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If you are an EU citizen and plan to move to Greece, keep in mind that you may find a different social security system, including health insurance coverage than in your home country. The procedure you must follow depends on your case, the length of your stay and the terms of your current health insurance coverage. Before you decide, you should make sure that you understand well what applies to your case.
National healthcare systems differ greatly within Europe. EU countries are free to establish their own rules on entitlement to benefits and healthcare services. To avoid potentially serious problems and misunderstandings, find out about the Greek national health system or contact the Greek National Contact Point.
Moving to Greece for studies
If you move to Greece for your studies, research work, a work placement or vocational training, you must have comprehensive health insurance in Greece.
- If you are not employed in Greece, the European Health Insurance Card (EHIC) could be an option, if you are eligible.
- If you are employed in Greece, you will need to register with a Greek social insurance fund, in most cases EFKA.
- If you are sent for a temporary period to a university or research institution to Greece by your university or research institute of origin, then you will remain under your home healthcare scheme for the time you are posted. Before leaving, you should apply for the EHIC card or for an S1 form.
Contact your statutory health insurance service or your country’s national contact point to learn whether your healthcare costs abroad are covered throughout your stay. If covered, the administrative procedures may be simpler if you have a valid European Health Insurance Card (EHIC).
EU citizens who are affiliated with the Greek statutory health insurance system through S1 forms are expected to have an EU-AMKA (social security number for citizens with EU-statutory health insurance) and use it at the point-of-service. For information on how and where to register as an EU-AMKA holder, you may contact the Electronic National Social Security Fund (eEFKA) at the email: tm.asfikan@efka.gov.gr or EFKA-International Relations at the email: gd.international@efka.gov.gr.
Working in one EU country, living in Greece
Which country covers your social security depends on your employment status (employed, self-employed, unemployed, posted abroad, cross-border worker, etc.) and your country of residence – not your nationality. Special conditions for medical care apply to categories of insured persons. Make sure you fully understand your rights and the procedures you need to follow.
If you work in one EU country and live in Greece, you are entitled to medical treatment in both countries.
Make sure you register in the country where you work and get an S1 form from your health insurance authority. This form gives you the right to become affiliated with the national health system and get healthcare in Greece.
Based on your insurance, your family members are also entitled to medical treatment if they live in Greece.
EU citizens who are affiliated with the Greek statutory health insurance system (through S1 forms) are expected to have an EU-AMKA (social security number for citizens with EU-statutory health insurance) and use it at the point-of-service. For information on how and where to register as an EU-AMKA holder, you may contact the Electronic National Social Security Fund (eEFKA) at the email: tm.asfikan@efka.gov.gr or EFKA-International Relations at the email: gd.international@efka.gov.gr.
As a worker posted in Greece on a short assignment (less than 2 years) you can stay insured in your home country (the country from which you have been posted).
Make sure you request an S1 form from your statutory health insurance service in your home country. This will entitle you and your family to healthcare during your stay in Greece.
EU citizens who are affiliated with the Greek statutory health insurance system (through S form) are expected to have an EU-AMKA (social security number for citizens with EU-statutory health insurance) and use it at the point-of-service. For information on how and where to register as an EU-AMKA holder, you may contact the Electronic National Social Security Fund (eEFKA) at the email: tm.asfikan@efka.gov.gr or EFKA-International Relations at the email: gd.international@efka.gov.gr.
As a civil servant, seconded in Greece, you are entitled to medical treatment in Greece.
You should request an S1 form from your health insurance authority in the country where you are insured. This will entitle you and your family to healthcare during your stay in Greece where you will be residing and working.
EU citizens who are affiliated with the Greek statutory health insurance system (through S form) are expected to have an EU-AMKA (social security number for citizens with EU-statutory health insurance) and use it at the point-of-service. For information on how and where to register as an EU-AMKA holder, you may contact the Electronic National Social Security Fund (eEFKA) at the email: tm.asfikan@efka.gov.gr or EFKA-International Relations at the email: gd.international@efka.gov.gr.
If you’re receiving unemployment benefits from one EU country and decide to move to Greece to look for a job, you should get a European Health Insurance Card (EHIC) for yourself and your family members before moving to Greece
However, the EHIC will only allow you and your family to access necessary medical treatment (e.g. emergency treatment) during the period you are receiving unemployment benefits.
If you’re not insured in any EU country and decide to move to Greece to look for a job, the social security institutions will decide which system will cover you and you’ll probably need to be covered for healthcare in Greece. You may find useful information on temporary or permanent move to Greece here.
Find out more about social security cover abroad.
Moving to Greece after retirement
Healthcare in Greece where you live
- If you receive a pension from Greece: you and your family are covered by the Greek health insurance system — even if you are also receiving pensions from other countries.
- If you do not receive a pension or any other income from Greece: you and your family will receive medical treatment in Greece if you would be entitled to medical treatment in the country that pays your pension.
You should request an S1 form from your social security service in the country you are moving from.
EU citizens who are affiliated with the Greek statutory health insurance system (through S form) are expected to have an EU-AMKA (social security number for citizens with EU-statutory health insurance) and use it at the point-of-service. For information on how and where to register as an EU-AMKA holder, you may contact the Electronic National Social Security Fund (eEFKA) at the email: tm.asfikan@efka.gov.gr or EFKA-International Relations at the email: gd.international@efka.gov.gr.
Healthcare in the country where you used to work
Generally, you and your family are only fully entitled to medical treatment in Greece. However, if the country which pays your pension is one of the following, you and your family members are entitled to medical treatment both in the country which pays your pension and in Greece where you now live:
| Austria | Germany | Netherlands | Cyprus | Iceland | Spain |
| Belgium | Greece | Poland | Czechia | Liechtenstein | Sweden |
| Bulgaria | Hungary | Slovenia | France | Luxembourg | Switzerland |
If you paid contributions in a country which is not in the list above, you will only be entitled to complete healthcare coverage in Greece.
Retired cross-border workers
If your most recent job was as a cross-border worker – meaning you lived in one country but commuted to work in another – and you retired because of old age or invalidity, the following applies:
Continuation of a treatment
You can continue to receive a treatment that started in the country where you used to work even after you have retired.
This also applies to your dependents if their treatment began in:
| Austria | Greece | Netherlands | Czechia | Liechtenstein | Slovakia |
| Belgium | Hungary | Poland | Estonia | Lithuania | Slovenia |
| Bulgaria | Italy | Portugal | France | Luxembourg | Spain |
| Cyprus | Latvia | Romania | Germany | Malta | Switzerland |
To continue receiving a treatment that started in the country where you used to work, you must submit an S3 form to the health authorities in that country.
Coverage in the country where you used to work and in the country where you live
If you worked as a cross-border worker for at least 2 years during the 5 years prior to your retirement, you are entitled to healthcare both in the country where you live and in the country where you used to work.
Both you and your dependents are entitled to healthcare in the country where you previously worked if both this country and the country where you now live are in this group:
| Austria | Germany | Spain | Belgium | Luxembourg | France | Portugal |
If you travel to the country where you used to work to access medical treatment there, and the authorities in that country are no longer responsible for your healthcare costs, you must submit an S3 form to them. You can get an S3 form from the healthcare authority responsible for your healthcare cover.
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Useful information sources