Registering with a GP: A Step-by-Step Guide for Newcomers

Registering with a GP is one of the most useful things you can do in your first fortnight in the UK — and one of the easiest to put off. You cannot normally see an NHS doctor until you are registered with a practice, and registering takes days, not minutes, to fully process. Do it while you are healthy, not while you are shivering in bed wondering why nobody will book you in. This guide describes England; Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland run their health services separately and some details differ.

Step 1: Find a practice near you

A GP practice (usually called a surgery — it has nothing to do with operations) serves a local area called a catchment area. Most practices only register patients whose home address falls inside it. Use the "Find a GP" search on the NHS website: enter your postcode and it lists nearby surgeries, whether they are accepting new patients, and links to their websites. If you are a student, your university may have an on-campus health centre that registers students routinely — often the simplest choice, because they understand student paperwork and term dates.

It is worth a minute of comparison before you commit. Check opening hours, whether the practice offers online booking, and how far it is from where you actually spend your days. Reviews on the NHS site can hint at how hard it is to get through on the phone.

Step 2: Know what you do NOT need

This is the point newcomers worry about most, so let's be precise. According to NHS guidance, you do not need proof of address, proof of identity, proof of immigration status, or an NHS number to register with a GP in England — a practice cannot refuse you registration because you lack them. That said, most surgeries will ask for ID and proof of address because it makes their admin easier, and providing them speeds things up. A passport or BRP plus a tenancy agreement, bank letter or university enrolment letter is more than enough. If you genuinely have none of these yet, say so politely and mention that NHS guidance allows registration without documents; the practice should still register you. The NHS GP services pages set this out in black and white.

A practice can refuse you for legitimate reasons — usually that you live outside the catchment area or that its patient list is full — and if so it should tell you in writing. Just try the next surgery on the list.

Step 3: Fill in the registration form

Registration itself is a form. The paper version in England is the GMS1 form, available at the front desk, but most practices now prefer you to register online — either through the national "Register with a GP surgery" service linked from their website, or their own form. You will be asked for your name, date of birth, address, phone number, and previous doctor's details if you have any in the UK (as a newcomer, you simply won't — that is fine). There is usually a short health questionnaire about medications, allergies and vaccinations. Answer what you can; nobody expects a newcomer to know their childhood vaccination dates by heart.

Registration is free, and you can only be registered with one GP practice at a time. If you are in a city for under three months — a summer school, say — you can instead ask a local surgery to see you as a temporary patient without transferring your registration.

Step 4: Your NHS number and the NHS App

Once processed (typically a few days to two weeks), you are allocated an NHS number — a ten-digit identifier that follows you through every NHS service in England. You do not need to memorise it, but note it somewhere: hospitals and pharmacies ask for it. It appears on prescriptions and NHS letters, and in the NHS App, which is worth downloading once your registration is live. The app lets you order repeat prescriptions, view test results and, at many practices, book appointments without phoning.

Step 5: The first appointment

Some practices invite new patients to a new patient health check — a short, routine appointment, usually with a nurse, covering height, weight, blood pressure and your health history. It is not a sign anything is wrong, and it is a good moment to hand over any medical records or medication lists you brought from home (bring translations if you have them, or at least the generic drug names — brand names differ between countries).

When you need an actual GP appointment, phone the surgery, use its online form, or book through the NHS App where offered. Same-day slots for urgent problems are often released when phone lines open — the famous 8am rush — so call early and be patient with the queue, or try the practice's online consultation form instead.

What the receptionist will ask, and why

The receptionist will usually ask "Can I ask what it's regarding?" This surprises many newcomers, who feel it is intrusive. It is standard practice: receptionists are trained to route you to the right clinician — a pharmacist, nurse or GP — and to spot urgent cases. Give a one-line answer ("stomach pain for a week") or, if you prefer, say "it's personal, but it isn't urgent". Both are completely acceptable. They may also ask "Are you registered here?" — if you have followed the steps above, you can finally say yes.

Changing GP, and common questions

You can change practice at any time, for any reason — moving house, or simply preferring another surgery. You do not need to explain yourself or tell your old practice: just register with the new one, and your records transfer automatically. A few frequent questions:

• Does registering cost anything? No. GP registration and consultations are free on the NHS.
• Will the surgery check my visa? GP registration does not depend on immigration status, and primary care is not charged. Most visa holders will have paid the Immigration Health Surcharge with their visa application anyway — see GOV.UK.
• Can I choose a specific doctor? You register with a practice, not a person, but you can ask to see a particular GP — or request a female doctor — and the practice will accommodate it where it can.
• What if I need a doctor before registration is complete? Anyone can call NHS 111 for urgent advice, registered or not, and emergency care via 999 or A&E is always available to everyone.

If a practice wrongly refuses to register you — for example, insisting on immigration documents — ask for the refusal in writing and contact Citizens Advice or the practice's complaints procedure. This guide is general information about how the system works, not medical advice: for health concerns, speak to a pharmacist or GP, call 111, or in an emergency call 999.