Waiting for your OHIP card? You can still see a doctor.
Just moved to Ontario? Whether your OHIP application is processing, your card hasn't arrived, or you don't yet meet the eligibility rules, Doctor Fran connects you with licensed Ontario physicians by phone — no health card required.
Medically reviewed by Dr. Francis Ojukwu, MBBS Family Physician, registered with the CPSO · Ontario · June 2026
Good news first
Ontario no longer has a 3-month OHIP waiting period
If you've read about a "three-month wait" for OHIP, that's outdated: Ontario removed the waiting period in March 2020. If you're eligible, your coverage can begin right away. But there are still real gaps where newcomers find themselves without coverage:
Your OHIP application is still being processed, or your photo health card hasn't arrived
You don't yet meet eligibility rules — for example, the requirement to be physically in Ontario for at least 153 of your first 183 days
Your immigration status doesn't currently qualify you for OHIP
You're between documents — an expired card, a name change, or lost paperwork
In any of these situations, you can still see a doctor. With Doctor Fran, you book a consultation in the app, pay by card, and a physician licensed in Ontario calls you — typically the same day.
What you can get
Real care while your paperwork catches up
Referrals & labs
Keep your care moving
Need a specialist or blood work? A physician can write referral letters and lab requisitions where clinically appropriate.
Sick notes
For your new job or school
Started work or school before your card arrived? Get a physician-issued note where clinically appropriate.
Consultations
Any health concern
Talk to a licensed Ontario physician about any health question while you settle in.
FAQ
Newcomer questions
Yes. You don't need OHIP or a health card to use Doctor Fran — you pay for your consultation by card in the app, and a licensed Ontario physician calls you.
No. Ontario removed the three-month waiting period in March 2020. However, you must still meet eligibility and residency requirements, and applications take time to process — which is where Doctor Fran can help in the meantime.
Generally no — services you pay for privately before your coverage begins aren't reimbursed by OHIP. If you have private or employer insurance, your plan may cover eligible visits; Doctor Fran provides receipts.
Yes. An expired or lost health card doesn't stop you from booking. You pay by card in the app like any other patient without OHIP.
Sources & references: Ontario Ministry of Health — Apply for OHIP and get a health card (Ontario notes there is no longer a waiting period for OHIP coverage); College of Physicians and Surgeons of Ontario (CPSO) — public register. For general information only; not medical or legal advice.
New to Ontario? Don't wait to be seen.
Download Doctor Fran and speak with a licensed Ontario physician while your OHIP gets sorted.