How to get your número de utente and a family doctor on the SNS
When private insurance is worth it, and what it does not cover
The numbers to call, and the Portuguese words you will hear
Most residents use a mix. Here is what each one is for.
The public system (SNS)
Free to register once you are a legal resident. It covers health-centre appointments, hospital care and emergencies. You are assigned a family doctor when your local health centre has capacity, which can take time.
Private care and insurance
Private hospitals and clinics that you pay directly or through a Portuguese or international policy. Faster access to specialists and more English-speaking staff, with cover that varies by policy.
A dedicated doctor
One doctor who knows you, speaks your language and coordinates the rest: labs, referrals, specialists, and the paperwork on both sides. This is what a TejoMed membership adds, alongside the SNS and your insurance.
The SNS (Serviço Nacional de Saúde) is Portugal’s public health service. Registration is free and gives you a user number, the número de utente, that you will be asked for everywhere.
01
Get your residence and NIF sorted first
You need to be a legal resident: a residence permit, or for EU citizens a residence certificate from your câmara municipal. You also need your NIF, the Portuguese tax number. Both come before the SNS.
02
Go to your local health centre
Take your ID, proof of address and your residence document to the centro de saúde for the area where you live. Registration is free. Some Espaço Cidadão service desks can also register you.
03
Get your número de utente
The health centre issues your SNS user number. Keep it with you: hospitals, pharmacies, labs and your insurer will ask for it.
04
Wait for a family doctor
Being registered does not mean you have a doctor yet. A médico de família is assigned when your health centre has capacity, and waiting times vary a lot by area. Until then you can still be seen at the health centre and call SNS 24.
Two numbers to save
112
Emergencies. Ambulance, police and fire, anywhere in Portugal.
808 24 24 24
SNS 24. Free health advice line, open around the clock, with English available. For urgent problems that are not emergencies.
Visiting rather than living here?
EU citizens use their European Health Insurance Card for necessary care during a temporary stay. Everyone else should carry travel insurance.
Private hospitals and clinics operate alongside the SNS. You can pay directly or through insurance, and many expats use them for speed, choice and English.
Paying directly
Any private clinic or hospital will see you without insurance. You pay per consultation, test or procedure, and get an invoice you can claim later if you hold a policy.
Portuguese health insurance
Policies from Portuguese insurers usually work through a network: you pay a small co-payment at a partner clinic and the insurer settles the rest. Waiting periods for some cover are common, and pre-existing conditions may be excluded. Read the policy before you rely on it.
International plans
Common for people who move often or keep ties abroad. They typically reimburse you after you pay, and cover you outside Portugal too. Check whether routine visits are covered or only hospital care.
Both cover a lot. What neither gives you is one doctor who knows you and takes charge.
Working it out alone
Waiting for a family doctor to be assigned
Retelling your story to a different doctor each time, in Portuguese
Guessing which specialist to see and where
Results and records spread across systems
Not knowing which side, public or private, to use for what
With a TejoMed doctor
One dedicated doctor who is fluent in English and knows your history
Unhurried appointments, same or next day when you are unwell
Referrals to trusted specialists, arranged for you, through the SNS or your insurance where they apply
Labs, results and notes in one place, read by your doctor
Plain answers on how the system works, whenever you need them
Seven things to sort in your first weeks, in the order they usually happen.
Get your NIF and your residence document
Register at your local centro de saúde and write down your número de utente
Decide on insurance: a Portuguese policy, an international plan, or pay as you go
Save 112 and SNS 24 in your phone
Find your nearest pharmacy. Pharmacists can advise on minor issues, and many medicines need a prescription
Bring your medical records, prescriptions and vaccination history, translated if you can
Choose the doctor who will know you: on the SNS, privately, or through a membership
The terms that come up at the health centre, the pharmacy and on your insurance policy.
SNS
Serviço Nacional de Saúde, the public health service.
Centro de saúde
Your local public health centre, where you register and see a family doctor.
Número de utente
Your SNS user number. Asked for at hospitals, labs and pharmacies.
Médico de família
Family doctor. On the SNS, assigned by your health centre when it has capacity.
Urgências
The emergency department. Go for emergencies, or call SNS 24 first if you are unsure.
SNS 24
The 808 24 24 24 advice line. Free, around the clock, English available.
Farmácia and receita
Pharmacy and prescription. Pharmacies show a green cross and can advise on minor issues.
Seguro de saúde
Health insurance. Network policies bill a co-payment, others reimburse you after you pay.
Taxa moderadora
A small user fee. Most were abolished in 2022. One still applies if you go to a hospital emergency department without a referral.
Consulta
An appointment or consultation, public or private.
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Registering, insurance, emergencies and specialists. Have more?
Can I use the SNS as a foreigner?
Yes, once you are a legal resident. Register at the health centre for your area with your ID, proof of address and residence document, and you receive a número de utente. Registration is free.
How long does it take to get a family doctor on the SNS?
It depends on where you live. Some health centres assign a médico de família quickly, others have long waits. You can still be seen at the health centre and call SNS 24 while you wait.
Do I need private health insurance in Portugal?
Not by law once you are a resident, although some residence visas ask for proof of health cover when you apply. Many expats choose a policy for faster specialist access, English-speaking care and private hospitals. Read what each policy excludes before you decide.
What do I do in an emergency?
Call 112 for anything life-threatening. For urgent problems that are not emergencies, call SNS 24 on 808 24 24 24: free, open around the clock, with English available. TejoMed is not an emergency service.
Can I see a specialist without a referral?
On the SNS, specialist appointments come through a referral from your family doctor. Privately, you can book a specialist directly, and your insurer may or may not ask for a referral. A TejoMed doctor arranges the referral and prepares you for the visit either way.
Do doctors in Portugal speak English?
In Lisbon, Porto and the Algarve, many do, especially in private care. In smaller towns and on the SNS it is less certain. Every TejoMed doctor is fluent in English and Portuguese.
How does TejoMed fit with the SNS and my insurance?
TejoMed does not replace either. You keep your SNS registration and your policy for what they cover. Membership adds one dedicated doctor who knows you, sees you without the wait, and coordinates labs, referrals and specialists across both.
Limited Membership Available
Each of our doctors looks after a small number of people on purpose. It’s the only way they have the time to truly know you, in English, from your first weeks in Portugal. When a list is full, it’s full.