Health Insurance for Spanish Visa — Berlin Consulate 2026 (Applying from Germany)

Applying for a Spanish visa from Germany: who this guide is for

Germany is home to a large and diverse population of third-country nationals — Americans, British, Australians, Canadians, South Africans, Indians, and many others — who have settled in Berlin, Munich, Hamburg, Frankfurt, and cities across the country. Many of them are now looking at Spain. The reasons vary: the cost of living, the climate, the lifestyle, or the practical appeal of working remotely from somewhere warmer. Whatever the motivation, the route for non-EU nationals is the same: a Spanish long-stay visa.

This guide is written specifically for that audience. It assumes you are already living in Germany, you hold a German residence permit of some kind — whether a work visa, a Blue Card (Blaue Karte EU), a settlement permit (Niederlassungserlaubnis), or a post-Brexit settled status as a British national — and you want to apply for a Spanish Non-Lucrative Visa (NLV), a Digital Nomad Visa (DNV), or another Spanish long-stay visa through one of the Spanish consulates in Germany.

One thing that catches many people off guard: the health insurance you currently have in Germany — whether statutory (gesetzliche Krankenversicherung, GKV) or private (private Krankenversicherung, PKV) — is not accepted for Spanish visa purposes. It does not matter how good your German coverage is, or how reputable your Krankenkasse is. None of it meets the Spanish consulate's requirements. You need a completely separate health insurance policy from a Spanish insurer registered with Spain's insurance regulator, the Dirección General de Seguros y Fondos de Pensiones (DGSFP).

Germany has four Spanish consulates, each serving different German states. Which one you apply through depends on where you live in Germany — not on which one has shorter queues or more convenient appointments. The health insurance requirement is identical across all four consulates: Berlin, Munich, Frankfurt, and Hamburg all require the same DGSFP-registered certificate, in Spanish, from one of the accepted insurers.

This guide walks you through the full process: which consulate covers your German state, why German insurance doesn't work, which Spanish insurers are accepted, what the certificate must say, how to get it from Germany, and what the common rejection reasons are. If you are organised (and most people applying from Germany are), this process is straightforward once you know the rules.

Which Spanish consulate covers your German state?

Spain maintains four consulates in Germany, each with a defined consular district covering specific German federal states (Bundesländer). You must apply through the consulate that covers your state of residence — you cannot choose freely between them.

Residents of Berlin itself apply through the Spanish Consulate General in Berlin, located in Mitte. This is the largest consular district by population among Germany's major cities of expats. Residents of Bavaria — including Munich itself — apply through the consulate in Munich. Residents of North Rhine-Westphalia, despite being Germany's most populous state and home to Cologne, Düsseldorf, and Dortmund, apply through Hamburg rather than through a dedicated NRW consulate.

The assignment is based on your registered address (Wohnanschrift) in Germany. If you are registered (angemeldet) in Berlin, you apply in Berlin — even if you work remotely and could theoretically travel to Munich. Applying through the wrong consulate will result in your application being referred back to the correct one, which loses time.

From a health insurance perspective, none of this matters: the accepted insurers, the certificate format, and the coverage requirements are identical across all four German consulates. A Sanitas certificate obtained in January works equally at the Berlin appointment in March or the Hamburg appointment in April.

Important: German citizens do not need a Spanish visa

Before going further, it is worth being explicit about something that occasionally causes confusion: German nationals do not need a Spanish visa to live in Spain. This guide is not for them.

Germany is a member of the European Union. German citizens — holders of a German passport — have full freedom of movement throughout the EU, including Spain. A German national who wants to move to Spain does not apply for a Non-Lucrative Visa, a Digital Nomad Visa, or any other long-stay visa through a consulate. They simply move to Spain and register as an EU citizen using Spain's EU registration certificate (Certificado de Registro de Ciudadano de la Unión), typically obtained from the relevant local oficina de extranjería. This is a registration process, not a visa application, and it does not require the health insurance documentation described in this guide.

The same principle applies to citizens of other EU/EEA member states living in Germany: French, Dutch, Italian, Polish, and other EU passport holders are also not the audience for this guide. They move to Spain as EU citizens.

