Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, for what reason people are required to have full medical insurance when applying for a 180 day tourist visa to France and other Schengen countries.

The EU has legislated such that British Citizens can travel visa-free in the Schengen area for short stays, such as for tourism, for up to 90 days in any rolling 180-day period. British Citizens who are planning to stay longer will need permission from the relevant Member State, which may require applying for a visa and/or permit. British Citizens who apply for visas for longer stays in an EU Member State will also need to meet the healthcare requirements of that country. They may be able to join local healthcare schemes, or they may have to take out private insurance. They should check all entry requirements with Member State authorities before they travel.

The provisions in the Protocol on Social Security Coordination in the UK-EU Trade and Cooperation Agreement (TCA) mean that reciprocal healthcare arrangements are in place, allowing people to continue to have access to urgent or necessary healthcare cover when travelling in the EU. However, the Government still recommends that individuals take out comprehensive travel insurance which covers healthcare costs when travelling abroad. Reciprocal healthcare arrangements only cover emergency and necessary healthcare costs and so may not cover all healthcare costs that might arise when travelling.