Obtain a social security number in Spain
- The social security number, or NUSS, identifies you before the Spanish Social Security system for work, contributions and healthcare.
- It is different from the NIE, which identifies foreigners generally, and the NIF, which identifies taxpayers.
- Anyone starting a first job, registering as self-employed or accessing contributory benefits needs one.
- The number is requested from the General Treasury of the Social Security, the TGSS, using form TA.1.
- Online applications through the Import@ss portal are usually resolved immediately and free of charge.
- Employers can request the number on behalf of a first-time employee.
- The NUSS becomes your permanent affiliation number, the NAF, when you first start work.
How to secure your Social Security number in Spain?
Every working life in Spain starts with a number.
Before an employer can register a contract, before an autónomo can pay a single contribution and before the public health system can open a medical record, the person concerned needs a social security number in Spain.
The good news is that obtaining one is among the simplest procedures in Spanish bureaucracy, provided the applicant knows which office is responsible and which documents to present.
This guide explains what the social security number in Spain is, who needs it, how it differs from the NIE and NIF, and how to obtain it in 2026.
What the social security number in Spain actually is
The número de la Seguridad Social, abbreviated NUSS, is the identifier assigned by the General Treasury of the Social Security, the TGSS.
It records your relationship with the system: contributions, employment episodes, benefits and healthcare entitlement.
When you start work for the first time, the same number becomes your número de afiliación, the NAF, which accompanies you for your entire working life in Spain.
Each person holds one number only, regardless of how many jobs, contracts or provinces follow.
Spain’s social security system reached a record of around 21.9 million affiliated workers in 2025 according to Ministry of Inclusion data, each of them identified by a single lifetime number.
Social security number, NIE and NIF: the differences
Foreign newcomers regularly confuse Spain’s three main identifiers, and administrative appointments are lost as a result.
| Identifier | Issued by | Purpose |
|---|---|---|
| NIE | National Police and immigration offices | General identification of foreigners in Spain |
| NIF | Tax administration, AEAT | Tax identification for individuals and companies |
| NUSS or NAF | General Treasury of the Social Security, TGSS | Work, contributions, benefits and healthcare |
For foreigners, the NIE usually doubles as the NIF for tax purposes, a relationship explained in our guides to the NIE number for foreigners and the Spanish NIF and CIF.
The social security number in Spain is separate from both and must be requested from a different administration.
Who needs a social security number in Spain
- Employees starting their first job in Spain.
- Self-employed workers registering as autónomos.
- Students taking paid or contributing internships.
- Residents registering for public healthcare through employment or contributions.
- Applicants for contributory benefits, such as unemployment protection or pensions.
- Household employers registering domestic staff.
EU citizens and non-EU residents follow the same procedure, although non-EU applicants must hold documentation that permits the activity concerned.
Employees relocating with their companies usually have the process handled by the employer, a scenario covered in our guide to relocating UK employees to Spain.
Foreign workers are a structural part of the Spanish labour market, with around three million foreign nationals affiliated to the social security system in 2025 according to Ministry of Inclusion statistics.
How to get your Social Security number in Spain: Step by step
Online through Import@ss
The fastest route is the Import@ss portal of the TGSS, which issues the number immediately in most cases.
Applicants identify themselves with a digital certificate, Cl@ve or, in some flows, video identification with a passport or NIE document.
The service is free, and the document accrediting the number of downloads is available instantly.
In person at a TGSS office
Applicants without digital identification can book an appointment at any TGSS administration office.
They present the completed TA.
1 form, passport, NIE where held, and documentation supporting the activity, and the number is assigned on the spot or within days.
Through your employer
When a new employee has never held a number, the employer can request it directly from the TGSS as part of the pre-contract registration.
This is the standard route for first jobs, and the worker simply receives the assigned number with the contract paperwork.
The social security number for self-employed workers
Registering as an autónomo requires the social security number in Spain before the alta in the special regime for self-employed workers, the RETA, can be processed.
The usual sequence is tax registration with the AEAT, then the RETA registration with the TGSS, both of which hang off the same personal identifiers.
New autónomos should plan the sequence carefully, together with the obligations described in our guide to becoming self-employed in Spain.
More than 3.3 million people are registered as self-employed workers in Spain according to Ministry of Inclusion affiliation data, every one of them contributing through their social security number.
Errors in the initial registration, such as mismatched names or wrong document numbers, follow workers through every later procedure.
Our labour law team in Valencia handles registrations and corrections before the TGSS for employees, employers and autónomos.
Healthcare and your social security number
Workers and their beneficiaries access the public health system through their contributions, recorded against their social security number in Spain.
After registration, the health service of each region issues its own card, the SIP card in the Valencian Community, which is presented at health centres and hospitals.
Residents who are not yet working can compare the alternatives, from private policies to public buy-in schemes, in our overview of the Spanish healthcare system compared with the UK.
Common mistakes with the Social Security number
- Confusing the NUSS with the NIE and presenting the wrong number to employers or clinics.
- Requesting a second number instead of recovering a forgotten one creates duplicate records.
- Misspelling names or inverting surnames on the TA.1 form.
- Leaving the registration until the first day of work, delays the contract registration.
- Assuming the number alone grants healthcare without an underlying contribution or entitlement.
How Delaguía y Luzón can assist with your registration
Delaguía y Luzón has managed Spanish employment and social security procedures for international clients from Valencia since 1960.
We obtain the social security number for new arrivals, sequence the tax and RETA registrations for autónomos, and act for employers registering international staff.
Where records contain errors or duplicates, we correct them before the TGSS so that contributions and benefits are properly attributed.
We work in English, French, Spanish, German and Russian, with a client base that is approximately 90% international.
Speak to our labour and social security team in Valencia
Contact our legal team for personalised guidance on social security registrations for you, your family or your employees.
Email: felix.delaguia@delaguialuzon.com
Phone: +34 963 74 16 57
Office: Avinguda Regne de Valencia, 6, 1º-2º, 46005 Valencia
FAQs about the social security number in Spain
What is the Spanish social security number?
The social security number, or NUSS, is the identifier assigned by the TGSS that records your contributions, employment and healthcare entitlement.
Is the social security number the same as the NIE?
No, the NIE identifies foreigners generally, while the NUSS is a separate number issued by the Social Security Administration.
How long does it take to get the number?
Online applications through Import@ss are usually resolved immediately, and in-person applications within a few days at most.
Does it cost anything?
No, the assignment of the number is free of charge.
Can my employer request the number for me?
Yes, employers routinely request the number for first-time employees as part of the contract registration.
Do I need the number to register as an autónomo?
Yes, the RETA registration for self-employed workers requires the social security number first.
What documents do I need to apply?
Your passport, your NIE where you hold one, the TA.1 form and documentation supporting the activity concerned.
I had a number years ago and lost it. What do I do?
Recover the existing number through Import@ss or a TGSS office rather than requesting a new one, because each person may hold only one.
Does the number expire?
No, the number is permanent and follows you throughout your working life in Spain.
Does the number give me public healthcare automatically?
Healthcare follows from contributions or a recognised entitlement recorded against the number, not from the number alone.
