Healthcare

Registering, the European Health Insurance Card, the S1 form.

In Greece

Checked on 23 October 2026

I'm settling in Greece: how do I access public healthcare?

In Greece, everything goes through the AMKA (Αριθμός Μητρώου Κοινωνικής Ασφάλισης, social security number): you have it activated free of charge, in person, at the e-EFKA or at a KEP, with proof of residence in Greece and a document that establishes your situation (your registration certificate or, depending on the case, a declared employment contract, a certificate of studies, etc.). Then you register with a προσωπικός ιατρός (family doctor), a registration that is compulsory for adults and free. Your European Health Insurance Card (EHIC) is used during a temporary stay; once settled, your entitlements come from your work in Greece, from an S1 form from your country or from private insurance.

Costs: AMKA and registration with a family doctor free; healthcare entitlements depend on your cover (work in Greece, S1 or private insurance)
Timeframes: AMKA activation: 15 to 30 minutes on site; registration with a family doctor: about 15 minutes

Steps

Gather your supporting documents. For the AMKA, you need proof of residence in Greece and a document that establishes your situation. The Union citizen registration certificate, issued by the police (see GR-SEJOUR-TOUS-001), is one of the accepted documents; the permanent residence certificate, a hiring certificate, a contract declared in ΕΡΓΑΝΗ, a declaration of start of activity to the AADE or a certificate of studies in Greece can replace it.
Have your AMKA activated in person, at a Τοπική Διεύθυνση e-ΕΦΚΑ (local office of the single social security fund) or at a ΚΕΠ (citizen service centre). The procedure does not exist online. You leave with a Βεβαίωση ΑΜΚΑ (AMKA certificate).
If you are an employee in Greece, your registration in the e-EFKA register of insured persons is done at an e-EFKA register office, with your registration certificate, your employer's hiring certificate and your AFM certificate (see GR-NIF-TOUS-001). Your contributions then give you the right to public healthcare.
If you are a retiree and your pension comes from another EU country, request an S1 form from the fund that pays your pension before leaving, then present it in Greece: it is one of the documents provided for activating the AMKA. With an S1, you are attached to the Greek public health insurance, managed by the ΕΟΠΥΥ (national health benefits organisation), and you receive an EU-AMKA (AMKA of people insured in another EU country), to be presented at the doctor's, at the hospital and at the pharmacy. To find out where to register it, the EOPYY refers to the e-EFKA: tm.asfikan@efka.gov.gr, or its international relations department, gd.international@efka.gov.gr.
Register with a family doctor, in one of these ways:
- online, with your TAXISnet credentials or your European digital identity (eIDAS);
- at a public primary care facility (health centre);
- at the private practice of the chosen doctor;
- at a pharmacy, where the pharmacist records your choice.

Documents

For the AMKA:
- proof of residence in Greece, one of: lease, proof of tax residence or occupancy of the home issued by the AADE, accommodation certificate, hiring certificate from the employer (declaration with authenticated signature), contract declared in ΕΡΓΑΝΗ, declaration of start of activity to the AADE, certificate of studies or student housing in Greece, or another accepted proof;
- a document that establishes your situation, one of: Union citizen registration certificate, permanent residence certificate, hiring certificate from the employer, contract declared in ΕΡΓΑΝΗ, declaration of start of activity to the AADE or certificate of studies in Greece;
- depending on your situation: S1 form (healthcare entitlements opened by another EU country) or A1 (contributions paid in another EU country);
- ID document; power of attorney with authenticated signature if someone does the procedure for you.
For the family doctor: your AMKA and an ID document; online, you also need your TAXISnet codes and a mobile phone registered in the national communications register (EMEp), which receives the one-time code. You receive confirmation of registration by SMS or email.

Costs and timelines

AMKA: free, 15 to 30 minutes on site.
Family doctor: registration free, about 15 minutes (11 minutes online).
Care: the cost depends on your cover. Once covered by the EOPYY, covered care is without co-payment in public facilities (primary care centres and hospitals of the national health system), according to the EOPYY page, dated December 2021: confirm this on site. At a private doctor, laboratory or clinic contracted with the EOPYY, and for medicines, you pay a co-payment set for each service by the health services regulation (ΕΚΠΥ); the contracted provider cannot ask you for anything more (EOPYY).

