It is important that you know what the card entitles you to. Read this page for more information.

 

Click here for an overview of where you can use the European Health Insurance Card (in Norwegian).

Who is entitled to a European Health Insurance Card?

If you are a member of the Norwegian National Insurance Scheme and a national of either Norway or another EEA country, you are entitled to a European Health Insurance Card.

Pensioners who have moved to another EEA country may also entitled to a European Health Insurance Card. Find out about entitlement to a European Health Insurance Card as a pensioner here (in Norwegian).

Entitlement to a European Health Insurance Card also applies in many cases to family members who do not themselves have citizenship of an EU/EEA country. In this context, family means

• spouses
• children under the age of 18 that you have parental responsibility for
• dependent children over 18 and
• cohabitants who have or have had children together

UK citizens who setteled in Norway after 31st December 2020, are in principle no longer entitled to the European Health Insurance Card – unless the exceptions regarding family members apply.

Be aware that each family member must carry their own personal card. You can order the European Health insurance Card for yourself, as well as children under the age of 18 that you have parental responsibility for.

Persons who are stateless or have refugee status may also be entitled to a European Health Insurance Card.

UK citizens holding the portable document S1 issued by Norway, will still be entitled to a European Health Insurance Card from Norway.

If you are a member of the Norwegian National Insurance Scheme, but are not entitled to a European Health Insurance Card, you may still be entitled to healthcare coverage during temporary stays in other EEA countries. This may be the case if you are a student and have a loan from the State Educational Loan Fund, and if you are a posted worker. You may be entitled to extended benefits. In certain cases, NAV may have to decide whether you are a member of the Norwegian National Insurance Scheme. In that case, Helfo will ask you to contact them.

Contact Helfo if you are unsure about whether you are entitled to a European Health Insurance Card or coverage of healthcare abroad. Call Veiledning helsenorge.no (user service) at phone number 23 32 70 00. Fax from abroad: +47 33 51 22 89.

Note that in many cases, the European Health Insurance Card is issued in a paper version instead of a plastic card.

What rights does the card grant the holder?

The European Health Insurance Card only entitles you to medically necessary healthcare from a hospital and/or doctor affiliated with the state-provided health service in the country in which you are staying. You are entitled to coverage on the same terms as the country's nationals and you must pay the same user fees as the country's nationals.

Be aware that the standard of treatment may vary from one country to the next. You cannot automatically expect to receive the same treatment as you would in Norway.

Determination of what constitutes medically necessary treatment, and your entitlements under the European Health Insurance Card, must take into account what type of healthcare service is required and how long you are intending to stay in the country. You are entitled to the healthcare services that are deemed necessary from a medical perspective for you to continue your stay in the country you are visiting.

A European Health Insurance Card may entitle you to certain necessary nursing and care services in accordance with the rules in the country you travel to. You will need to contact the authorities in the country you are travelling to or staying in for information about the rules that apply.

Your healthcare entitlements under the EEA agreement are limited. It is therefore important to hold private travel insurance in addition to the European Health Insurance Card.

When does the card not apply?

The European Health Insurance Card does not entitle you to coverage of expenses if you travel abroad with the intention of receiving medical treatment.

The card is normally valid for three years if you are still a member of the Norwegian National Insurance Scheme.

You have an obligation to notify Helfo of changes that may affect your right to use the card. Please contact us if you are unsure.

In the event of misuse of the card, the cardholder will be held liable for loss to the Norwegian National Insurance Scheme.

Additional private travel insurance

Helfo recommends that you take out private travel insurance in addition to your European Health Insurance Card. In many countries, the state will not cover medical expenses in full. This may also apply to hospital stays.

The European Health Insurance Card does not cover expenses on travelling home if you become ill or have been injured in an accident. Private travel insurance insures you against expenses not covered by the country you are staying in, or the cost of returning home in the event of an illness or accident.

Only valid in the EEA or Switzerland

As the name implies, the European Health Insurance Card cannot be used outside the EEA or Switzerland. It is also not valid on Svalbard.

