The GHIC, or Global Health Insurance Card, is a free card that gives UK residents access to state healthcare in many European countries, and it is well worth having before you travel. But it has limits, and it is not a substitute for travel insurance. This guide explains what the GHIC covers and how to apply. It is general information, not medical or financial advice, so check the official NHS guidance for current details.
What the GHIC is
The GHIC is a free card issued by the NHS that lets UK residents access medically necessary state healthcare when temporarily visiting certain countries, on the same basis as a local resident. It replaced the old European Health Insurance Card, or EHIC, after Brexit, though valid EHICs can still be used until they expire. Understanding that the GHIC is a free, official card giving access to state healthcare abroad, not a private insurance policy, is the basis for using it correctly alongside proper travel insurance.
What it covers
The GHIC covers medically necessary state healthcare, meaning treatment that cannot reasonably wait until you return home, provided through the public system of the country you are visiting. This includes emergency treatment and care for pre-existing and chronic conditions that flare up during your stay. You receive this care on the same terms as a local, which may be free or at the local cost. Knowing that the GHIC gives you access to necessary state healthcare at local rates helps you understand the genuine, valuable protection it provides abroad.
What it does not cover
Crucially, the GHIC does not cover everything. It does not pay for medical repatriation, the often very expensive cost of flying you home, treatment in private hospitals, mountain or sea rescue, or care you travelled specifically to receive. It also does nothing for non-medical travel costs like cancellation or lost baggage. These significant gaps are why the GHIC alone is not enough, and why it must be combined with travel insurance for proper protection on a trip abroad.
Not a substitute for travel insurance
The most important point is that the GHIC is not a replacement for travel insurance; the two do different jobs and you need both. The GHIC handles state healthcare in covered countries, while travel insurance covers repatriation, private treatment, cancellation, lost belongings and more. Our guide on GHIC versus travel insurance explains this in detail. Relying on a GHIC alone could leave you facing huge costs, so always travel with both the card and a suitable travel insurance policy.
Where it works
The GHIC covers the European Economic Area and some other countries, with the exact list set by reciprocal healthcare agreements, so it does not work everywhere in the world. Many popular European destinations are covered, but many long-haul ones are not. Because the coverage is specific, check the official NHS information for the countries on your trip. Knowing where your GHIC does and does not work tells you where you are relying solely on travel insurance for healthcare, which matters for destinations the card does not cover.
How to apply
Applying for a GHIC is free and done through the official NHS website, where you provide your details and your card is posted to you. The application is straightforward and takes only a few minutes. Because cards take a little while to arrive, apply in good time before you travel. Using the official NHS service to apply, well ahead of your trip, ensures you get your free card in time, and avoids the problem of leaving it too late and travelling without it.
Beware scam websites
A vital warning: the GHIC is completely free, so only ever apply through the official NHS website. Unofficial sites try to charge a fee for what is a free service, sometimes doing nothing useful in return. If a website asks you to pay for a GHIC, you are in the wrong place. Our guide on common holiday planning mistakes notes such traps. Going straight to the official NHS source ensures you get your free card without being charged by a scam site.
Validity and family cards
A GHIC is valid for up to five years, and each person needs their own card, including children, though you can usually add family members to a single application, with each receiving their own. Check the expiry date and renew in good time, as you can apply to renew before it expires. Knowing that cards expire and that everyone needs their own, and keeping each family member's card in date, ensures your whole household has this protection ready whenever you travel to a covered country.
If you lose your card
If you lose your GHIC or it does not arrive in time, you may be able to obtain a provisional replacement certificate from the official NHS overseas healthcare service, which gives the same access while you are away. This is useful in an emergency. Knowing that a provisional replacement exists, and how to request it through official channels, means a lost or delayed card need not leave you without access to state healthcare in a covered country during your trip, providing a useful backup.
How to use it abroad
To use your GHIC abroad, present it when accessing state healthcare in a covered country, so you are treated on the same basis as a local. Keep it with your travel documents and know that it works within the state system, not private clinics. Our guide on what to do if you get ill or injured abroad covers seeking care. Carrying your GHIC and understanding it applies to state healthcare helps you access the treatment it covers smoothly if you need care while away.
Get one before every trip
Make checking your GHIC part of your pre-trip routine, applying for one if you do not have a valid card and ensuring everyone in the family is covered, well before you travel to a country where it applies. Pair it with travel insurance that covers the wider risks. Our guide on whether you need travel insurance explains why both matter. Treating the GHIC as a standard item to sort alongside your insurance when planning a trip, rather than an afterthought, ensures you set off with both forms of healthcare protection in place.
Worth having for any covered trip
Because it is free and lasts up to five years, a GHIC is worth having for any trip to a covered country, however short or low-key, as a medical need can arise on any holiday. There is no downside to holding a valid card. Getting and keeping a GHIC, simply because it costs nothing and could save a great deal if you needed state healthcare abroad, is a sensible default for anyone travelling to the countries where it applies.
In short
The GHIC is a free NHS card giving UK residents access to medically necessary state healthcare in the EEA and some other countries at local cost, including for pre-existing conditions that flare up. It does not cover repatriation, private treatment, cancellation or lost baggage, so it is no substitute for travel insurance, and you need both. Apply free through the official NHS site only, keep it in date for the whole family, and carry it abroad alongside your insurance. This is general information, not medical or financial advice, so check the official NHS guidance.
Explore more in our Health & Safety Abroad guides.