NUSS and NAF (Social Security)

The social Security of all countries need advanced identification systems for citizens to receive services adequately. In the case of Spain, the NUSS and the NAF are two identification numbers that appear on the health card.

The acronym NUSS stands for Number of User of the Safety Social and the acronym NAF stand for Number of Membership to Social Security.

Differences between the NUSS and the NAF

The NUSS number is only available to people residing in Spain and it appears on the citizens' health card. On the other hand, the NAF can only be obtained by those who are registered in the record of the Social Security because they are citizens who contribute.

Consequently, both numbers coincide in the case that a citizen contribute to social security. On the other hand, if someone is registered in the system but does not contribute (for example, due to his orphan status or because he has a non-contributory pension) the NUSS and NAF numbers will not coincide.

It should be noted that it is possible that the NAF number changes, since a person can be the owner of a service or the beneficiary of the same depending on their employment situation.

On synthesis, the NUSS number becomes the NAF number when the citizen registers in the social security system to start a work activity.

Considerations of interest

Regarding the NAF application, there are two possibilities: that it is the citizen who requests it or that it is the company that hires it. On the other hand, said processing may be carried out in person or through Internet.

In the case of the NUSS, schoolchildren have access to it, as all Spanish students have school insurance that covers them in cases of accident or disease. This benefit authorizes them to receive medical and pharmaceutical care.

The difference between one number and the other is of great importance, otherwise it can generate confusion.

The public body that deals with everything related to these procedures is the General Treasury of Social Security

From the point of view of administrative management, some of the functions of the General Treasury of Social Security are the following: provide information to the workers and companies about their situation in the social security system, provide the assignment of the social security number or inform about the contribution base of the workers.

Photos: Fotolia - Denisillin - Bualong