Tourists outside the EU/EEA

As a tourist, you are not entitled to reimbursement for health care services outside the EEA/EU.

Woman reading a travel guide

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Your rights

As a tourist, you are not entitled to reimbursement for health care services outside the EEA/EU. You should therefore take out travel insurance that covers medical expenses.

You are considered a tourist when you intend to travel abroad for a period of less than 12 months.

You are also considered a tourist, NOT a student, if you:

  • study abroad part-time
  • are studying for the examen philosophicum/examen facultatum and take the exam in Norway
  • are studying at a Norwegian educational institution via the internet
  • are a student at «grunnskolen» (1st to 10th grade)

For vacations abroad of more than 12 months, membership in the Norwegian National Insurance Scheme shall cease from the first day. Read more about this at the NAV (Norwegian Labour and Welfare Administration) website.

Example

Hege intends travelling on vacation to Thailand. She will stay there for seven months. She knows that as a tourist she has no rights under the Norwegian National Insurance Scheme. Hege is healthy, but she knows that she should have travel insurance. Hege's friend Kari was vacationing in the United States, and when Kari became ill, she had to be admitted to a hospital there. Since Kari did not have travel insurance, she had to cover all the expenses for hospital treatment herself, which was expensive.

2

If you fall ill

If you become sick and require examination or treatment in the country in which you are on vacation, you cannot claim coverage from the Norwegian National Insurance Scheme and have to contact your insurance company.

The Norwegian National Insurance Scheme can cover necessary expenses in the event of birth or in connection with dialysis or oxygen treatment in the country in which you are on vacation.

If you return to Norway and choose to receive treatment here, this treatment will be covered by the Norwegian National Insurance Scheme. The Norwegian National Insurance Scheme will not cover the actual trip home.

Example

Hege develops dysentery and requires immediate treatment. As a tourist outside the EU/EEA, she cannot claim coverage for the treatment from the Norwegian National Insurance Scheme. Fortunately Hege has travel insurance that covers the costs of her treatment.

Veiledning helsenorge.no

If you have any questions, please call Veiledning helsenorge.no (user service): +47 23 32 70 00

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Last updated Friday, December 10, 2021