Medical treatment in international situations

Medical treatment in international situations means that you receive treatment in some other country than your country of residence or that your country of residence is not responsible for the costs for medical treatment.

If you fall ill abroad or move abroad

The extent and cost of medical care that you can receive abroad depend on the reason for your stay, the length of stay and the country in which you are staying.

Entitlement to medical care in Finland

Everyone has the right to urgent medical treatment in the Finnish public healthcare system. Your right to urgent care is not affected by your nationality or country of origin. The extent and cost of treatment depend on whether you have a municipality of residence or a certificate of entitlement to medical care and how long you are staying in Finland. 

Seeking treatment abroad or in Finland

You can seek treatment abroad or in Finland without prior authorisation or apply to Kela for prior authorisation.

European Health Insurance Card

If you have a European Health Insurance Card, you should receive medically necessary treatment when you travel or stay temporarily in another EU or EEA country, in Switzerland, in Great Britain or in Northern Ireland. Medically necessary treatment means treatment that cannot wait until you return home.