Health insurance in Greece.
The consulate takes travel cover for the visa. The residence permit then asks for full health cover. If you don’t work for a Greek employer, that means a private plan.
The rules
What Greece asks of you.
Checked against official sources on 23 October 2026. Rules change, so the broker confirms them again before you apply.
- The visa: travel cover is the minimum
For a national D visa, the consulate asks at least for travel insurance lasting as long as the visa, covering emergency care, hospital care and medical repatriation.
Source: uk-gr.gvcworld.eu - The permit: full health cover
Greek law asks every permit holder for full health insurance, covering all the risks Greek citizens are covered for.
Source: migration.gov.gr - Not working in Greece: private cover
People who live in Greece for reasons other than local work must hold private insurance, unless a foreign body already covers their care in Greece.
Source: migration.gov.gr - Digital nomad visa: 3,500 euros a month
You must work remotely for employers or clients outside Greece and earn 3,500 euros a month after tax. Add 20% for a spouse and 15% for each child.
Source: uk-gr.gvcworld.eu - Nomads: 12 months, then 2 years
The visa lasts up to 12 months. You can then get a 2-year permit, renewable every 2 years, as long as you spend no more than 6 months a year outside Greece.
Source: uk-gr.gvcworld.eu - FIP permit: 3,500 euros a month
The financially independent person route asks for a stable income of 3,500 euros a month, or proof of a final pension from a public fund.
Source: uk-gr.gvcworld.eu - FIP: 3 years, no work
The FIP permit lasts 3 years and can be renewed for 3 more. You and your family may not work in Greece in any form.
Source: migration.gov.gr - Local workers join public insurance
Foreigners who are allowed to work in Greece are insured with the public fund for their job, like Greek citizens, and so are their dependants.
Source: migration.gov.gr
Public care runs through EOPYY for people insured with e-EFKA, which means paying contributions from work. Public hospital care is free for them, and medicines usually cost 25% of the price.
Source: employment-social-affairs.ec.europa.euLocal or international
We compare both. You keep the one that fits.
Nomads and FIP holders can’t join EOPYY, so the private plan is their only cover for the whole permit. A Greek plan or a full international plan can both pass, if it covers doctors, hospital and medicines.
- Local plans
Plans sold in Greece. Often cheaper, sometimes required for your visa. Filed by a broker licensed in Greece.
- International plans
Plans that cover you in Greece and beyond, and stay with you if you move again. Filed by our international broker partner.
What to look for
Choosing a plan in Greece.
Ankyro checks each of these on every plan, so you don’t have to read the fine print.
- Full cover, not emergency only
Travel cover is enough for the visa, but the permit needs cover like Greek public insurance: doctors, hospital and medicines.
- Cover for the whole permit
A nomad permit lasts 2 years and an FIP permit 3 years. A 12-month policy means proving cover again halfway through.
- Each family member
Spouses and children get their own permits, so each one needs to be covered. Check the family is on the policy.
- Time spent outside Greece
Nomads can spend up to 6 months a year away. Check the plan still pays when you are in your home country or travelling.
Step by step
Getting covered in Greece.
- 01Apply for the national D visa. Apply at the Greek consulate for your country, as a digital nomad or a financially independent person. Through the UK visa centre, the nomad visa costs 75 euros plus a 150 euro admin fee, and the FIP visa 180 euros.
- 02Show travel cover for the visa. The consulate takes travel insurance that runs as long as the visa and pays for emergency care, hospital care and medical repatriation.
- 03Apply for the permit before the visa ends. Nomads file at the Aliens and Migration Directorate of the Decentralised Administration where they live, before the national visa expires.
- 04Upgrade to full health cover. For the permit, the policy should cover the same risks as Greek public insurance: doctors, hospital and medicines. Each family member on their own permit needs to be on it.
- 05Renew the policy with the permit. Nomad permits renew every 2 years and FIP permits every 3 years. Line up the policy end date with the permit.
Common mistakes
3 we see all the time.
- 01Keeping the travel policy from the visa for the permit. The permit asks for full cover.
- 02Counting gross pay for the nomad visa. The 3,500 euros is after tax.
- 03Planning to work for a Greek company on a nomad visa or FIP permit. Neither allows it.
Real published prices, and the 6 things that move yours.
Questions
People also ask.
Do I need health insurance for the Greece digital nomad visa?+
Yes. Travel cover with emergency care and repatriation for the visa, then a policy covering the same risks as Greek public insurance for the 2-year permit.
What insurance do I need for the Greek FIP visa?+
A private policy covering all the risks Greek public insurance covers. FIP holders may not work in Greece, so they don’t join public insurance.
How much income do I need for the Greece digital nomad visa?+
3,500 euros a month after tax, plus 20% for a spouse and 15% for each child.
How much income do I need for the Greek FIP visa?+
A stable income of 3,500 euros a month, or a final pension from a public fund.
Can expats use public healthcare in Greece?+
Yes, if they work in Greece and pay into e-EFKA. Public hospital care is then free, and most medicines cost 25% of the price.
Other countries
Going somewhere else?
Most UK visas don’t ask for private insurance. You pay a yearly surcharge instead, and it opens the NHS. Here is what the surcharge buys, and what you still pay for.
02AustraliaMost visitors can’t use Medicare, and many visas carry condition 8501. Here is what each visa asks for, who gets Medicare, and what to check.
