EHIC, GHIC and the S1 Form in Portugal: What Healthcare You Get
EU and UK visitors can use Portugal's public health service with a card, and pensioners can move their cover with an S1. Where the cards work, and where they do not.
A European Health Insurance Card (EHIC) lets EU visitors use Portugal’s public health service, the SNS (Serviço Nacional de Saúde), on the same terms as locals for care that cannot wait until they get home. UK visitors use the GHIC or a UK-issued EHIC the same way. Pensioners who move here with an S1 form register it with Social Security and their health centre, then get an SNS number.
None of these cards cover private clinics, planned treatment or repatriation, and non-EU visitors without one pay for care. Details below are as of November 2026; for your own cover, check with the institution that issued your card. In an emergency call 112; for advice, the SNS 24 line is 808 24 24 24.
What does the EHIC cover in Portugal?
The EHIC covers medically necessary care in the public system during a temporary stay: treatment that cannot wait until you return home, on the same terms as people insured in Portugal. That can mean a health centre (centro de saúde) or a hospital, as long as it is part of the public system, according to the EU’s Your Europe guidance on the EHIC.
| Situation (as of November 2026) | Covered by EHIC or GHIC? |
|---|---|
| Illness or accident while visiting, at an SNS facility | Yes, on the same terms as locals |
| Private hospital or clinic | No |
| Travelling to Portugal for planned treatment | No (a separate prior authorization is needed) |
| Mountain rescue, repatriation or flights home | No; buy travel insurance |
| Living in Portugal | No; residents register with the SNS |
The card is free from your own health insurer. You cannot be refused care without it, but you may have to pay and claim the money back at home.
Do I pay anything at an SNS hospital?
Usually not, apart from medicines. Since June 2022, Portugal has charged user fees (taxas moderadoras) only in hospital emergency departments, and only when you arrive without a referral from SNS 24, a health centre or the INEM emergency service and are not admitted (Decree-Law 37/2022). With an EHIC you pay what a local would pay.
To avoid the fee and the longest waits, call SNS 24 first: the nurse can refer you to the right place. Our guides to the SNS 24 helpline and to Lisbon hospital emergency rooms explain how.
Prescribed medicines are partly paid by the SNS at pharmacies, and you pay the rest, as residents do. Dental care is mostly outside the SNS for adults.
Can UK visitors use the GHIC in Portugal?
Yes. Under the UK and EU agreement, the UK Global Health Insurance Card, or a UK-issued EHIC that is still valid, gives access to medically necessary state care on a temporary stay in Portugal, on the same terms as locals. UK students can get a student GHIC that covers the whole period of study, and posted workers sent by a UK employer are also covered.
The GHIC is not for people who live in Portugal. Once you are resident, you register with the SNS like anyone else, or with an S1 if the UK pays for your healthcare.
How do pensioners register an S1 form in Portugal?
An S1 form shows that another country, usually the one paying your state pension, covers your healthcare. You register it in Portugal and then use the SNS as a resident.
- Get the S1 from your home country’s health insurer. UK pensioners request it from the NHS Overseas Healthcare Services.
- Register as a resident in Portugal: EU citizens get a registration certificate from the council, and UK and other non-EU nationals hold an AIMA residence card.
- Take the S1, your passport and your proof of residence to a Social Security office (Segurança Social) to register it. You may also be asked for your NIF.
- Take the registered S1 to your local health centre and ask for an SNS number (número de utente).
- Tell the issuing institution if you move or your situation changes.
Our guide to getting an SNS number covers the health-centre step and how to get a family doctor.
What if I am a non-EU visitor without an EHIC?
You will be treated in an emergency, but the SNS can bill you for the full cost of care unless you have insurance that pays. Many visa routes already require travel medical insurance, so check that your policy covers public hospitals in Portugal and keep the policy number with you.
Ask the hospital for a detailed invoice and keep every receipt for your insurer. If you are staying long term on a residence permit, you can register with the SNS as a resident once you have the documents it asks for.
Bottom line
The EHIC and GHIC work well in Portugal for the emergencies they are meant for, but they stop at the door of a private clinic, and the first clinic you find online may well be private. Ask “É do SNS?” (Is this part of the SNS?) before you register at a desk, or let SNS 24 point you to a public service.
FAQ
Can I use my EHIC after I move to Portugal?
No. The EHIC is for temporary stays. Once you live here, register as a resident and get an SNS number, or register an S1 if another country covers you.
Does the EHIC work at private hospitals in Lisbon?
No. It covers only public providers. Private hospitals bill you or your private insurer directly.
Can tourists call SNS 24?
Yes. Anyone in Portugal can call 808 24 24 24 for advice, and a referral from SNS 24 means no emergency department fee if you then go to hospital.
Is my EHIC still valid if it has expired?
No. Check the expiry date before you travel and ask your health insurer for a new card. Without a valid card you may have to pay first and claim later.