This guide is for third-country nationals (non-EU/EEA citizens) who are resident in Germany and who therefore need a Spanish long-stay visa to live in Spain. The most common groups currently applying from Germany in this situation are:

• British nationals — post-Brexit, British passport holders are third-country nationals and need a visa to live in Spain, even if they have German residency
• American nationals — living in Germany on work visas, Blue Cards, or other permits
• Australians, Canadians, South Africans, Indians — living in Germany on various visa statuses

If you hold a non-EU passport and are legally resident in Germany, this guide is for you. If you hold a German passport (or any other EU passport), you can stop reading — you don't need this.

Health insurance certificate requirements for the Spanish consulate

Every Spanish consulate in Germany applies the same health insurance requirements. The certificate you present must meet all of the following criteria — not most of them, all of them. A certificate that is missing even one element will be rejected.

A few points deserve additional emphasis for applicants based in Germany.

The certificate must be in Spanish. This seems obvious when stated plainly, but Germany-based applicants sometimes expect a German-language document — especially if they deal with German-speaking customer service representatives at the insurer. The insurance certificate for visa purposes is always in Spanish, as required by the consulate. The six major Spanish insurers all issue this certificate in Spanish as standard. You can request an informal German translation for your own reference, but only the Spanish-language certificate goes to the consulate.

Travel insurance is not accepted. Some applicants who have been living in Germany and have had German travel insurance for trips abroad assume this might count. It does not. Travel insurance and health insurance are different product categories. The consulate requires a full health insurance policy from a DGSFP-registered health insurer.

The certificate and the policy schedule are different documents. The policy schedule (condiciones particulares) is not the same as the visa certificate (certificado para visado). When you apply for your policy, always request the specific visa certificate separately. With Sanitas, this is issued automatically. With other insurers, you may need to request it explicitly.

Check your name carefully. Your name on the certificate must match your passport exactly. If you have a double-barrelled surname or middle names, make sure they are included. A mismatch between the certificate and your passport is one of the most common reasons for consulate rejections and the easiest to avoid.

Why German health insurance does not work for a Spanish visa

This is the most important section of this guide for applicants currently living in Germany. You almost certainly already have health insurance in Germany — it is mandatory. But whatever coverage you have, it will not be accepted by the Spanish consulate. Here is a systematic explanation of why.

The DGSFP registration requirement

Spain's insurance regulator — the Dirección General de Seguros y Fondos de Pensiones (DGSFP) — maintains a register of approved health insurance providers. Only insurers that appear on this register can issue health insurance certificates that Spanish consulates will accept for visa purposes. This is a formal regulatory requirement, not a preference or a guideline.

German health insurers — whether statutory (GKV) or private (PKV) — are regulated by German financial authorities (BaFin) and are not registered with Spain's DGSFP. This means they cannot issue DGSFP-compliant certificates, regardless of how comprehensive their coverage is or how much their policies might cost.

Gesetzliche Krankenversicherung (GKV) — statutory health insurance

Germany's statutory health insurance system — TK (Techniker Krankenkasse), AOK, Barmer, DAK, BKK, IKK, and all other Krankenkassen — is not accepted for Spanish visa purposes. None of these Krankenkassen are registered with Spain's DGSFP. None of them can issue the required Spanish-language certificate. The fact that GKV coverage in Germany is comprehensive and legally mandated is entirely beside the point — the Spanish consulate's requirement is about DGSFP registration, not about coverage quality.

Some applicants attempt to obtain a letter from their Krankenkasse confirming their coverage and submit this in lieu of a proper certificate. This will be rejected. A letter from TK or AOK is not equivalent to a DGSFP certificate, regardless of what it says or how official it looks.

Private Krankenversicherung (PKV) — private health insurance

Germany's private health insurance — offered by providers such as Allianz (Germany), AXA Deutschland, Barmenia, Debeka, Hallesche, HUK-Coburg Krankenversicherung, and others — is also not accepted. PKV policies can be expensive and comprehensive, sometimes covering treatments that GKV does not. None of this matters for Spanish visa purposes. German PKV providers are BaFin-regulated German insurers, not DGSFP-registered Spanish ones.

Allianz Deutschland vs Allianz Care

Allianz is one of the world's largest insurance groups, with operations in Germany and internationally. A common question from Germany-based applicants is whether their Allianz Deutschland PKV policy counts. It does not. Allianz Deutschland is a German entity regulated in Germany. Some applicants also ask about Allianz Care — the international health insurance arm of Allianz — and whether that counts. The answer is also no: Allianz Care is not on Spain's DGSFP register. Neither the German domestic Allianz policies nor the international Allianz Care products are accepted.

