The free UK health card that covers EU emergencies, and the gap it leaves
The UK GHIC is free and lasts up to five years. It covers state care in Europe, but not a flight home, a private hospital or mountain rescue.
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The UK Global Health Insurance Card is free, lasts up to five years, and gets you state healthcare in the EEA and a few other places. It does not replace travel insurance. It does not pay for a private hospital, for being flown home, or for mountain rescue, and the NHS says so on its own page. If you are going to Europe as a UK resident, carry one. If you are going anywhere it cannot reach, it does nothing.
- It is free. Apply through the NHS; you should never pay for it.
- It is for state care. The card gets you the treatment a local public system would give a resident.
- It is not insurance. Repatriation and private treatment need a separate policy.
- Eligibility is about residence. You need to be ordinarily and legally resident in the UK, and not already covered by an EEA scheme.
What does the GHIC actually cover?
It covers state healthcare that cannot reasonably wait until you return to the UK. The NHS describes emergency treatment, care for chronic conditions and routine maternity care. The card is valid for the EEA, Switzerland (depending on nationality status), Montenegro, Australia, Jersey, Guernsey, the Isle of Man, St Helena, Tristan da Cunha and Ascension Island.
What does it leave out?
The biggest gaps are flying home, private hospitals and mountain rescue. The NHS lists medical repatriation, treatment in a private facility, and ski or mountain rescue as things the card does not cover. That is why travel insurance with a medical-evacuation limit still matters, even for a short city break.
Who should carry one, and when does it not help?
Anyone living in the UK who is going into the EEA should carry the card, and it does nothing for a trip to the US or a trek in the Himalaya. For an activity like skiing, a hike at altitude or a trip outside the listed places, the card gives you nothing for the rescue itself. Keep it in your wallet with your insurance details, not instead of them.
How do I get one without paying a middleman?
Apply through the NHS, free. The NHS page says the card is free. Check the page on the day you apply, because the NHS reviewed it on 12 December 2023 and the next review is due on 12 December 2026.
This page summarises the NHS guidance as read on 3 October 2026. Ask your doctor or travel clinic about your own health before you travel.
Frequently asked questions
Is the GHIC free?
Yes. The NHS page says a UK GHIC is free and lasts for up to five years.
Does the GHIC cover flights home?
No. The NHS says it does not cover being flown back to the UK (medical repatriation).
Does the GHIC cover private hospitals?
No. The NHS says it does not cover treatment in a private medical facility.
Is the GHIC enough on its own for a trip?
No. The NHS says the card does not replace travel and medical insurance.
Who can get a GHIC?
People who are ordinarily and legally resident in the UK and do not have healthcare cover from an EEA country or Switzerland.
Keep reading
Vaccines, medicines, altitude and what each one covers.
What pays for a flight home, and what does not.
Packing, paperwork and transit rules.
When a long stay needs more than a travel policy.
Sources: NHS, “Apply for a free UK Global Health Insurance Card (GHIC)”, page last reviewed 12 December 2023, read 3 October 2026 (cost, validity, eligible countries, eligibility, coverage and exclusions). This is general information, not medical advice.
Photos via Pexels: GIUSEPPE DE BERGOLIS (cover), RDNE Stock project, Antonio Batinić, Gustavo Fring.
Written by
Anjali ShresthaPokhara-based, NMA-certified trekking guides. We’ve led 5,000+ treks across the Annapurna and Everest regions since 1998 — every word here comes from the trail. More from this author →
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