Sanitas Residents Visa is private health insurance for people from outside the European Union, the European Economic Area and Switzerland applying for a Spanish residence visa. It has no waiting periods, no co-payments and repatriation included. Sanitas issues the consulate certificate when the policy activates, and you can take it out up to age 75.
Sanitas Residents Visa is a private health insurance plan built specifically for non-EU, non-EEA and non-Swiss nationals applying for a Spanish residence visa from outside Spain. It is the visa variant of the Sanitas Residents range, designed to satisfy Spanish consulate requirements when you submit your visa application.
The plan can be contracted up to 5 months before you arrive in Spain. The visa certificate that consulates ask for is issued automatically as soon as your policy is activated.
It is designed to comply with all possible visa requirements. There are no waiting periods on any service, no co-payments, and repatriation cover is included as standard rather than sold as an add-on. Cover is full private healthcare in Spain through the Sanitas network: GPs, specialists, diagnostics, hospitalisation, surgery, maternity, mental health and emergencies.
Visa-compliant by design Meets the standard private health insurance requirement for Spanish residence visas issued by consulates worldwide.
No waiting periods All standard Sanitas waiting periods are waived. Cover is active from day one of the policy.
No co-payments Pay nothing at the point of service. Premium only.
Repatriation included Repatriation to your home country in the event of death.
Visa types supported: non-lucrative (NLV), digital nomad, residence and work (employed or self-employed), family reunification, researcher, and job-seeker visas. If you are a student under 36 years of age and you are applying for a student visa, our student plan is a better fit on price.
Eligibility note: This product is restricted to non-EU, non-EEA and non-Swiss nationals applying for a residence visa to enter Spain. UK citizens are eligible (post-Brexit, the UK is non-EU).
Sanitas Residents Visa at a glance
No co-payments: Sanitas Residents Visa has no co-payments, so nothing is paid at the point of service in the Sanitas network.
Hospital and surgery: Sanitas Residents Visa includes hospitalisation in a private room with a companion bed, plus all surgical procedures including outpatient surgery.
No waiting periods: Sanitas Residents Visa waives all standard Sanitas waiting periods, so cover is active from day one, including hospitalisation, surgery and maternity.
Repatriation included: Sanitas Residents Visa includes repatriation to your country of origin in the event of death as standard, not as an add-on.
Visa certificate: Sanitas issues the certificate for your consulate file automatically when the policy is activated, in PDF, with the policy number, dates and named insured.
Buy ahead: Sanitas Residents Visa can be taken out up to 5 months before you arrive in Spain.
Age limits: Sanitas Residents Visa can be taken out up to age 75, and once contracted there is no maximum age to remain insured.
Who can apply: Sanitas Residents Visa is restricted to non-EU, non-EEA and non-Swiss nationals applying for a residence visa to enter Spain. UK citizens are eligible.
Cover abroad: Sanitas Residents Visa covers emergency care on temporary trips outside Spain of up to 90 consecutive days, with medical expenses up to €12,000 per person per year.
Dental: Sanitas Residents Visa includes dental cover with more than 40 services and discounts above 20%.
Visa types: Sanitas Residents Visa is best for the non-lucrative residency visa and supports digital nomad, residence and work, family reunification, researcher and job-seeker visas.
HealthPlan Spain is an authorised Sanitas agent (agent code 22395) in Marbella that arranges Sanitas Residents Visa in English, at the same price as buying direct from Sanitas.
How this plan meets the consulate requirements
Spanish consulates require private health insurance contracted with an entity authorised to operate in Spain, with full cover, no co-payments and no waiting periods. Sanitas Residents Visa is engineered to tick every box.
Consulate requirement
How Sanitas Residents Visa satisfies it
Insurer authorised to operate in Spain
Sanitas S.A. de Seguros, regulated by the DGSFP in Spain
All surgical procedures covered, including outpatient surgery
Maternity
Yes
Antenatal, delivery and postnatal care included
Mental health
Yes
Psychiatry consultations, psychology with cover limits
Dental
Yes
More than 40 services and discounts above 20%
Emergencies in Spain
Yes
24h Sanitas emergency network, no co-payment
Repatriation
Yes
Repatriation of the deceased, included as standard
Cover abroad (outside Spain)
Yes (limited)
Emergency cover during temporary trips outside Spain (see Cover abroad section)
Co-payments
None
No co-payment at the point of service
Cover during temporary trips outside Spain
Sanitas Residents Visa provides emergency healthcare cover during temporary trips outside Spain on top of the full cover you have inside Spain. This protects you when you visit family abroad, travel for work or take holidays.
