You’ve probably heard of EHIC cover – the majority of British travellers have. You probably also know that having the EHIC means that you can access state healthcare in all of the countries which make up the European Economic Area, and that this can save you a fortune if you are unfortunate enough to fall ill when on holiday. EHIC isn’t a substitute for a good travel insurance policy which will also cover many of the other things which can go wrong on holiday, but it’s a very useful thing to have, especially for families with children or people with pre-existing medical conditions who find travel insurance expensive. So how do you get one?
EHIC Entitlement
Most people who are living, working and paying tax in the UK will be entitled to apply for EHIC cards issued by the UK government. If you were born in the UK and have always lived here, the entitlement is clear. If you were born somewhere else in the world but have moved to the UK, are permanently resident here, have a National Insurance number and are working here, you will also qualify. Children qualify depending on their parents’ status. The situation for people like students who are here temporarily and who have a permanent home elsewhere, is that they must apply to their home country to have an EHIC issued in their name. It really doesn’t matter which government issues the EHIC – one issued in France, Spain, Poland or Italy is just the same.
Documents to Apply for EHIC
You can either apply for your EHIC online, or print a form from the NHS website, complete it and send it in by post. In addition to the basic information required such as your name, date of birth and address, you must supply either your National Insurance number, or your NHS number. If you are working, you’ll find your National Insurance number on payslips from your employer, or letters from the tax office. If you’re not working, your NI number will be on paperwork from any Benefits claim. Your NHS number (or CHI number If you are in Scotland) will be on hospital appointment letters and can be obtained from your doctor’s surgery. If you are living in the UK but have a passport issued by another government, you also need to state your nationality and passport number when applying for EHIC.
Children
Children under the age of 16 cannot apply for an EHIC in their own right, but can be easily added onto the cover for their parents. Whoever is the “main applicant” for the EHIC simply adds the children’s names, dates of birth and nationality, and confirms that the children live with them at their address. As children under the age of 16 do not have their own National Insurance numbers, the parent has to then re-enter their own National Insurance number unless the children’s NHS numbers are close to hand and can be added to the form.