FAQs - Standard forms for social security rights

Portable documents replace the old E-forms. They are issued by the competent social security institutions where you are insured.

Each document is about an individual person (possibly including family members) and contains your name and other identifiers. The social security institution that issues the document also duly signs and stamps it.

A portable document for the coordination of social security bears an EU flag on the top-left corner, a reference to the social security coordination on the top right corner, and the indication of the issuing institution at the bottom. The only exception is the European Health Insurance Card (EHIC).

The A1 form (formerly E101 and E103) provides proof that you pay social security contributions in another EU country, Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway, Switzerland, or the United Kingdom. This is typically the case of posted workers or people working in more than one country at a time. For more information, find and contact your social security institution.

The DA1 form (formerly E123) entitles you to receive medical treatment in case of accidents at work and occupational diseases in another EU country, Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway, Switzerland, or the United Kingdom. For more information, find and contact your social security institution.

The P1 form is an overview of the decisions by each country on your pension claim. It informs you on the way the institutions have dealt with the different periods of insurance, and allows you to see, for instance, whether there is any gap or overlap between insurance periods.

The S1 form (formerly E106, E109, E120 and E121) allows you to register for healthcare if you live in an EU country, Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway, Switzerland, or the United Kingdom but you are insured in a different one of these countries, typically as a pensioner retiring abroad. It can also be useful for your family members if they stay in their country of origin while you work in another country, which means they are covered by the social security insurance of the country where you work. For more information, find and contact your social security institution.

With the S2 form (formerly E112) you can prove your entitlement to planned health treatment in another EU country, Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway, Switzerland, or the United Kingdom. Get it from your health insurance institution before leaving and then submit it to the health insurance institution in the country where you go to receive the treatment. You will get treatment under the same conditions of care and payment as to nationals of that country. This could mean you have to pay a percentage of the costs upfront. 

The S3 form entitles former cross-border workers (or “frontier workers”) to treatment in the country where they used to work. The treatment may be a new one or a follow-up on a medical procedure that started before the holder stopped working there. For more information, find and contact your social security institution.

The U1 form (formerly E301) certifies your periods of insurance in another EU country, Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway, Switzerland, or the United Kingdom that will be taken into account for the calculation of unemployment benefits. You can obtain it from the national employment service of the last country/countries where you worked, and you should submit it to the national employment service of the country where you wish to apply for benefits. For more information, find and contact your social security institution.

The U2 form (formerly E303) is the authorisation to export your unemployment benefits. You can obtain it from the national employment service of the country where you became unemployed, and you will have to submit it to the national employment service of the country where you wish to look for a job. For more information, find and contact your social security institution.

The U3 form is a warning from the host institution in the country where you are looking for a job to the institution in the country which is paying your unemployment benefits. Because your situation has changed your benefits may be reduced or stopped following this exchange between institutions. If you receive an U3 form, you may need to contact the institution of the country paying your benefits to check if your situation has been affected. For more information, find and contact your social security institution.

Under the EU social security coordination rules, each country must designate a liaison body to respond to requests for information and assistance both from other institutions and from citizens. Use the directory to find a liaison body.

Each country has its own deadlines and procedures to appeal an administrative decision. It is very important to act promptly and make sure to respect these deadlines. Ask your national institutions for advice.

All documents relating to social security coordination (that is, E-forms, European Health Insurance Cards and Provisional Replacement Certificates) issued prior to 1 May 2010 by the competent authorities under the old coordination rules continue to be valid until they expire or are withdrawn or replaced by the competent institution.