Can You Still Use Your GHIC or EHIC in Spain? What the Card Covers

EHIC vs GHIC: What’s the Difference?

The European Health Insurance Card (EHIC) and its replacement, the Global Health Insurance Card (GHIC), give people who live in the UK access to state-provided healthcare during temporary stays in EU countries, including Spain. For most people the GHIC has replaced the EHIC. In Spain the two cards give exactly the same cover, so it does not matter which one you hold, as long as it is in date.

A UK EHIC stays valid until the expiry date printed on it, and until that date you can use it in Spain. The cards last up to 5 years, so the old EHICs issued before 2021 have now run out. Once yours has expired, you apply for a GHIC instead. A new UK EHIC is now issued only to people with rights under the Brexit Withdrawal Agreement. The GHIC works in every EU country, and also in Norway, Iceland and Liechtenstein, and in Switzerland for British nationals.

What GHIC and EHIC Actually Cover in Spain

These cards only cover medically necessary care during a temporary stay: treatment that cannot reasonably wait until you are back in the UK. That includes emergency treatment and visits to A&E, care for a long-term or existing condition, and routine maternity care. It does not include private treatment, being flown home, or treatment you travel to Spain to have. Some care, such as dialysis, oxygen therapy or chemotherapy, has to be arranged with a state provider before you travel.

You are treated under the same conditions as people insured in Spain. Care at a state health centre (centro de salud) or public hospital is free. The one charge is medicine: with a GHIC or EHIC you pay 50% of the price of a prescription, or 10% if you receive a UK State Pension and can show it. Prescription charges are not refunded.

Emergency treatment in public hospitals is covered, and so is an ambulance sent by the public service when you call 112. But you must be seen at a state-run facility: private clinics, even if they say “urgent care,” will charge you. Some hotels call a private doctor or a private ambulance, which takes you to a private hospital where the card is not accepted. Show your card and ask for public healthcare (asistencia sanitaria pública). If you are asked to pay before treatment, you are probably not in the public system.

What a GHIC or EHIC Does Not Cover in Spain

• Private clinics, consultations, or ambulances
• Planned treatment, including travelling to Spain to give birth
• Repatriation back to the UK
• Most dental treatment: Spain’s state system only deals with rare urgent cases, and a private dentist’s bill is not refunded
• Mountain rescue, including on the ski slopes

And remember: neither card replaces travel insurance. The UK government advises visitors to have both, because travel insurance pays for things the card never will, such as being flown back to the UK or changes to your bookings. Without a valid card or a replacement certificate, you may be charged in full for state treatment.

How to Check if Your EHIC or GHIC Is Still Valid, and How to Renew It

The expiry date is printed on the front of the card. If your EHIC was issued before 2021, it has expired and you need a GHIC. A GHIC lasts up to 5 years. You can apply for or renew a GHIC for free on the official NHS website, and you can renew up to 9 months before your current card runs out.

You will need your full name, address, date of birth and National Insurance number. Every member of the family needs their own card, children included, and you can add your partner and children to your own application. The NHS says the card should arrive within 15 working days, so apply well before you travel.

Beware scams: there is no cost to apply for a GHIC. Third-party websites offering to process applications for a fee are unofficial.

How It Works for UK Expats in Spain

If you live in Spain, neither EHIC nor GHIC is meant for you: the cards are for temporary stays. Residents get their healthcare through the Spanish public system, for example by working and paying social security, or through private health insurance. Waiting for your residency documents does not change this, because the card is tied to living in the UK.

A British visitor can spend up to 90 days in any 180 in Spain. To stay longer you need a visa, which you apply for from the UK, not while you are here on a visit. Our guide to the 90-day rule for UK citizens explains how the days are counted.

If you live in Spain with a registered UK S1 form, for example as a UK State Pensioner, the UK still issues your card for travel: a UK GHIC, or a new UK EHIC if you have lived in Spain since before 1 January 2021. You apply through the NHS Business Services Authority, and you use it on trips outside Spain.

What If You Forget Your GHIC or EHIC in Spain?

You do not lose your cover. If you need treatment and do not have your card with you, or you have applied and it has not arrived, you can ask the NHS for a Provisional Replacement Certificate (PRC). It gives the same cover as the card. You cannot get one in advance: you apply once you need treatment, online or by phone, and a relative or friend can apply for you. You will be asked for the name and email address of the hospital or health centre, which the staff can give you.

Without a card or a PRC you may be asked to pay in full and claim the money back from the NHS later, which can be slow. So carry your card and check the date on it before you travel.

The Bottom Line

Yes, the GHIC still works in Spain. But it’s not a magic healthcare pass. It doesn’t cover private care, repatriation, or anything beyond “necessary treatment” during a short visit, so take travel insurance as well. If you live in Spain, or are moving here, you need the Spanish public system or private health insurance instead. For the full picture, read our guide to how Spain’s healthcare system works and the how expats can use public healthcare in Spain.

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Weighing up your options? Read our guide to public and private healthcare in Spain in the Health Library.