Common pitfalls

Believing the AMKA is enough. It is an identification number. Your healthcare entitlements depend on cover: contributions in Greece, S1, or private insurance.
Living in Greece with only your EHIC. The EHIC covers care that cannot wait during a temporary stay (holiday, business trip, studies). If you settle without working in Greece and without an S1, you probably need cover in the country where you live.
The order of procedures. AMKA first, then family doctor: registering with a family doctor requires the AMKA. For the AMKA, the registration certificate is only one of the possible documents (a contract declared in ΕΡΓΑΝΗ or a certificate of studies are also enough); it is still required to register with the e-EFKA as an employee.
Choosing a doctor too far away. Registration is limited to your municipality, a neighbouring municipality or your regional unit. You are only entitled to one family doctor, and you can only change twice a year, on reasoned request.
Validity that may vary. The official sheet states that the validity of the AMKA activation depends on your situation. If the basis of your entitlements changes (end of contract, expired S1), check that your AMKA remains active.

What changes by country of origin

EU and EEA citizens: the steps above. Remember to request your EHIC and, if you are a retiree, your S1 before leaving.
Swiss citizens: the registration certificate is the same as for EU citizens (the MITOS registry expressly covers the EEA and the Swiss Confederation). The EOPYY and MITOS pages read do not mention the Swiss S1: to find out how to register it and obtain your EU-AMKA, write to the e-EFKA (tm.asfikan@efka.gov.gr or gd.international@efka.gov.gr), as for an S1 from an EU country.
British citizens (Scots included): for a temporary stay, the British GHIC card covers medically necessary public healthcare in the EEA countries. To live in Greece and access EOPYY services, the British government states that a Greek residence permit is needed. A British retiree may be covered by an S1 issued by the United Kingdom.

Official sources (10) ›

The European framework

These European rules also apply in Greece.

Checked on 23 October 2026

Health insurance required for visas and permits: what EU rules ask (short and long stays)

For a Schengen short-stay visa, you must show travel medical insurance covering urgent medical care, emergency hospital treatment and repatriation (including in case of death), valid in all Schengen countries, with at least €30,000 of cover (Visa Code, Article 15). For long stays, the EU directives ask for sickness insurance covering the risks normally covered for nationals of the destination, for example for students, family members, Blue Card holders and long-term residents. The exact proof, and whether you must buy private insurance or can join the public system, depend on the destination.

Who decides: Consulates (Schengen visas); the immigration authority of the destination (long stays)
Costs: Set by insurers; Schengen visa insurance must cover at least €30,000 (Visa Code, Article 15)

Before you act

No promise. The consulate or immigration authority decides whether your insurance is acceptable. This page is general information, not legal advice.
Scams. Buy insurance only from a real, identifiable insurer, and check the policy before paying. A fake or inadequate insurance certificate can lead to refusal of your application.
Ask a professional (the insurer, the consulate or a lawyer) if you have a chronic illness, are pregnant, or are over the age limits of standard policies.
Be honest in insurance forms about your health and your plans.

Steps

Short stay with a visa: buy travel medical insurance that meets Article 15 of the Visa Code (below) for the whole trip; for a multiple-entry visa, it must cover the first trip, and you sign a statement that you know you need insurance for later trips. Exceptions: the requirement may be considered met where adequate cover can be presumed from the applicant's professional situation (for example seafarers, Article 15(6)), and holders of diplomatic passports are exempt (Article 15(7)).
Visa-exempt short stay: insurance is not among the entry conditions listed in the Schengen Borders Code (Article 6), but medical care abroad can be expensive: travel insurance is your choice.
Long stay: read the destination's list for your route. Denmark and Ireland did not take part in the five directives below and are not bound by them (see the recitals of each text), so their rules are purely national. In the other EU countries, the directives ask for insurance "for all risks normally covered for nationals" for:
- students and researchers, valid for the whole planned stay (Directive (EU) 2016/801, Article 7(1)(c));
- family reunification, for the sponsor and the family, if the country requires it (Directive 2003/86/EC, Article 7(1)(b));
- Blue Card and seasonal workers, for periods not already covered through the job (Directive (EU) 2021/1883, Article 5(1)(e); Directive 2014/36/EU, Article 5(1)(b) for stays up to 90 days and Article 6(1)(b) for stays over 90 days);
- EU long-term residents, for themselves and for dependent family members (Directive 2003/109/EC, Article 5(1)(b)).
After arrival: ask whether your permit gives access to the public health system, and from when (see the destination's health fiche).

