Getting your public health card in Alicante

What it is

In the Valencian Community your public health card is the tarjeta SIP (tarjeta sanitaria individual). It gives you access to your GP, local health centre and public hospitals.

Before you apply

You need two things in place first:

1. Your padrón certificate, showing you live in the Valencian Community.
2. Your right to public healthcare, recognised by the Social Security Institute (INSS). You usually have it if you work or are registered as autónomo in Spain, receive a Spanish pension or an EU pension registered with an S1 form, or are the family member of someone who does. Get the INSS document that proves this.

What to bring

• Your passport or TIE (and NIE).
• Your padrón certificate.
• The INSS document showing your right to healthcare.
• Your Social Security number.

Steps

1. Find your health centre (centro de salud). It's assigned by your address.
2. Apply at the admissions desk with your documents. You get a provisional document there so you can see a doctor straight away.
3. Get assigned a GP at the same time.
4. Receive your SIP card. The GVA+Salut app can also show a virtual SIP card.

Cost

Free.

Common pitfalls

• Register on the padrón and sort Social Security first. Without both, the health centre can't issue the card.
• Moved house? Update your padrón and your health centre so you're assigned the right GP.
• Your residence required private insurance? With a non-lucrative or student permit, or an EU registration based on your own insurance, you usually don't qualify through the INSS. After a year living in Spain you can ask about the paid convenio especial (€60 a month under 65, €157 from 65).
• Keep your INSS document; you may need it again if you change health centre.

When to ask a helper

If you're retired, not working, or on private insurance and unsure whether you qualify for public healthcare, ask someone in Alicante who's been through it.