I’ve finally managed to get the health cards for my parents. The process had a few bumps, but it all worked out in the end! I’ve seen many people on forums asking about this, so I decided to put together my experience to hopefully help others in need.
My situation is that I have a legal residency and work here, and my parents came over through family reunification. I had been buying private insurance for them, but as they are getting older, having a public health card provides more peace of mind. It turns out that as long as you are a contributor to the social security system, it’s completely possible to register your parents as dependents and get them a health card.
Application Steps and Documents
The core of the process is to first register your parents as your dependents at the Social Security office (INSS) to get a confirmation document. Then, you take that document to your local health center (Centro de Salud) to apply for the physical card.
1. Preparing the Documents
This is the most crucial step; you’ll waste a trip if your documents aren’t complete. Here is what I prepared, which you can use as a reference:
| Required Document | Notes |
|---|
| EX-18 or EX-19 form | Can be downloaded online; just fill it out. |
| Applicant’s residence card and passport | Original and photocopy. |
| Parents’ residence cards and passports | Originals and photocopies. |
| Proof of kinship | Notarized and double-legalized in your home country, with a sworn translation. |
| Proof of address (Empadronamiento) | A valid certificate for the whole family. |
| Proof of financial dependence | For example, bank transfer records from the last year showing you support them financially. |
| Declaration of no social security in home country | Some offices may require this, similar to requirements for some visitor’s health insurance. You can write and sign a declaration yourself. |
2. The Process
I started by booking an appointment (Cita) online with the Social Security office. You should definitely book it well in advance, as it can be hard to get a slot. At the appointment, the staff will review all your documents. If everything is in order, they will issue a document on the spot certifying that your parents are now your dependents. This document is extremely important! Once you have this document, you are 90% of the way there
!
After getting the certificate from the INSS, take it along with your and your parents’ residence cards and the proof of address (empadronamiento)
directly to your assigned local health center. The staff at the front desk will enter your information into the system and inform you that the health card will be mailed to your home. We received ours in about three weeks, which was reasonably efficient. In short, the key is to have all your documents ready and book your Cita early. I hope my experience helps, and I wish you all a smooth process!