Documents

An insurance certificate in the name of each person, with dates, cover, amount and territory.
For a Schengen visa: proof that the cover is valid in all Schengen countries and is at least €30,000 (Article 15(3)); for a visa with limited territorial validity covering several Member States, the cover must be valid at least in the Member States concerned.

Costs and timelines

Price: set by insurers. The Visa Code asks you to take insurance, in principle, in your country of residence, or in another country if that is not possible (Article 15(4)).
Check: consulates verify that claims against the insurer can be recovered in an EU country (Article 15(5)).

Common pitfalls

Cover too low or not valid everywhere. For a Schengen visa: at least €30,000 and valid in all Schengen countries.
Wrong dates. The insurance must cover the whole stay or transit (Article 15(3)).
Travel insurance for a long stay. A short-trip policy may not meet the "all risks normally covered for nationals" standard required for long-stay permits, and what each country actually accepts varies: ask the immigration authority directly before you buy.
Gaps between the visa and the permit. Keep cover until you are registered in the public system or have the insurance the permit requires.

What changes by profile

Workers may be covered through their job; the Blue Card and seasonal directives ask for insurance only for periods not covered by, or resulting from, the work contract.
Retirees and people living on passive income follow national rules for national visas (for Portugal, see PT-VISA-TIERS-050).

Official links

Visa Code (consolidated), Article 15: https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/HTML/?uri=CELEX:02009R0810-20240628
Commission, applying for a Schengen visa: https://home-affairs.ec.europa.eu/policies/schengen/visa-policy/applying-schengen-visa_en

Official sources (9) ›

These guides give the general rules. Your situation can change the answer: Moovy looks at it with you and tells you when you need a professional.

In Greece

Checked on 23 October 2026

I'm settling in Greece: how do I access public healthcare?

Costs: AMKA and registration with a family doctor free; healthcare entitlements depend on your cover (work in Greece, S1 or private insurance)
Timeframes: AMKA activation: 15 to 30 minutes on site; registration with a family doctor: about 15 minutes

Steps

Gather your supporting documents. For the AMKA, you need proof of residence in Greece and a document that establishes your situation. The Union citizen registration certificate, issued by the police (see GR-SEJOUR-TOUS-001), is one of the accepted documents; the permanent residence certificate, a hiring certificate, a contract declared in ΕΡΓΑΝΗ, a declaration of start of activity to the AADE or a certificate of studies in Greece can replace it.
Have your AMKA activated in person, at a Τοπική Διεύθυνση e-ΕΦΚΑ (local office of the single social security fund) or at a ΚΕΠ (citizen service centre). The procedure does not exist online. You leave with a Βεβαίωση ΑΜΚΑ (AMKA certificate).
If you are an employee in Greece, your registration in the e-EFKA register of insured persons is done at an e-EFKA register office, with your registration certificate, your employer's hiring certificate and your AFM certificate (see GR-NIF-TOUS-001). Your contributions then give you the right to public healthcare.
If you are a retiree and your pension comes from another EU country, request an S1 form from the fund that pays your pension before leaving, then present it in Greece: it is one of the documents provided for activating the AMKA. With an S1, you are attached to the Greek public health insurance, managed by the ΕΟΠΥΥ (national health benefits organisation), and you receive an EU-AMKA (AMKA of people insured in another EU country), to be presented at the doctor's, at the hospital and at the pharmacy. To find out where to register it, the EOPYY refers to the e-EFKA: tm.asfikan@efka.gov.gr, or its international relations department, gd.international@efka.gov.gr.
Register with a family doctor, in one of these ways:
- online, with your TAXISnet credentials or your European digital identity (eIDAS);
- at a public primary care facility (health centre);
- at the private practice of the chosen doctor;
- at a pharmacy, where the pharmacist records your choice.

