UK GHIC Card Application Form

The Global Health Insurance Card (GHIC) provides coverage for state healthcare services while travelling outside of your home country. This means that when you hold a GHIC card, you are entitled to emergency or necessary medical care at the same cost as a resident of the country you are visiting. As a result, you may receive healthcare at a reduced cost or free of charge.

Following Brexit, the UK is no longer a participant in the European Health Insurance Card (EHIC) system. Instead, the GHIC, which stands for Global Health Insurance Card, has been introduced as the substitute for EHIC. Therefore, GHIC serves as the alternative for the previous EHIC system.

The GHIC covers 27 countries within the European Union (EU), European Economic Area (EEA), and Switzerland. Countries covered include:

Austria – Belgium – Bulgaria – Croatia – Cyprus – Czech Republic – Denmark

Estonia – Finland – France – Germany – Greece – Hungary – Ireland

Italy – Latvia – Lithuania – Luxembourg – Malta – Netherlands

Poland – Portugal – Romania – Slovakia – Slovenia – Spain – Sweden – Switzerland

The GHIC system extends its coverage beyond the countries of the EU to include Australia and New Zealand, and may potentially broaden its coverage in the future

Typically, GHIC applications take from 10 to 14 days to process. To avoid any last-minute issues, it is advisable to apply for a GHIC at least three weeks prior to your scheduled travel date, or even earlier if you want to ensure that it arrives in time.

In case you forget to carry your GHIC with you or if it does not arrive before you commence your travel, there is no need to worry. You may still obtain medical treatment during your trip by applying for a Provisional Replacement Certificate (PRC), which provides the same coverage as the card until you return home. It is important to note that a PRC can only be obtained if you require medical treatment during your visit.

If you are a UK national and currently residing in the UK, and plan to travel to any EU country, it is crucial that you carry a valid GHIC that is still within its expiration date. Additionally, it is recommended that anyone accompanying you on the trip also carries a valid GHIC.

Due to a significant influx of applications and a restricted number of cards that can be dispatched each day, there is a possibility that your GHIC may take longer to arrive. If your application has been approved but you have yet to receive your UK GHIC, kindly remain patient as it should reach you in due course. If you have applied through our website and it's been over 3 weeks and you have yet to receive your card, then feel free to contact us.

The GHIC is intended to supplement your travel insurance rather than replace it. While your GHIC covers only the medical treatment that is typically offered by the state in the country you are visiting, your travel insurance is designed to provide coverage for everything else.

If you have a GHIC, you may be able to utilize it for emergency dental care. However, it is important to note that most countries only provide coverage for fundamental dental procedures such as fillings and tooth extractions. Therefore, for more complex dental procedures, you may be required to pay additional charges.

As long as you have applied for a GHIC card, you should be eligible to obtain a PRC and receive medical treatment while traveling, even if you have lost or forgotten to take your GHIC card. This also applies if your GHIC card has expired and you plan to travel the following day.

To renew your GHIC card, it is essential that you submit an application as they are not automatically reissued upon expiration. You will require your previous GHIC number and PPS number for the renewal process. It is advisable to submit the renewal application well ahead of your intended travel date. When you do this via our website we will notify you 6 months before your card is due to expire in order to give you enough time to apply for a new one so that you are always covered.