Healthcare

Registering, the European Health Insurance Card, the S1 form.

In Portugal

Checked on 23 October 2026

How do you access the public healthcare system (SNS) when you settle in Portugal?

Once you are legally resident, you get your número de utente (SNS user number) on your first visit to a health centre or a public hospital. You then register at the health centre in your area to have a family doctor. For the SNS to cover your care, your file must contain your identity document, your Portuguese NIF, your full address in Portugal and your valid residence document (except in cases provided for by law).

Costs: SNS consultations without user charge, except hospital emergency visits without prior referral
Timeframes: Utente number assigned on your first visit to a public health unit

Steps

Before you leave: request your European Health Insurance Card (EHIC) from your insurer, free of charge. If you are a retiree and your pension comes from your country of origin, or if you are posted by your employer, also request the S1 form from your health insurance fund.
The first few months: with your EHIC, you receive medically necessary care in the SNS, on the same terms as Portuguese insured persons. It is designed for temporary stays, not for a lasting move.
Do your papers in order: EU citizen registration certificate at the town hall (sheet PT-SEJOUR-TOUS-001), then NIF with your address in Portugal (sheet PT-NIF-TOUS-001).
Get your utente number: it is assigned to you the first time you present yourself at a public health unit (health centre or hospital). The simplest is to go to the health centre in your neighbourhood with your documents.
Register at the health centre in your area (Unidade de Saúde Familiar, USF) with your utente number. That is where you see the family doctor, the nurse and other professionals (nutrition, psychology, oral health, social support).
If you have an S1, have it registered with the health insurance body of your country of residence: in Portugal, at any Segurança Social office. Your home fund then covers your care in Portugal. Then register at the health centre.
If you live temporarily in another municipality (study, work), you can register at another health centre for 12 months at most.

Documents

Identity document (identity card or passport).
Portuguese NIF.
Full address in Portugal.
Valid residence document: the gov.pt guide speaks of an autorização de residência; for an EU citizen, it is in practice the Certificado de Registo de Cidadão da União Europeia (to be confirmed at the health centre).
S1 form, if you have one.
During a temporary stay: your EHIC and an identity document.

Costs and timelines

Utente number: assigned on the first visit to a public health unit. The gov.pt guide mentions no fee.
User charge (taxa moderadora): abolished throughout the SNS by Decreto-Lei n.º 37/2022. It remains due only at hospital emergency departments, unless you were referred there by the SNS (for example the SNS 24 line) or you are hospitalised following that visit. Amounts noted on the pages of two SNS hospitals (21/10/2026): €14 at a básica emergency department and €16 at a médico-cirúrgica emergency department (Hospital Prof. Doutor Fernando Fonseca), €18 at the Santa Maria hospital (emergency department), with a ceiling of €40 per emergency visit (tests included); pregnant women, minors under 18 and blood donors are exempt, among other groups. The exact amount depends on the type of emergency department: ask at reception; the national portaria that sets the scale could not be re-read.
EHIC: free. Never go through a site that charges for it.
Emergencies: 112, free. SNS 24 line: 808 24 24 24, 24 hours a day, at the price of a call to a landline.

Common pitfalls

Having a utente number is not enough. Without an identity document, NIF, address in Portugal and residence document linked to your file, the SNS may charge you for your care (the law provides for a few cases where it covers it without this data). Update your file as soon as you have your certificate and your resident NIF.
Counting on the EHIC forever. It covers temporary stays (holidays, business trips, study). Once you have settled, your cover depends on your situation: work in Portugal, S1 or other. The EHIC covers neither private care, nor planned care, nor repatriation.
Going straight to the emergency department. Call the SNS 24 line first: being referred by the SNS avoids the user charge.
Confusing the health centre and the family doctor. Being registered at the health centre does not guarantee that you will immediately have an assigned family doctor: it depends on the doctors available at your centre, ask at registration.
Madeira and the Azores. These are autonomous regions, with their own regional health service: registration is done at the local health centre, which tells you the documents required in the region.

What changes by country of origin

EU and EEA citizens: EHIC for the first few months, then utente number once registered. Retirees paid by their country of origin and posted workers go through the S1.
Swiss citizens: the Swiss EHIC and the S1 also work in Portugal (Switzerland applies European coordination). Same route once the certificate is obtained.
British citizens (Scots included): since Brexit, they are third-country nationals. They access the SNS like any foreign national legally resident: utente number with their AIMA residence permit. The British GHIC card (or the British EHIC) is only for temporary stays (travel, study, posting), not for a move. Retirees who receive the British State Pension may have a British S1 (to be requested by phone from the NHS Overseas Healthcare Services): register it at any Segurança Social office, then register at the health centre.

Official sources (8) ›

The European framework

These European rules also apply in Portugal.

Checked on 23 October 2026

Health insurance required for visas and permits: what EU rules ask (short and long stays)

For a Schengen short-stay visa, you must show travel medical insurance covering urgent medical care, emergency hospital treatment and repatriation (including in case of death), valid in all Schengen countries, with at least €30,000 of cover (Visa Code, Article 15). For long stays, the EU directives ask for sickness insurance covering the risks normally covered for nationals of the destination, for example for students, family members, Blue Card holders and long-term residents. The exact proof, and whether you must buy private insurance or can join the public system, depend on the destination.

Who decides: Consulates (Schengen visas); the immigration authority of the destination (long stays)
Costs: Set by insurers; Schengen visa insurance must cover at least €30,000 (Visa Code, Article 15)

Before you act

No promise. The consulate or immigration authority decides whether your insurance is acceptable. This page is general information, not legal advice.
Scams. Buy insurance only from a real, identifiable insurer, and check the policy before paying. A fake or inadequate insurance certificate can lead to refusal of your application.
Ask a professional (the insurer, the consulate or a lawyer) if you have a chronic illness, are pregnant, or are over the age limits of standard policies.
Be honest in insurance forms about your health and your plans.

Steps

Short stay with a visa: buy travel medical insurance that meets Article 15 of the Visa Code (below) for the whole trip; for a multiple-entry visa, it must cover the first trip, and you sign a statement that you know you need insurance for later trips. Exceptions: the requirement may be considered met where adequate cover can be presumed from the applicant's professional situation (for example seafarers, Article 15(6)), and holders of diplomatic passports are exempt (Article 15(7)).
Visa-exempt short stay: insurance is not among the entry conditions listed in the Schengen Borders Code (Article 6), but medical care abroad can be expensive: travel insurance is your choice.
Long stay: read the destination's list for your route. Denmark and Ireland did not take part in the five directives below and are not bound by them (see the recitals of each text), so their rules are purely national. In the other EU countries, the directives ask for insurance "for all risks normally covered for nationals" for:
- students and researchers, valid for the whole planned stay (Directive (EU) 2016/801, Article 7(1)(c));
- family reunification, for the sponsor and the family, if the country requires it (Directive 2003/86/EC, Article 7(1)(b));
- Blue Card and seasonal workers, for periods not already covered through the job (Directive (EU) 2021/1883, Article 5(1)(e); Directive 2014/36/EU, Article 5(1)(b) for stays up to 90 days and Article 6(1)(b) for stays over 90 days);
- EU long-term residents, for themselves and for dependent family members (Directive 2003/109/EC, Article 5(1)(b)).
After arrival: ask whether your permit gives access to the public health system, and from when (see the destination's health fiche).

Documents

An insurance certificate in the name of each person, with dates, cover, amount and territory.
For a Schengen visa: proof that the cover is valid in all Schengen countries and is at least €30,000 (Article 15(3)); for a visa with limited territorial validity covering several Member States, the cover must be valid at least in the Member States concerned.

Costs and timelines

Price: set by insurers. The Visa Code asks you to take insurance, in principle, in your country of residence, or in another country if that is not possible (Article 15(4)).
Check: consulates verify that claims against the insurer can be recovered in an EU country (Article 15(5)).

Common pitfalls

Cover too low or not valid everywhere. For a Schengen visa: at least €30,000 and valid in all Schengen countries.
Wrong dates. The insurance must cover the whole stay or transit (Article 15(3)).
Travel insurance for a long stay. A short-trip policy may not meet the "all risks normally covered for nationals" standard required for long-stay permits, and what each country actually accepts varies: ask the immigration authority directly before you buy.
Gaps between the visa and the permit. Keep cover until you are registered in the public system or have the insurance the permit requires.

What changes by profile

Workers may be covered through their job; the Blue Card and seasonal directives ask for insurance only for periods not covered by, or resulting from, the work contract.
Retirees and people living on passive income follow national rules for national visas (for Portugal, see PT-VISA-TIERS-050).

Official links

Visa Code (consolidated), Article 15: https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/HTML/?uri=CELEX:02009R0810-20240628
Commission, applying for a Schengen visa: https://home-affairs.ec.europa.eu/policies/schengen/visa-policy/applying-schengen-visa_en

Official sources (9) ›

These guides give the general rules. Your situation can change the answer: Moovy looks at it with you and tells you when you need a professional.