Documents

For the AMKA:
- proof of residence in Greece, one of: lease, proof of tax residence or occupancy of the home issued by the AADE, accommodation certificate, hiring certificate from the employer (declaration with authenticated signature), contract declared in ΕΡΓΑΝΗ, declaration of start of activity to the AADE, certificate of studies or student housing in Greece, or another accepted proof;
- a document that establishes your situation, one of: Union citizen registration certificate, permanent residence certificate, hiring certificate from the employer, contract declared in ΕΡΓΑΝΗ, declaration of start of activity to the AADE or certificate of studies in Greece;
- depending on your situation: S1 form (healthcare entitlements opened by another EU country) or A1 (contributions paid in another EU country);
- ID document; power of attorney with authenticated signature if someone does the procedure for you.
For the family doctor: your AMKA and an ID document; online, you also need your TAXISnet codes and a mobile phone registered in the national communications register (EMEp), which receives the one-time code. You receive confirmation of registration by SMS or email.

Costs and timelines

AMKA: free, 15 to 30 minutes on site.
Family doctor: registration free, about 15 minutes (11 minutes online).
Care: the cost depends on your cover. Once covered by the EOPYY, covered care is without co-payment in public facilities (primary care centres and hospitals of the national health system), according to the EOPYY page, dated December 2021: confirm this on site. At a private doctor, laboratory or clinic contracted with the EOPYY, and for medicines, you pay a co-payment set for each service by the health services regulation (ΕΚΠΥ); the contracted provider cannot ask you for anything more (EOPYY).

Common pitfalls

Believing the AMKA is enough. It is an identification number. Your healthcare entitlements depend on cover: contributions in Greece, S1, or private insurance.
Living in Greece with only your EHIC. The EHIC covers care that cannot wait during a temporary stay (holiday, business trip, studies). If you settle without working in Greece and without an S1, you probably need cover in the country where you live.
The order of procedures. AMKA first, then family doctor: registering with a family doctor requires the AMKA. For the AMKA, the registration certificate is only one of the possible documents (a contract declared in ΕΡΓΑΝΗ or a certificate of studies are also enough); it is still required to register with the e-EFKA as an employee.
Choosing a doctor too far away. Registration is limited to your municipality, a neighbouring municipality or your regional unit. You are only entitled to one family doctor, and you can only change twice a year, on reasoned request.
Validity that may vary. The official sheet states that the validity of the AMKA activation depends on your situation. If the basis of your entitlements changes (end of contract, expired S1), check that your AMKA remains active.

What changes by country of origin

EU and EEA citizens: the steps above. Remember to request your EHIC and, if you are a retiree, your S1 before leaving.
Swiss citizens: the registration certificate is the same as for EU citizens (the MITOS registry expressly covers the EEA and the Swiss Confederation). The EOPYY and MITOS pages read do not mention the Swiss S1: to find out how to register it and obtain your EU-AMKA, write to the e-EFKA (tm.asfikan@efka.gov.gr or gd.international@efka.gov.gr), as for an S1 from an EU country.
British citizens (Scots included): for a temporary stay, the British GHIC card covers medically necessary public healthcare in the EEA countries. To live in Greece and access EOPYY services, the British government states that a Greek residence permit is needed. A British retiree may be covered by an S1 issued by the United Kingdom.

Official sources (10) ›

The European framework

These European rules also apply in Greece.

Checked on 23 October 2026

Health insurance required for visas and permits: what EU rules ask (short and long stays)

Who decides: Consulates (Schengen visas); the immigration authority of the destination (long stays)
Costs: Set by insurers; Schengen visa insurance must cover at least €30,000 (Visa Code, Article 15)

Before you act

No promise. The consulate or immigration authority decides whether your insurance is acceptable. This page is general information, not legal advice.
Scams. Buy insurance only from a real, identifiable insurer, and check the policy before paying. A fake or inadequate insurance certificate can lead to refusal of your application.
Ask a professional (the insurer, the consulate or a lawyer) if you have a chronic illness, are pregnant, or are over the age limits of standard policies.
Be honest in insurance forms about your health and your plans.

