Tourists from the EU/EEA or Switzerland on holiday in Norway
If you are from an EU/EEA country and intend to travel on holiday to Norway, you should ensure that you have a valid European Health Insurance Card.
Illustration: Morten Rakke / Helfo
Before you travel
Before you travel, you should ensure that you have a valid European Health Insurance Card from your home country.
The card is documentation that you are entitled to necessary health care services on the same terms as Norwegian citizens. If you travel together with your family, you must be aware that each family member must have their own European Health Insurance Card.
If you are a citizen of 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 are now a resident in the EU/EEA or Switzerland. You will then have to have private travel insurance.
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.
What does the European Health Insurance Card cover?
A European Health Insurance Card only grants you the right to necessary medical treatment from medical practitioners affiliated with the public health care system.
The duration of the stay determines what is considered necessary treatment. This means that you will be entitled to more comprehensive treatment if the stay was intended to be long-term.
The European Health Insurance Card entitles you to medical treatment on the same conditions as Norwegian citizens. This means that you will be covered for necessary expenses for health care services and that you may have to pay a user fee for the treatment you receive.
The European Health Insurance Card does not entitle you to coverage of expenses if you travel to Norway with the intention of receiving medical treatment.
If you become sick and do not have your European Health Insurance Card with you, however are entitled to the card, you have to check with your home country if you can be issued with a Provisional Replacement Certificate proving your rights.
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.
The trip home
The trip home is not covered by the European Health Insurance Card.
To be on the safe side, you should take out travel insurance before you travel on holiday.
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.