Healthcare for Europeans: EHIC to SNS

EHIC: short stays only

Your European Health Insurance Card (or GHIC if you're British) covers medically necessary care during temporary stays — a broken leg on holiday, a flare-up of a chronic condition, an infection that won't wait. It does not cover residency-grade healthcare: scheduled surgeries, family doctor enrolment, or repeat prescriptions.

Switching to SNS once you have CRUE

After registering as an EU resident at the câmara, take the following to your local Centro de Saúde:

• CRUE certificate
• NIF
• Proof of address (lease, utility bill, atestado de morada)
• EHIC or S1 (whichever applies)

S1 form for retirees and posted workers

If you receive a state pension from another EU country, or are posted to Portugal by an EU employer, request an S1 from your home health authority before moving.

• Lodging it with Segurança Social entitles you to full SNS access
• Your home country pays Portugal for your care — not you
• S1 holders pay the standard SNS user fees (taxas moderadoras), often waived
• Spouses and dependants can be added with separate S1 forms

Choosing private alongside SNS

Many EU residents keep a low-cost private plan (Médis, Multicare, Allianz, AdvanceCare) for €30–€80/month to skip waiting lists for specialists. SNS handles emergencies, hospitalisations and chronic care; private handles convenience.