Dear Friends,

Our EHIC cards are out of date, we are planning to visit France next month.
Can we renew them in England through the NHS site in line or do we have to have an address in England?

Thank you all!!!!!
Tortis

As access to NHS services is residence based then you will need to show you have a residence in the UK. Besides, where would they send the card to?

You cannot obtain one without a valid uk address. You dont actually need to hold them in theory, once you have applied online you are covered. The relevant dept can supply a certificate proving it to a hospital in the eu if required - in theory - dont know if it works in practice.

BUT

There are penalties that are quite severe for abusing the system, my guess is that like insurance they dont check if they arent used, but if you do claim fraudulently the country you are in or who supplied the card can apply penalties and of course bill you for treatment.

If you are an expat living in the EU on state pension you are entitled to an EHIC issued by the UK. See this link and look at the section who can apply it gives you all the information how to get one. http:// http://www.nhs.uk/NHSEngland...-the-ehic.aspx

Thank you all!!!!!!

Nb the link doesnt work but you can get there in the nhs website -

If you live in Europe

If you live in another EEA country or Switzerland, you will be entitled to a UK-issued EHIC if one of the following applies to you:
you receive a UK State Pension or exportable UK benefit and have a UK-issued S1 form (certificate of entitlement) registered in your country of residence
you are a worker posted to work in another EEA country or Switzerland by your UK employer, or a frontier worker living in the EEA and working in the UK
you are a family member of a posted worker or of someone working in the UK and you are not covered in your own right by the EEA country you reside in
you are a student going to another EEA country or Switzerland to study
You cannot apply online for a UK-issued EHIC. Instead, you’ll need to request an EHIC-E application form with the Overseas Healthcare Team. Simply call 0191 218 1999 from the UK or 0044 (0)191 218 1999 from abroad, (Monday to Friday 8am to 5pm).
For more detailed information, see the Moving abroad section or phone the EHIC enquiry line on 0300 330 1350.
If you are not eligible for a UK-issued EHIC, you should see if you are eligible for an EHIC in the country you are currently living in.
Residents of the Channel Islands and the Isle of Man are not eligible for an EHIC.

Ie the normal online system needs a uk address for them to post the cards - but theres another option for you. I'll bet so ling as you apply you are covered - so long as you meet the rules.

We are british and we only want to renew them!!!!

Sorry about that link I know you got there but I will try the link again in case anyone needs it

Apply for a free EHIC card - Healthcare abroad - NHS Choices

As a pensioner living in Spain if you have your Spanish address registered with the overseas office of the Social Security they will post the card to your Spanish address. Obviously if you are a permanent resident in Spain and a pensioner you will need to apply through the Spanish system

Thank you bbd22, that site is super interesting and I think it can help us!!!!

I just applied online on Sunday for a replacement of an EHIC card that I have lost. Within 24 hours I was told that than an updated card would be posted to me in a period of 7 to 10 days.

I wonder if the EHIC is one of the things that our masters in Whitehall will negotiate over. Will we still get them after this bumbling Brexit ?

That is good news scot47. Did you gave your address in Spain or one in GB?

I do suspect the ehic is dead [in the uk], the eu has already announced its impending death to occur on brexit day, and the cost to the uk is hugely more than it gets in, stories of abuse are rife - like the eastern european woman who visited the uk for a day to see her son, applied in the uk, went back, was sent the card by her son and used it for years in her own country, free health insurance for her... Just google ehic abuse to read the lurid and clearly politically motivated � ���� stories.

However there is news that the uk will foot the bill for holidaymakers? Why do i feel this wont be the same?

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2017...brexit-stance/

The UK governments current positon is for the EHIC to continue post Brexit but if not allowed by EU? Then the UK government will fund it by means of reciprocal agreements? who knows as like everything Brexit wait and see