EHIC card Ireland: how to apply, renew and what it covers

The European Health Insurance Card gives you access to public healthcare in any EU or EEA country and Switzerland, either free or at the same reduced rate locals pay. It is free to apply for, free to renew, and issued in Ireland by the HSE — apply at myehic.ie or through the HSE EHIC pages.

This is not the HSE. What follows is the plain-English version: who qualifies, what the card genuinely covers, why it is not a substitute for travel insurance, and the one thing that is different about applying in 2026.

Read this first: no plastic cards right now

The HSE has temporarily paused printing plastic EHIC cards. If you apply today, you get a Provisional Replacement Certificate instead, which entitles you to exactly the same healthcare abroad as the card does. It is valid for three months.

The pause followed a cyberattack on an external card-printing provider. The HSE was alerted on the evening of 26 May 2026 and stopped issuing cards the next day. Medical cards, GP visit cards, drugs payment scheme cards and long-term illness cards are affected too. HSE systems themselves were not compromised, though a small number of HSE records were accessed.

What this means for you:

Apply as normal. Your entitlement is unaffected.
Adults can also get a digital EHIC in the HSE Health App, available on the App Store and Google Play.
Carry the certificate or have the digital card on your phone when you travel. A foreign hospital cannot look you up on an Irish system.
If the certificate expires before your trip, apply again. It is free.
Queries: 0818 224 478.

No date has been given for plastic cards resuming. Check the HSE page before assuming one is in the post.

Who can get an Irish EHIC

You can apply if you live in Ireland and intend to stay for at least a year. Each family member needs their own card, including children — there is no family card.

You can also get an Irish-issued EHIC in a few less obvious situations:

You live in Northern Ireland but work in Ireland. Frontier (cross-border) workers qualify because they pay Irish social insurance, provided they return home at least once a week.
You are a student dependant of a frontier worker, aged 17 to 23, studying in the EU, EEA or Switzerland.
You receive an Irish State pension and live in another EU/EEA country or Switzerland, with an S1 form registered where you live.
You work for an Irish employer and are posted to another EU/EEA country or Switzerland, or you are the family member of a posted worker.

If you live in Ireland but are linked to another country’s social security system, you apply to that country instead.

How to apply

Online is fastest. Apply at myehic.ie. You will be asked for proof that you live in Ireland.

What you need to have ready:

Photo ID — passport or driving licence
Proof of address covering 12 months in Ireland — a household bill, or a letter from Revenue or the Department of Social Protection
Your PPS number, with verification — a recent payslip, Public Services Card, Social Welfare letter or P60

Anyone under 18 is applied for by a parent or guardian.

By post or email. Download the EHIC application form, complete it, and post it with your documents to EHIC Applications, PO Box 11745, Dublin 11, or email it to [email protected].

Timing. Cards are normally posted within about 10 working days, and the digital version appears in the HSE Health App. Apply well before you travel.

Travelling in under 10 days? Apply online and choose the ‘travelling in less than 10 days’ option. You get a digital temporary certificate, valid for three months, straight away.

Cost: nothing. There is no fee for the card, the digital temporary certificate, or renewal. Any website charging you for an EHIC is not the HSE.

Renewing your EHIC

An EHIC lasts up to four years and is not reissued automatically. When it expires, cover stops.

To renew, submit a new application online at myehic.ie — it is the same process and the same form as a first application, and it also covers replacing a lost card. Do it about a month before the expiry date so there is no gap.

There is no penalty for letting one lapse, and no cost to renewing. The only risk is discovering it at an airport.

What the EHIC covers — and what it doesn’t

The card entitles you to the same public healthcare a resident of that country gets. In several EU states residents pay a share of the cost of treatment, and so will you. That share is not refundable.

Covered	Not covered
Free or reduced-cost public healthcare in the EU and EEA	Private healthcare
A temporary stay of up to 3 months	The cost of flying you home
Pre-existing medical conditions	Ongoing or permanent healthcare
Routine maternity care, if you did not travel to give birth	Treatment that was the reason you travelled

Students studying abroad are covered for up to an academic year.

