Tourists from the EU/EEA, Switzerland or the United Kingdom on holiday in Norway
Are you from an EU/EEA country, Switzerland, or the United Kingdom, and are going to visit Norway? Then, you should ensure you have a valid European Health Insurance Card from your country of residence.
Illustration: Morten Rakke / Helfo
Your rights
Are you travelling as a tourist in Norway and have a valid European Health Insurance Card with you? Then, you may have the right to get necessary healthcare here and only pay a user fee. We recommend that you have private travel insurance because what the health insurance card covers is limited.
If you are travelling with your family, you must be aware that each family member has to their own health insurance card.
If you have citizenship from a country outside of the EU/EEA or Switzerland, for example the USA, you cannot use your European Health Insurance Card in Norway. This applies even if you now live in the EU/EEA or Switzerland.
The following persons can use the European Health Insurance Card in Norway regardless of citizenship:
- spouses or children of EU/EEA citizens
- people with a health insurance card from the United Kingdom
- persons with refugee status
- stateless persons
If you live in another Nordic country, there is no requirement to show the European Health Insurance Card. You can instead show identification and state your residential address.
Example
Carmen is from Spain and will travel together with her family on an Easter holiday to Norway. She makes sure to order European Health Insurance Cards for the entire family in sufficient time before they travel. She has also ensured that everyone has travel insurance.
What does the European Health Insurance Card cover?
A European Health Insurance Card only grants you access to medically necessary, state-provided healthcare during your temporary stay.
The duration of the stay determines what is considered necessary treatment. This means that you will be entitled to more comprehensive treatment if your stay is intended to be long-term.
The European Health Insurance Card gives you the right to medical treatment on the same terms as Norwegian citizens. This means that it is Norwegian rules that determine what you are covered for , and whether you will have to pay a user fee for the treatment you receive.
The European Health Insurance Card does not cover your costs if you are travelling to Norway with the sole intention of receiving medical treatment. Are you planning to have an examination and/or treatment carried out in Norway? Read more here.
Do you not have your European health insurance card with you?
If you become ill and do not have your European Health Insurance Card with you but are entitled to the card, you have to check with the social security authorities in your esidence if you can be issued a Provisional Replacement Certificate proving your rights.
If you have had to pay all costs for healthcare yourself, you can contact the appropriate public office in your country of residence to apply for reimbursement when you return home.
Please keep all original bills and receipts, as well as copies of referrals and prescriptions, in case you need them for any reimbursement from your country of residence.
Example
Carmen has an accident on the ski slope and breaks her arm while on holiday. She visits the emergency ward, presents her European Health Insurance Card, identifies herself with her passport and receives treatment. Carmen pays the same user fee that a Norwegian citizen would have paid.
Overview of healthcare
Here is a brief overview of the types of healthcare that can be covered by the European Health Insurance Card.
Medical assistance
- Within normal opening hours: Consult a Public General Practitioner.
- To receive acute and essential treatment outside regular opening hours: Consult a public emergency facility («legevakt»). All municipalities in Norway have public emergency facilities that are open day and night. Call 116 117 to get in contact with the closest public emergency facility.
- Present your European Health Insurance Card. You will be asked to show identification in addition to the health insurance card.
- You will usually be charged a patient fee for the treatment. How much you have to pay, depends on the treatment you get.
- Treatment for children under the age of 16 is free.
- To see a specialist, you must be referred by a doctor. You will have to pay the applicable user fees.
- If you go to a private doctor without a public reimbursement agreement, you must pay all the costs yourself
Hospital treatment
- In case of an emergency, dial 113.
- In an emergency, you can get treatment in the nearest public hospital. For other hospital treatment, a doctor’s referral is necessary. In-patient treatment, including necessary medication, is free of charge.
- To receive out-patient treatment, you must be referred by a doctor, and you will have to pay the applicable user fees depending on the treatment given.
Ambulance
- Ambulance and air ambulance transport to hospital within Norway is free of charge in emergencies.
Prescription medicines
- Prescription medicines can be bought at any pharmacy.
- Present your European Health Insurance Card and the prescription.
- You will usually have to pay full price for the medication. Some medication is covered on “blue prescription” (“blå resept”) for serious, long-term illness.
Dentists
- You will usually have to pay the full cost of any dental treatment. There are exceptions though for certain underlying diagnoses. The dentist should have an overview of the exceptions.
- Up to and including the year you turn 24, you only pay 25 per cent of the dental treatment cost in the public healthcare system.
- Children under the age of 18 receive free dental treatment in the public healthcare system.
Oxygen therapy and dialysis
- If you need oxygen treatment or dialysis during your stay, you have the right to have this covered.
- Before you travel, ensure you get a doctor’s certificate from your GP (general practitioner) or treating doctor.
- You must make an appointment with a local hospital / treatment centre well in advance of your departure to Norway. It is important that you make an appointment with a practitioner within the public healthcare system. The European Health Insurance Card does not cover treatment at private hospitals/private healthcare providers.
Example
Since consultations at public emergency facilities are one of the services covered by the European Health Insurance Card, Carmen only has to pay a user fee. On the other hand, if she had consulted a doctor in private practice, she would have had to pay the full amount herself.
The trip home
The European Health Insurance Card does not cover expenses for travel home when you have become ill or have suffered an accident.
The European Health Insurance Card does not cover expenses for travel home when you have become ill or have suffered an accident.
Example
Fortunately, Carmen does not need to cancel her holiday because of the broken arm. However, if she had needed to travel home, this would not have been covered by the European Health Insurance Card.
Guidance Helsenorge
If you have any questions, please call Guidance Helsenorge: +47 23 32 70 00