DKV Deutschland vs DKV Seguros Spain — a critical distinction

This is genuinely confusing, and it is worth explaining carefully because it is probably the single most common source of error for Germany-based applicants.

There is a DKV in Germany (DKV Deutsche Krankenversicherung, now trading as Ergo Krankenversicherung in some contexts, but still widely known as DKV Deutschland). There is also a DKV in Spain (DKV Seguros, DGSFP code L0132). These share a name because of a historical corporate connection — they were once part of the same group. Today, they are completely separate companies, with separate management, separate products, and separate regulatory registrations.

DKV Deutschland health insurance is NOT accepted for Spanish visa purposes. It is a German insurer, BaFin-regulated, not DGSFP-registered.

DKV Seguros (Spain) IS accepted. It is a Spanish insurer, DGSFP code L0132, and is one of the six major insurers recommended for Spanish visa purposes.

If you are living in Germany and already have DKV health insurance through your employer, you have DKV Deutschland — this is not accepted. To get an accepted policy, you need to apply separately to DKV Seguros in Spain. These are separate applications, separate policies, and separate companies. Having a DKV Deutschland policy does not give you any relationship with or preferential access to DKV Seguros Spain.

The six accepted Spanish insurers

Six Spanish health insurers are registered with the DGSFP and are accepted by Spanish consulates for visa purposes. All six operate nationally across Spain, all issue certificates in Spanish, and all meet the minimum coverage requirements. Here is what Germany-based applicants need to know about each one.

Sanitas

Sanitas is backed by Bupa, the international health insurance group, which makes it a familiar name for British applicants in particular. It is the most popular choice among English-speaking expats applying for Spanish long-stay visas, and for Germany-based applicants it has a clear operational advantage: the certificate is issued automatically by email the moment you pay and activate your policy. This typically takes two to five minutes. There is no manual process, no broker chasing, no waiting. If your Berlin consulate appointment is next week, Sanitas is the obvious choice.

Sanitas also offers English-language customer service, which is helpful for applicants who are not yet comfortable in Spanish. The coverage is solid, the network is large, and the annual (not multi-year) contract means you are not locked in for three years. For most Germany-based applicants — Americans, British, Australians, and others — Sanitas will be the first option to consider.

Caser

Caser is a well-established Spanish insurer with competitive pricing and some plans that include dental coverage — useful if you are transitioning away from German GKV, which includes dental as standard. Caser's certificate typically takes 1–2 business days to issue after policy activation. For Germany-based applicants who are organised and booking their consulate appointment with reasonable lead time, Caser is a strong option. Annual contracts are available.

DKV Seguros (Spain)

DKV Seguros is a Spanish health insurer with DGSFP code L0132. To be completely clear: this is not the same company as DKV Deutschland, which many Germany-based applicants will have encountered through their employer. DKV Seguros is a Spanish company and its policies are accepted for Spanish visa purposes. Its certificate takes 1–2 business days. The DKV brand may feel familiar to Germany-based applicants, but remember — you are applying for a new policy with the Spanish entity, not transferring any existing German DKV relationship.

Adeslas

Adeslas has one of the largest networks of private hospitals and clinics in Spain, which makes it a popular choice once you are actually living in Spain and using the insurance. For the visa application process, Adeslas offers same-day or next-day certificate turnaround. The main caveat is the 36-month minimum contract, which is a significant commitment — three years with the same insurer. If you are confident about your Spain plans and happy with the coverage, this is not necessarily a problem, but it is worth being aware of before signing up under time pressure.

ASISA

ASISA is one of Spain's largest health insurers and is widely used by long-term expat residents. Its certificate takes 3–5 business days due to a manual validation process. For Germany-based applicants, this means planning ahead is essential — do not apply for your ASISA policy with your consulate appointment less than two weeks away. ASISA works well for applicants who have plenty of lead time.

ASSSA

ASSSA specialises in coverage for older applicants and does not apply upper age limits that other insurers sometimes impose. Its certificate takes 4–5 business days. ASSSA is the preferred choice for applicants over 65 who may find premiums with other insurers very high or medical questionnaires onerous. For younger Germany-based applicants, ASSSA is generally less competitive on price than Sanitas or Caser.

