SIP Card in Spain: What It Is and How to Get One

In the Valencian Community, public healthcare is linked to the SIP system (Sistema de Información Poblacional). This is a regional patient database. Although Spain operates a unified healthcare system, it has its own name in each autonomous community (for example, TSI in Catalonia or Madrid).

It is important to understand: having a Social Security number (Número de Seguridad Social) does not grant access to a doctor by itself. The social security number confirms your right to healthcare (through employment or contributions), while registration in the SIP system assigns you to a specific health center (Centro de Salud) and a general practitioner (médico de cabecera).

Why you need a SIP card

• Doctor's appointments: Without it, you cannot book an appointment at a public health center or hospital.
• Prescriptions and discounts: Spain uses an electronic prescription system (Receta Electrónica). The doctor links prescriptions to your SIP number, allowing you to buy medications at the pharmacy with a discount of 60% to 90%.
• Mobile app: A SIP number is required to log into the GVA +Salut app, where you can book appointments and download medical certificates.

The difference between SIP and Seguridad Social

These concepts are often confused:

• Seguridad Social is your insurance and contribution status. It is assigned once and lasts for life.
• SIP is your registration in the healthcare system at your place of residence.

Without linking your social security number to the SIP system, you will not be able to attend a scheduled appointment at your nearest Centro de Salud.

How to get a SIP: step-by-step plan

The procedure depends on your immigration status. The main requirement is having an official right to public healthcare. This is granted, for example, by a work contract, autónomo status, or receiving a pension from an EU country.

EU Citizens

If you have moved to Spain from another EU country, you must confirm that your medical costs are covered by your home country's government:

1. Obtain the S1 form in your home country.
2. Register it with the Spanish Social Security (INSS) and receive a confirmation document.
3. Take this document, your "Green NIE" (Certificado de Registro de Ciudadano de la Unión Europea), and your census certificate (empadronamiento) to the nearest Centro de Salud to apply for your SIP.

Digital Nomads

For digital nomads, obtaining a SIP is directly linked to registration with the social security system. If your company does not have a branch in Spain, registration usually occurs via the autónomo status.

The sequence of actions usually looks like this:

• obtaining a residency approval resolution;
• registering as an autónomo with the Tax Agency (Agencia Tributaria) and Social Security (TGSS);
• obtaining confirmation of registration in the RETA system;
• visiting a Centro de Salud with this confirmation, your passport, and a recent empadronamiento.

How to apply for children and spouses

Family members of the primary insured person are also entitled to a SIP card:

• Relationship must be proven—you will need birth or marriage certificates with an apostille and a sworn translation (traductor jurado);
• Family members must first be registered in the social security system as beneficiaries (beneficiarios);
• Once the status is confirmed, a separate SIP card can be issued for each family member.

Lifehack: How to get help using a passport while waiting for your TIE

If you have just arrived and haven't registered your residency yet (or, conversely, have an expired empadronamiento certificate—why this happens and what to do is covered in our article "Empadronamiento: guide to obtaining and using it") or are waiting for your TIE plastic card, a temporary option is possible:

• A paper SIP card valid for up to three months can be issued;
• It allows you to see a doctor, though medication discounts might not apply;
• Usually, a passport and a rental agreement are sufficient, though requirements may vary between medical centers.

Digital Healthcare and the GVA +Salut App

The primary tool for patients in the Valencian Community is the GVA +Salut mobile app (Google Play, App Store). It allows you to manage healthcare without visiting the reception desk or even carrying a plastic card. The app provides a virtual SIP card barcode that is accepted at pharmacies and hospitals.

App features:

• Appointment management: Book, reschedule, and cancel appointments with your GP, pediatrician, or nurse.
• Justificantes: Download certificates proving your visit to the doctor.
• Prescription history: View active prescriptions and medication collection dates.
• Medical map: Find the nearest centers, on-call pharmacies, and emergency rooms.

GVA +Salut (Update march 2026): Your SIP Card Is Now Fully Digital

The Valencian Ministry of Health has updated the GVA +Salut app with a significant new feature: the SIP Virtual — a fully digital version of your physical health card. You can now identify yourself at hospitals, health centers, and pharmacies directly from your phone, without carrying the plastic card.

What You Need to Use SIP Virtual

• The latest version of the GVA +Salut app (Google Play, App Store)
• One of the following identification methods on your device:
  • Certificado digital — a digital certificate installed on your phone
  • Cl@ve Móvil or Cl@ve Permanente — Spain's national digital ID system

How to Access Your Virtual SIP Card

1. Open the GVA +Salut app
2. Tap "Consultar SIP virtual"
3. Verify your identity using any of the methods above
4. Your card details and a QR code will appear on screen

The generated QR code is valid for 20 minutes — enough time for check-in at a reception desk or pharmacy counter. Once it expires, simply generate a new one.

How electronic prescriptions and discounts work

Public clinics rarely use paper prescriptions. All prescriptions are uploaded to the Receta Electrónica system. To buy medicine, you only need to show your physical SIP card or the digital version in the app.

The co-payment system (copago) means the state covers part of the medication cost. The amount of the co-payment depends on your income level. Without a SIP card, you will have to pay the full price for medications.

Does the SIP Card Work Outside Valencia?

By law, you are entitled to medical assistance throughout Spain. The SIP card and electronic prescriptions are valid in other autonomous communities as well.

In practice, it works like this:

• Emergency care: At Urgencias (ER) departments, they must treat you using your SIP card and ID.
• Scheduled appointments: In another region, you will be registered as a temporary patient (desplazado).
• Pharmacies: Electronic prescriptions work nationwide.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)