A complete guide to what you need for a Sanitas quote and policy in Spain — personal details, dates of birth, province, payment and visa route — and why you can start before you have an NIE or a Spanish bank account. We help with the insurance only.
Overview
To prepare an accurate Sanitas quote we mainly need each person's name and date of birth, your province in Spain and your situation. You do not need an NIE or a Spanish bank account to apply, and payment can often be set up with an international card. A medical declaration may be required, and telling us your visa route helps us recommend the right plan and certificate.
Arranging private health insurance in Spain is more straightforward than most expats expect, and one of the biggest myths is that you need a thick folder of paperwork before you can even start. You do not. A Sanitas quote needs only a handful of details, and the formal documents are gathered when the policy is set up. This guide explains exactly what is needed at each stage, what to do if you do not yet have an NIE or a Spanish bank account, and what information helps us recommend the correct plan first time.
The same core details apply whether you are applying for a visa, registering EU residency or simply moving as an expat, and we capture everything on a single quote so nothing is missed. If you are working to a visa deadline, see also how long Sanitas approval takes and when to buy.
Quote
To prepare an accurate Sanitas quote, we need very little:
That is genuinely enough to produce an accurate quote and recommend a suitable plan. We do not need passports or an NIE simply to quote.
Application
When you decide to proceed, a little more is gathered to set up the policy: identification details (passport, and NIE or TIE if you have it), your address in Spain, payment details, and any health declaration. None of this needs to be complete before you start — for example your NIE can be added later — but having it ready makes the policy setup smooth. See the medical side in the medical declaration guide.
Each person
Every person to be insured needs to be named individually, with their own date of birth and, where relevant, their own health declaration. This is why we ask for each applicant's details rather than just the main applicant's: the quote and the certificate list each insured person. For couples and families, this is quick once you have everyone's dates of birth to hand.
Family
For a family policy we need each person's name, date of birth and relationship to the main applicant. Children are included with their parents, and each member is named on the policy and certificate. We quote the whole household together so you see one combined price, and a single family policy is usually simpler to manage than separate policies. See family health insurance.
NIE/TIE
These three documents often cause confusion, so briefly: your passport identifies you; the NIE (Número de Identidad de Extranjero) is your Spanish foreigner identification number; and the TIE is the physical residency card you obtain after arriving. For insurance, the passport identifies each applicant and the NIE/TIE is added to the policy when available. Crucially, none of these has to be in place before you take out cover.
No NIE
This is one of the most common questions, and the answer is reassuring: you do not need an NIE to take out Sanitas cover. In fact most visa applicants arrange the policy and certificate before they have an NIE, precisely because the certificate is needed for the visa that eventually leads to the NIE. We set everything up with the details you have and add the NIE afterwards. See getting Sanitas before your NIE and health insurance without an NIE.
No bank
You also do not need a Spanish bank account to start. Many applicants set up cover with an international card and switch to a local account later. This is particularly useful for people arranging cover before they arrive, who have not yet opened a Spanish account. See without a Spanish bank account.
Card
Payment can usually be arranged with an international debit or credit card, billed monthly, quarterly or annually depending on the plan. This means you can hold a live policy from day one without waiting for Spanish banking to be set up. See using an international card and paying by credit card.
Province
Your province and town affect pricing and help us match the right medical network for where you live or will live. If you are still deciding where to settle, give us your likely destination and we can adjust later. Location is one of the factors in an accurate quote, alongside age and the number of people covered.
DOB
Age is one of the principal factors in private health insurance pricing, so an accurate date of birth for every applicant is essential for an accurate quote. It also affects plan suitability and acceptance — some plans have age considerations, and terms can depend on age. Estimating ages produces a quote that has to be redone, so we always work from real dates of birth.
Route
Telling us your situation lets us match the right plan and the right certificate. Visa routes — NLV, DNV, student — usually need comprehensive no-copay cover with a certificate; see visa-compliant cover. EU citizens registering residency follow a different route; see EU residency and EU citizens. General expats may simply want broad private cover; see health insurance for expats.
Medical
A medical declaration may be required when the policy is set up. Be ready to mention any current treatment, medication, recent surgery or ongoing investigations — see the Sanitas health declaration and medical questionnaire. A pre-existing condition does not automatically mean no cover; it is assessed and outcomes vary. See pre-existing conditions and the pre-existing FAQ.
