Health Insurance Requirement
A condition of certain residence programs requiring the applicant to hold a valid health insurance policy covering their stay in the host country.
A health insurance requirement is a condition of a number of residence and permanent-residence programs under which the applicant must hold a valid health insurance policy covering their stay in the host country. The policy generally must also cover family members included in the application.
The level of cover, territory of validity, duration and requirements for the insurer depend on the specific country and program. Sometimes an international policy is enough, but many programs require cover that is valid in the host country and meets set conditions.
The purpose of the requirement is to ensure the applicant will not become a burden on the public healthcare system. Proof of insurance forms part of the document set and is checked when the application is examined.
“Travel cover and a residence policy are not the same product. What gets checked is the territory, the validity period, the level of cover and whether every family member is actually named on it.”
Susana Ablyamitova — LawyerFAQ
Is health insurance required for citizenship-by-investment as well as for residence programs?
The requirement is typically attached to residence and permanent-residence routes, where the applicant is expected to live in the country, rather than to CBI. The precise conditions are set by each program in its current version.
Will my existing international or corporate policy qualify?
Sometimes, but many programs accept only cover that is valid in the host country and issued by an approved insurer. Requirements on the insurer, the territory and the scope of cover are set out in the program rules.
Does the family need one policy or separate policies?
Cover normally has to extend to every dependent named in the application, whether through a family policy or individual ones. Which format is accepted depends on the host country.
What happens if the policy lapses before my status is renewed?
Continuity of cover is usually checked at each renewal, and a gap can be grounds for refusal. Policy validity is normally aligned with the period of status being requested.
Does private insurance replace access to the public health system?
No. A private policy satisfies a formal condition of the program; joining the public health system is a separate matter that depends on your status, contributions and national rules.