Portugal – Doctors

How does the healthcare system in Portugal work, and does it cover expats?

Portugal’s healthcare landscape is shaped by two parallel sectors: a publicly funded national service and a thriving private sector. The Serviço Nacional de Saúde (SNS) forms the backbone of public provision, delivering broad health coverage to residents, while privately run facilities and insurers offer greater flexibility and more personalised care.

The SNS answers to the Ministry of Health and is formally described as national, universal, and free. In practical terms, it functions much like comparable publicly funded health services elsewhere in Europe, offering a comprehensive safety net that spans primary care, hospital treatment, emergency response, and preventive health programmes. Rather than relying on individual insurance premiums, the SNS draws its funding from general taxation.

Portugal’s healthcare framework has three core components. The first is the SNS itself. The second consists of occupational social health insurance schemes (ADSE), which apply to state employees including teachers, police officers, and the military. The third is voluntary private healthcare, with networks such as Multicare, AdvanceCare, and Medis operating across the country.

Any foreign national residing legally in Portugal is entitled to obtain an SNS user number, which grants access to medical care at public health units such as health centres and hospitals. This number is typically issued during your first visit to one of these facilities.

Holding a user number alone, however, does not automatically ensure that the SNS will meet your healthcare costs. For full coverage to apply, your registration must also be linked to a valid identification document, your Portuguese tax identification number (NIF), your residential address in Portugal, and a current residence permit.

The autonomous regions of Madeira and the Azores administer their own health systems. If you are relocating to either of these island regions, contact the relevant local health authority directly for guidance on registration, as the procedures may differ somewhat from those on the mainland. Authoritative and up-to-date information on eligibility and registration is available from the SNS portal at sns.gov.pt and the government information page at gov.pt.

How do you find and register with a doctor in Portugal?

The SNS is built around a network of health centres and hospitals spanning the entire country, with a family doctor model at its heart. Each resident registers with a family doctor at their local health centre, who handles general care and coordinates referrals to specialists. This arrangement is your gateway to almost all primary care within the public system.

Your first step is to identify the Centro de Saúde (health centre) closest to your registered address in Portugal. Visiting the correct one is important because healthcare in Portugal is organised geographically — if you present yourself at the wrong health centre, staff will almost certainly direct you to the appropriate facility.

Once you have found the right health centre, follow these steps to complete your registration:

1. Prepare your documents. You will need to bring: your passport, proof of your Portuguese address, your NIF (the original document from Finanças), your social security number if you have one (this is unlikely if you are not yet employed in Portugal), and a Portuguese phone number — foreign numbers are frequently not accepted.
2. Go to your local Centro de Saúde or Espaço Cidadão. Since July 2024, registration has also been possible at an Espaço Cidadão service point. If you experience difficulties at the health centre, the Espaço Cidadão is a useful alternative.
3. Present your documents. Staff at the health centre will review your paperwork and ask you a few straightforward questions.
4. Receive your SNS (Utente) number. Once your documents have been confirmed, you will be handed a note bearing your SNS number — this becomes your permanent reference for all interactions with the public healthcare system.
5. Be assigned a family doctor. Following registration, you will receive your SNS number and, subject to availability, be allocated a family doctor.
6. Schedule your first appointment. To see a general practitioner or family doctor, arrange an appointment at your local Centro de Saúde. This can be done in person, by telephone, or through an online booking system where one is available.

In certain areas or circumstances, you may not be allocated a family doctor straight away, which can result in longer wait times for walk-in appointments at health centres. The SNS 24 helpline — reachable on 808 24 24 24 — exists precisely for these situations, offering prompt guidance and referral to a medical professional.

To make an appointment at a health centre, you will need to already be registered there. If that is not yet the case, the SNS 24 hotline on 808 24 24 24 can advise you on how to complete your enrolment.

For the most current registration information, consult the SNS portal at sns.gov.pt or the Espaço Cidadão service locator at ePortugal.gov.pt.

How do you pay for a doctor’s appointment in Portugal?