Table
| Information / document | Needed for quote? | Needed for policy? | Why it matters | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Name of each applicant | Yes | Yes | Identifies who is covered | Everyone is named on the certificate |
| Date of birth | Yes | Yes | Main pricing factor | Use real dates, not estimates |
| Province / town | Yes | Yes | Affects price and network | Use likely area if not settled |
| Email / phone | Yes | Yes | Contact and quote delivery | WhatsApp accepted |
| Passport | No | Yes | Identification | Used at policy setup, not for a quote |
| NIE / TIE | No | When available | Added to the policy | Not needed to apply; add later |
| Payment method | No | Yes | Activates the policy | International card accepted to start |
| Health declaration | Sometimes | Often | Sets fair terms | Disclose fully and early |
Not send
To keep things simple and protect your privacy, do not send full medical records, scans or large document bundles unless the insurer specifically requests them. At the application stage, honest answers to the health questions are what is needed; detailed reports are only required if a medical review calls for them. We tell you exactly what to provide so you do not over-share.
Prepare
With these ready, we can usually move from first contact to an accurate quote quickly.
How we help
The more accurately you tell us your ages, location, route and any health background, the better we can recommend a suitable plan and certificate first time, which saves you time and avoids rework. Send us the basics and we will confirm exactly what is needed for your case. Get a quote to begin.
By route
Different routes need the cover to do slightly different things, which affects the certificate rather than the basic details. For the NLV, the certificate must show comprehensive no-copay cover; for the DNV, the same, with the employee-or-self-employed position confirmed; for a student visa, cover aligned to course dates; and for EU residency, cover that meets the residency requirement. The personal details we collect are the same across all of these — names, dates of birth, province — but telling us your route means the certificate is right first time. See visa-compliant cover.
Add later
If your circumstances change — a partner joins you, or a baby is born — a family member can usually be added, with their own details and any health declaration. It is worth telling us early if you expect to add someone, so we can recommend a plan that suits the whole household. Newborns and dependants are common additions, and each new person is named on the policy and certificate. See family health insurance.
Renewals
Spanish private policies are annual, so they renew each year. At renewal it helps to keep your details current — your address if you have moved, your NIE once you have it, and payment details if they have changed. None of this is onerous, but accurate records keep your certificate and policy correct, which matters if you need to show proof of cover for a residency step. See health insurance before your TIE.
Mistakes
Avoiding these keeps the process to a single, smooth submission. If in doubt, ask us and we will confirm exactly what is needed.
EU vs non-EU
The core details are the same for everyone, but the context differs. Non-EU applicants arranging cover for a visa usually need the certificate to support the application, so the route and certificate wording matter most. EU citizens registering residency may need cover for the green-certificate process, with the policy meeting the residency requirement rather than a visa one. In both cases we still only need names, dates of birth, province and your situation to quote — we simply tailor the certificate to your route. See health insurance for EU citizens and visa-compliant cover.
Secure
We treat your personal and health information carefully and only use it to arrange your insurance. You do not need to send sensitive documents by insecure means, and you should never share more than is asked for. At the quote stage we need very little; at the application stage we collect what the insurer requires and nothing more. If you are ever unsure why a piece of information is needed, ask us and we will explain.
Checklist
Have these to hand and we can usually move from first contact to an accurate quote the same day.
NIE timing
Although you do not need an NIE to take out cover, you will want to add it once you have it, and your TIE follows after you arrive and complete the residency-card step. Neither is a barrier to starting: the policy and certificate can be issued first, and these identifiers are added to your record afterwards. This sequencing is exactly why so many applicants arrange cover before they have any Spanish documentation — the insurance comes first and the paperwork catches up. See Sanitas before your NIE and health insurance before your TIE.
One vs household
The information needed scales gently with the number of people. For an individual we need one set of details and one declaration; for a couple or family we need each person's name, date of birth and relationship, plus each person's declaration where required. The quote then reflects the whole household on a single policy. Gathering everyone's dates of birth in advance is the single biggest time-saver for family quotes, so it is worth having them ready before you contact us. See family health insurance.
Next step
If you have your basic details to hand, getting started is quick. Send us each applicant's name and date of birth, your province and your situation, and we will prepare an accurate Sanitas quote and tell you exactly what else is needed for your case — usually very little. From there, the application, any health declaration, payment and the certificate follow in a clear sequence we guide you through. You do not need an NIE, a Spanish bank account or a final address to begin, so there is rarely any reason to wait. Get a quote or contact an adviser and we will take it from there.
Important information
Send us names, dates of birth and your province and we will prepare an accurate Sanitas quote. We help with the health-insurance part of your application. Acceptance and exact policy terms depend on the insurer’s rules; visa decisions rest with the Spanish authorities.
English-speaking Sanitas specialists can help with the health-insurance part of your visa or residency application.
FAQs
Common questions about this Spanish visa route and the health-insurance requirement. Always confirm current rules with the official authorities or a qualified immigration specialist.