GHIC card in the UK: healthcare in the EU and how to apply (free)

In short

• The GHIC (UK Global Health Insurance Card) gives you access to necessary state healthcare in countries of the European Economic Area (EEA), including Poland, on the same basis as a resident of that country. It is free and lasts for up to 5 years (as of November 2026, NHS). Apply through the NHS website, because paid third-party websites are unnecessary.
• The decision email arrives within 24 hours of applying, and once your application has been approved, you should receive your card by post within 15 working days. There is no deadline to apply, but don't leave it late if you are travelling over Christmas.
• The GHIC is not a replacement for travel insurance: it does not cover, among other things, treatment in a private facility, being flown back to the UK (medical repatriation) or ski and mountain rescue.
• People with rights under the Withdrawal Agreement can choose a UK EHIC instead of a GHIC. What this means for settled and pre-settled status is explained below.
• Card hasn't arrived and you need urgent treatment abroad? Apply for a temporary Provisional Replacement Certificate (PRC): 0191 218 1999 from the UK, Monday to Friday, 8am to 6pm.

What the GHIC is and how it differs from the EHIC (EKUZ)

The GHIC lets you get necessary state healthcare in EEA countries and a few other countries on the same basis as a resident of that country. This may be free or it may require a payment equivalent to what a local resident would pay (as of November 2026, NHS).

GHIC and EKUZ. For most people, the UK GHIC has replaced the previous UK-issued European Health Insurance Card (EHIC, called EKUZ in Polish). If you have an existing UK-issued EHIC, you can use it until its expiry date. You can apply for a new card up to 9 months before your current card expires. People with rights under the Withdrawal Agreement can choose a new UK EHIC instead of a GHIC.

You can read about using the NHS in the UK in our guide The NHS in practice: your GP, 111, 999 and the pharmacy. This guide is about healthcare outside the UK.

Who can get a GHIC, and what about settled or pre-settled status

You can apply for a GHIC if you are a resident in the UK. According to the NHS you are entitled to one when both of these conditions apply (as of November 2026, NHS):

1. you are ordinarily and legally resident in the UK,
2. you do not have healthcare cover provided by an EEA country or Switzerland.

A family member or dependant of an entitled person can also get a card.

Settled and pre-settled status. None of the pages we have used says outright that settled or pre-settled status gives you a GHIC. The NHS gives the two conditions listed above. The cited sources do not establish that settled or pre-settled status alone is enough to qualify for a GHIC. Check both NHS conditions above; if you are unsure, ask the NHSBSA (phone numbers at the end of this guide). For how status and share codes work, see our guide EU Settlement Scheme: settled and pre-settled status, share codes.

UK EHIC instead of a GHIC. People with rights under the Withdrawal Agreement can choose a new UK EHIC. It is also free and lasts up to 5 years. Among the people who may get one, the NHS lists a national of the EEA or Switzerland who has legally resided in the UK since before 1 January 2021 and is covered by the Withdrawal Agreement. The card may not cover that person if they are also a UK national or were born in the UK.

You must be entitled at the time of treatment. Anyone who uses the card without being entitled may be liable for the full cost of treatment or face prosecution. If your circumstances have changed and you no longer meet the UK EHIC criteria, contact NHS Overseas Healthcare Services.

How to apply for a GHIC step by step

You apply through the NHS website. Unofficial websites may charge a fee, and according to the NHSBSA they are not necessary: it is free to apply for a GHIC or UK EHIC (as of November 2026, NHSBSA).

1. Go to the NHS page on the GHIC and UK EHIC and go through to the application ("Apply for a UK GHIC").
2. Have your full name, address, date of birth and National Insurance number ready. People from Northern Ireland also give their Health and Care number.
3. Enter your own details first. When the form asks, add cards for your spouse, civil partner and children: every member of your family needs their own card.
4. Wait for the decision email, which arrives within 24 hours (if you don't get one, check your junk folder). The NHS may ask for additional information or documents.
5. Receive your card: once your application has been approved, you should receive your card by post within 15 working days.

If you want to add family members after you have applied, contact NHS Overseas Healthcare Services. If you cannot apply online or you are having difficulties with an outstanding application, you can use the NHSBSA online contact form (NHSBSA).

If your card hasn't arrived before you travel

If you do not receive your card and need medically necessary treatment abroad, you can apply for a Provisional Replacement Certificate (PRC). It gives you the same level of cover as a GHIC or UK EHIC and also covers you if you have applied and your card has not arrived yet. You cannot apply for one in advance. A PRC can be issued for EU countries, Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway and Switzerland (as of November 2026, NHSBSA).

• To apply for a PRC, contact the NHSBSA (online or by phone). Telephone from the UK: 0191 218 1999, from outside the UK: +44 191 218 1999, Monday to Friday, 8am to 6pm. Outside these hours, call as soon as possible the next working day.
• Have the name of the facility treating you and its email address (medical staff can provide it). You can also apply for a PRC on behalf of someone else.
• Without a GHIC, UK EHIC or PRC you pay for treatment in full. Ask for a copy of your invoice and get a receipt.

