Before you start

An AFM and proof of a Thessaloniki address, both needed before an AMKA can be issued
For non-EU applicants, a valid residence permit before applying for the AMKA
Employment or self-employment triggering EFKA contributions, or an EHIC for short stays or an S1 form
Private health insurance, which non-EU applicants need to obtain the residence permit anyway

Step-by-step

1
Get your AMKA at a KEP
Apply in person at any KEP citizens' service centre or e-EFKA branch with your passport, AFM, residence permit if non-EU, and proof of address. It is free and usually issued the same day. Without it you cannot register a doctor, receive an e-prescription or be reimbursed for anything.
In personWho: YouSame day, walk-inFree
2
Activate public cover through EFKA and EOPYY
Once you are employed or self-employed, EFKA contributions are recorded — your employer handles this for staff — and your AMKA is linked to EOPYY. You are then entitled to public hospitals and EOPYY-contracted doctors on the same terms as Greek nationals.
Via employerWho: You and your employerOnce contributions are recorded
3
Register a personal doctor — it is now a hard gate
Choose a GP or internist on the gov.gr personal-doctor platform. Since 3 April 2026 that doctor's referral is required to book public and EOPYY-contracted specialists. Registration and referred visits are free. Do this before you need a specialist, not when you do.
OnlineWho: YouMinutes online
4
Know which hospital does what
AHEPA University Hospital and Papageorgiou are the two large public teaching hospitals, with Ippokrateio and G. Gennimatas also major. They are on different sides of the city and specialties are divided between them. A referral names a hospital — check which before you set off, because crossing Thessaloniki in traffic is not quick.
OnlineWho: You
5
Buy a private policy and pick a private clinic
Almost every foreign resident pairs the public system with private cover for speed and English-language care. Thessaloniki's private hospital and clinic sector is substantial. A private consultation is a modest out-of-pocket cost; insurance covers hospitalisation and surgery and often outpatient care.
OnlineWho: YouA few days to quote and bind
6
Learn how pharmacies work
Your doctor files a paperless e-prescription tied to your AMKA and you collect at any pharmacy with your AMKA and ID, paying only a copay. For minor problems the pharmacist advises directly and dispenses a great deal without a doctor — the pharmacy is a genuine first stop here, not a last resort.
In personWho: You

Documents you’ll need

Passport or national ID
AFM
Residence permit, for non-EU residents
Proof of a Thessaloniki address
AMKA, quoted at every doctor visit and pharmacy collection
EHIC for short stays, or an S1 form for EU pensioners and posted workers

Things most newcomers don’t know

Since 3 April 2026 the personal doctor is a hard gate to specialists.

Without a referral from your registered προσωπικός γιατρός you cannot book public or EOPYY-contracted specialists. Referred care is free and registration takes minutes online. People discover the requirement at the point of needing a specialist, which is the worst moment to learn it, and then wait for a GP appointment before they can even join the specialist queue.

Source: gov.gr personal doctor platform; Greek health reform legislation

Non-EU residents face a genuine chicken-and-egg loop.

You need private health insurance to obtain the residence permit, and you need the residence permit before you can be issued an AMKA and enrol in EOPYY. There is no way around it, so plan and budget to carry private cover for your entire first year regardless of what your employment situation looks like.

Source: EFKA/EOPYY and Greek migration rules

A contribution gap suspends your entitlement, and it is silent.

EOPYY benefits, including subsidised medication, depend on EFKA contributions being current. For the self-employed a missed period suspends cover until it is settled, and nothing warns you — you find out at the pharmacy counter. If you are freelancing, treat the contributions as a standing obligation rather than a quarterly reconciliation.

Source: e-EFKA

The two big public hospitals are on opposite sides of the city, and traffic is the real distance.

AHEPA sits near the centre and the university; Papageorgiou is out to the west. Specialties are divided between them and a referral names one. Thessaloniki's surface traffic is heavy and the metro does not reach everywhere yet, so a hospital that looks close on a map can be forty minutes away at the wrong hour. Check the site and plan the journey before the appointment.

Source: AHEPA University Hospital; Papageorgiou General Hospital

Common mistakes to avoid

Trying to get an AMKA before you have an AFM, an address and, if non-EU, a residence permit.
Needing a specialist before you have registered a personal doctor — since April 2026 that referral is mandatory.
Letting EFKA contributions lapse and losing EOPYY entitlement without warning.
Assuming the public system is fast — it is universal and cheap, and it is stretched.
Turning up at the wrong Thessaloniki hospital for a named referral.

Some of this may be out of date. Spotted something inaccurate? Help us keep it right for the next newcomer.

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