In Portugal

Checked on 23 October 2026

How do you access the public healthcare system (SNS) when you settle in Portugal?

Costs: SNS consultations without user charge, except hospital emergency visits without prior referral
Timeframes: Utente number assigned on your first visit to a public health unit

Steps

Before you leave: request your European Health Insurance Card (EHIC) from your insurer, free of charge. If you are a retiree and your pension comes from your country of origin, or if you are posted by your employer, also request the S1 form from your health insurance fund.
The first few months: with your EHIC, you receive medically necessary care in the SNS, on the same terms as Portuguese insured persons. It is designed for temporary stays, not for a lasting move.
Do your papers in order: EU citizen registration certificate at the town hall (sheet PT-SEJOUR-TOUS-001), then NIF with your address in Portugal (sheet PT-NIF-TOUS-001).
Get your utente number: it is assigned to you the first time you present yourself at a public health unit (health centre or hospital). The simplest is to go to the health centre in your neighbourhood with your documents.
Register at the health centre in your area (Unidade de Saúde Familiar, USF) with your utente number. That is where you see the family doctor, the nurse and other professionals (nutrition, psychology, oral health, social support).
If you have an S1, have it registered with the health insurance body of your country of residence: in Portugal, at any Segurança Social office. Your home fund then covers your care in Portugal. Then register at the health centre.
If you live temporarily in another municipality (study, work), you can register at another health centre for 12 months at most.

Documents

Identity document (identity card or passport).
Portuguese NIF.
Full address in Portugal.
Valid residence document: the gov.pt guide speaks of an autorização de residência; for an EU citizen, it is in practice the Certificado de Registo de Cidadão da União Europeia (to be confirmed at the health centre).
S1 form, if you have one.
During a temporary stay: your EHIC and an identity document.

Costs and timelines

Utente number: assigned on the first visit to a public health unit. The gov.pt guide mentions no fee.
User charge (taxa moderadora): abolished throughout the SNS by Decreto-Lei n.º 37/2022. It remains due only at hospital emergency departments, unless you were referred there by the SNS (for example the SNS 24 line) or you are hospitalised following that visit. Amounts noted on the pages of two SNS hospitals (21/10/2026): €14 at a básica emergency department and €16 at a médico-cirúrgica emergency department (Hospital Prof. Doutor Fernando Fonseca), €18 at the Santa Maria hospital (emergency department), with a ceiling of €40 per emergency visit (tests included); pregnant women, minors under 18 and blood donors are exempt, among other groups. The exact amount depends on the type of emergency department: ask at reception; the national portaria that sets the scale could not be re-read.
EHIC: free. Never go through a site that charges for it.
Emergencies: 112, free. SNS 24 line: 808 24 24 24, 24 hours a day, at the price of a call to a landline.

Common pitfalls

Having a utente number is not enough. Without an identity document, NIF, address in Portugal and residence document linked to your file, the SNS may charge you for your care (the law provides for a few cases where it covers it without this data). Update your file as soon as you have your certificate and your resident NIF.
Counting on the EHIC forever. It covers temporary stays (holidays, business trips, study). Once you have settled, your cover depends on your situation: work in Portugal, S1 or other. The EHIC covers neither private care, nor planned care, nor repatriation.
Going straight to the emergency department. Call the SNS 24 line first: being referred by the SNS avoids the user charge.
Confusing the health centre and the family doctor. Being registered at the health centre does not guarantee that you will immediately have an assigned family doctor: it depends on the doctors available at your centre, ask at registration.
Madeira and the Azores. These are autonomous regions, with their own regional health service: registration is done at the local health centre, which tells you the documents required in the region.

What changes by country of origin

EU and EEA citizens: EHIC for the first few months, then utente number once registered. Retirees paid by their country of origin and posted workers go through the S1.
Swiss citizens: the Swiss EHIC and the S1 also work in Portugal (Switzerland applies European coordination). Same route once the certificate is obtained.
British citizens (Scots included): since Brexit, they are third-country nationals. They access the SNS like any foreign national legally resident: utente number with their AIMA residence permit. The British GHIC card (or the British EHIC) is only for temporary stays (travel, study, posting), not for a move. Retirees who receive the British State Pension may have a British S1 (to be requested by phone from the NHS Overseas Healthcare Services): register it at any Segurança Social office, then register at the health centre.

Official sources (8) ›

The European framework

These European rules also apply in Portugal.

