The European health insurance replacement certificate (hereinafter – the EHIC RC) is a document equivalent to the EHIC. It is a replacement card in case the person has lost his or her card or if the health insurance institution cannot issue the card to the applicant before he or she travels.
The EHIC RC is equivalent to the EHIC only it is:
- in paper format;
- issued for a specific period of time during which the person received healthcare services.
- issued in Latvian and does not need to be translated as it is a single document in all Member States of the European Union (EU), a Member State of the European Economic Area (EEA) and Switzerland.
If you require emergency medical assistance but you do not have the EHIC, the EHIC RC may be requested by submitting an application to the National Health Service of the Republic of Latvia (hereinafter – the NHS).
The application may also be submitted in free format, indicating:
- personal data;
- the dates of receipt of the service;
- the exact name of the medical institution;
- the address to which the EHIC RC must be sent;
- the e-mail address, if you have such.
The EHIC RC may also be requested from Latvia by the medical institution where you receive healthcare, or by the local competent authority administering the State budget in the field of healthcare.
If you have to pay for treatment from your own resources, you can apply to the NHS for reimbursement of expenses upon return to Latvia.
In emergency situations (serious illness, death, disaster, etc.) you can call the 24/7 emergency phone number +371 26337711 in the Consular Department of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Latvia, which is designed to provide the necessary assistance to Latvian nationals in unexpected situations abroad.