The Portuguese public health system delivers the vast majority of its services at little or no direct cost to the patient. Where charges do apply, they take the form of modest co-payments known as taxas moderadoras. Emergency care and certain services — including maternity care and routine vaccinations — are generally provided free of charge.

From 1 June 2022, the government removed taxas moderadoras for almost all SNS services. Exceptions remain for emergency attendances where the patient has not first been directed via the SNS (through a health centre or the SNS 24 line), or where no overnight admission follows the emergency visit. In practice, a family doctor consultation attracts a charge of around €5, and a consultation with a specialist approximately €8. Since July 2022, fees within the healthcare system are collected mainly in emergency departments, although patients may occasionally still be charged for certain consultations or tests in hospital settings.

For an unreferred emergency at a public hospital, the applicable fee is around €14, while emergency surgery carries a charge of approximately €16. Use of a multi-purpose emergency service may involve a fee of around €18. These figures reflect the position as of 2025; you should always check the latest co-payment schedule on the SNS website.

Various groups are fully exempt from co-payments, including children, pregnant women, those who are unemployed, and individuals with certain chronic conditions or lower incomes. Residents contributing to social security, as well as children under 18 and adults aged 65 and over, receive healthcare free of charge through the public system.

Expats who hold legal residency and are registered with the SNS are subject to exactly the same co-payment rules as Portuguese nationals — there is no additional fee tier for foreign residents. For many categories of patient, public healthcare costs nothing at all.

Private sector fees are considerably steeper. As of 2025, a GP consultation at a private hospital costs in the region of €50, and a specialist appointment around €90. Always confirm current fees directly with the clinic or provider you intend to use.

Do you need private health insurance to see a doctor in Portugal?

Private health insurance is not a requirement for accessing the SNS once you hold legal residency — but it plays a meaningful practical role for many expats, and it is frequently a condition that must be met before a visa is granted.

Anyone entering Portugal must hold valid health insurance before they arrive — this is a mandatory requirement for visa approval. For Schengen or short-term visits, travellers must carry travel insurance providing at least €30,000 of cover, valid for the duration of a six-month stay across the Schengen zone.

Applicants for longer-term visas such as the Golden Visa, D7 Visa, or Digital Nomad Visa must produce travel insurance from their country of origin when submitting their initial visa application. Once a residence permit is obtained and SNS registration is complete, they may rely on the public system, continuing to hold private insurance alongside it if they choose.

Specifically for the D7 Visa, travel insurance that includes health coverage for a full year is a compulsory element of the application. Current visa and residency health insurance requirements are verified by AIMA (formerly SEF), Portugal’s immigration and border management authority.

Demand for private health coverage in Portugal has grown steadily, driven partly by increasing pressure on public services and growing waiting times. The SNS delivers excellent care, but private insurance allows residents to reach specialists more quickly, use private hospitals, and maintain health coverage when travelling elsewhere in the EU.

As of 2025, over 4 million people in Portugal are estimated to hold some form of private health cover. The cost of private health insurance varies according to age, the level of cover, and the provider chosen. Entry-level plans typically fall between €20 and €100 per month, covering basic services such as GP visits and emergency care. It is always worth obtaining and comparing quotations from several providers, as premiums can differ markedly.

Well-known private health insurance providers operating in Portugal include Médis, Multicare Fidelidade, and international names such as Cigna Global and Allianz Care.

How do you transfer your medical records to a doctor in Portugal?

No universal cross-border system exists for the automatic transfer of medical records between countries, so expats relocating to Portugal will need to take the initiative in collecting and sharing their health history with a new doctor. With a little organisation in advance, however, the process is quite manageable.

Before departing your home country, approach your current GP or primary care provider and ask for a comprehensive patient summary or medical history report. Request that the document covers: current diagnoses, ongoing medications (using generic names wherever possible), known allergies, previous operations or hospital admissions, and any relevant letters or reports from specialists. The more thorough and complete this record, the simpler it will be for a new doctor in Portugal to pick up where your previous care left off.

