Health Insurance for a Spanish Visa (2026): What the Law and Consulates Ask
Jules
Editor
Updated: October 2026 | Found helpful by 7 others
For a Spanish student visa, the law asks for health insurance from an insurer authorised in Spain, with benefits similar to the public basic basket, for the whole stay (RD 1155/2024 art. 35.i). Non-lucrative residence requires health insurance too, and you must keep it to renew (art. 64). Routes under Ley 14/2013, including the digital-nomad one, accept public or private cover (art. 62.3.e). Consulates commonly want a certificate saying no co-payments, no waiting periods, no reimbursement, as of October 2026.
Jump to section
What Does the Law Require?
| Topic | Rule | Legal basis |
|---|---|---|
| Student visa | Health insurance with an insurer authorised to operate in Spain, with benefits similar to the SNS cartera comun basica, valid for the whole planned stay. | Real Decreto 1155/2024, art. 35.i |
| Non-lucrative residence | A health insurance policy is a requirement of the authorisation. | Real Decreto 1155/2024, art. 61.2.b |
| Non-lucrative renewal | To renew you must have kept health insurance throughout the authorisation and continue to have it, and show it with the renewal documents. | Real Decreto 1155/2024, art. 64 |
| Ley 14/2013 routes (including the international teleworker, the digital-nomad route) | Public insurance, or private health insurance with an insurer authorised to operate in Spain. | Ley 14/2013, art. 62.3.e |
What Do Consulates Check?
Consulates apply the rule more strictly than the regulation text. According to the research, consular checklists ask for a certificate stating the policy has no co-payments, no waiting periods and no reimbursement model (sin copagos, sin carencias, sin reembolsos), and reject travel insurance and bank-sold policies; practice differs by consulate (Bogota rejects auto-renewing policies, Mexico accepts them). Rejections most often come from certificates that do not state those words even when the policy qualifies.
Check your own consulate's current checklist before you buy, and do not let the policy start before your appointment.
Which Products Are Built for Visa Files?
Prices for these products are not published by the insurers, so none is shown; ask each for a quote and a certificate in the consulate's wording.
| Product | For a visa? | What to know |
|---|---|---|
| ASISA Health Students | Marketed for visas | Designed for the student visa, with an instant Spanish certificate; the research reports a full refund if the visa is denied before the policy starts |
| ASISA Health Residents | Marketed for visas | For non-lucrative residence, family regrouping and other residence permits |
| Sanitas International Students | Marketed for visas | Marketed for student visas |
| Sanitas International Residents | Marketed for visas | Marketed for non-lucrative and digital-nomad applications, with an English journey |
| MAPFRE International Students | Marketed for visas | No health questionnaire; the research reports MAPFRE keeps 10% if the visa is denied |
| Swisscare Spain | Marketed for visas | Issued by a DGSFP-registered insurer; the research reports a full refund on visa denial |
| Cigna Global, Allianz Care, Bupa Global and other international plans | Generally not accepted | Generally not accepted: the issuer is often not authorised in Spain and the plans reimburse |
| SafetyWing, Genki and other nomad travel cover | Generally not accepted | Travel insurance, not sickness insurance from an insurer authorised in Spain |
| Sanitas Unico +60 | Generally not accepted | No health questionnaire and no pre-existing exclusion, but it is ambulatory-focused with co-payments |
Which Policy Fits Your Situation?
| # | Situation | Best answer | Runner-up | Why | Ruled out |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4A-3 | US couple, 62 and 60, applying for non-lucrative residence, want English end to end | Sanitas International Residents (price not published) | ASISA Health Residents (price not published) | English journey and a consulate-shaped certificate | Cigna Global (not authorised in Spain) |
| 4A-4 | Non-lucrative applicant, 45, wants the lowest price and speaks Spanish | No verified answerNo insurer publishes a non-lucrative visa tariff for this profile | Ask ASISA and Adeslas for a waiting-period-free quote | The cheapest compliant policy cannot be named without comparison-site prices | International reimbursement plans and travel insurance |
| 4A-14 | Latin American family regrouping that needs the same policy for 3 members | ASISA Health Residents x3 (price not published) | MAPFRE (through a distributor) | Family regrouping needs equivalent policies for each member; this product is built for it | Convenio especial (not available in year one) |
| 4A-5 | Remote employee, 30, on a digital-nomad authorisation, registering in Spanish Social Security | Spanish Social Security (public cover) | ASISA Health Residents | The Ley 14/2013 routes, including the digital-nomad one, accept public or private insurance (art. 62.3.e); check what your consulate asks before arrival | A non-lucrative-grade private policy (not needed) |
Frequently Asked Questions
What health insurance do I need for a Spanish student visa?
A policy from an insurer authorised to operate in Spain, with benefits similar to the SNS basic basket, valid for your whole stay (RD 1155/2024 art. 35.i). Consulates usually ask the certificate to state no co-payments, no waiting periods and no reimbursement (October 2026).
Can I use travel insurance or Cigna Global for a non-lucrative visa?
Generally no. Travel insurance is not sickness insurance from an insurer authorised in Spain, and international plans such as Cigna Global are often issued by insurers not authorised in Spain and work by reimbursement, which consulates reject.
Do I need private insurance to renew non-lucrative residence?
Yes. RD 1155/2024 art. 64 requires that you kept health insurance during the authorisation and still have it when you renew.
Do digital nomads need private health insurance in Spain?
Not necessarily. Ley 14/2013 art. 62.3.e accepts public insurance or private insurance with an insurer authorised in Spain, so a remote worker registered in Spanish Social Security can rely on public cover; check what your consulate asks before arrival.
Sources
- BOE: Real Decreto 1155/2024 (Reglamento de Extranjeria), arts. 35.i, 61.2.b, 64 (accessed 2026-10-25)
- BOE: Ley 14/2013, art. 62.3.e (public or private health insurance) (accessed 2026-10-25)
Change log
Updated
- Published: health insurance for Spanish visas, the RD 1155/2024 and Ley 14/2013 rules, consular practice and the products marketed for visa files
What Should You Read Next?
Community Q&A