GP Visit Card
Free GP visits. You still pay for medicines and other services.
Last checked August 2026
What it is
Free GP visits without paying to see your doctor. Everyone aged 70 or over qualifies regardless of income, and every child under 8 qualifies too. If you get Carer's Allowance or Carer's Benefit, at full or half rate, you also get free GP visits. Anyone aged 8 to 69 can apply on an income test, including if you are just over the medical card limit.
Who can get it
- Every child under 8 living in Ireland can get one, with no income test. You register for it
- Everyone aged 70 or over can register, whatever their income
- Anyone aged 8 to 69 can apply and is assessed on income
- It covers the GP visit only. Prescriptions and other services are still charged for, so pair it with the Drugs Payment Scheme, which caps what a household pays for approved medicines each month.
- If you already hold a medical card you do not need a GP visit card, because the medical card covers GP visits and more.
- Carers getting Carer's Allowance or Carer's Benefit can qualify through a separate route, so it is worth checking even if your income looks too high.
How to apply
Applications go through HSE. The official page has the full eligibility rules and the application itself.
Go to the official page →Checked against the official source on 19 August 2026. Always confirm the details on the official page before applying.
Questions people ask
Which children and older adults get a GP visit card without an income test?
Children under 8 and adults aged 70 or over. There is no income test, but you still need to register. A child under 8 must live in Ireland and intend to stay for at least a year.
Is it the same as a medical card?
No. A GP visit card covers the cost of seeing your GP. A medical card covers that plus hospital services and cheaper prescriptions. If you have a medical card you do not need a GP visit card.
Do I still pay for medicines?
Yes. The card covers the GP visit, not prescriptions. The Drugs Payment Scheme caps what your household pays for approved prescribed medicines each month.
Can I apply if I am working?
Yes. Anyone aged 8 to 69 can apply and is assessed on income, and the GP visit card income limits are more generous than the medical card ones.
Related guides
- Medical Card
- HSE Fertility Treatment (IVF, ICSI, IUI)
- Free Contraception Scheme
- Drugs Payment Scheme
- CervicalCheck
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