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Social security coordination

You have plans for a stay in another EU country or in Norway, Iceland, Liechtenstein or Switzerland? You would like to go there for work or as a tourist? Perhaps you would like to move to one of these countries? Maybe you would like to spend your retirement abroad? In these cases, you have to keep a couple of things in mind to be on the safe side when it comes to your social protection.

Staying in or moving to other EU countries, Norway, Iceland, Liechtenstein or Switzerland

If you wish to take up employment in another member state, the law of that member state will normally apply to your employment relationship. In return, German social security law usually applies to EU citizens who work for an employer in Germany. There are exceptions from this basic rule, especially for posted workers from other member states and for persons who are employed in two or more member states. You will find detailed information on the rules which apply in these special cases in the European Commission’s "Practical guide - The applicable legislation in the EU, EEA and in Switzerland (2013)" and on the website of the Deutsche Verbindungsstelle Krankenversicherung - Ausland (DVKA) (in German).

Handling of A 1 attestations for activities arranged at short notice and short-term activities in other EU countries, the EEA countries Iceland, Liechtenstein and Norway as well as Switzerland

If you stay in another European country for a short period of time or spend your holidays there and require medical services, e.g. by a doctor or at a hospital, the terms which would apply to nationals of that country when accessing these services will also apply to you. Your European Health Insurance Card (EHIC) will help you prove your claim to these services. The European Health Insurance Card is usually printed at the back of the health insurance cards of persons with German statutory health insurance. On its website, the European Commission provides examples of EHICs from all EU member states. On the website, you will also find information on the scope of medical treatment and on the health care systems of the different EU countries.