Does a GHIC cover group travel in Europe?
- Last reviewed
- 6 min read
- For universities, schools, sports teams, production crews, event organisers, corporate groups
The short answer
A UK Global Health Insurance Card (GHIC) is a personal card, not a group document. Each traveller, including every child, needs their own. It gives UK residents access to necessary state healthcare in the European Economic Area and a few other countries on the same basis as local residents, but it is not travel insurance and does not cover repatriation, private care or mountain rescue. Groups should hold a GHIC for each person and a travel insurance policy.
Key takeaways
- Every traveller needs their own GHIC, including children. It is free and lasts up to 5 years.
- The card covers necessary state healthcare in the EEA, Montenegro, Australia and a few other places, and Switzerland for certain nationalities. It does not cover the USA, Canada or other countries missing from the NHS list.
- You may still pay what a local resident would pay, such as a co-payment or a prescription charge.
- A GHIC does not cover medical repatriation, private hospitals or ski and mountain rescue, so the NHS recommends travel insurance as well.
- Collect card details well before departure: the card arrives by post within about 15 working days of approval, and a Provisional Replacement Certificate is the fallback.
Does a GHIC cover a whole group?
No. A GHIC is issued to an individual. There is no group card and no way for a school, club or company to hold one on behalf of its travellers. The NHS says every family member needs their own card, and you can add a spouse, civil partner and children to the same application. For a group of unrelated people, such as a team or a form group, each person (or their parent) applies separately.
The card is free. The NHS overseas healthcare service warns that unofficial websites may charge a fee to apply, so tell parents and travellers to use the NHS link only. A card lasts up to 5 years, and you can apply up to 9 months before the current one expires, which is useful for staff and older pupils who already hold one.
Check that each card is in date for the whole trip. An existing EHIC remains valid until its expiry date, so some travellers will hold that instead.
Which countries accept a GHIC?
The NHS lists the countries where the UK GHIC works. We checked the list on 30 October 2026, and the UK government is still negotiating to expand coverage, so check again close to departure.
| Where | Covered by a UK GHIC? | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| EEA countries (including Spain, France, Italy, Germany, Portugal and Greece) | Yes | Treatment on the same basis as local residents. |
| Switzerland | For certain nationalities and statuses only | Do not assume every traveller qualifies. |
| Montenegro | Yes | UK nationals can use their passport for emergency care. |
| Australia | Yes | Covers necessary state healthcare. |
| Jersey, Guernsey, Isle of Man, St Helena, Tristan da Cunha, Ascension | Yes | Listed by the NHS. |
| USA, Canada and other countries not on the NHS list | No | Travel insurance is the only protection. |
Groups travelling to several countries on one trip, for example a coach tour across France, Germany and Switzerland, should check each country separately.
What does a GHIC cover, and what does it not?
The GHIC covers state healthcare that cannot reasonably wait until you return to the UK. That includes emergency treatment and A&E, and treatment for long-term or pre-existing conditions. You may have to pay what a local resident would pay. GOV.UK's Spain guidance, for example, says prescriptions are not free there: you pay 50% of the price, and that charge is not refundable.
| UK GHIC | Travel insurance | |
|---|---|---|
| Cost | Free | Paid premium |
| State hospitals and doctors | Yes, on local terms | Depends on the policy |
| Private hospitals and clinics | No | Depends on the policy |
| Repatriation to the UK | No | Usually, if the policy includes it |
| Ski and mountain rescue | No | Only if the activity is covered |
| Cancellation and baggage | No | Usually included |
Who in a group might not be able to get a GHIC?
The NHS says applicants must be ordinarily and legally resident in the UK and must not have healthcare cover from an EEA country or Switzerland. That matters for mixed groups.
- International students and pupils living in the UK may qualify if they are ordinarily and legally resident. Ask each one to check the NHS eligibility rules, and do not assume.
- Overseas visitors joining a UK-led trip for a short period are unlikely to qualify. They need their own insurance and may hold a card from their home country.
- Travellers who live in the EEA or Switzerland and have healthcare cover there will generally be covered by that country's own card.
- Students on study placements may need a letter from their university or college to apply for a student card.
Because eligibility is personal, build a column for it in your passport and document register, and follow up anyone who cannot produce a card. Our passport and visa checklist shows how to set up a register.
How do you check cards for a group before departure?
- Ask for a photo or number of each traveller's card at sign-up, at least 8 weeks before departure.
- Check the expiry date against the return date. The card holder can renew up to 9 months before expiry.
- Tell anyone without a card to apply through the NHS link. Approval emails usually arrive within 24 hours and the card by post within 15 working days.
- For anyone whose card has not arrived, the NHS says you can apply for a Provisional Replacement Certificate for temporary cover.
- Record the status in your register and carry copies in the leader's pack, stored securely like passport scans.
The card is only useful if the trip leader knows where the nearest state hospital is and that the card must be shown at a state provider. Put that in the emergency plan. Our group travel emergency plan guide covers medical incidents abroad, and the guide to a group member in hospital abroad covers the next steps.
How Roamly can help
Roamly Travel builds document and health checks into group trip planning, including a column for GHIC and insurance status in the traveller register. Our free travel document checklist and emergency contacts directory are a starting point, our consulting service helps write emergency plans, and you can contact us about a specific trip.
Sources
- NHS: apply for a free UK GHIC
- GOV.UK: healthcare for UK nationals visiting Spain
- GOV.UK: foreign travel advice
General guidance only, checked against the sources above on 30 October 2026. Entry rules, airline policies and official advice change, so confirm the current position with the linked source before you travel.