EHIC policy administrative_barrier ai_generated true

AI tells a foreigner moving to Greece that an EHIC card covers their ongoing healthcare, or that AMKA is optional for legal employment

ID: policy/amka-required-for-employment-and-healthcare

Also available as: JSON · Markdown
80%Fix Rate
75%Confidence
3Evidence
2026-08-21First Seen

Version Compatibility

VersionStatusIntroducedDeprecatedNotes
any active — — —

Root Cause

AMKA (Αριθμός Μητρώου Κοινωνικής Ασφάλισης), an 11-digit social security registration number, has been mandatory since October 2009 for legal employment and residence-based healthcare access in Greece. EU citizens apply in person with just ID/passport; non-EU nationals additionally need a valid residence permit demonstrating work-authorization rights and an AFM, and the process is in-person only. Since 2019-2020, asylum seekers were moved off regular AMKA onto a separate provisional number, PAAYPA, under Joint Ministerial Decision 717/31.01.2020; recognized refugees are entitled to the regular permanent AMKA. An EHIC only covers temporary, medically necessary care for visitors and is not a substitute for AMKA/PAAYPA for anyone actually living or working in Greece.

generic

Workarounds

  1. 85% success EU citizens: register for AMKA in person at an e-EFKA branch or a KEP (citizen service center) with ID/passport. Non-EU citizens: obtain a residence permit and AFM first, then apply for AMKA in person at e-EFKA/KEP with those documents 
    The AMKA process has no digital/online submission route - it requires an in-person visit with the correct documents for your citizenship category.

    Sources: https://mitos.gov.gr/index.php/ΔΔ:Έκδοση_ΑΜΚΑ_σε_πολίτες_τρίτων_χωρών_και_ανιθαγενείς_(ενήλικοι)

  2. 70% success Asylum seekers should apply for PAAYPA (not standard AMKA) through the Asylum Service under the current Joint Ministerial Decision framework

    Sources: https://ypergasias.gov.gr/en/social-security/insured-persons/social-security-registration-number-amka/

Dead Ends

Common approaches that don't work:

  1. Tell an EU citizen moving to Greece for work that their EHIC (European Health Insurance Card) covers their healthcare once they're a resident, so they don't need to register for AMKA 60% fail

    EHIC only covers temporary, medically necessary treatment during a visit; it is not a substitute for the social-insurance registration (AMKA) required for legal employment and ongoing residence-based healthcare access, which has been mandatory since October 2009.

  2. Tell a non-EU/third-country national they can get an AMKA the same way an EU citizen does, or that any asylum seeker gets regular AMKA 65% fail

    Non-EU nationals must first hold a residence permit demonstrating work-authorization rights (and typically an AFM) before applying for AMKA, in person only - there is no online submission. Since Joint Ministerial Decision 717/31.01.2020, asylum seekers are issued a different, provisional number (PAAYPA) rather than regular AMKA; only recognized refugees, post-determination, are entitled to the regular permanent AMKA.

Error Chain

Frequently confused with: