Before you go
The two things you cannot get later are your records and enough medication to bridge the move. Everything else can be sorted on arrival; those two cannot.
- Request your medical record from your current practice — free, and usually within a month.
- Ask your prescriber for supply to cover the move plus a new-patient appointment abroad.
- Write your medicines list using generic names, not brands.
- Photograph or scan vaccination records, allergy notes and recent results.
How entitlement is decided
Almost nowhere decides healthcare by nationality. The usual tests are ordinary residence, formal registration with the local authority, or social insurance contributions through work.
| Route | What it usually means | Typical trigger |
|---|---|---|
| Residence-based | Care once you are ordinarily resident | Address and intention to stay |
| Contribution-based | Care once you pay social insurance | Starting employment |
| Registration-based | Care once enrolled with a local authority or fund | Local registration number |
| Insurance-mandated | You must hold private or statutory insurance | Residence permit condition |
Your first month
Register with a doctor before you need one. It is a twenty-minute job when you are well and a bad day when you are not.
Moving to the UK or Ireland? Start with registering with a GP and the Irish cost guide, which set out what you pay and what you are entitled to from day one.
The insurance gap
The uncovered window
Between landing and being enrolled locally, most people have no cover at all. An EHIC or GHIC does not fill it — those are for temporary stays. Buy short-term expatriate or travel cover for the first months and let it lapse once you are in the system.
Medicines and repeat prescriptions
A prescription written at home is generally not dispensable abroad. Book a new-patient appointment early, take your generic medicines list, and expect the local doctor to want to reassess long-term treatment rather than simply continue it.
Carry a letter, not just a box
A short letter from your prescriber stating the diagnosis, drug, dose and why you take it does far more at a border or a new clinic than a half-empty packet.
Your first year
Entitlement usually improves as your paperwork settles. Once you have residency, a tax number or a contributions record, re-check what you qualify for — screening programmes, subsidised prescriptions, dental and optical schemes are all commonly tied to those milestones.
Common questions
Does my EHIC cover me if I move abroad permanently?
No. An EHIC or GHIC covers medically necessary treatment during a temporary stay. Once you move somewhere as a resident, you are expected to join that country's system instead. Using an EHIC as long-term cover leaves you exposed.
How soon can I register with a doctor after moving?
In most countries, as soon as you have an address. In the UK you can register with an NHS practice immediately and are not required to show proof of address or immigration status. In Ireland you can attend a private GP straight away and apply separately for a medical card or GP visit card.
Can I keep using my old country's doctor online?
Only for general guidance. Prescribing is tied to the jurisdiction the doctor is registered in, so a doctor at home usually cannot legally prescribe for you once you are resident elsewhere.
Do I need private health insurance abroad?
It depends on the system and your status. Some countries require proof of cover for a residence permit; others give access once you register or start paying social insurance. Either way you almost always need something to cover the period between arriving and being enrolled.
What medical documents should I take with me?
A one-page summary of diagnoses, current medicines in generic names with doses, allergies, past surgery, implanted devices and vaccination dates, plus recent test results and your previous practice's contact details.
Where these figures come from
- Citizens Information — Moving abroad
- NHS — Moving abroad
- Your Europe — Healthcare when moving within the EU
Charges and thresholds change. We check these figures regularly, but always confirm the current rate with the official source before you rely on it. This page explains entitlements, costs and process — it is not medical advice.
Take your health history with you
Viscacare keeps your records, medicines and family health details in one place, so a first appointment in a new country starts with the full picture instead of a blank page.
Related guides
Continuity of care Ireland ↔ UK
What transfers when you move: records, registration, prescriptions and entitlements.
Read moreYour health records, wherever you are
What to carry, what a doctor actually needs, and how to keep it current.
Read moreRetiring abroad: healthcare and costs
S1 forms, pensioner cover in the EU, and what long-term care really costs.
Read moreRegister with a GP
What a practice can and cannot ask for, and what to do if you are refused.
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