Benefit during temporary trips abroad
Limit
Maximum stay covered per trip
90 consecutive days
Emergency medical and surgical assistance
Medical and hospital expenses up to €12,000 per person/year, prescription medication, dental emergencies up to €300, medical transfer to the appropriate centre
Emergency dental treatment
Up to €300 per insured, within the €12,000 medical limit. Root canal treatment, cosmetic repair of earlier dental work, teeth cleaning, caps and implants are not covered
Hospital support
Companion hotel up to €60/day (max 10 days), family member travel and accommodation up to 5 days, accompaniment for minors
Repatriation in the event of death
Included
International second medical opinion
Access top medical experts worldwide for serious, chronic or complex cases needing new diagnostics or treatment. You get a full report with medical history summary, specialist diagnosis and treatment opinion
Legal support
Advance of funds (up to €1,500); legal assistance (up to €1,500); criminal bail advance (up to €10,000)
Additional services
Luggage tracking and forwarding, document and personal item delivery, medication delivery, urgent message relay
Cover abroad is for emergencies during temporary trips, not for living outside Spain. Important: The €12,000 limit applies only to urgent medical assistance. Hospital support, death guarantee, additional services and legal/economic support are on top. See policy terms for full details.
Repatriation cover
Repatriation is built into the base policy, not sold as an extra. Some consulates ask for repatriation cover with visa applications (it is standard for student visas), so having it built in means your certificate works at any of them.
Repatriation of the deceased: in the event of death of an insured person, Sanitas covers the cost of returning the deceased to the country of origin or to Spain.
Family transport in case of hospitalisation abroad: if you are hospitalised abroad for more than 5 days, Sanitas covers the cost of a return ticket for one family member.
24h assistance line: a single number to call from anywhere in the world to organise medical transport, hospital admission and repatriation.
Add-ons
Included:
Sanitas Blua: Digital health included free with your plan, giving you a 24-hour emergency video GP, video consultations in every specialty, digital physio, health checks and health programmes via the app.
Dental 21: More than 40 dental treatments included, plus discounts on all other services.
Repatriation with companion ticket: Built into the price, not sold as an extra. Repatriation to your country of origin in the event of death, and a return ticket for one family member if you are hospitalised abroad for more than 5 days. Consulates that ask for repatriation cover are satisfied from day one.
Optional add-ons:
Work/Traffic accidents: Guarantees medical assistance if you are in a work or traffic accident. On this plan Sanitas offers the extended version of the cover.
Pharmacy cover: Reclaim 50% of eligible prescription medication costs up to 200 Euros per contract year, or choose the pharmacy and home services version, which adds medicine delivery, blood tests and physiotherapy at home.
Clinica Universidad de Navarra: Access to 2 of Spain's most prestigious non network hospitals, always with a co-payment per visit.
Sanitas Dental (without co-payments): Optional dental upgrade with no co-payments. Choose the Sanitas Dental or Dental Premium package, each adding more services and a 40% discount on additional treatments. Must be taken by all insured members.
Accidental death (€30,000 or €60,000): Compensation paid in case of death or permanent disability resulting from an accident. You can select which insured members include this option.
Family assistance: Qualified help at home when illness, a hospital stay or a death disrupts daily life.
Optical: 50% reimbursement for contact lenses or spectacle lenses every year, when prescribed by a Sanitas ophthalmologist. Available for everyone on the policy or for individual members.
Worldwide reimbursement* (€150,000 or €300,000): Allows you to visit doctors or specialists outside the Sanitas network, both in Spain and worldwide, and claim back part of the cost. Two capital levels on this plan.
Income protection: Daily payment of 60 Euros per day during hospitalisation to help with additional personal expenses.
Add-ons can be included when completing the application form.
* Worldwide reimbursement can be added up to age 64. The plan itself can be taken out up to age 75.
Waiting periods (Qualification periods)
Sanitas Residents Visa waives all standard Sanitas waiting periods. You are covered from day one of the policy for every service in the schedule, including diagnostics, hospitalisation, surgery and maternity.
Service
Sanitas Residents Visa
GP & specialists
None
Simple diagnostics
None
MRI / CT scans
None
Hospitalisation
None
Surgery
None
Maternity
None
Mental health
None
Waiving every waiting period is the feature that makes Sanitas Residents Visa consulate-compliant. Other private health policies typically apply 6 to 8 month qualification periods on hospitalisation, surgery and maternity.
