If you have been living in Portugal for more than 90 days, you can request a certificate of residence from your local Village Council (Junta de Freguesia) to prove it. This document allows you to register temporarily at the Health Center in your area of residence and access the National Health Service (SNS).
If you do not have a certificate of residence issued by the Village Council, SNS services are still required to provide care and will subsequently refer you to “[…] a National Immigrant Support Center or the nearest Local Immigrant Integration Support Center, so that these immigrant support structures, in coordination with other competent official entities, can regularize your situation.”
How to request the certificate of residence
A certificate of residence is a document that proves a migrant has been living in Portugal for more than 90 days. This document must be requested at the Village Council (Junta de Freguesia) in your area of residence and allows you to register temporarily with the National Health Service (SNS) to access healthcare.
To request a certificate of residence, you should go to the Village Council (Junta de Freguesia) of the area where you live with your passport and at least one of the following proofs:
-
A rental contract or utility bills (water, electricity, TV) in your name, older than 90 days;
-
Two witnesses confirming that you have been living in that parish for more than 90 days, who must also be registered at the same parish council;
-
Or a sworn statement declaring that you have been living in that parish for more than 90 days. If you need help drafting this statement, you can always contact us.
Temporary registration in the National Health System
If you are a migrant without legal residence and want to access healthcare in Portugal, it is easier if you have a certificate of residence issued by the Village Council (Junta de Freguesia) of your area. This allows the administrative staff at the health center to register you temporarily with the National Health Service (SNS). See the previous section for instructions on how to obtain this document.
Once you have your certificate of residence, simply go to the health center in your area and request a general practice (primary care) appointment. Since you are in an irregular situation, you may be charged according to the current rates and fees. However, these fees do not apply in certain situations, which you can check further ahead.
Free services in the National Health Service
If you are a migrant without legal residence, you may be asked to pay fees according to current regulations and tables.
However, these fees cannot be charged in the following situations:
-
Provision of urgent and life-saving healthcare.
-
Provision of healthcare that could pose a threat to public health (e.g., HIV, tuberculosis, COVID-19).
-
Sexual health services – including access to contraception, Pap smears (cervical screening), voluntary termination of pregnancy, and testing for sexually transmitted infections.
-
Maternal and child healthcare – monitoring and care for pregnant women during pregnancy, childbirth, and the postpartum period; healthcare for newborns.
-
Vaccination – according to the national immunization schedule.
-
Healthcare for minors, even if in an irregular situation.
-
Healthcare for victims of domestic violence.
-
Healthcare for individuals in a family reunification situation – when a household member contributes to social security, properly documented.
-
Healthcare for people in social exclusion or in proven economic hardship, as certified by social security services.
European Health Insurance Card for accessing the National Health Service
With the European Health Insurance Card (EHIC), you can receive medical care at public healthcare services in the EU Member States, as well as in Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway, Switzerland, and the United Kingdom. If you are traveling to work in one of these locations, it is an important tool.
This card allows you to pay the same fees as residents of that country for healthcare that is medically necessary during your stay.
The card can also be used at private healthcare facilities in these countries if they are covered by the country’s social security/health system. Before using private services, you should confirm whether the card is accepted.
You can request the European Health Insurance Card (EHIC) online through Segurança Social Direta.
You can also apply in person by completing form GIT 53-DGSS and submitting it at the following locations:
- Mainland Portugal: Social Security offices, Citizen Spaces, and services of your health subsystem;
- Azores: Social Security offices and services of your health subsystem;
- Madeira: Social Security offices and services of your health subsystem.
The card is usually valid for three years, although a different period may be set depending on the health subsystem. To renew it, simply follow the same initial procedures.
