Apply for healthcare cover in the EU, Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway or Switzerland (CA8454)
How to apply for the healthcare entitlement certificate (S1) for your dependents or for you and your dependents if you are taking maternity, paternity or adoption leave in the listed countries.
Use this form if:
- you have a certificate of coverage for the period that you need a S1 for your dependents while working temporarily in an EU country, Iceland Liechtenstein, Norway or Switzerland
- you need a S1 for yourself and your dependents if you are living and working in the UK and paying UK National Insurance contributions who is, or will be, resident in an EU country, Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway, or Switzerland while on maternity, paternity or adoption leave
- you are living and working in the UK and need a S1 for your dependents who live in an EU country, Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway, or Switzerland
- you already have a certificate of coverage, are resident in in an EU country, Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway, or Switzerland but work only in the UK and need a S1 for your dependents
Before you start
If you are living in an EU country, Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway, or Switzerland, but liable to pay UK National Insurance contributions as a worker, and need healthcare cover for yourself only, you should apply for a certificate of coverage — this certificate confirms that you pay UK National Insurance and do not need to pay social security contributions there.
If eligible for a S1 it will be automatically issued alongside your certificate of coverage.
You can also apply for the S1 for your dependents when applying for a certificate of coverage if you are employed or self-employed and only working temporarily in one country within the EU, Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway, or Switzerland.
Read National Insurance if you work abroad for more information on certificates of coverage (including how to apply).
What you’ll need
If you or an agent complete the application you will need to tell HMRC if you:
- have changed your name and, if so, what your previous name was
- are a national of the EU, Norway, Iceland, Switzerland or Liechtenstein and if you have an EU Settlement Scheme status
- have more than one nationality ― you will need to give details about how you got each one
- have a family member who is a national of the EU, Norway, Iceland, Switzerland or Liechtenstein ― you will need their details including their relationship with you
- have the client reference number ― if you are an agent
If you are an agent
If you are an agent working on behalf of your client, your client needs to fill in an authorising your agent (64-8) form.
You should submit the completed form with your CA8454 application form.
Apply online
You will need to sign in to use this service. If you do not already have sign in details, you will be able to create them.
You do not have to fill in the form in one go. You can save your answers and return later.
What happens next
We’ll confirm and send a healthcare cover certificate if you’re eligible for this period abroad.
Check when you can expect a reply
You can check when you can expect a reply from HMRC about the application that you have submitted.
Updates to this page
Published 2 November 2020Last updated 31 July 2024 + show all updates
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We have replaced and updated the existing form to apply for a healthcare entitlement certificate. This covers you or any of your dependents if you are taking maternity, paternity or adoption leave in, or for any dependents living in, one of the listed countries.
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Change to the application process for applying for a certificate of coverage where you will now also receive a healthcare entitlement certificate if you qualify. Removed mariner section as an applicant does not need to provide this any longer. A new section has been included so that you can check when you can expect a reply from HMRC after you've applied.
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Information about applying for healthcare certificate (including a Portable Document S1, E106 or E109) in the EU, European Economic Area, Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway or Switzerland has been added.
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Information about applying for healthcare cover in the EU, European Economic Area or Switzerland if you're a student or you're retired has been added.
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Changes have recently been made to this page under the section headed ‘How to Apply’. The changes relate to any additional information you may need to provide with your CA8454 application.
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More information about what you need to include has been added to the 'If you’re a mariner' section.
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This has been updated following the announcement of the UK’s deal with the EU. Use the online service or postal form to apply for a Portable Document S1, E106 or E109 in the EU, Norway, Iceland, Switzerland or Liechtenstein.
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First published.