EHIC / GHIC Reminder

[Dorset Diver]

Whoops. Just beginning to prepare for a trip into Europe. By pure accident looked at our EHIC's and found mine expired about six weeks ago. I thought I had set a Google calendar reminder, but perhaps not. Reapplied yesterday and fingers crossed that the new GHIC will appear soon.

 

[nicholsong]

Whoops. Just beginning to prepare for a trip into Europe. By pure accident looked at our EHIC's and found mine expired about six weeks ago. I thought I had set a Google calendar reminder, but perhaps not. Reapplied yesterday and fingers crossed that the new GHIC will appear soon.

Your post just prompted me to check mine - still just over 2 years to go.

Although a Polish Resident I am still on a UK EHIC because, being under the S1 scheme, even any Polish healthcare can be billed back to UK. Not sure if they bother - must ask my Dr. when she is next round for dinner whether she knows, from having to submit anything different.

 

[Lenny HB]

It's not a problem I did the same about 18 months ago, the card didn't arrive before we went it took about 4 weeks.
If you do need treatment and you haven't got your card you can go online to get a temporary form. You can't do it beforehand only once you are being treated, just make sure you have your National Insurance & NHS numbers with you.

 

[MichaelT]

Unfortunately currently having to use mine in Spain, runs out next year so will renew in January when due.

 

[nicholsong]

Does anyone know how far ahead one can renew?

Especially important doing it from Poland as Polish post is slow both ways.

 

[MichaelT]

Can I get a replacement UK Global Health Insurance Card (UK GHIC) or UK European Health Insurance Card (UK EHIC)? · Customer Self-Service

Applying for healthcare cover abroad (GHIC and EHIC)

Find out if you're eligible to apply for a new UK EHIC or UK Global Health Insurance Card (GHIC).

www.nhs.uk

 

[maz]

Does anyone know how far ahead one can renew?

Especially important doing it from Poland as Polish post is slow both ways.

All I can say is allow as much time as you possibly can, which is 6 months before expiry. The system may be quite straightforward if you are in the UK, but David applied from here in Slovenia to renew his on 11 Feb and is still waiting for it! Apparently in that time they have issued 2 GHIC cards, but neither have arrived - and the Slovenian postal system is actually pretty good. Some of the delay was down to needing to provide the exact proof of registration in the Slovenian health system that was required by the NHS, but most of it is down to the fact that they take 15 working days (3 whole weeks!) to reply to any emails that you send them. Incidentally, tomorrow is the 15th working day since David's latest email to them, requesting that this time they send the card by trackable mail.

 

[carolyn]

Just a thought but you could of course ”lose” your EHIC card. Apply for your GHIC card, you get an email as proof you’ve applied. Obviously if taken ill whilst waiting for new card you could try your luck with your “lost” EHIC that you’ve suddenly found. If that doesn’t work then you’d have to phone as per Lenny HB .

I had my purse stollen last year in Italy, I applied online for a GHIC card and the email arrived the same day. The new card was waiting when we got home. Must admit I applied for Nick’s as well to save confusion re renewal dates.

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[Dorset Diver]

It's not a problem I did the same about 18 months ago, the card didn't arrive before we went it took about 4 weeks.
If you do need treatment and you haven't got your card you can go online to get a temporary form. You can't do it beforehand only once you are being treated, just make sure you have your National Insurance & NHS numbers with you.

A good tip thanks Lenny.

 

[Dorset Diver]

Just a thought but you could of course ”lose” your EHIC card. Apply for your GHIC card, you get an email as proof you’ve applied. Obviously if taken ill whilst waiting for new card you could try your luck with your “lost” EHIC that you’ve suddenly found. If that doesn’t work then you’d have to phone as per Lenny HB .

I had my purse stollen last year in Italy, I applied online for a GHIC card and the email arrived the same day. The new card was waiting when we got home. Must admit I applied for Nick’s as well to save confusion re renewal dates.

I also applied for Lesley this time although is still valid for a while yet. I have the email that arrived almost instantly.

 

[Lenny HB]

Can I get a replacement UK Global Health Insurance Card (UK GHIC) or UK European Health Insurance Card (UK EHIC)? · Customer Self-Service

Applying for healthcare cover abroad (GHIC and EHIC)

Find out if you're eligible to apply for a new UK EHIC or UK Global Health Insurance Card (GHIC).

www.nhs.uk

The UK EHIC is for Ex pats you need the GHIC one.

 

[EuroTrotters]

Does anyone know how far ahead one can renew?

Especially important doing it from Poland as Polish post is slow both ways.

A Spanish friend told us GHIC are preferred. We lost our EHIC's Hic

 

[bobandjanie]

The UK EHIC is for Ex pats you need the GHIC one.

Yes us that chose to live overseas are entitled to the EHIC card, but only once your entitled to the S1 so when your an old age pensioner, because when we moved to Spain we lost all healthcare from the UK, and you have to get private healthcare, but once I turned 66 and started drawing pension that was all replaced, I decided to stop paying private this month and let the UK have the privilege, because since 65 it has been going up at an alarming rate, so its better to stop now than wait for 70 and another big leap. Bob.

 

[mondo]

Just checked mine..way out of date...just reapplied for one

 

[nicholsong]

Yes us that chose to live overseas are entitled to the EHIC card, but only once your entitled to the S1 so when your an old age pensioner, because when we moved to Spain we lost all healthcare from the UK, and you have to get private healthcare, but once I turned 66 and started drawing pension that was all replaced, I decided to stop paying private this month and let the UK have the privilege, because since 65 it has been going up at an alarming rate, so its better to stop now than wait for 70 and another big leap. Bob.

