The National Health Service User Number (NNU) is a unique and permanent national identifier assigned following a citizen’s registration in the National User Registry (RNU).

The RNU is the national database for the identification and registration of patients within the National Health Service (SNS), supporting the classification of enrolment in primary healthcare services.

[See Ministerial Order no. 14830/2024 of 16 December and the Regulation of the National User Registry]

Healthcare service user registration in the RNU may be carried out in two ways:

a) Through the RNU portal, by National Health Service (SNS) units in both hospital and primary healthcare settings;

b) By applying for the Citizen’s Card, through data interoperability mechanisms.

Registration in the RNU may also occur via data interoperability with other entities, in accordance with specific and duly regulated procedures.

Registered healthcare service users may access their identification data and their Primary Health Care (CSP) enrolment details through the SNS24 Portal and the SNS24 mobile app.

They may also update their contact details (telephone number and email address) via the same channels.

[See Ministerial Order no. 14830/2024 of 16 December and the Regulation of the National User Registry]

Registration in the RNU may take four forms:

1. Updated registration

2. Registration in progress

3. Incomplete registration

4. Historic registration

[See Ministerial Order no. 14830/2024 of 16 December and the Regulation of the National User Registry]

The updated registration applies to individuals whose healthcare service user register contains the following information:

• Portuguese citizens residing in Portugal:

• Name
• Sex
• Date of birth
• Country of nationality
• Country of birth
• District, municipality and parish, when the place of birth is in Portugal
• Type of identification document (mandatory for individuals over 2 months of age)
• Identification document number (mandatory for individuals over 2 months of age)
• Tax Identification Number (NIF)
• Residence (full address, in Portugal or abroad)

• Foreign citizens with permanent residence in Portugal:

• Name
• Sex
• Date of birth
• Country of nationality
• Country of birth
• District, municipality and parish, when the place of birth is in Portugal
• Type of identification document (mandatory for individuals over 2 months of age)
• Identification document number (mandatory for individuals over 2 months of age)
• Tax Identification Number (NIF)
• Residence (full address, in Portugal or abroad)
• Residence permit document

[See Ministerial Order no. 14830/2024 of 16 December and the Regulation of the National User Registry]

A registration in progress applies whenever the conditions for an updated registration are not met (see Frequently Asked Question No. 4).

This type of registration is valid for a maximum of 180 days from the date on which the SNS contacts the citizen for the purpose of updating their data, using the contact details provided.

After this period, it is automatically converted into an updated registration if the required conditions are met, or into an incomplete registration if they are not.

[See Ministerial Order no. 14830/2024 of 16 December and the Regulation of the National User Registry]

The incomplete registration applies to situations in which the citizen does not provide the missing information after the 180‑day period established for the registration in progress (see Frequently Asked Question No. 5).

This 180‑day period is counted from the date on which the SNS contacts the citizen for the purpose of updating their data, using the contact details provided.

[See Ministerial Order no. 14830/2024 of 16 December and the Regulation of the National User Registry]

The historical registration applies to deceased citizens who had previously been registered.

[See Ministerial Order no. 14830/2024 of 16 December and the Regulation of the National User Registry]

The SNS contacts healthcare service users in order to complete and keep their information in the RNU up to date. This contact is made using the details available in the RNU, preferably by telephone.

When a healthcare service user is registered in the RNU and the required fields for an updated registration are not completed, the SNS will make an initial contact using the communication channels provided by the user.

If, 90 days after this first contact, the required information for an updated registration has still not been provided, a second contact will be made.

[See Ministerial Order no. 14830/2024 of 16 December and the Regulation of the National User Registry]

No.

Regardless of the type of registration in the RNU, the following are beneficiaries of the National Health Service (SNS): all Portuguese citizens, as well as all citizens with permanent residence in Portugal or in a situation of temporary stay or temporary residence in the country, including nationals of European Union Member States or equivalent, nationals of third countries or stateless persons, applicants for international protection, and migrants, whether or not their legal status is regularised, in accordance with the applicable legal framework.

[See Ministerial Order no. 14830/2024 of 16 December, the Regulation of the National User Registry;  Law no. 95/2019 of 4 September and Decree-Law no. 52/2022 of 4 August]

Enrolment in primary healthcare services requires an updated registration in the RNU (see Frequently Asked Question No. 4) and is carried out at a health centre within a local health unit (ULS).

[See Ministerial Order no. 40/2025 of 2 January and the Regulation of the National User Registry – Enrolment in Primary Health Care]

The integration of waiting lists must take into account the number of places available for each family doctor (doctor/waiting list ratios), in order to ensure that all existing places are filled.

A healthcare service user’s enrolment on a family doctor’s list must comply with the regulated list size limits and is carried out according to the availability of places in the functional units of the respective local health unit where the user is registered.

[See Ministerial Order no. 40/2025 of 2 January and the Regulation of the National User Registry – Enrolment in Primary Health Care]

Yes. Foreign residents and non-residents (national or foreign), registered with a family doctor (General Practicioner) but without a primary care consultation in the last five years, become eligible for reassignment.

The updating of primary healthcare lists takes into account the application of the registration typology defined in Frequently Asked Question No. 3.

[See Ministerial Order no. 40/2025 of 2 January and the Regulation of the National User Registry – Enrolment in Primary Health Care]

Yes. Although the healthcare service user should prioritise contact with the primary healthcare unit where they are registered, they may, on an occasional basis and in situations of acute illness or other urgent needs, seek care at another functional unit. In such cases, the user makes a one‑off contact without a new registration being created at that unit and may, subject to the resources available, receive the necessary care there.

[See Ministerial Order no. 40/2025 of 2 January and the Regulation of the National User Registry – Enrolment in Primary Health Care]

Yes. An unregistered healthcare service user who requires medical and/or nursing care may make occasional contacts without any registration being created in a functional unit.

[See Ministerial Order no. 40/2025 of 2 January and the Regulation of the National User Registry – Enrolment in Primary Health Care]

Yes. The healthcare service user may request a transfer between functional units within primary healthcare.

[See Ministerial Order no. 14830/2024 of 16 December]

Yes. Healthcare service users may choose not to be assigned a family doctor (General Practitioner) and may also request to be removed from the list on which they are currently registered.

[See Ministerial Order no. 14830/2024 of 16 December]

Yes. Regardless of whether or not they have an assigned family doctor (General Practitioner), the healthcare service user is entitled to receive healthcare of appropriate quality and within a timeframe considered clinically acceptable for their health condition - see Questions 8 and 9 of the Frequently Asked Questions on Guaranteed Maximum Response Times (TMRG).

[See Law no. 95/2019 of 4 September, Decree-Law no. 52/2022 of 4 August and Ministerial Order no. 153/2017 of 4 May]

If, for any reason, the healthcare service user encounters difficulties in exercising their rights and their access to healthcare provision is being limited, they should:

• First, seek clarification from the healthcare provider concerned.
• If any doubts persist, they may request information from the Portuguese Health Regulatory Authority (ERS), namely through the online form;
• If the issue remains unresolved, they may submit a complaint directly to ERS.