Checked on 23 October 2026

Health insurance required for visas and permits: what EU rules ask (short and long stays)

Who decides: Consulates (Schengen visas); the immigration authority of the destination (long stays)
Costs: Set by insurers; Schengen visa insurance must cover at least €30,000 (Visa Code, Article 15)

Before you act

No promise. The consulate or immigration authority decides whether your insurance is acceptable. This page is general information, not legal advice.
Scams. Buy insurance only from a real, identifiable insurer, and check the policy before paying. A fake or inadequate insurance certificate can lead to refusal of your application.
Ask a professional (the insurer, the consulate or a lawyer) if you have a chronic illness, are pregnant, or are over the age limits of standard policies.
Be honest in insurance forms about your health and your plans.

Steps

Short stay with a visa: buy travel medical insurance that meets Article 15 of the Visa Code (below) for the whole trip; for a multiple-entry visa, it must cover the first trip, and you sign a statement that you know you need insurance for later trips. Exceptions: the requirement may be considered met where adequate cover can be presumed from the applicant's professional situation (for example seafarers, Article 15(6)), and holders of diplomatic passports are exempt (Article 15(7)).
Visa-exempt short stay: insurance is not among the entry conditions listed in the Schengen Borders Code (Article 6), but medical care abroad can be expensive: travel insurance is your choice.
Long stay: read the destination's list for your route. Denmark and Ireland did not take part in the five directives below and are not bound by them (see the recitals of each text), so their rules are purely national. In the other EU countries, the directives ask for insurance "for all risks normally covered for nationals" for:
- students and researchers, valid for the whole planned stay (Directive (EU) 2016/801, Article 7(1)(c));
- family reunification, for the sponsor and the family, if the country requires it (Directive 2003/86/EC, Article 7(1)(b));
- Blue Card and seasonal workers, for periods not already covered through the job (Directive (EU) 2021/1883, Article 5(1)(e); Directive 2014/36/EU, Article 5(1)(b) for stays up to 90 days and Article 6(1)(b) for stays over 90 days);
- EU long-term residents, for themselves and for dependent family members (Directive 2003/109/EC, Article 5(1)(b)).
After arrival: ask whether your permit gives access to the public health system, and from when (see the destination's health fiche).

Documents

An insurance certificate in the name of each person, with dates, cover, amount and territory.
For a Schengen visa: proof that the cover is valid in all Schengen countries and is at least €30,000 (Article 15(3)); for a visa with limited territorial validity covering several Member States, the cover must be valid at least in the Member States concerned.

Costs and timelines

Price: set by insurers. The Visa Code asks you to take insurance, in principle, in your country of residence, or in another country if that is not possible (Article 15(4)).
Check: consulates verify that claims against the insurer can be recovered in an EU country (Article 15(5)).

Common pitfalls

Cover too low or not valid everywhere. For a Schengen visa: at least €30,000 and valid in all Schengen countries.
Wrong dates. The insurance must cover the whole stay or transit (Article 15(3)).
Travel insurance for a long stay. A short-trip policy may not meet the "all risks normally covered for nationals" standard required for long-stay permits, and what each country actually accepts varies: ask the immigration authority directly before you buy.
Gaps between the visa and the permit. Keep cover until you are registered in the public system or have the insurance the permit requires.

What changes by profile

Workers may be covered through their job; the Blue Card and seasonal directives ask for insurance only for periods not covered by, or resulting from, the work contract.
Retirees and people living on passive income follow national rules for national visas (for Portugal, see PT-VISA-TIERS-050).

Official links

Visa Code (consolidated), Article 15: https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/HTML/?uri=CELEX:02009R0810-20240628
Commission, applying for a Schengen visa: https://home-affairs.ec.europa.eu/policies/schengen/visa-policy/applying-schengen-visa_en

Official sources (9) ›

These guides give the general rules. Your situation can change the answer: Moovy looks at it with you and tells you when you need a professional.

Healthcare

In Portugal

How do you access the public healthcare system (SNS) when you settle in Portugal?

Steps

Documents

Costs and timelines

Common pitfalls

What changes by country of origin

The European framework

Health insurance required for visas and permits: what EU rules ask (short and long stays)

Steps

Documents

Costs and timelines

Common pitfalls

What changes by profile

Other topics

Healthcare

In Portugal

How do you access the public healthcare system (SNS) when you settle in Portugal?

Steps

Documents

Costs and timelines

Common pitfalls

What changes by country of origin

The European framework

Health insurance required for visas and permits: what EU rules ask (short and long stays)

Steps

Documents

Costs and timelines

Common pitfalls

What changes by profile

Other topics