Your rights to healthcare as a refugee or an asylum seeker in Norway

As a refugee or asylum seeker in Norway, you have the right to healthcare in the municipality and in hospitals.

You have the right to healthcare for physical and mental problems, and for addiction problems. You also have the right to necessary dental care.

The municipality where you live has to provide you with access to doctors and other healthcare. 

If you or anyone in your family becomes acutely ill, you can use the walk-in medical centres (Legevakta). The telephone number for legevakta is 116 117. This number is used throughout Norway for all walk-in medical centres.

If you have been given a D-number, you can have a General Practitioner. This means you can see the same doctor every time you go to the doctor’s.

If your asylum application has been finally determined and refused, you still have the right to emergency help and to essential healthcare that cannot wait.

Children’s rights to healthcare

Children younger than 18 have the same rights to healthcare as Norwegian children. However, children who do not have authorised residence do not have the right to a GP.

All children have the right to health examinations and vaccinations by child health clinics and school health services.

The rights of pregnant women to healthcare

​Pregnant women have the right to necessary healthcare before and after the birth. Pregnant women have the right to follow-up by a doctor or midwife at the child health clinic and the right to give birth in a hospital. If you have an unwanted pregnancy, you have the right to abortion.

You have the same rights to necessary healthcare before and after the birth; to give birth in a hospital; and to have an abortion, even if your application has been finally determined and refused.

Paying for healthcare

As an adult, you must pay a user fee at the walk-in medical centres and at the doctor's. You do not pay if you are admitted to a hospital and receive treatment.

Children under 16 years of age do not pay a user fee at the GP's.
The child health clinics and the school health services are free.

If you are pregnant, your healthcare before and after the birth is free. You do not pay to give birth in a hospital.

If your application for asylum has been finally determined and refused, the general rule is that you must pay for healthcare from the doctor in the municipality and for treatment at the hospital. This also applies if you give birth.

If you need emergency help or healthcare that is essential and cannot wait, you do not have to pay before receiving the healthcare. If you cannot pay, the costs will be paid by the healthcare services in the municipality or by the hospital.

Duty of confidentiality

​Healthcare personnel have a duty of confidentiality and, as the main rule, cannot pass on information about your health if you do not agree.

Information in your language

​When you contact the healthcare services, healthcare personnel must ensure that there is effective communication. The healthcare personnel must order an interpreter if you need to use your own language. The interpreter has a duty of confidentiality.