Month 1
Time
20 min at the centre
Cost
Free
Difficulty
Medium
EU vs non-EU
EU/EEA: EU/EEA citizens register with a "Certificado de Registo". No residence card needed. Bring your EHIC for the gap before you’re in the system.
Non-EU: From outside the EU you’ll usually need your residence permit (título de residência) first, then register at your local Centro de Saúde.
What to bring
NIF
Passport
Proof of address (lease or utility bill)
Not needed: Residence card (a "Certificado de Registo" for EU is enough)
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Do it
- 1
Find your local Centro de Saúde
sns24.gov.pt → "Localizar serviço de saúde". The catchment is by postcode, not by choice.
- 2
Walk in with originals
No appointment needed for the first registration. Mornings have shorter queues than afternoons.
- 3
Get your utente number
Nine digits. Save it in your phone — every prescription, hospital visit, or call to SNS24 asks for it.
- 4
Register on the SNS24 portal
sns24.gov.pt with Chave Móvel Digital. Now you can book GP appointments and request prescriptions remotely.
Words you'll hear
Número de utenteoo-TEN-te
Your public-health patient number. Needed for prescriptions and any SNS visit.
SNS
Serviço Nacional de Saúde. The public health service. SNS24 (808 24 24 24) is its phone line.
Freguesiafreh-geh-ZEE-ah
The civil parish you live in. Determines your health centre and local services.
Common questions
Can I register without a residence permit?
EU citizens can, with their CRUE or proof they've applied for it. Non-EU generally need the residence permit first.
Does it cost anything?
No — registration and the number are free, and most user fees in the SNS were scrapped in 2022.
Will I get a family doctor straight away?
In Lisbon, probably not — the médico de família waiting list runs long. Your centro de saúde still sees you through open consultations meanwhile.
Read more
Healthcare 101: SNS, private, and insurance
Full guide · 6 min read
Full checklist tracking and task completion live in the Settli app for Lisbon.