Overview
Registering as an Economically Inactive EU Citizen
We do not handle visa applications or give immigration legal advice. We are English-speaking Sanitas health insurance specialists who help you arrange the private health insurance many Spanish visa and residency routes require — suitable policy options, certificate wording, start dates and personalised quotes. Visa rules vary by consulate and change over time, so always confirm the full immigration requirements with the relevant Spanish consulate, an Extranjería office or a qualified immigration specialist.
Quick answerEconomically inactive EU/EEA/Swiss citizens registering Spanish residency generally need sufficient resources and sickness insurance — public or private — that provides comprehensive cover in Spain, under RD 240/2007. An S1 may establish public healthcare entitlement for eligible people; where you need to arrange qualifying private cover, a no-copayment Sanitas plan may be an option, though its current terms and certificate must be checked against the requirements applying to your registration. The applicant must confirm the evidence required for their circumstances. EU citizens are outside the Law 14/2013 visa routes.
EU citizens do not need a visa to live in Spain, but to stay more than three months they register their residency and obtain the registration certificate (the “green certificate”). If you are economically inactive — not working in Spain, for example a retiree or someone living on savings — you generally need to show sufficient resources and sickness insurance — public or private — that provides comprehensive cover in Spain. This page explains that health-cover requirement and, where private insurance is the route, the Sanitas options that may fit.
One point on who decides what: whether you qualify to register as a resident is for the Spanish authorities, whether a plan and certificate suit your registration is what we advise on, and whether Sanitas can offer cover, and on what terms, is the insurer’s decision.