Click here for an overview of where you can use the European Health Insurance Card (in Norwegian).

As a general rule, the Norwegian National Insurance Scheme will not cover expenses on healthcare services during tourist stays outside of the EEA or Switzerland. You should therefore take out private travel insurance for any such trips.

The UK has left the EU, and you will no longer be able to use your Norwegian European Health Insurance Card in the UK. Exception: If your stay in the UK started before 2021, your entitlements under the European Health Insurance Card scheme will stay in place until the end of the stay.

If the European Health Insurance Card is not accepted

If the hospital or institution where you are receiving treatment does not recognize or will not accept your European Health Insurance Card, you must pay out of pocket and make sure you get an original itemised bill, an original receipt and documentation of the treatment.

This also applies if you have forgotten to use your European Health Insurance Card, or if you have been treated at a hospital and/or treatment provider not affiliated with the public health service. Find out more about the types of healthcare you can be reimbursed for if you have been treated privately (in Norwegian).

If you have not taken a card with you abroad but need medical care during your trip, Helfo can, where appropriate, issue an emergency form called a Provisional Replacement Certificate. In that case, we send the Provisional Replacement Certificate to the treatment centre where you are located. A Provisional Replacement Certificate is a paper-based version of the European Heath Insurance Card and grants you the same rights.

If you need a Provisional Replacement Certificate, you must contact Helfo during office hours, which are Monday to Friday, 08:00 to 15:30. The Provisional Replacement Certificate can also be issued with retroactive effect.

Helfo can be contacted from outside Norway as follows:

• Phone: +47 23 32 70 00
• Fax: +47 33 51 22 89

When you return home, you can apply for reimbursement from Helfo. Fill out and send in

Send the form to: Helfo, Postboks 2415, 3104 Tønsberg.

The application form must be sent to Helfo within 6 months of each individual treatment date.

Delivery time

It will take up to ten days from when you order the European Health Insurance Card from Helfo until you receive it by post.

For those living outside of the country, it can currently take more than ten days before you receive your card.

How to order The European Heath Insurance Card

You can obtain The European Heath Insurance Card the following ways:

• Log in and order the European Health Insurance Card.
• If you don't have access to BankID/are able to order the card at helsenorge.no for other reasons, you may call Veiledning helsenorge.no (user service) at +47 23 32 70 00 for assistance.

The card will be sent to the address where you – or the family members you order the card for – are registered in the Norwegian National registry.

Order a Health Insurance Card for those who are exempt from the Aa register 

If you are an employee and your employer is exempt from registering you in the State Register of Employers and Employees (Aa-registeret), you can order a European Health Insurance Card by filling out this form:

Send the form to Helfo, Postboks 2415, 3104 Tønsberg.

Ordering the European Health Insurance Card on behalf of family members without a national insurance number

Do you have a S1 Certificate which includes your family (child/spouse), and these need a European Health Insurance Card from Norway?

Do any of the following situations apply?

• child/spouse live abroad
• child/spouse do not have a Norwegian identification number (d-number/national insurance number)
• child/spouse is listed on your S1 Certificate, or have been issued their own S1 Certificate

For any of the situations mentioned above, please call "Veiledning helsenorge.no" on +47 23 32 70 00 to receive help ordering the European Health Insurance Card for your child/spouse. It is not possible for you to order the European Health Insurance Card via helsenorge.no under these circumstances.

If ordering on behalf of someone else

You can order The European Health Insurance Card online for children under the age of 18 that you have parental responsibility for. The card will be sent to the address where you – or the family members you order the card for – are registered in the Norwegian National registry.

You can not order online for other people than these, neither for your spouse, cohabitant nor the children of your spouse/cohabitant. Any person who has their own Bank-ID must log in and order their card separately.

If a person for some reason can not use the Self-Service solution, for example elderly parents, you can order on their behalf. In this case, call “Veiledning helsenorge.no” on +47 23 32 70 00

The person should be present to confirm their identity, or you should have power of attorney.

You will also need power of attorney to order on behalf of children over 18.

You can read more about power of attorney and find the form to use here (in Norwegian).