The European Health Insurance Card gives you the right to necessary public healthcare when you travel in the EU/EEA, Switzerland and the UK. The card is free and valid for three years. Here are the rules for who is entitled to the card, what it covers, how to order it, and what to do if it is lost.
What is the European Health Insurance Card?
The European Health Insurance Card (EHIC) is a free card that shows you are a member of the National Insurance Scheme (Folketrygden), the Norwegian social insurance system. The card gives you the right to necessary medical treatment in the public healthcare system during temporary stays abroad (as of July 2025). It applies in the EU/EEA area – the EU countries plus Iceland and Liechtenstein – as well as in Switzerland and the UK.
You receive treatment on the same terms as the country's own residents. This also means you pay the same co-payments as they do. The card is issued by Helfo (the Norwegian Health Economics Administration), the state agency that administers health reimbursements in Norway.
This SamfunnPrep guide is about the card itself. If you want to see the full picture, you can read more about your health rights through the National Insurance Scheme.
Who is entitled to the card?
You are entitled to the European Health Insurance Card if you meet two conditions (as of July 2025). You must be a member of the National Insurance Scheme. You must also be a citizen of Norway, another EU/EEA country or Switzerland.
Most people who live and work legally in Norway are members of the National Insurance Scheme. Remember that each family member must have their own card – including children. Parents can apply for children under 18 years of age.
Do you get the card if you are not an EU/EEA citizen?
As a general rule, citizens from countries outside the EU/EEA and Switzerland do not receive the European Health Insurance Card, even if they are members of the National Insurance Scheme (as of July 2026). This rule surprises many immigrants in Norway.
There are some exceptions. The card can still be issued to:
- stateless persons
- refugees with residence permits under the Immigration Act § 28
- British citizens residing in Norway before 31 December 2020
- family members of persons entitled to the card
If you are a third-country national and a member of the National Insurance Scheme, you still have the right to necessary healthcare in some countries. Norway has its own agreements with the Nordic countries, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, the UK, Hungary and Austria (as of July 2026). In the rest of Europe you need travel insurance that covers healthcare.
Where does the European Health Insurance Card apply?
The card applies throughout the EU/EEA area, in Switzerland and in the UK (as of July 2025). For the UK, a new social insurance agreement with Norway applies from 1 January 2024. The card can therefore be used there, including in Northern Ireland. Switzerland accepts the card because of an agreement with the EU.
Some areas in Europe are still outside the scheme:
| Area | Does the card apply? |
|---|---|
| EU and EEA countries | Yes |
| Switzerland | Yes, through an agreement with the EU |
| United Kingdom, including Northern Ireland | Yes, through a social insurance agreement from 1 January 2024 |
| The Canary Islands, Madeira and the Azores | Yes |
| French overseas regions (including Guadeloupe and Martinique) | Yes |
| Monaco, San Marino, Vatican City and Northern Cyprus | No |
What does the card cover – and what does it not cover?
The card covers necessary medical treatment at hospitals or with providers in the public healthcare system (as of July 2025). You pay the same co-payments as the country's residents, and Helfo does not reimburse these co-payments (as of March 2025).
The card covers:
- acute illness and injury during temporary stays
- treatment in the public healthcare system
- the same prices and terms as the country's own residents
The card does not cover:
- transportation home to Norway for illness or injury
- treatment at private clinics and emergency services
- planned treatment – trips where the purpose is medical treatment
Be especially careful in tourist areas. There, tourists are often sent to private emergency services, and the card does not apply. The card is also not travel insurance. Helfo recommends that you have travel insurance in addition (as of July 2026). SamfunnPrep has a separate guide on why you need travel insurance in addition.
The rules at home are different. Read more about co-payments and exemption cards in Norway and about how the Norwegian healthcare system works.
How do you order the European Health Insurance Card?
You order the card for free and digitally on Helsenorge, the public health portal (as of July 2026). The form is at https://www.helsenorge.no/bestill-europeisk-helsetrygdkort/ and requires BankID (electronic identification). If you need help, call Helsenorge Guidance at +47 23 32 70 00, weekdays 08.00–15.30.
Here's how to do it:
- Log in to the form on Helsenorge with BankID.
- Apply for yourself and for each child under 18 years of age.
- Wait up to ten working days for the post (as of July 2025).
The card is sent only to the address registered with you in the National Registry (Folkeregisteret), the official register of residents in Norway. The child's card is sent to the child's registered address. Check that the address is correct before you apply. Order in good time, preferably at least two weeks before your trip.
The card is valid for three years (as of July 2026) and does not renew automatically. Wait to apply for a new card until the old one is approaching expiration. Always use the official channel Helsenorge – the public will never charge for the card.
Forgotten or lost the card while travelling?
Helfo can issue an emergency certificate if you are without a card abroad – a temporary paper version with the same rights (as of July 2026). Call Helfo at +47 23 32 70 00, weekdays 08.00–15.30 Norwegian time.
The certificate can be sent directly to you or to the treatment facility where you are. It can also be issued with retroactive effect. If you are admitted on a weekend, the hospital can arrange the certificate on Monday – it is still valid.
Did you have to pay yourself? Here's how to claim a refund
If you paid the full bill yourself, you can claim a refund from Helfo afterwards. The deadline is six months from each treatment date (as of March 2025).
The application requires an invoice, receipt and documentation of the treatment. You can send it digitally or by post. Remember that you only get reimbursed what the country's own residents would have been entitled to. Local co-payments you pay yourself.
The European Health Insurance Card is a simple and free safeguard when travelling. Order the card today and check the expiration date on the card you already have. Rules on health and welfare are also curriculum for the citizenship test. On SamfunnPrep you can practice free for the citizenship test and find more tools for life in Norway.