Steps

Short stay with a visa: buy travel medical insurance that meets Article 15 of the Visa Code (below) for the whole trip; for a multiple-entry visa, it must cover the first trip, and you sign a statement that you know you need insurance for later trips. Exceptions: the requirement may be considered met where adequate cover can be presumed from the applicant's professional situation (for example seafarers, Article 15(6)), and holders of diplomatic passports are exempt (Article 15(7)).
Visa-exempt short stay: insurance is not among the entry conditions listed in the Schengen Borders Code (Article 6), but medical care abroad can be expensive: travel insurance is your choice.
Long stay: read the destination's list for your route. Denmark and Ireland did not take part in the five directives below and are not bound by them (see the recitals of each text), so their rules are purely national. In the other EU countries, the directives ask for insurance "for all risks normally covered for nationals" for:
- students and researchers, valid for the whole planned stay (Directive (EU) 2016/801, Article 7(1)(c));
- family reunification, for the sponsor and the family, if the country requires it (Directive 2003/86/EC, Article 7(1)(b));
- Blue Card and seasonal workers, for periods not already covered through the job (Directive (EU) 2021/1883, Article 5(1)(e); Directive 2014/36/EU, Article 5(1)(b) for stays up to 90 days and Article 6(1)(b) for stays over 90 days);
- EU long-term residents, for themselves and for dependent family members (Directive 2003/109/EC, Article 5(1)(b)).
After arrival: ask whether your permit gives access to the public health system, and from when (see the destination's health fiche).

Documents

An insurance certificate in the name of each person, with dates, cover, amount and territory.
For a Schengen visa: proof that the cover is valid in all Schengen countries and is at least €30,000 (Article 15(3)); for a visa with limited territorial validity covering several Member States, the cover must be valid at least in the Member States concerned.

Costs and timelines

Price: set by insurers. The Visa Code asks you to take insurance, in principle, in your country of residence, or in another country if that is not possible (Article 15(4)).
Check: consulates verify that claims against the insurer can be recovered in an EU country (Article 15(5)).

Common pitfalls

Cover too low or not valid everywhere. For a Schengen visa: at least €30,000 and valid in all Schengen countries.
Wrong dates. The insurance must cover the whole stay or transit (Article 15(3)).
Travel insurance for a long stay. A short-trip policy may not meet the "all risks normally covered for nationals" standard required for long-stay permits, and what each country actually accepts varies: ask the immigration authority directly before you buy.
Gaps between the visa and the permit. Keep cover until you are registered in the public system or have the insurance the permit requires.

What changes by profile

Workers may be covered through their job; the Blue Card and seasonal directives ask for insurance only for periods not covered by, or resulting from, the work contract.
Retirees and people living on passive income follow national rules for national visas (for Portugal, see PT-VISA-TIERS-050).

Official links

Visa Code (consolidated), Article 15: https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/HTML/?uri=CELEX:02009R0810-20240628
Commission, applying for a Schengen visa: https://home-affairs.ec.europa.eu/policies/schengen/visa-policy/applying-schengen-visa_en

Official sources (9) ›

These guides give the general rules. Your situation can change the answer: Moovy looks at it with you and tells you when you need a professional.

Healthcare

In Greece

I'm settling in Greece: how do I access public healthcare?

Steps

Documents

Costs and timelines

Common pitfalls

What changes by country of origin

The European framework

Health insurance required for visas and permits: what EU rules ask (short and long stays)

Steps

Documents

Costs and timelines

Common pitfalls

What changes by profile

Other topics

Healthcare

In Greece

I'm settling in Greece: how do I access public healthcare?

Steps

Documents

Costs and timelines

Common pitfalls

What changes by country of origin

The European framework

Health insurance required for visas and permits: what EU rules ask (short and long stays)

Steps

Documents

Costs and timelines

Common pitfalls

What changes by profile

Other topics