INSS, TGSS, ISM and SEPE: who does what
| Body | What it handles | Where it is managed |
|---|---|---|
| INSS, National Social Security Institute | Retirement, disability and widowhood pensions; birth and childcare benefits; healthcare entitlement | Appointment in the Social Security electronic office |
| TGSS, Social Security Treasury | Social Security number, affiliation, registrations, self-employed registration, contributions and debts | Importass portal, largely without an appointment |
| ISM, Social Marine Institute | Workers at sea | Appointment in the Social Security electronic office |
| SEPE, State Public Employment Service | Unemployment benefit, jobseeker registration | Its own system, outside Social Security |
We do not handle unemployment benefits. The SEPE is a different administration and its benefits fall outside the services of a gestoría administrativa. If your question is about unemployment, go straight to the SEPE. We clarify it because it is by far the most frequent confusion.
How to book the INSS appointment
Appointments for INSS and ISM procedures are managed from the Social Security electronic office, in the section for pensions and other benefits. You can obtain and manage an appointment to attend an office, and also cancel it from the same place.
Before booking, check one thing: a large share of procedures can be completed electronically without travelling, at any time, with a digital certificate or Cl@ve. And if you have no means of electronic identification, Social Security provides a channel to file applications about benefits, healthcare, affiliation, contributions or collection without a certificate.
Social Security's information and appointment phone numbers change over time, and it is best to take them from its official website, not from third-party lists. The official links are at the end of this page.
Treasury procedures: Importass
If what you need is a Social Security number, to register or deregister, to check your employment history or to manage contributions, your body is the Treasury and your tool is Importass. It is the portal where the TGSS has gathered citizen procedures, and most are settled online with no appointment or visit.
This is where the digital certificate makes the real difference: with it, practically all of these matters are done from home in minutes.
Social Security number as a foreigner
It is one of the first documents anyone arriving in Spain to work needs, and also one of the most confusing, because it gets mixed up with the NIE. They are different things: the NIE identifies you before the administration in general; the Social Security number identifies you in the affiliation system and is essential for an employer to register you or for you to register as self-employed.
The application goes to the Treasury and can be filed electronically. If you do not yet have a digital certificate or Cl@ve, there is the filing route without electronic identification provided by Social Security itself.
If you need the NIE first, start there: we explain it in immigration appointment and in NIE, TIE and residency.
Registering as self-employed
Registering as self-employed (autónomo) involves two different administrations in a specific order: first the census registration at the Tax Agency with form 036 or 037, then registration in the Special Scheme for Self-Employed Workers at the Treasury. Both are filed online, so in practice no appointment is needed for either if you have electronic identification or a gestor files it for you.
The tax side is covered in Tax Agency appointment.
Health card: careful, it is another administration
The right to healthcare is recognised within Social Security, but the physical health card is issued by each autonomous community. In the Valencian Community it is handled at the health centre for your address, and for that you need to be registered on the padrón.
If there are no appointments
- Ask yourself whether you really need to go. Social Security is where the most procedures are settled online. Before fighting for a slot, look for your procedure in the electronic office or in Importass.
- Check you are going to the right body. Half an hour reviewing the table at the top of this page saves a whole trip.
- Try another office. Calendars are per office, and in a metropolitan area like Valencia there are several.
- Use the channel without a certificate. If the problem is that you have no electronic identification, Social Security itself provides a way to file applications without one.
Need your Social Security number or to register?
We prepare and file the paperwork for you, in Spanish, English, Ukrainian or Russian. Free first consultation.
Frequently asked questions
Are Social Security and the SEPE the same?
No. The SEPE is the State Public Employment Service and manages unemployment benefit and jobseeker registration. Social Security, through the INSS and the Treasury, manages affiliation, contributions, pensions and benefits. They have different appointment systems.
Do I need a digital certificate to book?
Not always to book. To settle the matter online and skip the visit, a digital certificate or Cl@ve is advisable. Social Security also provides a channel to file applications without electronic identification.
How do I get a Social Security number as a foreigner?
It is requested from the Social Security Treasury and can be filed electronically. It is a different document from the NIE and is essential to be registered by an employer or to register as self-employed.
Can I register as self-employed without visiting any office?
Yes. The census registration at the Tax Agency and the registration in the self-employed scheme at the Treasury are filed online. If you have no digital certificate, a registered gestor administrativo can file them on your behalf.
Where do I check my employment history?
In Importass, the Treasury's portal, with a digital certificate or Cl@ve. It is immediate and needs no appointment.
Is the health card requested at Social Security?
Not exactly. The right is recognised within Social Security, but the card is issued by your autonomous community. In the Valencian Community it is handled at your health centre and you need to be on the padrón.
Legal basis
- Law 39/2015 on Common Administrative Procedure, art. 14 on electronic dealings with the administration
- Royal Decree 203/2021, Regulation on public sector action by electronic means
Official sources
- Social Security electronic office: appointments for pensions and other benefits
- Importass, portal of the Social Security Treasury
- Social Security: phone service
- Social Security: office finder
Written by Irina Klein. Reviewed by Elena Alonso Volostnova, registered gestora administrativa (ICGA Valencia). Updated on 5 October 2026. This page is general information and does not replace personalised advice on your case.