What your EHIC or GHIC covers in Spain and how to use

Key rules

• Temporary stays only: The card is for visitors and does not work as health cover if you live in Spain.
• Public providers: The card is valid only at public providers or private ones working under contract with the public system.
• Same terms as locals: You pay the same copayments as people insured in Spain, and Spain does not refund them.
• Not covered: Planned treatment, private care and repatriation are not covered.

What the card covers

Your card covers medically necessary care at public Spanish providers during a temporary stay. You are treated on the same terms as people insured in Spain, so you do not have to go home for treatment. "Necessary" means care that cannot reasonably wait until you return.

The card is for visitors. It is not for people who live in Spain. If you are moving here, you need another route into the health system.

What it does not cover

• Private care.
• Planned treatment, where you travel to Spain to be treated.
• Repatriation, meaning the cost of getting you home.

Travel insurance may cover some of these. Check your policy before you travel.

How to use it

1. Go to a public health centre (centro de salud) or a public hospital.
2. Show your card and your passport or ID.
3. Ask for treatment under the public system.

Ask any clinic whether it belongs to the public network before you are treated. Some private clinics work under contract with the public system, and the card is valid there.

What you may still pay

You pay whatever Spanish insured people pay, so copayments apply. There is no charge for consultations. Prescription medicines are co-paid at the pharmacy counter. The usual share is 40% of the price for working people and 10% for pensioners. Pensioners have a monthly cap, and higher incomes pay 60%. Spain does not refund these amounts. Other charges, such as non-urgent transport, may also apply.

If you go to a private clinic

At an ordinary private clinic you pay in full. Spain does not normally reimburse this. A claim is possible only if the public service sent you there, and it is decided case by case. Keep every receipt and report.

UK cardholders

A UK GHIC works only while the UK-EU arrangements in force allow it. Check your card's status before you travel.

The questions below cover prescriptions, private clinics and other charges.

Frequently asked questions

Do I pay for prescriptions with an EHIC or GHIC in Spain?

Yes, you pay the same prescription copayment as Spanish insured people, usually at the pharmacy counter. For active workers this is generally 40% of the price, and for pensioners 10% with a monthly cap. Spain does not reimburse these amounts, and consultations themselves carry no charge.

What happens if I go to a private clinic with my EHIC or GHIC?

You pay the full cost, because the card is not valid at an ordinary private clinic. Spain does not normally reimburse it, unless the public service sent you there. Ask the clinic before treatment whether it works under contract with the public system, and check whether your travel insurance covers private care.

Can other charges apply when I use my card for care in Spain?

Yes, other charges such as non-urgent transport may apply, because you are treated on the same terms as locals. The card also does not cover planned treatment or repatriation. Travel insurance can help with those costs.