What is Tessera Sanitaria?

Summary: Tessera Sanitaria or Carta Sanitaria is the Italian healthcare card that is required when using the Servizio Sanitario Nazionale (SSN).

Tessera Sanitaria or Carta Sanitaria is the Italian healthcare card that is required when using the Servizio Sanitario Nazionale. Once you obtain your Permesso di Soggiorno, or residency permit, you may apply for the Tessera Sanitaria.

"You should have been given a paper when you applied for residency. If you bring that paper with you to the office of the Carta Sanitaria (Azienda Sanitaria Locale or ASL), they will start the process without you having the residency card. You should be able to get the Carta Sanitaria in that one visit. The same paper should be brought to the window of the stato civile with the italian style passport photos. The information should be already on their computer. Make sure you have a doctor selected so that it streamlines the process. Also, if you have special conditions like high BP, the doctor can right that up for you and you are then given a second booklet that provides extra payment for pharmaceuticals [lower costs to you]. Hope I was clear there.

For more information about applying for residency, read 7 Tips for Obtaining Residency in Italy.

For more information about Healthcare in Italy, read our article, 9 Healthcare & Health Insurance Tips for Expats in Italy.

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Betsy Burlingame is the Founder and President of Expat Exchange and is one of the Founders of Digital Nomad Exchange. She launched Expat Exchange in 1997 as her Master's thesis project at NYU. Prior to Expat Exchange, Betsy worked at AT&T in International and Mass Market Marketing. She graduated from Ohio Wesleyan University with a BA in International Business and German.