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Guidance: Healthcare for UK nationals visiting the EU, Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway or Switzerland

Department Of Health

January 15
12:07 2024

This information is about visiting the EU, Norway, Iceland, Liechtenstein and Switzerland. Theres different guidance for healthcare if youre:

When you travel to an EU country, Norway, Iceland, Liechtenstein or Switzerland, you should have either:

  • a UK Global Health Insurance Card (GHIC)
  • a European Health Insurance Card (EHIC)

You should also have travel insurance with healthcare cover.

An EHIC or GHIC is not a replacement for travel insurance. Make sure you have both before you travel.

Each healthcare system is different, and in some countries youll need to pay to have treatment.

Apply for a GHIC

A GHIC lets you get medically necessary state healthcare in Europe at a reduced cost or sometimes for free.

If your EHIC is still in date, you do not need to apply for a new GHIC.

Theyre both valid if youre travelling to an EU country, Norway, Iceland, Liechtenstein or Switzerland.

Apply for aGHICfor free on the NHS website.

Visiting Switzerland

You can use your GHIC or EHIC in Switzerland to get state-provided, medically necessary healthcare at a reduced cost (or sometimes for free) if you are a:

  • UK national
  • Swiss national
  • EU citizen
  • refugee
  • stateless person
  • dependant or survivor of someone with one of these nationalities or statuses

You can only use your GHIC or EHIC in Switzerland if one of the above applies to you even if you can use your GHIC or EHIC in the EU.

You may also be asked to show evidence of your nationality when accessing healthcare using a GHIC or EHIC in Switzerland.

Using your EHIC or GHIC

An EHIC or GHIC covers state healthcare, not private treatment.

With an EHIC or GHIC, you can get emergency or necessary medical care for the same cost as a resident in the country youre visiting. This means that you can get healthcare at a reduced cost or for free.

Find out what your card covers in each country. You can select the country you are planning to visit from the drop-down list.

An EHIC or GHIC is not a replacement for travel insurance it does not cover everything, such as mountain rescue or being flown back to the UK (medical repatriation). Make sure you have both before you travel.

Youll need to pay in full for treatment if you do not have an EHIC, GHIC or provisional replacement certificate (PRC).

The following European countries do not accept the EHIC or GHIC:

  • the Isle of Man
  • Jersey
  • Monaco
  • San Marino
  • the Vatican

If you do not have your EHIC or GHIC with you

Youll need to apply for a Provisional Replacement Certificate (PRC) if you need treatment and you do not have your EHIC or GHIC, or your card is lost or stolen abroad.

Call the Overseas Healthcare Services. This is part of the NHS Business Services Authority (BSA).

NHS Overseas Healthcare Services
Telephone: +44 (0)191 218 1999
Monday to Friday, 8am to 6pm

Travelling with a health condition

Buy travel insurance with healthcare cover for your condition. Your EHIC or GHIC will cover medically necessary treatment.

Read the Money and Pensions Advice Service guidance for buying travel insurance for people with pre-existing medical conditions.

If you need to have treatment while youre abroad, you may need to pre-arrange it. For example, if you need dialysis or oxygen treatment. Speak to your doctor in the UK for advice before you travel.

You cannot take some products prescribed for health conditions with you into the EU. These include special foods required for medical reasons containing meat or dairy. There are some exemptions. Read more about taking animal products, food or plants with you into the EU on the Your Europe website.

UK prescriptions can be used in Ireland and Spain. You cannot use a UK prescription elsewhere in the EU.

Bringing medicine with you

Before you travel, make sure you either:

  • take enough medication to last the duration of your trip
  • can get any medicine you need in the country youre going to

Check with the embassy, high commission or consulate for the country youre visiting about local rules on any specific medicines.

You need a letter to prove your medicine is prescribed to you if it contains a controlled drug. You may need to show this at the border when youre entering or leaving the UK.

You may also need a licence for controlled drugs if:

  • your trip is longer than 3 months
  • youre travelling with more than 3 months supply

Read more about taking medicines in or out of the UK.

Read guidance from NaTHNaC on best practice when travelling with medicines.

Getting prescriptions

If you need to get prescribed medicine while youre away, speak to a pharmacist in the country youre visiting. You may need a prescription from a local doctor.

You may have to pay something towards the cost of your prescription.

If you have an EHIC or GHIC, you should pay the same as a citizen of the EU country youre visiting, or a Swiss citizen if in Switzerland. Make sure your prescription is from a state-approved doctor in the EU and Switzerland.

Travelling to have planned treatment

You cannot use an EHIC or GHIC for planned treatment. For example, if youre going abroad to give birth.

Read the NHS guide to going abroad for medical treatment.

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