Where it works

Any EU country, plus Iceland, Norway and Liechtenstein (the EEA), plus Switzerland. It is not accepted in Andorra or Monaco, despite both being surrounded by EU territory, and not anywhere outside the EU/EEA. For those trips you need private insurance.

The UK after Brexit

If you are an Irish citizen, you do not need an EHIC to get healthcare in the UK. Access is provided under the Common Travel Area arrangement between Ireland and the UK, which survived Brexit intact and covers Irish citizens visiting Britain and Northern Ireland.

If you live in Ireland but are a citizen of another EU country, keep using your EHIC — it is still accepted in the UK.

The GHIC (Global Health Insurance Card) is the UK’s own replacement for the EHIC, issued to UK residents by the NHS. If you live in Ireland, it is not the card for you and you cannot apply for one. It only becomes relevant if you move to the UK.

EHIC or travel insurance?

Both, if the trip matters. They cover different things and neither replaces the other.

The EHIC covers medically necessary state healthcare while you are abroad. It does not cover repatriation, which is the single largest bill in a serious incident — flying a patient home on a medical flight runs into tens of thousands of euro. It does not cover private hospitals, which is where an ambulance may take you in a resort area. And it does nothing for cancellation, lost baggage, missed connections or winter sports.

Travel insurance covers those, but many policies expect you to hold an EHIC and will reduce or refuse a medical claim if you did not use it. Carrying the card can also mean your insurer waives the excess.

The practical position: the EHIC is free and takes ten minutes, so there is no argument for not having one. Treat it as the floor, not the ceiling.

If you paid for treatment abroad

You may be able to claim back what you spent if you were charged because you did not have your EHIC with you, or because the provider charged you in error.

Email your receipts to [email protected], or to [email protected] if you live in Dublin, Wicklow or Kildare. The HSE sends an E126 form to the health authorities in the country you were treated in to confirm whether you used a public service and how much is due. You will not get back the share of costs that local residents also pay, and you will not get back private healthcare costs.

Frequently asked questions

How do I apply for an EHIC in Ireland?

Apply free online at myehic.ie, with photo ID, proof of 12 months’ address in Ireland, and your PPS number with verification. Or post the HSE application form to EHIC Applications, PO Box 11745, Dublin 11, or email it to [email protected].

How much does an EHIC cost?

Nothing. The card, the digital temporary certificate and renewal are all free. Sites charging a fee to process an EHIC application are not official.

How long does an EHIC take to arrive?

Normally about 10 working days by post, with the digital version appearing in the HSE Health App. If you are travelling within 10 days, apply online and select the ‘travelling in less than 10 days’ option for an immediate digital certificate valid for three months.

How long is an EHIC valid?

Up to four years. It is not renewed automatically — you have to submit a new application online before it expires.

Why did I get a certificate instead of a card?

The HSE paused printing plastic EHIC cards after a cyberattack on an external card-printing provider in May 2026. A Provisional Replacement Certificate gives you exactly the same entitlement abroad and is valid for three months. Adults can also use the digital EHIC in the HSE Health App.

Does the EHIC work in the UK?

Irish citizens do not need it — healthcare access in the UK is covered by the Common Travel Area. Other EU citizens living in Ireland can still use an EHIC in the UK, where it remains accepted. The UK’s own GHIC is for UK residents only.

Does an EHIC replace travel insurance?

No. It covers medically necessary public healthcare in the EU/EEA and Switzerland. It does not cover repatriation, private treatment, cancellation or lost luggage. Most insurers expect you to hold one and may reduce a claim if you did not use it.

Does the EHIC cover pre-existing conditions?

Yes, for medically necessary treatment during a temporary stay. It does not cover ongoing or permanent care, or treatment that was your reason for travelling in the first place.

Do children need their own EHIC?

Yes. Every family member needs an individual card, applied for by a parent or guardian if they are under 18.