British applicants living in Germany

British nationals living in Germany occupy a particular position in this process: they are navigating a Spanish visa application while already having successfully navigated German residency post-Brexit. Many of them arrived in Germany in 2020 or 2021 under the Withdrawal Agreement, securing their right to remain in Germany as EU residents — despite Brexit changing their status as EU citizens. Having gone through that process, they tend to be more experienced with visa and immigration bureaucracy than applicants who are dealing with European residency paperwork for the first time.

The key thing British applicants in Germany need to understand is that their German residency status has no bearing on their Spanish visa application. A Niederlassungserlaubnis (permanent settlement permit) in Germany is valuable — it gives you the right to remain in Germany indefinitely — but it does not grant any rights in Spain. Post-Brexit, British nationals are third-country nationals in every EU country, including Spain. Moving from Germany to Spain as a British national means starting a fresh visa application process with Spain, from scratch, as if you had never lived in Europe before.

This also means that the German health insurance you obtained when you moved to Germany is completely irrelevant to your Spanish visa. You will need a Spanish DGSFP-registered policy, with a Spanish-language certificate, just like any other non-EU applicant. The years of coverage you have built up with your German Krankenkasse count for nothing in the Spanish visa context — not because the coverage is poor, but because the Spanish consulate has no mechanism to recognise non-DGSFP insurance.

British applicants in Germany who are applying for the Spanish Non-Lucrative Visa should note that the NLV requires proof that you are not working in Spain — you must demonstrate passive income (pension, investments, rental income) or savings above the required threshold. Many British people in Germany who moved there for work are working for British or international companies, sometimes remotely. If you are planning to work remotely for a non-Spanish employer while living in Spain, you would typically need the Digital Nomad Visa (Visa para Nómadas Digitales) rather than the NLV. The health insurance requirement is the same for both visas.

For most British applicants in Germany, Sanitas is the natural first choice: it is Bupa-backed (familiar to many British applicants), offers English-language customer service, and issues its certificate instantly. The entire process — from policy application to certificate receipt — can be completed from your Berlin or Munich apartment in under an hour.

American and other non-EU applicants living in Germany

A significant number of Germany-based Spanish visa applicants are Americans. Germany has attracted large populations of American tech workers, particularly in Berlin, where companies like Amazon Web Services, Google, Twitter (now X), and many others have major offices. Many are on EU Blue Cards, which Germany has issued in large numbers to qualifying skilled workers from outside the EU.

American applicants in Germany often want to apply for the Spanish Digital Nomad Visa rather than the NLV — particularly if they are employed by or work for an American company and can continue that work remotely from Spain. The DNV allows you to work for non-Spanish employers while living in Spain, making it well-suited for American tech workers who are already working remotely. The health insurance requirement is the same for the DNV as for the NLV.

One thing that sometimes confuses American applicants is the role of their existing German health insurance. Many American workers in Germany have had health insurance provided by their employer — either through a German GKV contribution (because employer contributions are mandatory for GKV members) or through an international or PKV plan if they are high earners above the income threshold for mandatory GKV participation. Either way, none of this German-based health coverage is relevant to the Spanish visa application. You need a new, separate policy from a DGSFP-registered Spanish insurer.

The good news is that getting a Spanish health insurance certificate from Germany is simple: everything is done online, and with Sanitas the certificate arrives within minutes of policy activation. There is no requirement to visit Spain before applying, no in-person medical assessment, and no Spanish-language requirement on the applicant's side — the certificate is in Spanish because the consulate requires it in Spanish, but you apply and communicate with the insurer in English.

For American, Canadian, Australian, South African, and Indian applicants in Germany, the process is the same regardless of which German consulate covers your state — the insurance application is entirely separate from the consulate appointment itself.

Pre-existing conditions and age: what Germany-based applicants should know

Applicants who have been living in Germany under GKV — Germany's statutory health insurance system — may be accustomed to a system that covers pre-existing conditions comprehensively, without additional premiums or exclusions. GKV is built on community rating: everyone in the same Krankenkasse pays the same income-based premium, and pre-existing conditions are not a basis for charging more or excluding coverage.

