Policies on the lists Spanish consulates routinely accept — for NLV, DNV, student and family visa applications.
Is this page for you?
If you are applying for a Spanish long-stay visa and you need to know what health insurance the consulate will actually accept — this page is for you. Here are the three groups we help most often.
BLS International handles Spanish visa document submissions in the UK and across many US cities. They apply the same health insurance standards as the consulate. We help UK and US applicants get a policy and certificate that passes BLS review without complications.
American applicants often assume their private US health insurance will be acceptable. It almost never is. We help Americans understand why, and arrange Spanish-regulated cover with the correct certification for their consulate.
Whether you are applying from Ireland, Canada, Australia, Germany or elsewhere, the core consulate requirements are consistent. We support applicants across all nationalities through any Spanish consulate globally.
Inside the consulate review
When you submit your visa application, the consulate officer — or BLS representative — will review your health insurance documentation against a set of criteria. Understanding those criteria is the first step to ensuring your application does not hit a wall.
The Spanish government's requirements for long-stay visa health insurance are set by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (Ministerio de Asuntos Exteriores). Consulates apply these requirements at the point of document review, and while there is some variation between individual consulates and between visa types, the core elements are consistent and well understood.
The primary check is whether the insurer is registered and regulated in Spain by the DGSFP (Dirección General de Seguros y Fondos de Pensiones). This is Spain's insurance regulator, and it is the Spanish equivalent of the FCA in the UK or the state insurance commissioners in the US. A policy issued by a non-Spanish insurer — regardless of how comprehensive it may be — will not satisfy this requirement. This is the most common reason for rejection, particularly for UK and US applicants who purchase what sounds like an international health insurance policy from a non-Spanish provider.
The second check is on copayments. Spanish private health insurance often includes small per-visit copayments that keep premiums affordable. For visa purposes, policies with copayments are typically not accepted. The consulate wants to see that you have unconditional access to healthcare — no financial barrier at the point of use. A policy described as "co-pay free" or "sin copago" in the certificate documentation is what is needed.
The third check is on coverage scope and waiting periods. The policy must provide comprehensive cover — not emergency-only or travel-style cover — across the whole of Spain, and it must not include waiting periods that would effectively exclude you from care during the early months of the policy. An insurer that imposes a six-month waiting period for specialist consultations has arguably provided a policy that does not meet the spirit of the requirement.
Beyond the policy itself, the certificate (the proof-of-insurance document you submit with your application) must be formatted correctly and contain specific information. A policy schedule or generic membership card is rarely sufficient. The certificate needs to be a formal document prepared specifically for visa submission purposes.
The certificate must state the insured person's full legal name and date of birth — exactly as they appear on the passport being used for the visa application.
The start and end dates of the policy must be clearly stated. The policy period must cover at least the initial duration of the requested visa.
The certificate should explicitly state that the policy has no copayments — ideally using the phrase "sin copago" or equivalent English wording that is clear to a reviewing officer.
The geographic scope must be stated — cover must apply across the whole of Spain (todo el territorio nacional), not just one region or city.
The full name of the insurer and confirmation of their authorisation to operate in Spain (DGSFP registration) must be visible or verifiable from the certificate.
The certificate should indicate that coverage is comprehensive — including primary care, specialist consultations, hospitalisation, diagnostic tests, and emergency care — rather than emergency-only.
Avoid these pitfalls
These are the most common reasons consulates and BLS flag health insurance policies during visa applications. Each one is entirely avoidable when you work with a specialist.
The policy is issued by a UK, US, or international insurer not regulated by the DGSFP. This is the single most frequent reason for rejection.
Even small copayments — €5 per visit — are often enough for a policy to be queried. The standard for visa purposes is zero copayments.
Travel insurance or emergency-cover-only policies do not meet the requirement for comprehensive health insurance. The consulate expects full, everyday cover.
Policies with extended waiting periods for specialist care or certain treatments can be rejected as they do not provide genuine coverage from the policy start date.
A policy may be technically acceptable but the certificate submitted does not include the right information or phrasing. Certificate format matters as much as the policy itself.
If the policy end date falls before the requested visa duration, the consulate may query or reject the application. Policy dates must align with the visa period sought.
UK & US applicants — important
If you are applying for a Spanish long-stay visa from the United Kingdom — or from many parts of the United States since 2024 — you will almost certainly be dealing with BLS International rather than the Spanish consulate directly. Understanding this distinction is important for managing your application correctly.
BLS International is a third-party visa and passport services company contracted by the Spanish consulates in the UK and, since 2024, by Spanish consulates across the United States (including Boston, Chicago, Houston, Los Angeles, Miami, New York, San Francisco and Washington DC) to handle the collection and initial processing of long-stay visa applications. Rather than booking an appointment directly at the Spanish Consulate General in London — or the smaller Spanish consulates in Edinburgh or Manchester — most UK-based applicants now submit their documents to a BLS International service point. The same pattern now applies in much of the US, where the Spanish consulates in Boston, Chicago, Houston, Los Angeles, Miami, New York, San Francisco and Washington DC have transitioned visa intake to BLS International (BLS Spain Visa USA).
BLS International does not make the final decision on your visa — that decision is made by the Spanish consulate. What BLS does is receive your application, conduct a documentary check to ensure all required items are present and in the correct format, and then forward the complete package to the consulate for determination. If your health insurance certificate does not pass the BLS document check, your application may be sent back to you before it even reaches the consulate, adding significant delay and frustration.