Knowing the generic name of any medication you take regularly is particularly useful, since brand names differ from country to country. Fluoxetine, for instance, is widely marketed as Prozac in the United States but may be sold under entirely different trade names elsewhere. Bringing documentation that lists the international nonproprietary (generic) name of each medicine will help your new doctor identify the precise equivalent available in Portugal.

Portugal does not currently require that medical records brought from abroad be formally translated by a certified translator. That said, having a Portuguese-language summary — or at least a clearly written document in a widely understood language — will make early consultations considerably smoother. Your new family doctor (médico de família) will carry out an initial assessment and, where necessary, can request further documentation from abroad.

Portugal has invested heavily in digital healthcare infrastructure. Since 2010, the SPMS (Serviços Partilhados do Ministério da Saúde) has driven the country’s digital health agenda, rolling out services such as electronic patient records and the SNS24 platform, through which residents can book appointments, view test results, and receive electronic prescriptions.

Ongoing investment in telemedicine and preventive medicine reflects a national commitment to continuously improving healthcare delivery. Once you are registered with the SNS, your health data will be held within the national electronic patient records system, and you can view your records and manage appointments via the SNS24 portal at sns24.gov.pt. Further guidance on digital health services is available from the SPMS at spms.min-saude.pt.

What should expats know about language barriers and finding a doctor who consults in their language?

Portugal offers modern healthcare facilities and well-qualified medical professionals, a good number of whom speak English — particularly in private clinics and areas that attract large numbers of tourists and expatriates. The reality does vary, however, depending on whether you are using public or private services and where in the country you are based.

In the private sector, and in cities and regions with established expat communities — Lisbon, Porto, and the Algarve being the most prominent — many doctors, especially those who qualified more recently, have a solid command of English. English-speaking staff can also be found within the SNS, but availability is less consistent than in private settings.

Although health centres can often provide some degree of assistance in English, administrative procedures and official paperwork are conducted in Portuguese. Some centres offer translation support or operate dedicated migrant health offices aimed at helping foreign nationals navigate the system.

The great majority of specialists in the private sector speak English, though this is a general pattern rather than an absolute guarantee. In more rural parts of Portugal, the picture is less predictable, and locating a doctor who consults in a language other than Portuguese may require considerably more effort.

The following resources can assist you in finding a doctor who speaks your language:

• Your country’s embassy or consulate in Portugal — most maintain lists of local medical professionals who speak the relevant language. Your embassy’s website is usually the best place to start.
• Local expat forums and community groups — online communities organised around specific regions of Portugal (the Algarve, Lisbon, Porto, and others) are often a rich source of first-hand recommendations from people in a similar situation.
• Private hospital websites — major private hospital groups such as CUF, Lusíadas, and HPA Health Group publish profiles of their medical staff and frequently indicate the languages they speak.
• The SNS 24 line (808 24 24 24) — for non-emergency health guidance through the public system. Some operators can assist in languages other than Portuguese, though this is not guaranteed at all times.

As with any healthcare system, the quality and range of language provision can vary by location, with larger cities typically offering a wider choice of specialist services. If language access is a significant concern, registering with a private provider or supplementing your SNS care with a private insurance plan is a practical way to ensure you can always communicate comfortably with your doctor.

What do expats need to know about prescriptions and medication in Portugal?

Portugal operates a subsidised medicines programme under which the state contributes a portion of the cost of many drugs, leaving patients to cover only the remaining share. The level of subsidy depends on the type of medicine, the condition being treated, and the individual patient’s circumstances.

Through the SNS, prescription charges are kept relatively low. As of 2025, medicines are typically subsidised at between 15% and 90% of their retail cost. Pensioners can benefit from discounts of up to 95% on their medications. Patients with certain conditions — including Crohn’s disease, lupus, and haemophilia — qualify for free medication, as do insulin-dependent people with diabetes.