Where the GHIC works

According to the NHS and the NHSBSA, you can use a GHIC in (as of November 2026, NHS, NHSBSA):

• countries in the EEA, including Poland,
• Montenegro: emergency treatment is free there, but you pay for prescribed medicines and other treatment,
• Australia: you need to use the card as proof to get Medicare,
• Jersey, Guernsey and the Isle of Man, and also St Helena, Tristan and Ascension.

Switzerland. The GHIC works there only for certain groups, including EU citizens. You may be asked for proof of your nationality or status. A UK EHIC can be used in EEA countries. Check the conditions for using it in Switzerland with the NHSBSA before you travel.

Other countries. You pay for treatment unless the UK has a healthcare agreement with that country. The UK government is negotiating to expand the use of the GHIC to more countries, so check coverage before you travel.

For the rules on entering EU countries (EES and ETIAS), see our guide EES and ETIAS: travelling to the EU on a UK passport.

What the GHIC covers and how to use it abroad

The card covers state healthcare that cannot reasonably wait until you come back to the UK ("medically necessary healthcare"). Whether treatment is medically necessary is decided by the healthcare provider in the country you are visiting (as of November 2026, NHS).

Using the card:

• Take the card with you and show it to the provider treating you. Make sure you are being treated at a public provider, not a private one, and keep all receipts and paperwork.
• In some countries you may be expected to pay all or part of your bill upfront and then claim a refund afterwards.
• Some countries ask patients to pay a contribution towards the cost of their care (a co-payment or patient share). You can claim back the difference between the total bill and the co-payment, but the co-payment itself is not refundable.

Claiming a refund. To claim a refund for healthcare covered by your card, download and fill in a refund claim form and send it to NHS Overseas Healthcare Services. A refund is not guaranteed. If you think you have been incorrectly charged, contact the same organisation.

Healthcare in Poland with a GHIC

The following comes from the FCDO page for Poland (as of November 2026, GOV.UK).

• To get medically necessary state healthcare in Poland, you need a GHIC or an EHIC.
• The emergency number in Poland is 112. Ask for an ambulance.
• Public medical facilities in Poland are similar to those in the UK, and private ones are less expensive than in the UK. The card does not cover private clinics, however.
• The FCDO has a list of medical providers in Poland where some staff speak English.
• If you are referred to a medical facility, contact your insurer quickly.

According to the FCDO, the card is not an alternative to travel insurance and does not cover, among other things, changes to travel and accommodation bookings, additional standard costs for treatment, medical repatriation to the UK or treatment that is ruled non-urgent. If you have any doubts before you travel, ask the NHSBSA (phone numbers at the end of this guide).

Travel insurance: why the card alone is not enough

The NHS advises you to have private travel and medical insurance for the duration of your trip (as of November 2026, NHS). The FCDO adds on its foreign travel insurance page (GOV.UK):

• Example: if you fall and break your leg in Spain, you will need hospital treatment and possibly medical evacuation or repatriation. The cost without insurance is, according to the FCDO, at least £25,000 (as of November 2026; the FCDO page was last updated on 2 August 2024).
• Declare pre-existing medical conditions, and pending treatment or tests, to your insurer. Failing to declare something may invalidate your travel insurance.

Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland

The NHS page lists one difference in the application: people from Northern Ireland also give their Health and Care number (as of November 2026, NHS).

Frequently asked questions

Is the GHIC card free?

Yes. According to the NHSBSA it is free to apply for a GHIC or UK EHIC (as of November 2026, NHSBSA). Paid third-party websites are not necessary, so avoid them and apply through the NHS website.

Does my child need their own card?

Yes, every member of your family needs their own card. You can add your children to your application when the form asks.

I paid for treatment abroad. Will I get a refund?

The sources do not promise a refund in every case. The card does not cover costs that a local resident would have to pay, and co-payments are not refundable. You can claim a refund for treatment covered by the card using a form sent to NHS Overseas Healthcare Services.

Where to get help

• NHS: GHIC and UK EHIC – the application and the rules for the card.
• NHSBSA: contact – GHIC and UK EHIC (as of November 2026): telephone from the UK 0300 330 1350, from outside the UK +44 191 283 3909, Monday to Friday, 8am to 6pm and Saturday, 9am to 3pm (UK time).
• NHSBSA: PRC (as of November 2026) – telephone from the UK 0191 218 1999, from outside the UK +44 191 218 1999, Monday to Friday, 8am to 6pm.
• FCDO: Poland, Health and FCDO: Foreign travel insurance – advice for travellers.
• Emergency number in Poland: 112.

This text is general information and is not medical or legal advice. It is based on NHS, NHSBSA and FCDO pages. The rules for the card and the list of countries may change, so check the NHS website before you travel.