Bob, I am not sure when you got your entitlement at age 66 to have an S1 form.

Was it within the Withdrawal Agreement qualifying period?

Did you get registered for medical insurance under the Spanish system?

As I understand if one did not apply within the Withdrawal Agreement one was not entitled to get registered under the host country system.

Maybe it was different from one country to another.

I did get my S1 in Poland within the Withdrawal Agreement and am registered for full healthcare under the Polish system, which the Polish government are entitled to charge back to the NHS.

 

[Northernraider]

I just recieved my new one the other day. I applied last July as mine expired in November but never recieved it. Reapplied a few weeks ago and just got it.

Proffered the old colours though. Don't like the big Union flag ..was that boris's idea

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[cyberyacht]

Our EHICs are good to October 25, so a couple more seasons life left in them yet. Haven't needed them since my OH had an infected cyst about 10 years back when we had our place in Spain.

 

[Lenny HB]

Must admit I applied for Nick’s as well to save confusion re renewal dates.

I hope you have checked the dates on them. Our first ones I applied at the same time but one ran out 6 months before the other one, last time both the same date.

 

[carolyn]

I hope you have checked the dates on them. Our first ones I applied at the same time but one ran out 6 months before the other one, last time both the same date.

Glad you mentioned it, I’ve just looked and they expire in 2027 which is fine but is when the old EHIC cards would have expired. Same day though. I would have had a vague date of 2032 in my head. Same year now as my passport which is handy.

 

[Dorset Diver]

I had better check ours when they arrive. I'm hoping for 5 years from date of application but my EHIC had expired some six weeks ago whereas Lesley's EHIC does not do so until 02/01/2024. Surely they wouldn't be so daft as to split them.

 

[carolyn]

I had better check ours when they arrive. I'm hoping for 5 years from date of application but my EHIC had expired some six weeks ago whereas Lesley's EHIC does not do so until 02/01/2024. Surely they wouldn't be so daft as to split them.

Yes, it would have been my fault entirely. For some reason I had it in my head they lasted 10 years like Passports. Obviously didn’t read it properly when I was applying in a rush when I had my purse stollen. I also applied for a new drivers licence so that I’d have the email in case we were stopped whilst overseas. Found the original licence in my “English purse” the next day. What a Wally.

 

[Dorset Diver]

Ours arrived today as we collected it from the Royal Mail sorting office. If the service was working as it should we would have received them almost by return of post but our mail is only being delivered about once every two to three weeks. Our wonderful MP has received no end of complaints and does sweet nothing.

 

[maz]

All I can say is allow as much time as you possibly can, which is 6 months before expiry. The system may be quite straightforward if you are in the UK, but David applied from here in Slovenia to renew his on 11 Feb and is still waiting for it! Apparently in that time they have issued 2 GHIC cards, but neither have arrived - and the Slovenian postal system is actually pretty good. Some of the delay was down to needing to provide the exact proof of registration in the Slovenian health system that was required by the NHS, but most of it is down to the fact that they take 15 working days (3 whole weeks!) to reply to any emails that you send them. Incidentally, tomorrow is the 15th working day since David's latest email to them, requesting that this time they send the card by trackable mail.

Update

David is still waiting for his GHIC - over 8 months from his original application!

They have now allegedly sent out 3 GHICs but refuse to use trackable mail so don't have any proof of this. No other mail between UK and here has gone missing in transit.

David is now at the Formal Complaint (stage 1) phase, having already raised an Informal Complaint that achieved nothing. Even at Formal Complaint (stage 1) level he just gets standard replies saying they will send out yet another GHIC. No attempt to address the points raised in his complaint, so he now has to wait for yet another 15 working days to see if this fourth GHIC arrives. He is not holding his breath.

 

[gus-lopez]

Can you not get it sent to z UK address and get them to send it on?

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[maz]

Can you not get it sent to z UK address and get them to send it on?

We probably could - but why should we have to? There is a problem with their system that they are not addressing.

My GHIC expires in 2025 so I will be going through this same nonsense then unless they get it sorted.

 

[maz]

Update

David is still waiting for his GHIC - over 8 months from his original application!

They have now allegedly sent out 3 GHICs but refuse to use trackable mail so don't have any proof of this. No other mail between UK and here has gone missing in transit.

David is now at the Formal Complaint (stage 1) phase, having already raised an Informal Complaint that achieved nothing. Even at Formal Complaint (stage 1) level he just gets standard replies saying they will send out yet another GHIC. No attempt to address the points raised in his complaint, so he now has to wait for yet another 15 working days to see if this fourth GHIC arrives. He is not holding his breath.

Update update

David's fourth (yes, fourth!) GHIC also failed to arrive. This didn't exactly surprise us but David had had enough and fired off a barrage of complaint emails to anyone he could find in the system. The initial outcome of this was the usual standard reply that another (fifth!) GHIC would now be issued. David (somewhat enraged) promptly complained yet again and eventually got a personal reply from a member of the 'Customer Resolution Team'. This fifth GHIC would be sent direct from the manufacturer of the cards, Thames Technology, via DHL.

Today the long-awaited card has finally arrived - more than 9 months after his original application. Hooray! BUT the expiry date on the card is 11 Feb 2028 - 11 Feb being the date of his original application. So it is actually only valid for four-and-a-bit years instead of the full five years.

My GHIC expires in 2025 - really looking forward to the renewal process ......