Prescriptions issued within the SNS are frequently subsidised, meaning patients pay a reduced amount determined by the medicine in question and their income level. The SNS publishes a regularly updated list of medicines that are partially or fully covered, helping to keep essential treatments within reach. The current list of subsidised medicines can be consulted through INFARMED, Portugal’s national authority for medicines and health products.

Medicines prescribed in another country cannot, as a general rule, be dispensed directly at Portuguese pharmacies without a valid local prescription. If you rely on ongoing medication, bring documentation of your existing prescription — many doctors will rewrite it in Portuguese for use at a pharmacy. Your new family doctor can review your current treatment regime and issue an equivalent Portuguese prescription where appropriate.

Pharmacies (farmácias) are well distributed throughout Portugal. Many medicines, including some that are available over the counter, become eligible for subsidy when obtained with a prescription, making them very economical. Standard pharmacy opening hours are 9:00am to 7:00pm Monday to Friday and 9:00am to 1:00pm on Saturdays. Some pharmacies remain open on Sundays and public holidays under a rotating rota, so it is worth checking availability in advance if you need out-of-hours service.

Portugal uses an electronic prescription system (receita eletrónica) that is integrated with the SNS24 platform. Prescriptions from SNS doctors are transmitted digitally, and you simply quote your SNS user number at any pharmacy to collect them. For questions about drug authorisation or identifying equivalent medicines, INFARMED is the appropriate point of contact.

Frequently asked questions

What should I do in a medical emergency in Portugal?

For any medical emergency, call 112 to reach the national emergency services and access prompt care. You may also go directly to the nearest hospital’s emergency department, known as Urgência or A&E, where you should present your SNS number to receive treatment. If you call the SNS 24 line (808 24 24 24) before attending an emergency department, you may be exempt from any applicable co-payment charges.

Will my pre-existing conditions be covered by the SNS?

Once you are a registered legal resident, the SNS covers treatment for pre-existing conditions without any exclusion period. If you are also taking out private health insurance, be aware that policies may impose waiting periods or apply higher premiums in relation to pre-existing conditions — it is important to review the terms of each plan carefully, as exclusions and additional costs are possible.

How long does it take to register with the SNS?

To obtain a Número de Utente, you must first be resident in Portugal. In many cases you can receive the number on the same day that you visit your local Centro de Saúde with the required documents. Complete registration within the system, however, generally takes a few weeks, and the exact timeframe depends on the workload at your local health centre.

What happens to my healthcare access if I change employment status?

The SNS is financed in part through social security contributions from those in employment, but coverage extends to people who are not working, including dependants and retirees. If you lose your job or become self-employed, your SNS registration continues to be valid. You should inform Segurança Social of any change in your status, as this may affect your contribution record and the exemptions available to you.

Can I use a European Health Insurance Card (EHIC) in Portugal?

Legal residents of Portugal who are registered with both the SNS and the social security system can apply for a Portuguese EHIC (CESD) for use during temporary stays in other EU member states. Equally, visitors from other EU countries can present their EHIC to access necessary care during a temporary stay in Portugal. It is important to note that the EHIC is not a replacement for SNS registration if you are living permanently in Portugal.

Is dental care covered under the SNS?

NHS dental cover within the SNS is limited to people in defined vulnerable categories, such as children, pregnant patients, older adults, and residents with disabilities. The majority of adults pay for dental treatment out of pocket or through private dental insurance. Portugal has a broad range of affordable private dental clinics, and some private health insurance plans offer dental cover as an optional add-on.

Can my family members also register with the SNS?

Yes. Every family member who holds legal residency in Portugal is eligible to register individually at the local Centro de Saúde, and each will need to bring their own identity documents and evidence of their address. Children have access to free healthcare through the SNS.

What if there are no family doctors available in my area?

Some parts of Portugal experience shortages of family doctors, which is why registering as early as possible is strongly recommended. If you are already enrolled with the SNS but have not yet been allocated a family doctor, primary care is still accessible through open consultations at your health centre or by calling the SNS 24 line on 808 24 24 24 for guidance and referral. Many expats in this position choose to consult a private GP in the meantime while awaiting a family doctor assignment.