Premiums
Premiums are charged per insured person and vary by age band and by region in Spain. Prices are shown per month for easy comparison, but this plan is billed every 6 months or annually only: there is no monthly direct-debit option.
Premium tariff in force: 01/04/2026 to 31/03/2027.
Age-band pricing: set per band. Two policyholders in the same band and the same region pay the same monthly premium.
Regional variation: premium varies based on where you will live in Spain.
Family discount: 6.275% applied when 2, 17.255% when 3 and 21.177% when 4 or more people are insured under the same policy.
No 4% annual-payment discount: unlike the standard Sanitas Mas Salud plans, paying annually does not unlock an extra discount on this product.
Insurance Compensation Consortium: a 0.15% surcharge from the Consorcio de Compensacion de Seguros is added to all premiums.
How to get an exact figure: request a quote with the age and the destination region in Spain for each insured person. We confirm the premium in writing the same day.
Eligibility, ages & contract terms
Nationality: non-EU, non-EEA and non-Swiss nationals only. UK citizens are eligible.
Location at the time of application: applicant is outside Spain, applying for a residence visa from a Spanish consulate.
Maximum age to contract: 75.
Maximum age to remain insured: none. Once contracted, the policy renews for life.
Contracting window: the policy can be contracted up to 5 months before arrival in Spain so the certificate is ready in time for the consulate appointment.
Family discount: 6.275% when 2, 17.255% when 3 and 21.177% when 4 or more people are insured on the same policy.
Policy start date: Always on the 1st of a month.
How it works, step by step
Request a quote with the ages of all applicants and the destination region in Spain. We confirm the premium in writing.
Submit the application through HealthPlanSpain.
Policy activation on the date you choose, up to 5 months before arrival in Spain.
Visa certificate is issued automatically by Sanitas in PDF, with policy number, dates and the named insured. You attach this to your consulate file.
Visa appointment at the Spanish consulate. The certificate satisfies the private health insurance requirement.
Arrive in Spain, register locally, and start using the Sanitas network straight away. There are no waiting periods to clear.
Practical tip: consulates differ on how recently the certificate must be issued. Tell us your appointment date and we time the policy activation accordingly.
Compare Sanitas Residents Visa vs other Sanitas plans
Feature
Sanitas Residents Visa
Sanitas Mas Salud
Sanitas Premium 500
Built for visa applicants from abroad
Yes
No
No
Eligible nationalities
Non-EU/EEA/Swiss only
Any
Any
Health questionnaire
Required
Required
Required
Waiting periods
None
Standard
Standard
Co-payments
None
None
None
Repatriation included
Yes
Optional
Optional
Hospitalisation & surgery
Yes
Yes
Yes
Maternity
Yes
Yes
Yes
Visa certificate auto-issued
Yes
No
No
Buy in advance from outside Spain
Up to 5 months
Up to 2 months
Up to 2 months
Maximum age to contract
75
75
64
4% annual-payment discount
No
Yes
Yes
Family discount (4+ insured)
21.177%
10%
14.999%
FAQ
Will Sanitas Residents Visa satisfy the Spanish consulate for my visa application?
Yes. The product is engineered to meet the consulate requirements: full medical cover with an insurer authorised to operate in Spain, no co-payments, no waiting periods, and repatriation included as standard. The certificate is issued automatically when the policy activates and is in the format consulates expect.
I am applying from the UK / US / India / Latin America. Am I eligible?
Yes. UK citizens are non-EU post-Brexit and qualify. US, Indian and Latin American nationals are also non-EU/EEA/Swiss and qualify. The plan is open to any non-EU/EEA/Swiss national applying for a Spanish residence visa from outside Spain.
Which visa types does this plan cover?
Non-lucrative (NLV), digital nomad, residence and work (employed or self-employed), family reunification, researcher, and job-seeker visas, plus Golden Visa renewals (the investor scheme closed to new applicants in April 2025). If you are a student under 36 applying for a student visa, our student plan is usually a better fit on price.
How early can I take the policy out before I travel?
Up to 5 months before your arrival in Spain. The certificate the consulate asks for is issued at the moment of activation, so we time activation to your appointment date.
Are there really no waiting periods?
Correct. All standard Sanitas waiting periods are waived on this product. You are covered from day one for diagnostics, hospitalisation, surgery, maternity and mental health. This is the single feature that makes the policy visa-compliant.
Do I have to fill in a health questionnaire?
