SNS Utente Number Portugal 2026: How to Get It as a Foreigner
The número de utente (utente number, often called the SNS number) is the number that identifies each person in the SNS (Serviço Nacional de Saúde — Portugal’s national health service). You use it to book appointments at the health centre, get a family doctor, collect prescriptions and use the SNS 24 app and helpline.
Who needs to apply for an SNS utente number?
- Portuguese citizens: already have a utente number; it is on the Cartão de Cidadão (citizen card).
- Foreigners with legal residence: have the right to one and should register at the health centre (centro de saúde) in the area where they live.
- People passing through or without residence: can be treated if they are ill, but the SNS may charge them for the costs.
According to gov.pt, the number is given the first time a person goes to a public health unit (health centre or hospital).
What documents do you need for the utente number?
According to gov.pt, for the SNS to pay the costs, your utente number must be linked to:
| Document | What for | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Identity document | To identify you | Passport, Cartão de Cidadão, residence permit card |
| Portuguese NIF (tax number) | Tax identification | See how to get a NIF |
| Full address in Portugal | To assign the health centre for your area | Proof of address may be requested |
| Valid residence permit | To be entitled to SNS coverage | See residence permit in Portugal |
The atestado de residência (certificate of residence) is a document issued by the Junta de Freguesia (parish council — the smallest local government unit) confirming that you live at that address. See certificate of residence. gov.pt does not mention the NISS in this list; ask your health centre which documents it accepts as proof of address and whether it asks for others.
How to get your utente number at the health centre
- Find your health centre. It is the one for the area of your address. You can search on the SNS 24 website or app, or ask at the Junta de Freguesia.
- Gather the documents in the table above (originals and, if possible, copies).
- Go in person to the clinical secretariat (secretariado clínico) of the health centre (USF or UCSP — both are types of primary care units). Some units accept applications by email; check first.
- Ask to register with the SNS and to be given a utente number.
- Keep the receipt with the number.
- Ask to be registered with a family doctor, if there are places; if not, you go on a waiting list.
Rules for foreigners
- With a valid residence permit, you have the same rights in the SNS as a Portuguese citizen.
- If your residence permit has expired or is being renewed at AIMA (the immigration agency), bring the receipt of your renewal application. See residence permit renewal at AIMA.
- Without a residence permit, any foreigner who is ill or needs care has the right to be seen at a health centre or hospital, but having a utente number does not, by itself, guarantee that the SNS will pay the costs. There are cases in the law where the SNS covers the costs; check your situation at the health centre or in the gov.pt guide Migrantes: cuidados de saúde em Portugal (in Portuguese).
- European Union citizens can use the European Health Insurance Card during temporary stays.
How much does it cost to use the SNS?
Registration is free. To find out when you pay taxas moderadoras (user fees — for example, at an emergency department without a referral) and who is exempt, check the current rules on SNS 24 or call the SNS 24 helpline.
How to use SNS 24 with your utente number
- SNS 24 helpline: 808 24 24 24 — clinical advice 24 hours a day; administrative contact from 8am to 10pm. Calls cost the same as a landline call.
- SNS 24 app: log in with Chave Móvel Digital to see prescriptions and vaccines, book appointments and check your utente number.
- Balcão SNS 24 (SNS 24 desks): spaces (in citizen service centres, parish councils, etc.) where you can update your details.
- Emergency: 112.
Common problems and mistakes
- “I was removed from the health centre list”: your record in the RNU (Registo Nacional de Utentes — national patient register) was incomplete or out of date. Update it in person at the health centre or at a Balcão SNS 24. The SNS 24 helpline cannot make this update by phone.
- The health centre refuses to register you without an atestado: ask for the atestado de residência at the Junta de Freguesia (usually with witnesses or a rental contract).
- You moved house: you must update your address to be transferred to the health centre in the new area.
- Temporary number: when you get your residence permit, go back to the health centre to complete your record.
- No family doctor: this is common in Lisbon and the Algarve; you can still have walk-in appointments (consultas de recurso) at the health centre.
Next steps
After the utente number, most immigrants also get their NISS and access to Segurança Social Direta.
Frequently asked questions
Is the SNS utente number free?
Yes, registering with the SNS and getting a utente number at the health centre costs nothing.
Can I apply for the utente number online?
As a rule you apply in person, at the health centre in your area of residence. Some health centres accept applications by email; check locally. The SNS 24 helpline does not do the registration.
Can a foreigner without a residence permit get a utente number?
Anyone who is ill has the right to be seen at a health centre or hospital. But without a valid residence permit, the SNS may charge you for the costs, except in cases set out in the law.
Where can I find my utente number?
Portuguese citizens have it on the back of the Cartão de Cidadão. It also appears in the SNS 24 app and on the receipt given by the health centre.
Do I need a utente number to get a family doctor?
Yes. Registering at the health centre with a utente number is the first step to being assigned to a family health unit and, if there are places, to a family doctor (médico de família).