European Health Insurance Card (EHIC)
Verified 26 June 2024 - Directorate for Legal and Administrative Information (Prime Minister)
Wondering what the European Health Insurance Card (EHIC) is for? It makes it easy to take care of your medical care in Europe. It attests to your rights to French Health Insurance. You can apply for your card before your stay in Europe. The EHIC may be requested for free by any person attached to the Sickness Insurance, whatever his nationality. We'll lay out the rules for you.
Warning
If you change countries from habitual residence, you must use the form S1, and not the European Health Insurance Card, to register for medical care in your new country of residence.
The EHIC guarantees care in the country of stay under the same conditions as a social insured person in that country. For example, it could be an appointment with a doctor, a dentist, in the hospital.
The European Commission explains how to use the EHIC in different countries.
The presentation of the EHIC (or your provisional certificate) avoids special procedures in the country of stay.
Thus, you can receive medical care according to the rules and formalities that apply in the country of stay:
- Either you don't have to advance medical expenses
- Either you have to pay the medical expenses in advance and you get reimbursed on the spot by the social security agency of your place of stay.
Warning
Health systems vary greatly from one European country to another. Some services can be free in France, but paid for in other countries. Before leaving, find out more about the health care system of the country you are visiting.
Covered care
The EHIC covers:
- Medically necessary care
- Chronic or pre-existing diseases
- Pregnancy
- Delivery.
Being able to present the EHIC saves you from having to return to your country of usual residence earlier than planned to receive the necessary treatment.
Warning
The purpose of your stay should not be to benefit from care. So it shouldn't be scheduled care.
Care not covered
Private care is not covered. You can only submit the EHIC for health care provided by providers in the public system.
If you receive private care, you can ask for a refund once you return to France, in accordance with the tariff in force in France. Some health insurance companies pay for health care expenses abroad.
The EHIC does not allow covering the costs of any medical treatment you have scheduled in one of the European Economic Area (EEA) countries or in Switzerland.
This map is not travel insurance. If you wish to be repatriated free of charge in case of serious illness or accident in another EU country, you must subscribe to a separate insurance.
Example :
You're French. You go to Italy to ski. During your holidays, you injure your knee. You must be rescued by Italian rescue services. Back in France, you receive a very high bill for your rescue. You have to pay the full bill, as search and rescue costs are not covered by the European Health Insurance Card.
Settlement arrangements
You benefit from taking according to rules applicable in the country of stay.
If the benefit is free for the insured in the country, it will also be for you. You won't have any money to advance. You may have to pay the user fee (part of the fees you will pay).
If the benefit is paying, you will need to make an advance payment. You can claim refund:
- Or on the spot at the competent sickness insurance institution of the country of stay. The care takes place according to the social legislation and formalities in the country concerned
- Be back in France. You must keep the invoices and proof of care and present them to your health insurance organization, accompanied by the form cerfa no. 12267. You have the choice between being reimbursed on the basis of the rates of the French Social Security or the rates of the country of stay.
FYI
If you did not ask for reimbursement of your medical expenses during your stay, you can therefore present the invoices and the proof of payment to your affiliation fund upon your return to France.
General scheme
If you have a Ameli account, you can request the reimbursement of this care online.
You need to go to your Ameli account under My efforts then Reimbursement for care abroad.
Agricultural arrangements
If you're at home MSA, you must contact her for the refund.
The list of countries allowing the use of the EHIC depends on your nationality.
You are European (EU/EEA/Switzerland/UK)
The European Health Insurance Card (EHIC) can be used:
- In States of the European Union/European Economic Area (EU/EEA))
- In Switzerland
- In the UK.
You are not European (outside EU/EEA/Switzerland/UK)
You will not be able to use the EHIC for your stays:
- In Denmark
- In Iceland
- In Norway
- In Liechtenstein
- In Switzerland.
Example :
You are Mauritian. You reside in France and are insured under a health insurance scheme in France. If you go on holiday to Denmark, you will not be able to use the EHIC.
The menu is free, individual and nominative.
The application must be made for each family member, including children under 16 years of age.
The EHIC must be requested at least 20 days before departure.
In case of emergency or late application, a replacement provisional certificate is issued and immediately downloadable to your account. It is valid for 3 months.
The request must be made to your health insurance body.
FYI
No documents are to be provided at the time of your request.
The process for applying for an EHIC varies depending on the plan you are under.
