I am one of the many travelling back to visit home in August. I’ll be going back to the UK but as I no longer pay taxes in England, as a resident of Japan, will I need to buy health insurance as I’m unsure if I’ll be covered by the NHS? I’ve never been in this situation before so I’m unsure.
– Also any tips about preparing for travel in corona virus times, what documentation I’ll need or things to prepare etc. would be so helpful!
5 comments
That’s correct. You’re not a resident of the UK and also you’re not a resident of a EEA country either.
So you will find this link helpful: https://www.nhs.uk/nhs-services/visiting-or-moving-to-england/visitors-from-outside-the-european-economic-area-eea/
Some things will be covered by the NHS, but others may not. So travel insurance is recommended. Also travel insurance will help protect you from flight related issues too.
You’ve no doubt already started planning for it, but get a list of the nearest places for that fit to fly return PCR test, maybe even mail them ahead to check they’ll still be operational in the time frame of your return flight, cos testing places are closing these days.
Do you have the My Number card? If so you can get the proof of vaccine app. Currently, that is no longer required, but past experience when new variants arise has shown us that Japan can bring in restrictions and requirements pretty fast, so best to prep more than you need just in case.
I think the most stressful thing about being back will be trying to avoid getting Covid as people will probably be going about daily life like it was 2019, so check the small print for your flight for rescheduling in the worst case scenario.
Oh and don’t forget the 5/10 pound paper banknotes are no longer legal tender as of September, so bring them with you if you have any.
I asked my Japanese insurance provider about covering COVID treatment while traveling to the US. They said they do cover you when traveling, but it is after you make a claim. And the level of reimbursement is in line with treatment in Japan. Based on this, I elected to get travel insurance. Your health insurance company may have different policies. But worth checking with them.
Do you mind expounding the proof of third vaccine app. Does this mean I don’t need to take a negative PCR test + certificate before flying?
Depending on your length of stay, ~$50 to have a relaxed state of mind is worth it on a trip.