AFTER you have Applied and been approved for VA Health care you can get yourself a VHIC.

Benefits of the VHIC

The VHIC has various benefits:

IMPORTANT NOTE:

  • The VHIC is NOT a credit or insurance card! It does NOT pay copays or authorize care at non-VA facilities!


Obtaining a VHIC

There are two ways to obtain a VHIC:

  • Online; or

  • In-person.


Online

1. Click Here.

2. Upload a color picture of yourself.

Pictures MUST meet ALL of the following criteria:

  • Taken within the last 6 months;

  • White or off-white background;

  • Eyes are open, without your hair covering your eyes or ears;

  • Full front view of your face (no hats, head coverings, face coverings, headphones, or eyeglasses); and

  • Be cropped: Picture should be a square shape from your shoulders up (like a passport photo).

3. Upload a picture of your valid Federal, state, or local government-issued photo ID showing your name, address, and date of birth.

IMPORTANT NOTES:

  • The address on your ID MUST match the address that the VA has for you! If your address is out of date click Here to update it.

  • Pictures must be saved as a .jpeg, .png, .bmp, .gif, or .tiff file.


In-person

  1. Schedule an appointment with your Nearest VA medical center's enrollment coordinator.

  2. Bring a valid Federal, state, or local government-issued photo ID showing your name, address, and date of birth to your appointment.

Note:

  • If your ID doesn’t show your CURRENT address, you’ll need to bring a separate document to confirm your address. This could be a utility bill, voter registration card, or another mailed letter.

Frequently Asked Questions

    • Around 2 weeks if you live in the US. If you live overseas, it can easily take over a month.

    • If you made an online request, you can call the VA at 877-222-8387. If you went in-person, you should call the VAMC that you went to.

    • You can request a new one HERE.

    • Yes.