The health insurance requirements that BLS applies are the same requirements set by the Spanish Ministry of Foreign Affairs — no copayments, DGSFP-regulated insurer, comprehensive cover, correct certificate format. BLS International centres in the UK can be found in London, Manchester, Birmingham, Edinburgh and other cities. In the US, BLS centres operate in or near each contracted consulate city. Check the BLS International website for current locations and appointment availability, as these can change.
Your consulate
While the core requirements are consistent, individual consulates can have their own processing nuances. Below are the consulate city pages we have prepared. If your consulate is not listed yet, contact our team directly — we support applications through all Spanish consulates worldwide.
The main processing point for UK applicants. Covers England, Wales and Northern Ireland. Most UK NLV and DNV applicants go through BLS London.
Health insurance for London applications → 🇺🇸Covers a large portion of the northeast US. Most New York applicants now submit through BLS International (BLS New York) rather than directly at the consulate. US-issued health insurance is not accepted.
Health insurance for New York applications → 🌍Applying through Los Angeles, Miami, Dublin, Toronto, Sydney or elsewhere? The same policies and certificates are accepted. Contact us for guidance.
Contact our team for your consulate →Why choose us
We are a specialist expat insurance agent, not a comparison website, not a general insurer, and not a call centre that handles hundreds of different product types. Spanish expat insurance is what we do, every day.
We have arranged health insurance for hundreds of visa applicants. We know which certificate formats work, which wording is accepted, and how to avoid the common pitfalls.
Most certificates are issued within one to three working days. When your BLS appointment is coming up, speed matters — and we deliver.
Every call, email and explanation is in plain English. No confusing insurance jargon, no trying to decipher Spanish documents. We handle all of that.
Visa applications do not only happen on weekdays. Our team is available Saturday and Sunday too — important when BLS appointments and consulate slots are in short supply.
What our clients say
I had bought insurance from a company I had used for years but was told by BLS that it was not acceptable — the insurer was not DGSFP-registered. I found 247 Expat Insurance online, explained my situation, and within 48 hours I had a compliant policy and certificate in my inbox. Brilliant service.
NLV applicant via BLS London · Now living in Málaga
Avoid these errors
Many well-known international health insurers are not regulated by the DGSFP. The policy may be excellent by every other measure, but if the insurer is not on the DGSFP register, the consulate will not accept the certificate. Always confirm the insurer's DGSFP status before purchasing — or let us do it for you.
A valid policy certificate and a visa-submission certificate are not always the same document. Some insurers issue a membership card or a generic summary that does not include all the information a consulate needs to see. Ask specifically for a visa letter or visa certificate when arranging your policy.
Arranging insurance two days before a BLS appointment and expecting the certificate to be ready is risky. Most certificates take one to three working days. Plan ahead, and if your appointment is imminent, contact us urgently — we will do our best to expedite.
At visa renewal, you need a fresh insurance certificate covering the new period. Simply renewing your existing policy is usually fine — but you need to request a new certificate for submission. Many applicants forget this step until they are preparing their renewal documents.
Frequently asked questions
The most common questions we receive from applicants trying to navigate consulate health insurance requirements.
Spanish consulates typically check that the policy is issued by a DGSFP-registered insurer, covers the full territory of Spain, has no copayments, has no significant waiting periods, and provides comprehensive cover rather than emergency-only cover. The certificate must state the policyholder's name, policy dates, cover scope and insurer details clearly. Requirements can vary slightly between consulates and visa types.
BLS International is a third-party visa processing company that handles Spanish long-stay visa applications in the United Kingdom on behalf of the Spanish consulates. Applicants in the UK submit their visa documents — including health insurance certificates — to BLS International rather than attending the consulate directly. BLS applies the same document requirements as the consulate itself and conducts an initial documentary review before forwarding applications to the consulate.
The most common reasons for rejection are: the policy includes copayments, the insurer is not registered with the DGSFP, the policy only covers emergencies rather than comprehensive care, there are waiting periods that limit coverage at the start of the policy, or the certificate does not include the required wording and details. We eliminate all of these risks by arranging the correct policy and certificate from the outset.
No. No insurance agent or insurer can legally guarantee consulate acceptance, as the decision rests with the consulate officer reviewing your application. However, the policies we arrange are from DGSFP-registered insurers, meet the standard no-copayment and no-waiting-period criteria, and have a strong track record with Spanish consulates. We do everything possible to ensure your policy meets the required criteria.
Not necessarily. Many consulates accept certificates in English, particularly UK and US consulates processing applications from English-speaking applicants. However, some consulates prefer bilingual or Spanish-language certificates. We will advise you on the appropriate format for your specific consulate when arranging your policy.
The certificate should cover at least the initial visa period — typically one year for a first NLV or DNV application. Some consulates ask for the certificate to be valid from a date close to your intended entry date into Spain. We will align the policy and certificate dates with your application timeline to ensure compliance.
247 Expat Insurance helps applicants from across the world, including those applying through consulates in Ireland, Canada, Australia, Germany, the Netherlands and many other countries. The core policy requirements are consistent regardless of which consulate you use. Contact our team and we will advise on any consulate-specific requirements we are aware of for your location.
Speak to our team today. We will identify the right policy for your visa type and consulate, issue your certificate in the correct format, and have it ready well before your application deadline.
Related pages
Everything UK applicants need to know about health insurance for visa applications through BLS London and the Spanish Consulate General.
American applicants: why your US health insurance will not be accepted, what you need instead, and how to get it quickly.
The complete guide to visa health insurance for Spain — all visa types, requirements, certificate process and how 247 Expat helps.
Detailed guides for applicants in specific countries, by consulate, by submission centre, by visa route, by appointment city and by common problem.
