Travelling to Europe? Check your healthcare card before you pack. For most UK residents, the card to apply for is now the free UK Global Health Insurance Card, usually called a GHIC.
A valid UK GHIC or EHIC gives you access to medically necessary state healthcare during a temporary trip. You receive treatment on the same basis as a resident of the country you are visiting. That can mean free treatment, but it can also mean paying the same charge or contribution as a local patient.
Apply for a free UK GHIC through the NHS
Do UK travellers need a GHIC or EHIC?
The UK GHIC has replaced the previous EHIC for most UK residents. You do not need to replace a valid EHIC immediately. Keep using it until it expires, then apply for a GHIC.
A smaller group can apply for a new UK EHIC because they have rights under the Withdrawal Agreement. This can include some EU, EEA or Swiss nationals who were legally resident in the UK before 1 January 2021, and some people living in Europe with qualifying UK-issued documents.
If you are unsure, use the eligibility questions in the official NHS application. Do not pay a third-party website to decide for you.
What does a UK GHIC or EHIC cover?
The card covers medically necessary state-provided healthcare that cannot reasonably wait until you return to the UK.
This can include:
- emergency treatment and visits to accident and emergency departments
- necessary care for a long-term or pre-existing condition
- routine maternity care when the purpose of the trip is not to give birth
- some pre-arranged treatments, such as dialysis or chemotherapy, when agreed with a suitable provider before travelling
The local healthcare provider decides whether treatment is medically necessary. You must use the state system and show your card when receiving treatment.
What is not covered?
A GHIC or EHIC is not travel insurance. It does not normally cover:
- private hospitals or private medical treatment
- medical repatriation or a flight back to the UK
- ski or mountain rescue
- cancelled trips, lost possessions or missed transport
- costs a local resident would normally have to pay
- travelling abroad specifically to receive medical treatment
Take the card and suitable travel insurance. Declare pre-existing conditions to the insurer and check that your planned activities are covered.
How to apply for a UK GHIC for free
The official application is free. A UK GHIC can last for up to five years, and the NHS says you can apply up to nine months before your current card expires.
Apply through the official NHS route
- Check your current card.
Look at its expiry date. A valid existing EHIC can normally be used until that date.
- Open the NHS guidance.
Follow the application link from NHS.uk rather than searching for a paid application service.
- Prepare your details.
You will normally need your full name, address, date of birth and National Insurance number. Northern Ireland residents may need their Health and Care number.
- Add family members.
Every traveller, including each child, needs their own card. Eligible family members can be added during the application.
- Allow time for delivery.
The NHS says an approved card should normally arrive within 15 working days.
How to use the card abroad
Take the physical card with you. If you need care, confirm that the hospital, clinic or doctor is part of the state healthcare system before treatment when circumstances allow.
Show the card and keep every invoice, receipt and medical document. Some countries may ask you to pay upfront and claim an eligible refund later.
If you have applied but the card has not arrived, or you do not have it with you during an emergency, you may be able to obtain a Provisional Replacement Certificate, or PRC. It provides the same level of healthcare cover as the card.
The UK GHIC is accepted in the EEA and several countries with reciprocal arrangements. Rules for Switzerland and countries outside the EEA can depend on nationality or residence, so check the current NHS destination information before each trip.
A cheap but sensible European travel checklist
- Check every traveller’s GHIC or EHIC expiry date.
- Buy suitable travel insurance after booking the trip.
- Save the insurer’s emergency number and policy details offline.
- Check the FCDO advice and state-healthcare rules for the destination.
- Take enough prescribed medicine and a copy of the prescription when appropriate.
- Download offline maps and accommodation details before leaving home.
- Keep a small amount of backup mobile data for directions, translation and emergency contacts.
New Eskimo users can currently claim 500MB of free global eSIM data through our invitation. It is not enough for heavy streaming, but it can be useful for maps, messages or finding the nearest public hospital when Wi-Fi is unavailable.
Read how to claim the free Eskimo 500MB travel eSIM.