Emergency in Ukraine

Healthcare in Italy

For Ukrainian citizens, compulsory registration with the Italian National Health Service (NHS) will remain valid until 31 December 2025. In order to be registered, it is necessary to hold a residence permit for temporary protection or at least to have applied for one.

Citizens already in possession of a residence permit and therefore registered with the NHS, expiring on 31/12/2024, pursuant to art. 2 of Legislative Decree No. 2 of Legislative Decree 202/2024, which extended the assistance measures, will need to apply for renewal for the year 2025 (N.B. RENEWAL IS NOT AUTOMATIC).

Current registration with the Italian NHS is automatically extended by 2 months, to ensure continuity of healthcare, in order to allow interested parties to submit a request for renewal of their residence permit.

Registration with the NHS cannot be extended to the expiry of 31 December 2025 without presentation of a renewal receipt or a request for a new residence permit.

The request for/renewal of a residence permit for temporary protection guarantees healthcare throughout the country, on an equal footing with Italian citizens, after registration at the local health authorities of the place of domicile. “Domicile” means the address indicated on the permit application form.

The request for a residence permit allows assignment of a general practitioner (GP) and/or paediatrician of your own choice. Registration is usually done in an office or at a counter, a process known as “choosing or changing GP”. It is possible to choose a GP and/or a paediatrician for any minors in the same office. A paper document will be issued on which the following are indicated:

• An identification code
• Your name
• The name of the doctor and/or paediatrician chosen.

Each GP or paediatrician chosen has an outpatient clinic and must guarantee general medical visits, free of charge, at set times on set days. It is necessary to contact your GP and paediatrician for each specialist and pharmaceutical prescription. Medicines prescribed by the doctor are provided by pharmacies.

Maternity Protection

All women in Italy have the right to maternity protection. If you are pregnant, you should contact your GP for:

• Pregnancy assistance: obstetric visits, ultrasounds, check-ups and instrumental examinations
• Childbirth assistance: assistance during labour and delivery
• Postpartum care: especially postpartum visits.

Hospitals

A written request from your GP is required for hospitalization, but in health emergency situations, hospitalization is ordered by a doctor at the emergency room (A&E), which can be accessed for any emergency.

Covid-19 vaccinations 

Italy offers the possibility of Covid-19 vaccination free of charge and you can request vaccination at the nearest local health authority.

Other vaccinations

You can get vaccinations for diphtheria, tetanus, whooping cough, polio, measles, mumps, rubella and – according to the assessment of the health authorities – also other vaccinations that will be offered free of charge to you and your children.

Screening for tuberculosis

You can also get screened for tuberculosis.

Pets

You may bring your pets into Italy as an exception to the European authorization procedures. In the case of border controls, the authorities may ask you for data to be sent by email to the Ministry of Health (UA-pets@sanita.it): the species and number of animals (maximum 5), identification of the same (if possible), the name of the owner and the destination address in Italy.

See also

• Civil Protection Department – Ukraine emergency
• Covid-19
• Rabies preventiol and control measures for companion animals/pets from Ukraine