Brits who are set to travel in Europe this summer are reminded to apply for an important card at least 15 days before setting off. This document allows you to access free or cheaper healthcare while abroad.

Known as the the UK Global Health Insurance Card (GHIC) card, it replaced the well known European Health Insurance Card (EHIC), which had been available since 2004. While travel insurance is still recommended to holidaymakers, it will allow you to use state healthcare in most European countries.

On its website, the NHS explains: “The UK Global Health Insurance Card (GHIC) lets you get necessary state healthcare in the European Economic Area (EEA), and some other countries, on the same basis as a resident of that country. This may be free or it may require a payment equivalent to that which a local resident would pay.”

If you still have an EHIC card that is in date, you can continue to use it until it expires. However, once it does you will need to apply for a GHIC card to replace it.

It typically takes up to 15 days for a new GHIC card to be sent to you through the post, meaning you should apply for one a few weeks before you are set to travel.

How to apply

You can apply for a UK GHIC if you’re a resident in the UK. You can also add your family members to your application when you apply.

You’ll need to provide your:

• Full name
• Address
• Date of birth
• National Insurance number
• Health and Care number (if you’re from Northern Ireland)

Every member of your family needs their own card. You can add your spouse, civil partner and children to your application when you apply. You must enter your own details first and apply for any additional cards when prompted.

If you’ve already completed your application and want to add additional family members contact NHS Overseas Healthcare Services. You’ll need to give us your reference number, name, date of birth and address so we can access your record.

After you’ve submitted your application, the NHS will email you within 24 hours to let you know whether it has been approved or not (if you don’t get a reply, check your junk folder). They may need to see additional information or documents before approving it.

If you do not receive it before you travel, and need medically necessary treatment during your visit, you can apply for a Provisional Replacement Certificate (PRC) to get temporary cover.

What your card covers

You can use your card to get state healthcare that cannot reasonably wait until you come back to the UK (sometimes called “medically necessary healthcare”). This includes things like:

• Emergency treatment and visits to A&E
• Treatment or routine medical care for long-term or pre-existing medical conditions
• Routine maternity care, as long as you’re not going abroad to give birth

You’ll need to pre-arrange some treatments with the relevant healthcare provider in the country you’re visiting – for example, kidney dialysis or chemotherapy – as it’s not guaranteed that local healthcare providers will always have the capacity to provide this care.

Whether treatment is medically necessary is decided by the healthcare provider in the country you’re visiting.

Not all state healthcare is free outside of the UK. You may have to pay for treatment that you would get for free on the NHS, if a local resident would be expected to pay in the country you’re visiting.

Before travelling, you should check the state-provided healthcare services in the country you’re visiting and any potential charges you may face.

Check the relevant country guide on GOV.UK for information on how to access treatment in the country you’re visiting.

However, a GHIC (or EHIC) card does not replace travel and medical insurance or cover services like:

• Being flown back to the UK (medical repatriation)
• Treatment in a private medical facility
• Ski or mountain rescue

For this reason, the NHS advises that you also have private travel and medical insurance for the duration of your trip.

You can use a UK GHIC when you’re visiting:

• A country in the European Economic Area (EEA) 
• Montenegro
• Australia
• Jersey, Guernsey and the Isle of Man
• St Helena, Tristan and Ascension.

You can use a UK GHIC in Switzerland if you’re one of the following:

• A British national
• A Swiss national
• An EU citizen
• A refugee
• A stateless person
• A family member of someone who holds one of the above nationalities or statuses

The UK government is negotiating with other countries to expand the use of the UK GHIC, so always check coverage before you travel. For more information, see the NHS website here.