Yes. The health questionnaire is within the application form when you apply.
Are there any co-payments?
No. There are no co-payments at the point of service on this plan. You pay the premium and nothing else when you visit a Sanitas provider.
Is repatriation really included or is it an add-on?
Included as standard. Repatriation of the deceased is part of the base policy, not an optional extra. This is a point consulates check.
How much does Sanitas Residents Visa cost?
Premium varies by age band and by destination region in Spain. The premium tariff in force runs from 01/04/2026 to 31/03/2027 with a 0.15% Consorcio de Compensacion de Seguros surcharge added. Tell us the ages of the applicants and the region in Spain and we confirm the figure in writing the same day.
What is the maximum age to take this policy out?
75 at the time of contract. Once the policy is in force there is no maximum age to remain insured: it renews for life.
What happens once I arrive in Spain?
You start using the Sanitas network straight away. There are no waiting periods to clear, so GPs, specialists, diagnostics, hospitalisation and emergencies are all available from day one. After registering locally, the policy continues as a normal Sanitas plan.
What if my visa is refused?
Tell us as soon as you have the consulate decision. We can usually cancel the policy and issue a refund of the unused portion of the premium, subject to Sanitas terms. Send the refusal letter and we handle the cancellation.
Does Sanitas Residents Visa cover me during trips outside Spain?
Yes, for emergencies during temporary trips. Sanitas Residents Visa covers emergency medical and surgical assistance abroad for up to 90 consecutive days per trip. Prescription medication, emergency dental treatment, medical transfer, luggage tracing and forwarding and repatriation in the event of death are included. Lost luggage and trip cancellation are not paid for. Cover abroad is for temporary trips, not for living outside Spain.
When does a Sanitas Residents Visa policy start and how does it renew?
Sanitas Residents Visa policies always start on the 1st of a month, and can be activated up to 5 months before arrival in Spain. All policies are contracted on an annual basis and renew automatically. Cancellation requires one month's notice before the policy renewal date, except where a visa is refused and the supporting consulate documentation is provided.
Can I buy Sanitas Residents Visa through HealthPlan Spain instead of directly from Sanitas?
Yes, you can arrange Sanitas Residents Visa through HealthPlan Spain, an authorised Sanitas agent (agent code 22395), at the same premium as buying direct from Sanitas. We quote and arrange your policy in English. Sanitas issues the visa certificate automatically when the policy is activated.
What does Sanitas Residents Visa not cover?
Sanitas Residents Visa does not cover care outside the Sanitas network, cosmetic surgery, glasses or contact lenses, or pre-existing conditions that were not declared on the health questionnaire. Worldwide reimbursement can be added for care outside the network, and can be taken out up to age 64. Care after a work accident is excluded, and after a road accident only urgent care is covered, unless you add the work and traffic accident add-on. Psychology is limited to 15 sessions per insured person per year.
Can my family be insured on the same Sanitas Residents Visa policy?
Yes, family members who are nationals of countries outside the European Union, the European Economic Area and Switzerland, applying for a Spanish residence visa, can be insured on the same Sanitas Residents Visa policy. A family discount applies: 6.275% when 2, 17.255% when 3 and 21.177% when 4 or more people are insured. Children under 14 can normally only be included if a parent or guardian is also insured.
Treatment received in medical centres that are not part of the Sanitas network.
Care required as a result of chronic alcoholism, drug dependency or substance abuse.
Treatments based on alternative or complementary medicine.
Cosmetic surgery and treatments not arising from accident or illness.
Any type of vaccine or autovaccination.
Injuries or illnesses resulting from acts of war, terrorism or insurrection.
Surgery using robotic equipment, bariatric surgery, refractive eye surgery for short sight, long sight or astigmatism, and hearing devices.
For a full list of exclusions please download the terms and conditions (above), starts on page 35.
Contract term and cancellation
All policies are contracted on an annual basis and renew automatically. Cancellation can only be made by giving one month's notice in advance of the policy renewal date, except in the case of a refused visa where the supporting consulate documentation is provided.
Premium information
Premium tariff in force runs from 01/04/2026 to 31/03/2027. Premium varies by age band and by destination region in Spain. A 0.15% surcharge from the Consorcio de Compensacion de Seguros is added to all premiums. A family discount applies: 6.275% when 2, 17.255% when 3 and 21.177% when 4 or more people are insured on the same policy. There is no 4% annual-payment discount on this product. We will confirm the current premium when you request a quote.