The EU Health Directive came into force on 1 January 2006. This allows EU Citizens to obtain state health service treatment anywhere in the EU and four other countries including Iceland and Switzerland.
In effect all the member states health services are now available to any EU citizen.
Resident of an EU Country
To obtain an EU health certificate you must apply to the Health Service of your resident country. Most EU countries began issuing the card in 2005, with the UK making it available from 1 September 2005.
UK Residents: A UK resident planning to travel in Europe should apply for the new EU Health Card before leaving. The UK Health Service will issue UK residents with a card confirming they will pay for medical treatment while living or travelling abroad in the EU for up to five years. There are errors in the issue of cards so make sure yours is dated correctly for five years.
This is adequate "health insurance" to meet Cyprus' immigration requirements which means that a person under state retirement age does not need to have private medical insurance.
Note: The EU Health Card is not a substitute for full travel insurance.
Resident in Cyprus
If you live in Cyprus for more than three months a year you are legally required to register with immigration in Cyprus.
If you are resident for more than six months a year you are legally required to register for Cyprus tax - both income and EU savings tax. Note that Cyprus personal taxes are the lowest in the EU and you can save between half and three quarters of tax paid in several other EU countries, including the UK.
After you are registered with the Immigration authorities and in receipt of a "pink slip" temporary residence visa you can then apply for a Cypriot medical card. This is done through the Cyprus Health Service. An application needs to be submitted along with supporting documents.
If you are already resident in Cyprus and you are registered with immigration and tax authorities as retired or working then you can apply for the EU health Card through the Cyprus Health Service. You should be able to do this from 1 January 2006 but the procedure has yet to be confirmed.
If you are a pensioner in Cyprus you will still need a certificate E121 from your home country, however, not if you are working in Cyprus.
Note that applications are means tested and if you earn over CYP 9,000 per year there are fees in the Cyprus system that rise on a scale up to CYP 18,000. These charges are balanced by lower income tax with many people paying little or no tax in Cyprus on pensions under GBP 11,000.
The EU Health Card will cover travel or return visits home to other EU countries. For UK citizens this removes uncertainty as the UK NHS is cracking down on non residents claiming medical treatment. With an EU Health card you can get free medical care in the UK while on holiday there. If you ever return to the UK permanently you can reregister into the system.
Cyprus Health Service
The Cyprus Health system is different to that of other western European countries: Specialist treatment and drugs may not be available locally or could require travel to Nicosia. There are no paramedics in ambulances. If your income is over CYP 9,000 then you will have to pay towards the cost of your treatment. Having said that the doctors are good and treatment is of high quality.
If private medical insurance is required there are three types of policy offering different levels of cover and premium:
Local Cyprus Private Medical Insurance: lower cost, acute conditions only, limited cover International Private Medical Insurance: highest cost, suits international workers Bespoke Private Medical Insurance: medium cost, full cover, gets you home
Non-EU Resident If you move to an EU country, including Cyprus, from a non-EU country you will not qualify for the EU Health Card and you will need private medical insurance in order to register with immigration to live in Cyprus.
