Applies to: People needing a Spanish Social Security identifier for employment or another legitimate procedure. Work authorisation, employment alta and healthcare entitlement are separate.
Before you start
- Identity document accepted for your case and NIE details where applicable.
- Your current contact/address information and the purpose of the request.
- Cl@ve/certificate if available, or the alternative identity evidence requested by Importass.
- Employer details if relevant; any existing NUSS/NAF record.
The steps
Check whether you already have a number
Use Importass to find/accredit your number before applying again. You normally retain the same identifier across employers and moves. NUSS identifies you; NAF is terminology associated with affiliation and often refers to the same number after affiliation. Do not confuse either with your NIE or regional health-card identifier.
Use the official Importass request
Choose Solicitar el Número de la Seguridad Social and follow the current identity route. Cl@ve or an electronic certificate can provide access. Importass also describes a no-certificate route with identity images/selfie for the documents it accepts. If your document or situation does not fit the online route, ask TGSS for the correct channel rather than uploading unrelated sensitive documents.
Submit accurate personal details
Match your official name/document and contact details. If TA.1 is required in your route, use the current form and complete only the applicable fields. Keep the receipt and monitor requests for additional evidence. Do not pay an unofficial intermediary merely to obtain a number; ask what service they are charging for if you choose assistance.
Save the number and complete the separate employment step
Download the allocation/accreditation and give it to the employer where needed. The employer’s alta before work starts, or your self-employment registration, is separate from obtaining NUSS. Verify the registration through your official record. A number does not grant immigration permission to work or prove contributions are being paid.
Check healthcare entitlement separately
Use the INSS entitlement service and then the regional health-card route. A NUSS can be part of that process but is not automatic coverage. Beneficiaries and S1 cases also need their own recognition. If records disagree, ask the responsible institution to correct them and keep the decision.
Update details and protect the record
Keep phone/address/document changes current in Importass and preserve the identifier securely. Check your employment history if there is doubt about an alta. Use official portals for identity documents; do not send a selfie and passport to a social-media account claiming to be Social Security.
Important details
TGSS and INSS do different jobs
TGSS handles affiliation/number and contribution records; INSS handles many benefits and healthcare recognition questions. The regional service issues the health card and manages appointments.
Employer assistance
An employer may handle the number/affiliation process where applicable. Ask for evidence and check your record; a verbal promise is not the same as completed registration.
Common questions
Is NUSS the same as NIE?
No. NIE is a foreigner identification number; NUSS identifies you in Social Security.
Can I work as soon as I receive it?
Only if your immigration/work status and the required employment/self-employment registrations permit it.
Does it give me a health card?
No. Check entitlement, then apply through your regional service.
See the bigger picture
Pair these practical steps with the Spain-wide essentials.
Sources & next steps
Reviewed 1 October 2026. This independent guide provides general information. Requirements, fees and office arrangements can change; the responsible authority’s current instructions control your application. Commercial service links explain products, not official rules.