Convenio Especial in Spain (2026): EUR 60 or EUR 157 a Month
Jules
Editor
Updated: October 2026 | Found helpful by 7 others
The convenio especial lets people living in Spain who are not covered by the public system pay for access to it: EUR 60 a month under 65 and EUR 157 from 65 (Real Decreto 576/2013), as of October 2026. You need one continuous year of effective residence and padron registration first. It covers the public basic basket of care but not outpatient prescription medicines, orthoprosthetics, dietary products or non-urgent transport.
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What Are the Rules?
| Topic | Rule | Legal basis |
|---|---|---|
| Monthly fee | EUR 60 a month under 65 and EUR 157 a month from 65. A region may charge more when it adds services from its own complementary basket. | Real Decreto 576/2013, art. 6 |
| Who can sign it | People who live in Spain, are not insured or a beneficiary of the SNS by another route, can prove at least one continuous year of effective residence in Spain immediately before applying, and are on the padron of a municipality in the region where they apply. Research and source disagree: The research reports that regional guidance, citing the Ministerio de Sanidad, counts prior residence in the EU, EEA, Switzerland or the UK towards the one year (confidence B). The regulation text says residence in Spain. Ask your regional health service or INSS before relying on non-Spanish residence. | Real Decreto 576/2013, art. 3 |
| What it covers | The cartera comun basica: prevention, diagnosis, treatment and rehabilitation in health centres, plus urgent transport, on the same terms as insured people. It does not include the cartera comun suplementaria (list below). | Real Decreto 576/2013; Ley 16/2003, arts. 8 bis and 8 ter |
What Does It Not Cover?
These are the cartera comun suplementaria (Ley 16/2003, art. 8 ter). Insured people pay a share of them; on the convenio you pay the full price.
- Outpatient prescription medicines (prestacion farmaceutica): you pay the full price at the pharmacy
- Orthoprosthetics
- Dietary products
- Non-urgent medical transport
When Is the Convenio the Right Answer?
| # | Situation | Best answer | Runner-up | Why | Ruled out |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4A-8 | Retiree, 70, three years into a non-lucrative residence, wants out of a EUR 250 a month private premium | Convenio especial (EUR 157 a month) | Keep a private policy alongside the convenio | Less than two thirds of the premium and no underwriting; budget separately for pharmacy | Renewing an underwritten private policy at 70+ prices |
| 4A-13 | EU jobseeker in Valencia with no job yet | INSS recognition (free, Real Decreto-ley 7/2018) | Convenio especial later | Legal residence on a status that does not require private insurance gives free access to the public system | Buying private insurance (unnecessary) |
Frequently Asked Questions
How much is the convenio especial in Spain?
EUR 60 a month under 65 and EUR 157 a month from 65, under Real Decreto 576/2013 (October 2026). A region can charge more when it adds services from its own complementary basket.
Does the convenio especial cover prescriptions?
No. It gives access to the cartera comun basica only. Outpatient prescription medicines, orthoprosthetics, dietary products and non-urgent transport belong to the cartera comun suplementaria, so you pay them in full.
Who can sign the convenio especial?
People who live in Spain, are not insured or a beneficiary of the public system by another route, can show one continuous year of effective residence in Spain right before applying, and are on the padron of a municipality in the region (Real Decreto 576/2013, art. 3).
Does residence in another EU country count towards the year?
The regulation text says residence in Spain. The research reports that some regional guidance, citing the Ministerio de Sanidad, also counts prior residence in the EU, EEA, Switzerland or the UK. Ask your regional health service or INSS before relying on it.
Can I use the convenio especial for my first visa application?
No. The year of prior residence means it is only open once you have lived in Spain for at least a year, so a first non-lucrative application needs private insurance.
Sources
- BOE: Real Decreto 576/2013 (convenio especial de asistencia sanitaria) (accessed 2026-10-25)
- BOE: Ley 16/2003 (cohesion and quality of the SNS) (accessed 2026-10-25)
- BOE: Real Decreto-ley 7/2018 (universal access to the SNS) (accessed 2026-10-25)
Change log
Updated
- Published: the convenio especial in Spain (EUR 60 / EUR 157 a month), who can sign it and what it leaves out
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