The UK Global Health Insurance Card (GHIC) is a free card that gives UK residents access to necessary state healthcare during a temporary stay in the European Economic Area and a few other places, on the same terms as local residents. It lasts up to 5 years and you apply for it on the official NHS website. It is not travel insurance: it does not cover repatriation, private treatment or ski and mountain rescue. If you are a US traveler, there is no equivalent card: see our travel insurance guide.
This guide summarizes the rules published by the NHS (page last reviewed 12 December 2023) and by NHS Business Services Authority (NHSBSA), read on 12 November 2026. To compare the GHIC with private cover, see also our travel insurance guide. Rules and the list of countries can change: check the official pages before you travel.
GHIC key facts
- Free and personal: one card per person, children included.
- Valid for up to 5 years (a UK EHIC also lasts up to 5 years).
- Apply on the official NHS website only: unofficial sites may charge a fee.
- No card with you? A Provisional Replacement Certificate (PRC) gives the same level of cover.
- Covers medically necessary state healthcare, on local terms and prices.
- Does not cover repatriation, private treatment or ski and mountain rescue.
Where is the GHIC valid?
According to the NHS and NHSBSA, the UK GHIC is valid in the countries of the European Economic Area (the EU countries plus Iceland, Liechtenstein and Norway), and in Montenegro, Australia, Jersey, Guernsey, the Isle of Man, and St Helena, Tristan da Cunha and Ascension. In Australia you use it as proof to get Medicare. The NHSBSA page also lists the French overseas territories of Martinique, Mayotte, Guadeloupe, Réunion, French Guiana and Saint-Martin, and Corsica.
| Where | Is the GHIC valid? |
|---|---|
| EU countries | Yes, all of them (the full list is on the NHSBSA page and on GOV.UK) |
| Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway | Yes (with restrictions for students: see below) |
| Switzerland | Only in certain circumstances: for example UK, Swiss or EU nationals, refugees, stateless people and their family members; you may be asked for proof |
| Montenegro, Australia, Jersey, Guernsey, Isle of Man, St Helena, Tristan da Cunha, Ascension | Yes (Australia: use it as proof to get Medicare) |
| Turkey, Morocco, Egypt, the United States and other countries | No: you need private travel insurance |
Outside this list, the GHIC does not help: not in Turkey, Morocco or the United States, for example. See our guides to Switzerland, Iceland and Norway, destinations people often forget even though the card works there (with the Swiss conditions above).
Students: according to NHSBSA, if you study in the EU or Switzerland, the GHIC covers necessary state-provided healthcare there, but it cannot be used for treatment in Iceland, Liechtenstein or Norway. If you study in Iceland, Liechtenstein or Norway, it covers visits to the EU or Switzerland, but not treatment in your country of study.
How to apply for a GHIC
- Apply through the official NHS website. The GHIC is free: « avoid unofficial websites », which may charge a fee, says the NHS.
- You will need your full name, address, date of birth and National Insurance number (plus a Health and Care number if you are from Northern Ireland).
- You can apply up to 9 months before your current card expires.
- You will usually get an email within 24 hours saying whether you are approved (check your junk folder). Approved cards are posted within 15 working days, according to the NHS.
- Every family member needs their own card: enter your own details first, then add your spouse, civil partner and children.
Who can apply: according to the NHS, UK residents who are ordinarily and legally resident in the UK and do not have cover from an EEA country or Switzerland, and some people living in the EEA or Switzerland (for example with a registered S1 form or an A1 document issued by the UK). People eligible under the Withdrawal Agreement can choose a UK EHIC instead of a UK GHIC.
Leaving soon, or no card with you? For emergency treatment, you can apply for a Provisional Replacement Certificate (PRC), which gives the same level of cover and also covers you while a new card is still in the post, according to the NHS.
On site: how it works
Show your GHIC (or PRC) to the doctor, hospital or pharmacy that is part of the state healthcare system. The NHS says the card covers state healthcare that cannot reasonably wait until you are home, including emergency treatment, treatment for long-term or pre-existing conditions and routine maternity care (not travel abroad to give birth). Some treatments, such as kidney dialysis or chemotherapy, need to be arranged with the provider in advance. You may have to pay a contribution if a local resident would also pay.
No card, private care: claiming a refund
If you have no card, PRC or similar, you will need to pay in full and keep an invoice and receipt. To claim, download and complete the refund claim form from the NHS and send it to NHS Overseas Healthcare Services with receipts and supporting documents. Some countries require upfront payment. Co-payments are not refundable, but you can claim back the difference between the total bill and the co-payment, according to the NHS. If you were wrongly charged, contact NHS Overseas Healthcare Services with your treatment documents.
GHIC or travel insurance: what the card does not cover
| Situation | GHIC | Travel insurance or assistance |
|---|---|---|
| Consultation, emergency, state hospital in a covered country | Yes, on local terms and prices | Depends on the policy (often the remaining cost) |
| Private doctor or clinic | Not covered | Depends on the policy |
| Repatriation to the UK, ski or mountain rescue | No (NHS) | Yes if included in the policy |
| Local charges a resident would pay | You pay them and cannot get them refunded (NHS) | Depends on the policy |
| Trip outside the covered countries | No | Yes if included in the policy |
The NHS states that the GHIC « is not a replacement for travel insurance » and recommends having private travel and medical insurance for the whole trip. For US travelers: Medicare.gov says Medicare usually does not cover health care outside the U.S. (read on 12 November 2026); see our travel insurance guide for the details.
Common mistakes
- Applying through an unofficial website that charges a fee: the official GHIC is free.
- Leaving it until the day before departure: allow time, or apply for a PRC.
- One card for the whole family: each person, child included, needs their own.
- Assuming it covers repatriation: it does not.
- Taking it to Turkey, Morocco or Egypt: it is not valid there.
- Assuming it works in Switzerland for everyone: it applies only in certain circumstances.
Frequently asked questions
How do you get the UK GHIC?
Apply on the official NHS website; it is free. You need your name, address, date of birth and National Insurance number. Approved cards are posted within 15 working days, according to the NHS.
How long is the GHIC valid?
Up to 5 years, according to the NHS.
Is the GHIC valid in Switzerland?
Only in certain circumstances: for example for UK, Swiss or EU nationals, refugees, stateless people and their family members. You may be asked for proof.
What if you are leaving soon or have no card?
Apply for a Provisional Replacement Certificate (PRC): it gives the same level of cover for emergency treatment and while a new card is in the post.
Does the GHIC cost anything?
No, it is free. Avoid unofficial websites that charge a fee.
Does the GHIC replace travel insurance?
No. It does not cover repatriation, private treatment or ski and mountain rescue, and the NHS says it is not a replacement for travel insurance.
Is there a US equivalent of the GHIC?
No. Medicare.gov says Medicare usually does not cover health care outside the U.S., so US travelers generally rely on travel insurance.
Our sources
- NHS, Apply for a free UK Global Health Insurance Card (GHIC) (nhs.uk, last reviewed 12 December 2023), read on 12 November 2026.
- NHS Business Services Authority, Where you can use your card, read on 12 November 2026.
- Medicare.gov, « Travel outside the U.S. », read on 12 November 2026.
- Our methodology
Updated November 2026.