Read our guidance on healthcare in Spain and make sure you are correctly registered for your circumstances.
State healthcare: S1
You may be entitled to state healthcare paid for by the UK if you live in Spain and you:
- are receiving a UK State Pension
- are receiving some other ‘exportable benefits’
- are a frontier worker who lives in Spain and commutes to work in the UK
- have been sent to Spain temporarily by your UK employer
Read our guidance on using an S1 form in Spain to ensure you are correctly registered in healthcare.
European Health Insurance Card (EHIC) and Global Health Insurance Card (GHIC)
If you are resident in Spain, you must not use your UK-issued EHIC or GHIC for healthcare in Spain, unless you are a student or a detached (posted) worker. Current EHICs will remain valid until the expiry date on the card.
If you are not an S1 holder, but are registered for public healthcare in Spain in another way and are travelling outside of Spain, you must apply for a Tarjeta Sanitaria Europea (TSE – a Spanish-issued EHIC) online (in Spanish), or go to your nearest social security office (Insitituto Nacional de la Seguridad Social).
You must also buy comprehensive travel insurance to cover anything not covered by your TSE, EHIC or for travel to countries outside the EU.
If you are living in Spain you may be eligible for a new UK-issued EHIC or GHIC if you’re:
- a UK student in Spain
- a UK State Pensioner with a registered S1
- a frontier worker with a registered S1
The card you receive will depend on when you moved to Spain.
Apply now for a new UK EHIC or GHIC.
An EHIC or GHIC is not a replacement for comprehensive travel insurance.
For more information read our guidance on healthcare when travelling in Europe and advice on foreign travel insurance.
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