After moving to Barcelona, one of the next steps should be taking care of your health and prevention. The European Health Insurance Card is suitable for travel and short stays, but if you are coming to Barcelona to live, this is no longer an option. You can choose public health care, private health insurance, or apply for public health insurance by filling out Form S1.
Not all Barcelona residents are automatically entitled to a sanitary card (tarjeta sanitaria) and access to public healthcare. The main requirement for obtaining a health card is to have a work contract in a Spanish company or individual entrepreneur in Spain and a Spanish social security number. You will also need an empadronamiento and the city hall will tell you which health center (centro de salud – CAP) corresponds to your address. To CAP you need to present these documents:
There are many private health insurance offers available, from very cheap to exclusive premium policies. When concluding a health insurance contract, remember different things:
Another way to access public health care is to take Form S1 (formerly E106). This form confirms that you work in a country other than your home and have the right to access healthcare in both countries (within EU countries). Form S1 is issued by the social security authority in the country where you work (you must prove your Spanish address – empadronamiento will do as proof). Once the S1 has been issued, take it to the National Institute of Social Security (INSS) in Barcelona. There you will be given a document confirming your right to access public healthcare in Spain.
