How to Get the CatSalut Health Card (TSI) in Barcelona
The TSI is your key to public doctors, prescriptions and hospitals in Catalonia. This is who can get one and how the application works in Barcelona.
The Targeta Sanitària Individual (TSI) is the health card of CatSalut, Catalonia’s public health service. To get one in Barcelona, register on the padrón, then apply online or at your Centre d’Atenció Primària (CAP, local primary care center) with ID and a padrón certificate under three months old. The card is posted to you free.
Who can get a TSI in Catalonia?
Catalan law guarantees healthcare to all residents of Catalonia, but the route depends on your situation. CatSalut lists these main groups:
| Group | How the right is recognized |
|---|---|
| Employees, self-employed workers and pensioners in the Spanish system | Registered with the Instituto Nacional de la Seguridad Social (INSS); apply for the TSI directly |
| Family members of an insured person | Registered with the INSS as beneficiaries first, then apply for the TSI |
| EU pensioners and posted workers with an S1 form | The S1 is registered with the INSS, which links your cover to the Spanish system |
| Residents with no other cover | CatSalut assigns a coverage level based on personal circumstances |
| Foreigners not registered or authorized to live in Spain | Access after more than three months on the padrón of a Spanish municipality |
| People who pay a convenio especial (special agreement) | A monthly contribution in exchange for public cover |
People with temporary protection from the war in Ukraine, asylum seekers and victims of trafficking also have specific access routes. If you are not sure which group fits you, the CAP’s admissions desk can tell you which proof CatSalut will check.
What is the basic requirement?
Everyone must be registered on the padrón of a municipality in Catalonia. CatSalut is explicit on this point: without padrón registration you will not receive the physical card. If you have not done it yet, start with our guide to empadronamiento in Barcelona. Workers must also already appear as registered with Social Security, which your employer does when you start; our guide to the Spanish social security number explains that step.
How do you apply?
You have two routes, and both trigger the same data checks with the padrón and the INSS.
- Online: fill in the CatSalut application form for a first TSI on the CatSalut website. Sending it starts the checks.
- In person: go to the CAP that corresponds to your registered address, or the one you chose under free choice of primary care, and file the application at the admissions desk.
For the CAP route, bring:
- an identity document: DNI, NIE certificate or TIE with passport, or passport
- a padrón certificate issued in the last three months (some councils let CatSalut check this online, so you may not need the paper)
- documents proving legal representation, if you apply for someone else
What happens after you apply?
If the checks are positive, CatSalut emails you a provisional certificate with your personal identification code (CIP). According to CatSalut, this certificate lets you use public health services until the plastic card arrives. If a check needs more work, the request stays pending and is usually resolved in the following days.
The physical card arrives by post at your registered address. CatSalut does not publish a fixed delivery time. The card is linked to your CAP, where you are assigned a family doctor (metge de família); ask the admissions desk how to book appointments.
What about babies, students and EU visitors?
- Babies: register the baby with the INSS as a beneficiary of a parent or guardian, then add the baby to the padrón, then apply for the TSI. Hospitals can sometimes request the INSS registration for you with your consent.
- EU students and short-stay visitors: the European Health Insurance Card covers necessary care during a temporary stay, but it does not give you a TSI as a resident. Our guide to using an EHIC or GHIC in Barcelona explains the difference.
- People returning to Catalonia: if you left and come back, CatSalut asks you to apply again as if it were the first time.
Which CAP is yours?
Your CAP depends on your registered address. Each Barcelona neighborhood is served by a primary care center, and CatSalut links your card to the one that covers your street. Catalonia also allows free choice of primary care, so you can ask to be assigned to a different CAP, for example one closer to your workplace; the admissions desk handles the request. The CAP is where you see your family doctor and nurse, get referrals to specialists and renew prescriptions. For emergencies outside opening hours, the system works differently; our guide to urgent care in Barcelona explains when to call 061 or 112.
Bottom line
Get your padrón certificate the same week you apply, because CatSalut wants it under three months old and the card is sent to that address. Keep the emailed CIP certificate on your phone, since it is what you show at the CAP or pharmacy before the plastic card arrives.
FAQ
Does the TSI cost anything?
The card itself is free and is posted at no charge. People who join through a convenio especial pay a monthly contribution; check the current amount with CatSalut.
Can I use private health insurance instead?
Private insurance is separate from the TSI. Many residence permits require it, but it does not give access to CAPs or public hospitals.
What if I move to another neighborhood?
Update your padrón address, then ask CatSalut or your new CAP to change your assigned center.
How long does the card take to arrive?
CatSalut does not publish a fixed time. Once your request is approved you receive the provisional CIP certificate by email, which you can use while you wait for the post.
