Non-EU/EEA Citizens and EU/EEA Citizens Living Outside the EU/EEA

To be eligible for an EHIC, and thus enjoy access to medically necessary care when traveling or temporarily staying in 27 EU countries and Iceland, Norway, Liechtenstein and Switzerland, you need to be covered by the social security system of one of those countries.

People not residing in these countries are normally not covered and thus are not entitled to an EHIC. This is true even for EU/EEA citizens who live long enough outside of the EU/EEA.

Therefore, both non-EU/EEA citizens and EU/EEA citizens living outside the EU/EEA will normally require a private travel insurance to get access to medical care if they are planning to travel to or temporarily stay in the EU/EEA.

Example – Maria and Jose

Maria, a Colombian citizen, and Jose, a Spanish citizen, have been married and lived in Colombia for the past 4 years. They are soon planning a trip to Germany.

Maria is a non-EU/EEA citizen that has never resided or worked in any EU/EEA country and thus is not covered by any EU/EEA social security system.

Jose, though he is a Spanish citizen, has lived long enough outside of Spain and thus has lost his connection to the Spanish social security system.

Neither Maria nor Jose is entitled to EHIC, and both will then need a private travel insurance before traveling to Germany if they want their healthcare costs to be covered during their travels.

Last updated on 31 January 2025