Patient in Greece without public insurance (AMKA)
Medically reviewed by: Dr Nikolas Kousouris, General / Family Physician
If you are in Greece without an AMKA, you can still see a doctor in Greece without public insurance. You can be treated in an emergency, and you can get a prescription. What changes is who pays.
A lot of the advice online is out of date. The rules on prescriptions changed in 2024.
What an AMKA is
An AMKA is the Greek social security number. It connects you to the public system: cheaper medicines, referrals for tests, a family doctor, hospital care.
It is a number, not insurance. Without one you are not locked out of Greek healthcare. You are simply outside the part the state pays for.
Seeing a doctor without one
Any private doctor can see you. You pay them directly, and nobody will ask for an AMKA to book.
Most everyday problems can be sorted out this way, including by video, because the doctor works mainly from what you describe. Chest infections, urinary infections, rashes and skin problems, upset stomachs and allergic reactions are all common examples.
Getting a prescription
A doctor in Greece can write you a prescription using your passport. No AMKA needed.
This changed in August 2024. The doctor enters your passport or ID number, and the system gives you a code that works in place of an AMKA. The prescription comes to you by email, or printed. At the pharmacy, the pharmacist checks your passport and hands over the medicine.
Three things to know:
- You pay the full price. There is no state contribution this way.
- Not every medicine can be prescribed like this. Some are blocked.
- You cannot get a referral for blood tests or scans. Those stay private and you pay for them.
Some doctors have never used this, simply because they rarely need to. If you are told it is impossible, ask for «συνταγή με διαβατήριο» — a prescription with your passport.
This is also the route to take if you have run out of something you brought with you, since a prescription from home will not be accepted at a Greek pharmacy.
What it costs
A private consultation is paid by you. A video consultation with DocNow is scheduled for 15 minutes and costs a flat €20.
Medicines are full price without an AMKA. Blood tests and scans are private and paid separately.
If you have a European Health Insurance Card
Your EHIC covers treatment in public hospitals and health centres while you are visiting. Bring the card and photo ID.
It is much weaker in private care. Some private doctors accept it, most do not, and those who do can only take a limited number of patients each month. Ask before you book, not after.
At the pharmacy, an EHIC means you pay 25% of the cost instead of all of it.
Keep every receipt. If you pay upfront, you claim it back from your own country's health service, not from Greece.
In an emergency
Call 112, or 166 for an ambulance, or go to the nearest hospital emergency department.
Emergency care in Greece is given to everyone, whatever your insurance or paperwork. Do not wait because you are worried about documents, and do not book a video consultation for something urgent.
Can you get an AMKA?
It depends on why you are here.
- EU citizens living in Greece can, even if they are not working.
- Non-EU residents can, if their permit lets them work here.
- Tourists cannot. Neither can EU visitors staying under three months who are not working.
Some permits — including certain student and digital nomad ones — do not allow work, and those are the ones where it gets complicated. Apply at a ΚΕΠ office or ΕΦΚΑ with your passport, your permit, proof of your address, and officially translated family documents.
Frequently asked questions
Can a pharmacy give me antibiotics without a prescription?
No. Antibiotics need a prescription in Greece. A leftover box from home is a different problem — the wrong antibiotic for the wrong infection gives you the side effects without any of the benefit.
Will my prescription from home work here?
No. Greek pharmacies will not dispense against a prescription from another country, inside or outside the EU. Bring it with you anyway, or a photo of it, so the doctor can see exactly what you take and at what dose. You will need a Greek prescription to buy it here.
I am here for ten days. Should I apply for an AMKA?
No. Tourists are not eligible, and it would not come through in time anyway. The passport prescription route exists for exactly this situation.
Can I have blood tests without an AMKA?
Yes, at any private laboratory, paying for them yourself.
Do I need to speak Greek?
No. Plenty of doctors speak English, and you can book a consultation in English.
You are somewhere unfamiliar, you feel unwell, and the paperwork looks like a closed door when it is not. Download the DocNow app, book an appointment and describe what is going on. Each consultation is scheduled for 15 minutes and costs a flat €20. The doctor will assess you and explain the appropriate next step, at their clinical discretion.
Appointment availability depends on doctor availability at the time of booking.
The information above is provided exclusively for educational purposes and does not replace medical advice. Please consult your treating doctor to determine the most appropriate treatment plan for your individual needs.
