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UK nationals living in Italy usually access the Italian health system in one of these ways:

• registering to use the Italian state health system
• using a UK-issued GHIC or EHIC for temporary stays when studying, or as a 鈥榩osted鈥� (detached) worker
• registering a UK-issued S1 form with the Italian health system (see 鈥楿K-funded healthcare: getting and using an S1 form in Italy鈥� below)

You have to pay to use parts of the healthcare system, although some parts are free.

If you are having difficulty in registering for healthcare you can show your provider the (PDF, 1.3MB, in Italian)

Healthcare in Italy page

If you are planning on moving to Italy, see the guidance on Living in Italy for more information about visa and residency requirements.

You must show proof of healthcare cover:

• before you can register as a resident
• when you apply for a visa

For details about the healthcare cover required for residency applications, contact local authorities in Italy or the appropriate Italian embassy or consulate in the UK.

If you鈥檙e employed or self-employed you can register with the national health system for free. This is called 鈥榠scrizione obbligatoria鈥�.

You can register your dependants at the same time.

If you are not working or paying social security contributions, you may be able to register with the national health system voluntarily by paying a fee each year (鈥榠scrizione volontaria鈥�).

If you do not register with the Italian health system using either of the above routes, you鈥檒l need to take out private health insurance.

If you鈥檙e registered under 鈥榠scrizione obbligatoria鈥�, you may be entitled to an Italian EHIC (鈥楾EAM鈥� in Italian) for travel, including visits to the UK.

You cannot get an Italian EHIC if you鈥檙e registered voluntarily.

You may also have the right to apply for a UK S1 if you start drawing a UK State Pension (see 鈥楿K-funded healthcare: getting and using an S1 form in Italy鈥� below).

How to register for healthcare

First, apply for a permit of stay at the immigration office and register as a resident.

If you started living in Italy before 1 January 2021, you must register as a resident.

Then register for healthcare at your local health authority (Azienda Sanitaria Locale or ASL).

You鈥檒l need your:

• residency certificate, permit of stay or application receipt
• passport
• tax code (codice fiscale)
• evidence of your dependants, such as a translated marriage certificate or birth certificate (if you鈥檙e registering your spouse or children)

If you鈥檙e registering your family members, check with your ASL if you need to provide evidence that they鈥檙e economically dependent on you.

If you鈥檙e employed or self-employed, you鈥檒l also need to bring evidence of your employment status, such as a work contract, to prove you鈥檙e eligible to register for free.

If you鈥檙e registering voluntarily (if you are not working, not paying social security contributions and not registering for healthcare as someone鈥檚 dependant), you鈥檒l need to pay a fee to register.

Your ASL will tell you how much to pay and how to pay it. Show your proof of payment at your local health authority when you complete your registration.

Once you鈥檝e registered for healthcare:

• you can register with a GP
• you鈥檒l receive a health card (which includes your Italian EHIC if you鈥檙e registered with the obligatory scheme)
• you may be able to apply for a co-payments exemption if you have a chronic condition or low income

How to access healthcare services

on the Salute website (in Italian).

How much you鈥檒l pay

Once you鈥檝e registered for healthcare, the following are free:

• emergency care
• hospital admission
• GP appointments

You鈥檒l need to pay a co-payment, called 鈥楾icket鈥�, for:

• specialist referrals
• diagnostic tests
• prescription medicines, unless you鈥檙e registered as exempt, for example because of a chronic medical condition

If your UK employer has sent you to Italy temporarily (鈥榩osted workers鈥�)

A posted worker, also known as a 鈥榙etached worker鈥�, is someone employed or self-employed in the UK, but temporarily sent to a European Economic Area (EEA) country.

UK posted workers can access healthcare in Italy using a GHIC, EHIC or S1 form.

HMRC has a helpline for National Insurance enquiries from non-UK residents. They can answer questions about posted worker status and explain which documents you will need to get healthcare while posted.

UK-funded healthcare: getting and using an S1 form in Italy

There鈥檚 different guidance if you have an S1 as a 鈥榩osted worker鈥� (see 鈥業f your UK employer has sent you to Italy temporarily (鈥榩osted workers鈥�)鈥� above).

You may be entitled to state healthcare paid for by the UK if you鈥檙e a resident in Italy and receive a UK State Pension or an exportable benefit. See on the NHS website for more information about eligibility.

You may also be entitled to an S1 form if you鈥檙e a frontier worker (someone who works in one state and lives in another). You must contact HMRC National Insurance enquiries to find out if you鈥檙e eligible.

Once you have an S1 form, you must register it with your local health authority.

This will mean you and your dependants will be entitled to healthcare in Italy on the same basis as an Italian citizen.

You鈥檒l also be able to get:

• a UK-issued GHIC or EHIC for travel
• planned treatments in other EU countries

You can find out more about and the rules on on the NHS website.

Dependants and family members may be classified differently in Italy than the UK.

Check with the local authorities when you register your S1 form.

If you鈥檙e entitled to an S1 form as a dependant of a State Pensioner, your health cover will be cancelled once you begin claiming your UK State Pension.

You will be sent a new S1 form to your registered address from NHS Overseas Healthcare Services. You must register this form to ensure continuation of healthcare cover.

You are responsible for informing NHS Overseas Healthcare Services if you change your address or your circumstances change.

How to get an S1 form

If you have a UK State Pension or another qualifying exportable benefit, you must request an application form by phone from NHS Overseas Healthcare Services (see contact details above).

How to use an S1 form in Italy

You must register your S1 form with your local health authority. You will need your:

• passport
• tax identification number (codice fiscale)
• residency certificate, permit of stay or application receipt

Once registered, you will receive a health card, valid throughout Italy. This will mean you鈥檙e entitled to healthcare on the same basis as an Italian citizen.

You can register with a GP and apply for co-payment exemption if you qualify.

Studying in Italy

You should apply for a Student GHIC to get medically necessary, state-provided healthcare for the duration of your study period in Italy, whether this is for part or all of your course. This means that you鈥檒l get necessary healthcare services on the same basis as an Italian citizen either for free or at a reduced cost.

If you already hold a valid Student EHIC you can use this until the card expires.

on the NHS website.

As part of the immigration process you may have to:

• pay for private health insurance
• register voluntarily with your local health authority and pay a reduced student fee of around 150 euros for the year

Speak to your university for advice.

Getting treatment in the UK

Because the NHS is a residency-based system, under NHS rules UK nationals who move abroad on a permanent basis may lose their entitlement to free NHS healthcare.

If you are a UK national and move to the EU, you should not expect to be able to use NHS services for free when visiting the UK unless you have an EHIC, PRC or S2 to show your healthcare costs are funded by the EU country in which you now live, or another exemption applies.

Some former UK residents do not have to pay for NHS treatment when visiting England. This includes:

• UK war pensioners
• UK government employees
• UK nationals living in the EU on or before 31 December 2020, once they have a registered, UK-issued S1

Read more about using the NHS when you no longer live in the UK (see 鈥楿K nationals who no longer live in the UK鈥� in Healthcare for visitors to the UK from the EU).

If you return to live in the UK you鈥檒l be able to use the NHS like any other UK resident.

Read more about using the NHS when you return to live in the UK.