Country guide — Europe
Expat insurance and health insurance in Greece
In short
For a French citizen, also an EU citizen, no private health insurance is required by Greek law to move to Greece: EU free movement removes the need for any visa. Access to the public system starts with obtaining an AMKA number, then active affiliation with EFKA, the single social security fund — automatic upon hiring for an employee, via a flat-rate contribution for a self-employed person, or with no new contribution via form S1 for a retiree or a seconded worker. Beyond 3 months of stay, a registration certificate from the foreigners' police becomes mandatory and requires, among its supporting documents, proof of social cover. Even affiliated with EOPYY (the national healthcare provision body), the insured person remains liable for a co-payment that can reach 25% on medication and 30% at a contracted private clinic; with no cover at all, the full cost remains payable, with no help from the French embassy.
Key figures
- 8,698 French nationals registered with the consular register in 2025 (8,536 in 2024, +1.90%).
- Life expectancy at birth: 81.84 years in 2024 (World Bank).
- Health spending: 8.39% of GDP in 2023 (World Bank), below the European Union average.
- Co-payment for an EFKA/EOPYY-insured person: up to 25% on medication, 10 to 30% at a contracted private clinic, 15% on diagnostic tests (CLEISS).
Local healthcare system
Greece has a mixed system, funded by taxes and social contributions. EOPYY (National Organisation for the Provision of Healthcare Services) is the single purchaser of care: it sets contractual terms with providers, negotiates drug prices and runs public pharmacies. Public hospitals belong to the ESY network (Ethniko Systima Ygeias), alongside a well-developed private sector (contracted or for-profit clinics) that some residents turn to in order to shorten waiting times for non-urgent care.
Access to primary care (EOPYY rural and urban health centres, public-network family doctor) is free for an insured person. Emergency public hospitalisation is also free for an insured person, but a co-payment remains due on diagnostic tests (15%), medication (25%, reduced to 10% for certain conditions) and stays at a contracted private clinic (10 to 30%). Private dental care is, on the whole, not covered under the European temporary care scheme. The quality and availability of care vary widely by location: Athens and Thessaloniki have modern facilities, while rural areas and the islands remain less well equipped, with emergency access sometimes complicated by island geography.
Legal and visa obligations
- EU citizen: no visa required to move to Greece, EU free movement applies.
- Registration certificate: mandatory for any stay of between 3 months and 5 years, to be requested from the Greek police's foreigners' department in the place of residence. Free, valid for 5 years, it requires in particular proof of resources (or status) and social cover.
- AMKA (Greek social security number): an identifier required before any affiliation, issued by a KEP centre or via the employer. It grants no rights by itself: entitlement to care only opens with active affiliation to EFKA.
- Employee: automatic affiliation with EFKA once the employer declares the contract, covering sickness, maternity, disability, old age and unemployment.
- Self-employed: monthly flat-rate contribution based on a chosen class; contribution arrears suspend health cover.
- Seconded employee: stays on the French scheme via form A1, for up to 24 months (extendable), exempt from EFKA affiliation.
- Retiree: form S1 from their French pension fund, linked to the AMKA with no new contribution of their own — France then reimburses Greece.
There is no fine as such for lacking private insurance, but the absence of active affiliation or cover exposes you to paying medical costs in full, as well as an incomplete file for the registration certificate beyond 3 months.
Cost of some medical procedures
Orders of magnitude from specialised sources, not official fee schedules.
| Procedure | Public sector | Private sector |
|---|---|---|
| GP consultation, private practice | — | ≈20 to 50 € |
| Specialist consultation, private practice | — | ≈50 to 100 € |
| Home medical visit (private service, Athens) | — | ≈80 to 100 € during the day, higher at weekends and at night |
| Private ambulance transport (Athens) | — | ≈65 to 110 € |
| Family doctor consultation / EOPYY health centre | Free for an affiliated insured person | — |
| Emergency public hospitalisation | Free for an affiliated insured person | — |
| Night of hospitalisation at a contracted private clinic | — | Rate varies by facility, not publicly disclosed; 10 to 30% co-payment for the affiliated insured person |
| Prescription medication (insured co-payment) | 25% payable (10% for certain conditions) | — |
Social security agreements with France
As Greece is an EU member, there is no classic bilateral agreement with France: coordination runs through EU regulations 883/2004 and 987/2009.