03Dubai and the UAEIn Dubai, no insurance means no visa. Your employer covers you, but not always your family. Here are the rules, and what the basic plan leaves out.
04PhilippinesThe retiree visa asks for a medical certificate, not a policy. The new nomad visa does ask for cover. Here is what each visa needs, and how PhilHealth works for foreigners.
05NetherlandsIf you live or work in the Netherlands, Dutch basic insurance is the law. A few people are exempt. Here is who must sign up, by when, and what it costs in 2026.
06CanadaEach province runs its own health plan, and some make you wait. The super visa has strict insurance rules. Here is how Ontario and BC differ, and what the super visa needs.
07Saudi ArabiaIn Saudi Arabia, no insurance means no iqama. Your employer pays for you and your family, and visitors need a policy too. Here is who pays, and what each policy covers.
08JapanIf you live in Japan, joining public insurance is the law. A private plan can only sit on top. Digital nomads are the exception.
09GermanyEveryone in Germany must be insured, and a residence permit needs cover equal to the public system. Here is how to choose, and what gets rejected.
10SingaporeThe national plan is for citizens and PRs. Hospital bills for foreigners are high, and families are often left out. Here is what to check.
11ThailandRetirement visas have hard minimums, the DTV has none, and public care is not free for foreigners. Here are the rules, and what to check.
12SpainSpain has the strictest visa insurance rules in Europe: a Spanish-authorised insurer, no co-pays, no waiting periods. Here is what passes.
13MalaysiaPublic hospitals charge foreigners full price, and work schemes only cover injuries at work. Here is what each pass asks for, and what to check.
14QatarMost visitors need a QAR 50 a month policy before Qatar issues a visa. The law covers expats too, but that part is still rolling out. Here are the rules.
15FranceThe public system is open to residents, but not on day 1 if you don’t work, and it only pays part of each bill. Here is how to cover the gaps.
16PortugalThe visa asks for travel medical cover. The public system opens once you are a resident. In between, and after, here is what to check.
17MexicoNo visa asks for it, so many expats skip it. Then a private hospital asks for payment first. Here is how cover really works in Mexico.
18ItalyWorkers join the public system for free. Retirees and nomads need private cover for the visa, then pay at least €2,000 a year to join. Here are the rules.
19South KoreaStay more than 6 months and you must join the national plan. Before that, and for your share of each bill, you need your own cover.
20VietnamOnly long local contracts come with public cover, and most expats use private hospitals anyway. Here is what the rules say, and what to check.
21Bali and IndonesiaMost Indonesian visas don’t ask for insurance. But hospitals ask for payment first, and serious cases fly to Singapore. Here is what to check.
23ColombiaNomads and retirees need a private policy with exact wording. Residents who work must join the public EPS system. Here are the rules.
24Costa RicaResidents must pay into the Caja, whatever private plan they have. Nomads need their own cover for the visa. Here is how it fits together.
25USAThe US has no public plan you can simply join. Some visas set minimum cover. Others leave it to you. Here is what a J-1 needs, who can use the Marketplace, and what plans cost.
26SwitzerlandBasic health insurance is compulsory for everyone who lives in Switzerland. You have 3 months to sign up. Here is how it works, and what to check.
27IrelandNon-EEA students must hold private medical insurance. Everyone else gets public care once they count as living in Ireland for 1 year. Here is what to check.
28Dominican RepublicThe residence visas for retirees and rentistas ask for a medical certificate, not an insurance policy. Public care is limited. Private care is good but costly.
29New ZealandStudent visas require insurance. A work visa of 2 years or more may open public health care. ACC covers accident injuries. Here is what to check.
30IsraelIn Israel, the public system is for residents. If your life is centred there, you join a health fund (kupat holim). If not, you need private cover.
31Hong KongPublic hospitals in Hong Kong are cheap for eligible persons. Many foreigners are not on that list. Here is who is, what the rest pay, and what to check in a plan.
32ChinaIf you work in China on an employment permit, your employer must enrol you in social insurance. That includes basic medical cover. Here is how it works, and what to check on top.
33ArgentinaEmergency care is open to everyone. For other care at national hospitals, foreigners without permanent residence must show insurance or pay first. The rules are new, so check them.
34IndiaWe found no official rule that ties health insurance to an Indian work visa. We also could not confirm a public scheme for foreign residents. So the plan is yours to choose. Here is what to check.
35TurkeyA residence permit application needs valid health insurance for the whole permit. Most new expats buy a private policy. The public SGK system opens later, after 1 year of residence.
36BrazilThe digital nomad visa needs health insurance valid in Brazil. The public system is open to migrants by law. Many expats add a private plan for speed.
37PanamaThe Pensionado visa asks for a health certificate, not an insurance policy. The public system is tied to the Caja. Private care is the main option for most expats.
38South AfricaStudy and exchange visas ask for proof of cover from a registered medical scheme. Public clinics offer free primary care. Here is what to check.
39KenyaKenya’s public fund is run by the Social Health Authority (SHA). A foreigner who lives in Kenya for more than 12 months pays into it. Shorter stays need travel health insurance instead.
40TaiwanTaiwan has one national health insurance. Foreigners with a residence certificate can join. If you have a job, you join through your employer. If not, there is a wait.