Get Camino: Your Road to Spain
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HEALTHCARE · RECOMMENDED

Order your European Health Insurance Card (EHIC) before travelling — for a short stay it covers medically necessary public healthcare in Spain like a local, free from your home health service

For a short stay, the EHIC is the entire healthcare answer: it entitles you to medically necessary public care in Spain on the same terms as locals. Order it from your home country's health service before you travel — it's free, and the card (not a screenshot of it) is what clinics ask for. It doesn't replace travel insurance for cancellations or repatriation.
WHEN IT'S DUE
Due 30 days before you arrive in Spain.
WHY IT MATTERS
Strongly advised, though not strictly mandatory. Get Camino’s practical recommendation — not a legal requirement. How strongly we suggest it is shown by its priority; confirm the specifics for your own case.
View the official source ↗
Last verified 13 Jul 2026 · See what we’ve corrected →
LOLA'S TIP
Sort this before you need it — coverage gaps are the expensive kind of surprise.
Where does this fall in your move?
Whether this step even applies — and when it's due — depends on your passport, work, family and plans. Answer a few questions and Get Camino builds your full roadmap, every step in the right order with real deadlines.
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MORE IN HEALTHCARE
Purchase private health insurance from a Spanish-authorized insurer →Enroll in the Convenio Especial to buy into public healthcare →Apply for the public health card (tarjeta sanitaria) once you contribute to Social Security or qualify for public cover →Purchase visa-compliant private health insurance (from an insurer authorised in Spain, SNS-equivalent cover, no copays, no waiting periods, repatriation included) →
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Guidance only — not legal or tax advice.
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