- Temporary stay: the EHIC (called EKAA in Greece) is accepted free of charge by public doctors, and by contracted private clinics with a 10 to 30% co-payment; dentists are, on the whole, not part of the network. It covers neither repatriation nor planned care.
- Long-term move: obtain the AMKA then affiliate with EFKA; form S1 for a retiree, with no new contribution of their own.
- Secondment: form A1, stays on the French scheme for up to 24 months (extendable).
- If the EHIC is lost or forgotten, a temporary replacement certificate (CPR), valid for 3 months, can be issued by the French fund.
Which insurance for my profile
General matrix — does not recommend any specific product or insurer.
| Profile | Regulatory constraint | Points of attention |
|---|---|---|
| Working holiday visa | Not applicable (France-Greece = EU free movement) | — |
| Student | No visa required; EHIC for a temporary stay (Erasmus-type) | AMKA and affiliation needed for a long programme; dental care and private hospitalisation remain poorly covered |
| Seconded employee | Stays on the French scheme via form A1, up to 24 months | Supplementary health/repatriation cover useful for quick access to private care, particularly outside Athens and Thessaloniki |
| Local employee / self-employed | AMKA then mandatory affiliation with EFKA (automatic for an employee, flat-rate contribution for a self-employed person) | Co-payment (medication, private clinic) to plan for; delay before rights open after the first contribution payment |
| Retiree (form S1) | Affiliation with no new contribution, linked to the AMKA | Dental care and private hospitalisation outside the agreement remain payable; supplementary cover worth considering to reduce public-system waiting times |
Hospitals and care network
- Athens: General Hospital of Athens "Evangelismos", Greece's largest public hospital, and Hygeia Hospital (private, international patient base).
- Thessaloniki: AHEPA University General Hospital, the leading public teaching hospital for the north of the country.
Practical steps
- Before departure: notify French agencies of your departure (CPAM, CAF, France Travail, pension funds); if seconded or retired, request form A1 or S1.
- On arrival: obtain the AFM (Greek tax number), generally a prerequisite for the AMKA.
- Obtain the AMKA from a KEP centre (one-stop administrative office) or via the employer.
- Activate EFKA affiliation (automatic for an employee from the first contribution payment, via own contributions for a self-employed person, or via form S1 registered with EFKA for a retiree or seconded worker).
- Beyond 3 months of stay: apply for the registration certificate from the relevant Greek foreigners' police department, with proof of social cover.
- Register with the roll of French nationals living abroad (Consulate General in Athens or Thessaloniki), free and recommended.
Frequently asked questions
Does a French citizen need a visa to move to Greece?
No. As an EU citizen, a French national does not need a visa. Beyond 3 months of stay, however, a registration certificate from the foreigners' police becomes mandatory.
Is the AMKA enough to receive medical care in Greece?
No. The AMKA identifies the person within the social security system, but entitlement to care depends on active affiliation with EFKA behind that number: automatic for an employee once contributions are paid, via own contributions for a self-employed person, or via form S1 for a retiree or seconded worker.
Is the EHIC enough to settle in Greece long-term?
No. The EHIC (EKAA in Greece) covers temporary stays, with a 10 to 30% co-payment at a contracted private clinic and no cover for dentists or repatriation. Settling long-term requires the AMKA then EFKA affiliation, or form S1 for a retiree.
What does EFKA/EOPYY affiliation cover, and what remains payable?
Primary care and emergency public hospitalisation are free for an affiliated insured person. A co-payment remains due: 25% on medication (10% for certain conditions), 15% on diagnostic tests, and 10 to 30% at a contracted private clinic.
Is access to care the same everywhere in Greece?
No. Athens and Thessaloniki have modern facilities, while rural areas and the islands remain less well equipped, with emergency access sometimes complicated by island geography, according to France Diplomatie.
Moving to Greece? Get a quote
Written by Expavy
Sources
- France Diplomatie — Greece, Health
- France Diplomatie — Global register of French nationals abroad (2025)
- CLEISS — The Greek health system
- CLEISS — Social security for employees in Greece (EFKA, AMKA, co-payments)
- CLEISS — Holidays in Greece (EHIC/EKAA)
- French Embassy in Greece — Registration certificate as a foreigner in Greece
- World Bank — Life expectancy at birth, Greece
- World Bank — Current health expenditure (% of GDP), Greece
- SOS Doctors — Private consultation price list in Athens