E111 Form (Official Online PDF download)

The E111 Form

***The E111 has now been replaced by the EU EHIC card***

The EHIC is the European Health Insurance Card. You can apply free and online on the NHS dedicated website and receive one within days.
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and how to apply

Crown copyright material is reproduced with the permission of the Controller of HMSO and the Queen's Printer for Scotland

Applying for an E111 form

E111 forms can be downloaded here, or obtained in hard copy at any UK post office.

The E111 is the certificate that entitles you to treatment that becomes necessary during your visit to the EEA or Switzerland. Some people entitled to an E111 are not covered in all countries.

The country-by-country checklist also tells you what health costs the E111 will cover. Note that FormE111 is not needed in all countries.

Note: the European Health Insurance Card will replace the E111 in 2005. If you tick the appropriate box on the E111 application form you do not need to apply separately for this, as the details that you have provided will be used to issue you with one automatically later in the year, prior to the expiry of your E111.

Am I entitled?

Please make sure you have read the page 'Getting treatment in EEA countries and Switzerland: Form E111', which tells you whether you are entitled to Form E111.

What is the E111 form?

Online

Downloaded forms will need to be completed in black ink and taken to the Post Office for approval. If you are applying for more than six dependants you will need to print off another CM1 form and fill their details in on that form. You will also need to print off an equal number of E111s.

Please print the E111 and the accompanying CM1 form on white quality paper; any other colour will not be accepted by the Post Office. When you have filled in both forms, take them to a main post office to be stamped and signed. Once authorised it is the responsibility of the applicant to ensure the contents of the application are kept together.

Help note on downloading form E111

1. Right click on the link,
2. Select Save Target As..,
3. Save the document on your computer,
4. Double click on the file you have just saved on your computer

Download

• Download application form for an E111 (CM1), with instructions (PDF, 126K)
• Download E111 form, with instructions (PDF, 56K)

At the Post Office

Alternatively, go to any main post office or travel agent and ask for a leaflet "Health Advice for Travellers". Fill in an application form at the back of the leaflet, and the form E111 as well, in accordance with the instructions in the leaflet. The Form E111 will be provided separately by the Post Office. Hand over the completed forms at the post office where the form E111 will be stamped and signed and returned to you. The E111 is free; you will not have to pay for its issue. Keep it safe, preferably with your passport, and carry it with you when travelling within the EEA.

REMEMBER, YOU MUST GET THE E111 STAMPED AND SIGNED BY THE POST OFFICE OR YOU WILL NOT BE ABLE TO USE IT.

If you are going on holiday and plan to live abroad afterwards fill in the application form and send it ( with full details of your circumstances) to:

How to fill in an E111

If you are only visiting and do not plan to reside permanently abroad fill in the E111 in CAPITALS using these instructions:

In the section headed "Information concerning the beneficiary" -

• Part 1. Enter your surname
• Part 2. Enter your forenames
• Part 3. Enter your date of birth in the following format: dd/mm/yyyy
• Part 4. Enter your NHS or National Insurance number.

You do not need to enter anything in any other box.

Important information

If you are a student or are working temporarily in another EEA country or Switzerland, please refer to the information in the relevant section on the page at the link below.

Keep your E111 (and a photocopy) in a safe place, for example with your passport.

If you change your address, you should obtain a new E111.

You will need to apply for a new E111 if you use it to obtain treatment and it is not given back to you, or if you mislay it.

• Studying, working and living in another EEA country or Switzerland

Know-Insurance E111 Summary

If you're travelling within the European Union, you'll need a completed E111 form - it entitles you to reduced or free emergency medical care.

A new version of the form has been issued and will be valid until December 2005 after which the UK will be adopting the European health insurance card.

The main difference between the original and the updated form is that the updated form is issued on an individual - as opposed to a family - basis.

Who will be covered on E111?

Form E111 covers you, your spouse and your dependant children up to the age of 16, or 19 if they are still in full time education. It will also cover an unmarried partner if you have children together.

When your children pass these ages they can get an E111 in their own right and you should apply for another form without the children included.

Your children generally have to be included as dependants on your E111, but will qualify in their own right if they meet the eligibility conditions but you do not.

Foster parents can include foster children on their own E111.

CHARGES FOR TREATMENT

Each of the EEA countries has its own rules for state medical provision.

In some, treatment is free.

In some, you have to pay part of the cost.

In others, you have to pay the full cost and then claim a full or partial refund.

• E111 forms are free and can be collected from any Post Office in the UK where they must be validated prior to leaving the UK.
• Once validated the E111 remains valid indefinitely.
• Carry a photocopy of your E111 form with the original especially when visiting France, Germany, Italy, Holland and Spain where a photocopy will be required.
• In these countries the relevant authorities will hold the photocopy for admin purposes.
• Take more than 1 photocopy with you.
• If you're likely to need oxygen supplies or renal dialysis you're entitled to these facilities with an E111 as they qualify for emergency health care within the EEA countries.
• To organise these facilities make arrangements before you leave the UK.
• For renal dialysis contact your local renal unit.
• For supplies of oxygen contact the Department of Health's international branch on 0207 210 5318.
• The E111 Form is downloadable from the Post Office website on www.postoffice.co.uk

If you or any of your dependants are suddenly taken ill or have an accident during your visit to any of these countries, free or reduced-cost necessary treatment is available - in most cases on production of a valid Form E111.

Only state-provided treatment is covered, and you'll receive treatment on the same terms as 'insured' residents of the country you're visiting.

Private treatment isn't generally covered, and state-provided treatment may not cover all of the things that you'd expect to receive free of charge from the NHS.

Exclusions

The reciprocal health arrangements don't apply to you if you're a Swiss national resident in the UK and going to Iceland, Liechtenstein or Norway - or if you're a national of one of these countries resident in the UK going to Switzerland.

Nationals of Cyprus, the Czech Republic, Estonia, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Malta, Poland, the Slovak Republic and Slovenia resident in the UK and going to Switzerland aren't covered at present.

Form E111 isn't valid outside the EEA or Switzerland.

The E111 arrangements apply to stateless persons and refugees resident in the UK.

They now also generally apply to Non-EEA nationals lawfully resident in the UK.

They do NOT apply to Non-EEA nationals for visits to Denmark, Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway or Switzerland and private insurance should be obtained.

Non-EEA nationals visiting Iceland are covered for emergency treatment only under a reciprocal health care agreement between the UK and Iceland. You'll need to produce your NHS medical card to get treatment.

British Citizenship

Address any enquiries about British citizenship to:

If you're working in the UK, but paying social security contributions to another EEA country or Switzerland, you should get your E111 from the institution to which you pay your contributions.

Not all UK residents are covered in Denmark, Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway or Switzerland - the leaflet 'Health Advice for Travellers' gives more information.and is available from Post Offices or the Department of Health website.

But you'll only need to complete a single application form to get E111s for you, your spouse/partner and dependent children.

As before, the new Form E111 is available from travel agents and Post Offices, and can also be found on the Department of Health website.

Stamped at a Post Office

You must complete both the application form and Form E111 itself, and have it stamped at a Post Office.

The E111 is free - you don't have to pay for its issue.

People who don't indicate or don't have an updated E111 should seek information regarding application from either the Department of Health website or their local Post Office.

The card will be valid from date of issue and will replace the Form E111 as part of the overall EU aim to make it easier to move between countries in the EU, without changing existing rights and obligations.

It'll replace not only the Form E111 for short stays such as holidays, but also all other forms used for temporary stays, such as those currently used by employees posted to another country and students studying abroad as part of a UK course.