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Overseas Visitors from EEA, EU & non EEA/EU Countries

The NHS is a residency-based system. As a result, the NHS is not free to use for everyone.

If you believe these regulations may apply to you, or you are unsure whether they do, please notify a member of staff or contact the Overseas Visitors Team at whcnhs.contractsteam@nhs.net for further advice.

Service hours:  8.30am to 5.00pm

Location:  2 Kings Court, Kings Court Business Park, Charles Hastings Way, Worcester, WR5 1JR

Team members: Phil Elias, Kelly Attwood

Visitors from Inside the European Economic Area

If you are a visitor from inside the European Economic Area (EEA) you will be asked to show your European Health Insurance Card (EHIC) or proof of travel insurance.

You will be expected to have obtained your EHIC from your country of residence prior to entering the UK

If you are entitled to one, but haven't brought it with you, you will need to obtain a Provisional Replacement Certificate.  For help with this please contact us via the details above. 

To find out how to apply for a EHIC card from your country of residence, please go to www.ehic.europa.eu.

An EHIC covers all immediate and clinically necessary treatment during your visit until you return home.

If you are unable to provide an EHIC you may be charged for the healthcare you receive.

If you have lost your EHIC, please vist the European Commission website. Choose your country of origin and click on 'Loss of Card' on the left hand side

EU Health Insurance Card

Visitors from Outside the European Economic Area

Visitors from outside of the EEA, visiting the UK for 6 months or less, must pay for treatment unless exemption applies (details available from the Overseas Visitor Management Team).

If your visa allows you to stay in the UK for longer than six months, and you have paid the Health Surcharge, you will be entitled to access treatment on a similar basis as someone who is ordinarily resident here. Please be prepared to show evidence that you have paid the surcharge e.g. visa stamp on passport.

Pre-Attendance Form

On arrival for your appointment, you may be asked to fill in a Pre-Attendance Form which will enable us to verify your eligibility to free NHS care.

Documents which we may ask you to provide include:

  • Passport
  • UK Biometric Residence Permit or Visa
  • National ID card
  • Photo driving licence.

For proof of residency:

  • Water, Gas, Electricity or Telephone bill
  • Tenancy agreement
  • Council Tax bill
  • Bank/building society statement
  • Payslip
  • P60
  • Statement from HMRC or DWP

Please make sure these documents are less than 3 months old.

Should you be unable to provide this information you may be liable to pay for any appropriate charges for the treatment you receive.

The Pre-attendance Forms are available to download below in English, and other languages:

 

Further Information

More information on Overseas Visitors is available below:

Patient Leaflet

What NHS CHARGES will I have to pay? leaflet

You can download the Trust’s patient leaflet by 

Guidance on overseas visitor's regulations.

Visa and immigration information

Vulnerable individuals’: Useful links

Certain groups;

  • Asylum Seekers and others seeking refuge
  • Refugees
  • Female Genital Mutilation (FGM)
  • Victims of Domestic and Sexual Violence
  • Victims, and suspected victims, of modern slavery
  • Victims of Torture

may be particularly vulnerable but may also be chargeable. As a result of their vulnerability, they may need extra support through the charging process. Find out more about the support available - the leaflet contains some useful links regarding this support. If you require additional support, please contact the Contracts Team. 

S1 Poster

The Form 'S1' (formerly E106/E121) is a certificate of entitlement to health care in another EEA country, provided via the social security authority in the patients home country. Find out more in the S1 Poster.

S2 Poster

The S2 route may entitle patients to NHS-funded treatment in another European Economic Area (EEA) country or Switzerland. However, there are certain qualifying criteria that need to be met. Find out more in the S2 poster.

European Economic Area (EEA) Map

The European Economic Area (EEA) is the area in which the Agreement on the EEA provides for the free movement of persons, goods, services and capital within the European Single Market, including the freedom to choose residence in any country within this area. View a map of the EEA.

The EEA is made up of the following countries:

Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia, Republic of Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, United Kingdom.

European Health Insurance Card (EHIC)

A valid European Health Insurance Card gives you the right to access state-provided healthcare during a temporary stay in another European Economic Area (EEA) country or Switzerland. More information can be found on the European Commission website.

Provisional Replacement Certificate (PRC)

A Provisional Replacement Certificate (PRC) provides the same access to free healthcare as a European Health Insurance Card (EHIC).

If you require a PRC, please contact the Overseas Visitors Team via the contact details above. 

Ways in which people can be lawfully resident in the UK

Find out ways in which people can be lawfully resident in the UK [download link].

Permanent Residents in the UK

If you are a Non-EEA National and have indefinite leave to remain in the UK and are living in the UK on a lawfully settled basis then you should be prepared to provide evidence of this in order to receive free treatment e.g. passport with relevant visa.

Similarly, UK/EEA Nationals may be required to show evidence that they are living in the UK on a settled basis