate template, from the Spanish consulate in Washington D.C.
• Spanish embassies and consulates – list of regional Spanish consulates and embassies by country
• WHO Health Regulations – the International Health Regulations for preventing disease transmission