Spanish private health insurance operates differently. It is risk-rated: your age and health status at the time of application can affect your premium and, in some cases, whether certain conditions are covered. This is the standard approach for private health insurance in Spain and most other European countries. Understanding this distinction matters if you are applying from Germany and have been used to comprehensive GKV coverage.

For the purposes of the Spanish visa, Spanish insurers do not apply waiting periods for pre-existing conditions in the same way that consumer-grade private health insurance does — because the visa requirement specifically mandates no waiting periods. However, some insurers may include exclusions for specific pre-existing conditions in the policy terms, even if the visa certificate itself confirms no waiting periods. Read the policy terms carefully if you have significant health conditions.

Age limits. Most Spanish insurers have upper age limits for new applications, typically in the range of 65–75 years depending on the insurer and the plan. If you are over 65, your options narrow. ASSSA is specifically designed for this demographic and does not apply the same age exclusions as other insurers. ASSSA is the recommended starting point for applicants over 65.

Medical questionnaires. Some insurers require a medical questionnaire as part of the application. Sanitas and ASSSA generally have simpler application processes. If you have significant health conditions, check with each insurer about how they handle medical underwriting before purchasing a policy, to avoid surprises when the certificate arrives.

PKV policyholders transitioning to Spain. If you have been on expensive PKV in Germany — perhaps with a comprehensive plan covering private hospital rooms, professor-level specialists, and international coverage — Spanish health insurance may feel less comprehensive in some respects. Spanish private health insurance is very good within the Spanish system, but it is a different product from a comprehensive international PKV. This is not a problem for visa purposes, but it is worth setting realistic expectations for what your coverage will look like once you are living in Spain.

Getting your certificate from Germany: timing and logistics

The Spanish health insurance application process is entirely online. You do not need to be in Spain, attend any office in person, or have a Spanish bank account to apply. You apply via the insurer's website (or through a comparison service), provide your passport details and German address, and pay the first premium with a German, British, American, or international payment card. The certificate is delivered by email.

This makes the process genuinely straightforward for Germany-based applicants. You can apply from your apartment in Berlin, Düsseldorf, or Munich, receive your certificate by email, and present it at your consulate appointment — all without leaving Germany. The consulate does not need to verify your physical location; it simply checks that the certificate meets the required format.

Sanitas: instant. The Sanitas certificate is generated automatically the moment you activate your policy. In practice, it takes two to five minutes to arrive in your email inbox after completing the online purchase. If your consulate appointment is next week, Sanitas is the only insurer where timing is not a concern.

Adeslas: same or next day. Adeslas can typically issue a certificate the same day or the following day. However, the 36-month contract obligation means this should not be a last-minute choice — make sure you have thought through the three-year commitment before signing up under time pressure.

Caser and DKV Seguros: 1–2 business days. Both work well for applicants who have at least a week before their consulate appointment. Apply at the start of the week to ensure the certificate arrives before the weekend.

ASISA and ASSSA: 3–5 business days. Both use a manual certificate validation process. Plan for at least 5–7 calendar days from application to certificate receipt. If your appointment is in less than ten days, choose a faster insurer.

One practical note for German-based applicants: Spanish business days are Monday–Friday, and Spanish insurers observe Spanish public holidays, not German ones. German public holidays (such as Tag der Deutschen Einheit, regional Feiertage, and Christmas/Easter bank holidays) do not affect the Spanish insurer's processing time. Spanish insurer processing times stop on Spanish national and regional holidays, which may or may not coincide with German ones. If you are applying around a public holiday period, add a buffer day or two.

Common reasons for health insurance rejection at German consulates

The Spanish consulates in Germany see a consistent pattern of health insurance rejections. These are the most common reasons — and all of them are avoidable.

1. German health insurance submitted. The most frequent error. GKV documents from TK, AOK, Barmer, DAK, or any other Krankenkasse are not accepted. PKV documents from German private insurers are also not accepted. Any document from a German health insurer will be rejected regardless of its contents. You need a Spanish DGSFP-registered insurer.

2. DKV Deutschland certificate submitted instead of DKV Seguros. A specifically Germany-related error. Applicants who have DKV through their German employer obtain a certificate from DKV Deutschland and submit it, assuming the DKV name makes it valid. DKV Deutschland is not DKV Seguros Spain and is not accepted. The DGSFP code on the certificate (DKV Seguros Spain = L0132) is what identifies an accepted policy. If your certificate does not show a DGSFP code, it is not a valid Spanish visa insurance certificate.

