Healthcare for UK nationals living in Cyprus
How to get state healthcare if you live, work or study in Cyprus.
Stay up to date
This guidance will be updated if anything changes to how you get state healthcare in Cyprus.
This information is about living in Cyprus. There’s different guidance if you’re just visiting Cyprus.
If you live in Cyprus or move there before the end of 2020, your rights to access healthcare in Cyprus will stay the same for as long as you remain resident.
This guidance explains what you need to do in Cyprus depending on your circumstances.
State healthcare in Cyprus is not free. Healthcare costs are covered by both the state and through patient contributions. These are known as co-payments.
Cyprus has a new General Healthcare System (GHS). At the moment, UK nationals usually access Cypriot healthcare in one of these ways:
- using a UK-issued European Health Insurance Card (EHIC) for temporary stays
- as a UK national working in Cyprus
- using a Cypriot residents’ medical card
- registering as UK S1 holder with the GHS
The S1 form entitles you to access to state healthcare on the same basis as an insured Cypriot citizen. You’re entitled to an S1 if you receive a UK State Pension or certain other benefits. Find out more about the S1 form.
Healthcare if you live and work in Cyprus
You must register as a Cypriot resident if you’re living or working in Cyprus for more than 3 months.
If you’re working in Cyprus, you must also register with the Cyprus Social Insurance Services and pay healthcare contributions.
Once you’re a resident, you can register with a Cypriot doctor through the General Healthcare System (GHS). You must be registered with both the GHS and a doctor to access state healthcare in Cyprus.
Once you’re registered with the GHS, you’ll be able to access state healthcare services.
You may need a referral from your doctor or a specialist for certain services.
If you’re on a low income, receive certain benefits or have an S1, you can apply for a medical card. A medical card means your co-payments will be lower or free when you access state healthcare services.
You cannot use your EHIC once you’re a resident.
If you live in Cyprus or move there before the end of 2020, your rights to access healthcare in Cyprus will stay the same from 1 January 2021 for as long as you remain resident.
This means you’ll:
- continue to get state healthcare in Cyprus on the same basis as a Cypriot resident
- still be entitled to a Cypriot EHIC for travel, including visits to the UK
You may also have the right to apply for a UK S1 if you start drawing a UK State Pension.
How to register
Create an account with the GHS. You can either register online through the GHS Beneficiary Portal, or in person with your doctor.
Once you have a GHS account you must register with a GHS-listed doctor.
How much you’ll pay
State healthcare in Cyprus is not free. You may have to pay some of the cost of any treatment or service, for example:
- 1 euro for a prescribed medicine or medical product
- 6 euros to see a specialist with a referral from your GP
- 25 euros to see a specialist without a referral from your GP
- 10 euros to go to A&E
Depending on your age, you’ll get a number of free visits with your registered GP each year. Your GP can tell you how many visits you’re entitled to.
Once you’ve used up your free GP visits, you’ll pay up to 15 euros per visit.
If you have a medical card, your co-payments are less.
If your UK employer has sent you to Cyprus temporarily (‘posted workers’)
A posted worker is someone who is employed or self-employed in the UK, but temporarily sent to another European Economic Area (EEA) country.
Currently, posted workers can use an EHIC or an S1 form to access Cypriot healthcare.
HMRC has a helpline for National Insurance enquiries from non-UK residents. They can answer questions about posted worker status and explain which documents you’ll need to get healthcare while posted.
There will be no changes to healthcare access for posted workers in Cyprus before the end of 2020.
You can continue to use your EHIC or S1 during this time.
UK-funded healthcare: using an S1 form in Cyprus
You may be entitled to Cypriot state healthcare paid for by the UK if you live in Cyprus and receive either:
- a UK State Pension
- some other ‘exportable benefits’
Not all UK benefits that can be claimed while abroad entitle you to UK-funded healthcare. Read more about claiming benefits if you move abroad or contact Jobcentre Plus to ask about a benefit.
You may also be entitled to an S1 form if you’re a posted worker or a frontier worker. You must contact HMRC National Insurance enquiries to find out if you’re eligible.
Once you have an S1 form, you must register it with the GHS.
This will mean you and your dependants will be entitled to healthcare in Cyprus on the same basis as an insured Cypriot citizen.
How to get an S1 form
If you have a UK State Pension, you must request an application form by phone from NHS Overseas Healthcare Services.
NHS Overseas Healthcare Services
Telephone: +44 (0)191 218 1999
Monday to Friday, 8am to 6pm
Saturday, 9am to 3pm
How to use an S1 form in Cyprus
You must get an S1 form, then register with the GHS. You can either register online, or through your local doctor.
Watch the video to find out how to register for Cypriot healthcare as an S1 holder.
Once registered, you will be issued with a Cypriot medical card. This will mean you’re entitled to reduced co-payments for state healthcare on the same basis as a Cypriot citizen.
Show your medical card when you visit a doctor.
UK-funded healthcare using an S1 from 1 January 2021
If you’re living in Cyprus before the end of 2020, your rights to access healthcare will stay the same from 1 January 2021 if you’re either:
- receiving a UK State Pension
- receiving some other ‘exportable benefits’
- a frontier worker (someone who works in one state and lives in another)
This means that you’ll get:
- continued access to healthcare in Cyprus using your UK-issued S1 form
- a UK-issued EHIC for travel
- planned treatments in other EU countries via the S2 route
- access to the NHS in England, Scotland and Wales when you’re visiting the UK
EHIC if you have a registered S1
You need to get a new UK-issued EHIC that’s valid for travel from 1 January 2021.
Apply now for your new EHIC on the NHS website
Please note that access to the site will be in stages - access currently for S1 holders only. Please also note that if you have not obtained your S1 from the UK Government and submitted this in Cyprus, you will be unable to apply for the EHIC.
Studying in Cyprus
If you’re in Cyprus on 31 December 2020 because you study there, and your course continues beyond 2020, you need to apply for a new UK-issued EHIC.
Your EHIC entitles you to medically necessary healthcare until the end of your study period in Cyprus.
From 1 January 2021, your EHIC will only be valid in Cyprus. Make sure you have travel insurance to cover the duration of your course.
Moving back to the UK
If you return to the UK you’ll be able to use the NHS like any other UK resident.
Read more about using the NHS when you return to live in the UK.
Last updated 9 November 2020
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