Répondez aux questions successives et les réponses s’afficheront automatiquement
General scheme (including self-employed)
You can ask for your card on the Ameli site.
Request a European Health Insurance Card (EHIC)
The request can also be made on the spot by going to the counter.
Who shall I contact
If you don't have an Ameli account and can't travel, you can also make the request by telephone.
Who shall I contact
Health insurance - 3646
To obtain information about your rights and procedures, ask a question about your file, report a change of situation or consult your refunds.
By telephone
3646
Open from Monday to Friday.
Caution : schedules vary according to your department.
As a general rule, opening hours are at least from 8:30am to 4:30pm.
Free service + call price, from a fixed or mobile phone.
From Mayotte, dial 02 69 61 91 91:
- Monday to Thursday from 7:30 am to 2:30 pm
- Friday from 7:30 am to 12 pm
From the foreigner: +33 1 84 90 36 46 (toll free + call price).
To facilitate responses, remember to bring your Vitale card before contacting Health Insurance.
By email and chat
Log in to your Ameli account : click on "My steps" and then "consult my exchange space".
You can also use ameliBOT. This chatbot can help you send an email. He can put you in touch with your health insurance fund.
Indeed, if at the end of 2 requests, ameliBOT does not provide you with a satisfactory answer, you can contact a health insurance advisor via the exchange area of the Ameli account.
FYI
You can also order it from the Ameli Account smartphone app, available on the App Store and Google Play.
Agricultural arrangements
You can apply online on the MSA website.
The MSA offers a instructions for use.
The request can also be made on site by going to the counter.
The EHIC is valid Maximum 2 years from its date of publication.
The period of validity of the card may not, however, exceed the duration of the rights of the person concerned to sickness insurance.
Renewal can be done from the expiry date on the card.
It can also be done 2 months before the end of validity of your card if the period of validity of your EHIC does not cover the whole of your stay.
FYI
In the event of loss or theft, you have the option to report this to your Ameli account. Waiting for a new card, a provisional replacement certificate of the EHIC, issued for a limited period of validity, may then be used under the same conditions as the EHIC.
The application for renewal shall be made to the body which issued the 1er map:
- By email (online)
- By telephone
- At the counter.
The process will depend on your diet.
Répondez aux questions successives et les réponses s’afficheront automatiquement
General scheme (including self-employed persons)
You can ask for your card on the Ameli website.
Request a European Health Insurance Card (EHIC)
You can also make the request by phone.
Who shall I contact
Health insurance - 3646
To obtain information about your rights and procedures, ask a question about your file, report a change of situation or consult your refunds.
By telephone
3646
Open from Monday to Friday.
Caution : schedules vary according to your department.
As a general rule, opening hours are at least from 8:30am to 4:30pm.
Free service + call price, from a fixed or mobile phone.
From Mayotte, dial 02 69 61 91 91:
- Monday to Thursday from 7:30 am to 2:30 pm
- Friday from 7:30 am to 12 pm
From the foreigner: +33 1 84 90 36 46 (toll free + call price).
To facilitate responses, remember to bring your Vitale card before contacting Health Insurance.
By email and chat
Log in to your Ameli account : click on "My steps" and then "consult my exchange space".
You can also use ameliBOT. This chatbot can help you send an email. He can put you in touch with your health insurance fund.
Indeed, if at the end of 2 requests, ameliBOT does not provide you with a satisfactory answer, you can contact a health insurance advisor via the exchange area of the Ameli account.
The request can also be made on site at the counter.
Who shall I contact
Agricultural arrangements
You can make the request on the MSA website.
The request can also be made at the on-site counter.
Who can help me?
Find who can answer your questions in your region
Center for European and International Social Security Liaison (Cleiss)
General information on social security abroad and assistance with individual applications
By telephone
+33 (0) 1 45 26 33 41
Hotline:
- Monday from 9 am to 12:30 pm
- Tuesday from 1.30pm to 4.30pm
- Wednesday from 9 am to 12:30 pm
- Thursday from 1:30pm to 4:30pm
- Friday from 1:30pm to 4:30pm
By E-mail
Access to contact form
By mail
Center for European and International Social Security Liaison
44 Armand Carrel Street
93100 Montreuil
Care provided outside of France
Online service
Online service
Online service
Central Fund of Agricultural Social Mutual Society (MSA)
Center for European and International Social Security Liaison (Cleiss)