A classification indicating the circumstances in which overseas visitors are not liable to have to pay to use the National Health Service.

Classification:

a.	Anyone who at the time of treatment has been in the UK for the previous 12 months
b.	Anyone who has come to the UK for the purpose of taking up permanent residence
c.	Anyone who has come to the UK for the purpose of engaging in employment (whether as employed or self employed); this includes students and trainees whose course requires them to spend not less than 12 weeks in employment during their first year and unpaid workers with voluntary organisations providing certain services similar to those of health authorities and local authority social services departments.
d.	Members of HM forces and other crown servants and British Council or Commonwealth War Graves Commission staff serving overseas, and others working overseas under arrangements sponsored by HM Government
e.	People working overseas who have had at least 10 years continuous residence in the UK and have either:
	i.	been working abroad for not more than 5 years, or
	ii.	been taking home leave in the UK at least once every 2 years or have a contractual right to do so, or have a contractual right to the cost of their passage to the UK at the end of their agreement
f.	Nationals of any of the European Economic Area (EEA)* countries who are resident in any of those countries and refugees and stateless persons and their dependants and survivors living in those countries regardless of their own nationality
	i.	who require treatment the need for which arose during the visit to the U.K.
	ii.	who are referred to the UK specifically for treatment with form E112 or E123
g.	Residents and nationals of any country with which the UK has reciprocal agreements:
	i.	who require treatment the need of which arose during the visit to the UK
	ii.	who are referred to the UK for treatment under arrangements made by the appropriate authorities in those countries
h.	Seamen on UK-registered ships; offshore workers on the UK sector of the continental shelf
i.	UK war disabled pensioners and war widows
j.	UK state pensioners living overseas (limited to treatment the need for which arose during the visit)
k.	Refugees and others who have sought refuge in the UK
l.	i.	Anyone detained by the immigration authorities
	ii.	Anyone who is a prisoner**
m.	Diplomatic staff at embassies and Commonwealth high commissions in London
n.	EEA nationals working in another EEA member state but paying compulsory UK class I or class II National Insurance contributions
o.	Nationals of countries which are signatories to the European Social Charter but with which the UK has no reciprocal agreement (limited to those nationals who are genuinely without resources to pay for medical assistance and the need for the treatment arose during the visit)
p.	NATO service personnel (posted to the UK) not using their own or UK armed forces hospitals
q.	Husbands or wives, and children (under the age of 16, or under the age of 19 if at school or college of further education) of any persons described in a. - p. above or in the Note *** below.

Note: * The European Economic Area consists of the European Community member states plus Iceland, Liechtenstein and Norway.

Note: ** For prisoners on remand this exemption applies until 12 months after arrival in the U.K. For convicted prisoners this exemption applies to until 12 months after arrival in the U.K., or 6 months after committal to prison by the courts, whichever is earlier

Note: *** A person living here for a settled purpose for not less than 6 months will be accepted as ordinary resident and therefore not liable to charges under the Regulations. A student enrolled in a course of study, the prescribed duration of which is not less than 6 months, is similarly entitled.

References:
The NHS Treatment of Overseas Visitors, Manual of Guidance, 1988 Appendix M and subsequent updates 

This attribute is also known by these names:

Context	Alias
plural	OVERSEAS VISITOR EXEMPT CATEGORIES