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Validating a European Health Insurance Card (EHIC)

This article is based on a thread in English Speakers in our Salzburg Facebook group. Thanks to Rasti Kucirek for providing the information.


Introduction

Everyone living in Austria should have a green eCard. This serves two purposes. Primarily it provides access to health services within Austria (the eCard). But the back of it (dark blue) is your European Health Insurance Card which provides you with free healthcare within much of Europe (including EU states, EEA states, Switzerland, Great Britain, North Macedonia, Montenegro, Serbia and Bosnia-Herzegovina.


The front of a sample eCard (source: Wikipedia)
The front of a sample eCard (source: Wikipedia)
The back of a sample eCard - the EHIC card (source: Wikipedia)
The back of a sample eCard - the EHIC card (source: Wikipedia)

I just went through the process of validating my European Health Insurance Card (EHIC). I know quite a lot of people haven't validated theirs yet, so I thought I would share how to do it.


Validating your European Health Insurance Card (EHIC)

If your card isn't valid yet, it means your social and health Insurance (paid by your employer) will only be valid within Austria (e-card), instead of the whole European Union (EHIC). For example if you are in a country outside of Austria and something happens to you, they will ask for your EHIC at the hospital.


You can check if your EHIC is valid by looking on the back of your e-card. If there are stars instead of your data in the lower half of the card then it is not valid.


When you have been employed in Austria for over a year, you can request a new e-card with the the validated EHIC. However, they won't send it to you if a photo is not in the system for you yet. If you have applied for an Austrian driving licence then your photo will be in the system.


If your e-card doesn't have a photo yet and you don't think there is a photo on file then you will need to go to a police station with a recent passport-type photo. You will then be sent a new e-Card with the validated EHIC.


Here's how to do it:

  1. You need to go to a police station to have your photograph authorised. You can find out where you have to go on this webpage: https://www.chipkarte.at/cdscontent/?contentid=10007.853283&portal=ecardportal%20f

  2. You will need to bring a printed passport photo not older than 6 months, your e-card, Meldebestätigung and your passport or EU ID.

  3. In about two weeks, you will receive your new e-card with a photo and valid EHIC.

Hope this helps!


Further information


Image showing a medical style card

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