3. Travel insurance submitted. Travel insurance — including annual multi-trip travel insurance policies, even comprehensive ones — is not accepted for Spanish visa purposes. Travel insurance and private health insurance are different products. The consulate requires a full health insurance policy.

4. Certificate in English or German. All consulate certificates must be in Spanish. Certificates in English (including from Sanitas, which has English customer service) or German are not accepted. Always request the Spanish-language certificate specifically. If you receive your certificate and it is in English, contact the insurer immediately and request the Spanish-language version.

5. Certificate missing required language. The certificate must explicitly state: no copayments (sin copago), repatriation cover (cobertura de repatriación), and Spain-wide coverage (territorio nacional). If any of these phrases or their equivalents are absent, the consulate may reject the certificate. Standard certificates from the six major DGSFP insurers include all of this language — do not attempt to use a summary document or policy schedule in place of the official visa certificate.

6. Name mismatch between certificate and passport. The name on the certificate must match the passport exactly. If your passport shows middle names, they must appear on the certificate. If your name has been abbreviated or simplified on the certificate, contact the insurer to issue a corrected certificate before your appointment.

Step-by-step process from Germany

Here is the complete process for getting your Spanish health insurance certificate as a Germany-based applicant, from start to consulate appointment.

1. Book your consulate appointment first. Check the online appointment system for the Spanish consulate covering your German state (Berlin, Munich, Frankfurt, or Hamburg). Appointment availability varies and can be several weeks or months out. Book as early as possible. Knowing your appointment date tells you how much time you have to obtain your insurance certificate.
2. Gather your documents. You will need your passport details (name exactly as shown, date of birth, passport number, expiry date) to apply for insurance. Have your German address ready — the insurer will use it for policy correspondence.
3. Choose your insurer. If your appointment is within two weeks, choose Sanitas for its instant certificate. If you have more time, any of the six DGSFP-registered insurers are options. Compare prices using the price table in this guide.
4. Apply online. Go directly to the insurer's website or use a comparison service. Complete the application form with your personal and passport details. Choose the plan that meets or exceeds the consulate's minimum requirements (all standard visa plans do). Select a policy start date — this should be on or before your anticipated arrival in Spain, but the certificate itself can be used for the visa application from the moment it is issued.
5. Pay the first premium. Spanish insurers accept international credit and debit cards including German Girocard/Mastercard/Visa. You do not need a Spanish bank account. Annual payment upfront is sometimes cheaper than monthly; check both options.
6. Receive your certificate. With Sanitas, the certificate arrives by email within minutes. With other insurers, allow the processing time listed in the insurer comparison table. Check the certificate immediately when it arrives — verify your name matches your passport, the dates are correct, and all required language is present.
7. Request a corrected certificate if needed. If anything is wrong, contact the insurer immediately. Do not attempt to submit a certificate with errors — corrections take time and you need to allow for reprocessing before your appointment.
8. Prepare your consulate documents. The health insurance certificate should be included in your consulate application package. Most consulates require the original certificate plus a photocopy. Check the specific document checklist for your consulate's current requirements, as these can change.
9. Attend your appointment. Bring your complete document package. If asked about health insurance, the certificate speaks for itself — it is a standard document that consulate staff are familiar with.
10. After visa approval. Your health insurance certificate was required for the visa application. Once you arrive in Spain, the policy you purchased is your actual health insurance — you can start using it immediately. Register with your insurer's system in Spain to access their clinic and hospital network.

Approximate prices for Germany-based applicants (2026)

Prices are quoted in euros per month and are approximate. Exact premiums depend on your age, the specific plan chosen, and whether you pay monthly or annually (annual payment is typically 5–10% cheaper). All prices are for individual applicants.

Note: for Germany-based applicants, prices are the same as for any other non-Spanish-resident applicant. There is no surcharge or different rate for applying from Germany. You pay in euros, which is convenient if you hold a euro-denominated bank account in Germany. Most insurers accept German Girocard with Maestro/V-Pay functionality, though Visa or Mastercard credit/debit cards are the most universally accepted payment method.

These price ranges are indicative and change regularly. Use the comparison tool on this site for current live quotes tailored to your specific age and circumstances.

Frequently asked questions