The European Health Insurance Card (EHIC) lets you use public healthcare in the EU, the EEA and Switzerland for free or at a reduced cost during a temporary stay. It is free, it lasts for up to 4 years, and you renew it online through the HSE, because cards are not reissued automatically (HSE and Citizens Information, checked 9 November 2026). It is not travel insurance: it does not cover private care or the cost of flying you home.
What the EHIC covers
The HSE says the EHIC gives you healthcare abroad for free, or at a reduced cost, if you are:
- on holiday
- on a short-term stay of no more than 3 months
- under 23 and studying abroad, in which case you are covered for the academic year
Mature students studying abroad are not covered under the Irish EHIC scheme, the HSE says.
You can use the card in the 27 EU countries, in the EEA countries of Iceland, Liechtenstein and Norway, and in Switzerland. Citizens Information says Andorra and Monaco are not part of the EU or EEA, so the EHIC is not accepted there.
It covers public care only. Citizens Information says that in some EU countries you may have to pay part of the cost, just as people in that country do, and you will not get a refund for that.
What the EHIC does not cover
Citizens Information lists what the card does not cover (page edited 12 October 2026):
- private healthcare
- the cost to fly you back to Ireland
- pre-existing medical conditions
- ongoing or permanent healthcare
- routine maternity care, if you are not going there to give birth
- medical expenses if your reason for going abroad is to have treatment
On pre-existing conditions the official sources differ. The European Commission says the card covers "necessary and urgent medical care abroad, including for chronic or existing illnesses" (6 August 2026), but not planned treatment. Citizens Information lists pre-existing conditions as not covered. If you have an ongoing condition, ask the HSE before you travel and tell your travel insurer about it.
It also does not work outside the EU, the EEA and Switzerland. Citizens Information says that if you travel outside the EU and EEA, you should get private health insurance instead.
Why the EHIC is not travel insurance
Citizens Information says your EHIC "just covers medical costs". Travel insurance can cover cancellation, lost or stolen luggage and extras like winter sports.
The CCPC lists what travel insurance can pay for that an EHIC does not, including:
- emergency medical repatriation
- cancelled or delayed travel plans and missed departures
- damaged, lost or delayed luggage
- loss or theft of money, passport or valuables
- personal liability, and legal expenses in some policies
The two work together. AA Ireland, for one, expects you to use the EHIC in Europe. Its policy booklet excludes costs in Europe that an EHIC would have covered, if you failed to get one before you travelled. It also says that if you are admitted to a private clinic, you may be moved to a public hospital once that can be done safely (booklet dated October 2026).
So carry both on a European trip. Our guides to annual multi-trip cover and what travel insurance costs explain the insurance side.
How to apply for an EHIC
You can apply if you live in Ireland and intend to live here for at least 1 year, the HSE says. Applying online is the quickest way. You can also apply by post or by email using the HSE application form.
For a post or email application, the HSE asks for copies of these for every applicant:
- photo ID, such as a passport or driving licence
- proof that you, and anyone over 18, have lived in Ireland for the last 12 months, such as a household bill or a letter from Revenue or Social Welfare
- proof of your PPS number, such as a recent payslip or a Public Services Card, or a letter from the Department of Social Protection if you get a social insurance payment
Do not send original documents. Post the form to EHIC Applications, PO Box 11745, Dublin 11, or email it to PCRS.Applications@hse.ie. Citizens Information says your card will be posted within approximately 10 working days.
Families and children
Each family member needs their own card. The HSE says you can apply for yourself, your partner and any dependent children under 23. A parent or guardian must apply for a child under 18.
Travelling in the next 10 days
If you travel within 10 days, apply online and choose the "Travelling in less than 10 days" option. The HSE will send you a certificate that is valid for 3 months. The HSE calls it a Provisional Replacement Certificate. Citizens Information calls it a digital temporary certificate.
Students and cross-border workers
Students aged 18 to 23 who have been living in Ireland can get an EHIC to study in the EU, the EEA or Switzerland. The HSE asks for a letter from the college with the start and end dates of the academic year.
If you live in Northern Ireland but work in Ireland, you can get an Irish-issued EHIC. Frontier workers qualify because they pay social security contributions here, but they must return home at least once a week, the HSE says.
How to renew or replace your EHIC
Renew or replace your card online on the HSE website. Citizens Information says cards are not reissued automatically when they expire, so you must submit a new application. Renewing is free.
Check the expiry date before you book, not the week you fly. The card lasts for up to 4 years. The digital version of your card appears in the HSE Health App.
For help, the HSE EHIC service is on 0818 224 478 or clientregistration@hse.ie.
Getting a refund after paying abroad
If you had to pay because you did not have your card with you, or a provider charged you by mistake, you may be able to get a refund, Citizens Information says. Email your receipts to E126.Refunds@hse.ie. If you live in Dublin, Wicklow or Kildare, email overseas.medservices@hse.ie instead.
The HSE then sends an E126 form to the health authorities in the other country, to find out if you used a public service and how much is due. Payments for private healthcare are not refunded.
The UK after Brexit
Irish citizens do not need the EHIC in the UK. Citizens Information says Irish citizens have access to healthcare under the Common Travel Area while visiting the UK. Other EU citizens should continue to use the EHIC, which is still accepted there.
The Department of Health says that under the Common Travel Area, Irish and British citizens who live in, work in or visit the other state can use publicly funded health services there. It says the EU and UK Trade and Cooperation Agreement continues access to healthcare for people resident in Ireland who visit the UK, from 1 January 2021.
In practice, you may need to show you live in Ireland. AA Ireland's policy booklet says that in Great Britain or Northern Ireland you need proof that you are ordinarily resident in Ireland, such as a driving licence or passport.
Northern Ireland residents use the UK system. The Department of Health says they can keep using a UK EHIC until it expires, and then get a UK Global Health Insurance Card (GHIC).
Who may not need travel insurance as well
Citizens Information says you "should consider" travel insurance alongside the EHIC. Whether extra cover is worth it depends on the trip. If you have little paid in advance, cancellation cover matters less.
The gaps the card cannot fill stay the same: a medical flight home, private hospital bills, and any trip outside the EU, the EEA and Switzerland.
If you have a problem with a business in another EU country, European Consumer Centre Ireland gives advice to consumers based in Ireland. Check the Department of Foreign Affairs travel advice before you go, because the CCPC says travel against that advice is generally not covered by travel insurance.
Older travellers can read our guide to travel insurance over 65, and our travel insurance guide has an overview.
Sources
- HSE: Apply for an EHIC (accessed 9 November 2026)
- HSE: Renew or replace an EHIC (accessed 9 November 2026)
- HSE: Contact the EHIC service (accessed 9 November 2026)
- Citizens Information: The European Health Insurance Card, page edited 12 October 2026 (accessed 9 November 2026)
- gov.ie, Department of Health: Health and Brexit (accessed 9 November 2026)
- CCPC: Travel insurance, what do you need to know before you go? (accessed 9 November 2026)
- European Consumer Centre Ireland: Who we are (accessed 9 November 2026)
- AA Ireland: Travel insurance Essential and Extra policy booklet, October 2026 (accessed 9 November 2026)
- European Commission: European Health Insurance Card, keeping you safe while travelling abroad (accessed 9 November 2026)
General information, not financial advice. Prices and rules change: check the details with the insurer before you buy.