How to book an appointment with a family doctor in Catalonia

What do you need to book an appointment with a family doctor?

There are two conditions: registration in a Catalan municipality (empadronamiento) and a TSI, or at least a personal identification code (CIP). The TSI confirms your right to public healthcare and your level of cover; it carries your CIP, which the system uses to identify you [3][5]. Take your TSI or CIP to every visit to the centre [4].

You can apply for the TSI online or at the CAP for your address. You will need an identity document (DNI, NIE or passport) and a registration certificate no more than three months old [5]. More: tarjeta sanitaria in Catalonia and empadronamiento in Barcelona. Who is entitled to public healthcare is covered in the article public or private healthcare.

How do you find your CAP?

The CAP (Centre d'Atenció Primària) is your first point of entry to the public system, and you go there without a referral [4]. You apply for the TSI at the CAP that covers your address; you can find it by address in the CatSalut centre finder [4][5]. CatSalut’s pages do not explain how a specific doctor is assigned with your first TSI, so ask at the CAP front desk.

What are the ways to book a doctor's appointment?

The route in La Meva Salut: “Cites i agenda”, then “Sol·licitud de cites i consultes”, then “Cites i consultes d'atenció primària”. The system asks you to choose a reason from the list so that the request reaches the right professional and is dealt with faster. You can list several problems in one appointment; separate bookings are not needed [1].

How do you log in to La Meva Salut as a foreigner?

CatSalut has announced a move to more secure login methods. New passwords will gradually stop being issued over the coming months, while existing ones will keep working. Without a password, you log in with idCAT Mòbil, a digital certificate or, soon, Cl@ve [2]. CatSalut also links to idCAT Mòbil instructions for holders of a DNI or TIE together with a tarjeta sanitaria [2]. If you only have a passport, ask your CAP whether this login is available to you. On digital identification: how to get Cl@ve.

La Meva Salut also has test results, prescriptions, vaccinations and eConsulta for messaging your doctors [2].

How do you change your CAP or family doctor?

Your TSI details, CAP assignment and contact details are changed at your CAP or by phoning 061 Salut Respon. You can also update your address and contact details in La Meva Salut [3]. Among the reasons for a visit there is “Sol·licitud de canvi de metge o metgessa de família i/o infermer o infermera”, a request to change your doctor or nurse [1]. If your card is lost or stolen, you request a replacement at the CAP or through 061, and the duplicate arrives by post [3].

How do you see a specialist and what should you do about urgent problems?

You reach specialists and other services with a referral from primary care. Without a referral you can only go in urgent cases or by calling 061 Salut Respon [4]. If the problem is acute, do not wait for a regular appointment: call the service and follow its instructions.

What depends on your case, and what do we not know?

The official pages do not say how long you will wait for the next appointment: it depends on the CAP and the reason for the visit. Whether a CAP will book you with a provisional CIP code before you receive the physical card is also up to the centre. The language of the appointment and whether an interpreter is available depend on the centre; we have not found general rules. On language rights in Catalonia: do you need Catalan. If you do not yet have empadronamiento or the right to a TSI, start with a review of your right to public healthcare. If you are moving with your family, the first steps are collected in the route card for families, and an overview of residence grounds is on the residence permit in Barcelona page.

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ReloVictory · Sources reviewed 02.10.2026 · Not a substitute for individual legal advice.