Healthcare without legal residence exists in Norway. Even though you lack a residence permit, you have the right to emergency care and to healthcare that cannot wait. Children and pregnant women have more rights than adults. This guide explains clearly what help you can get and where you can go.

What does healthcare without legal residence mean?

Healthcare without legal residence is about the health rights of people who live in Norway but do not have a valid residence permit. Such people are often called undocumented migrants. It simply means that they lack documents proving legal residence.

You can be undocumented for many reasons. Perhaps you received a rejection of your asylum application, or perhaps your visa expired. Regardless of the reason, you still have some important health rights in Norway.

These rules are based on the Patient and User Rights Act and a separate regulation. The Directorate of Health explains these rights on their website (as of 2026-07-10). If you want to understand how the Norwegian healthcare system works in general, you can read about the Norwegian healthcare system.

What healthcare are you entitled to?

As an undocumented adult, you have the right to immediate care and to healthcare that is absolutely necessary and cannot wait. Immediate care means emergency help when life and health are in danger, for example in an accident or serious illness.

You have the right to this help regardless of whether you can pay or not. If you need emergency help, you can call the emergency medical line at 116 117, or call 113 if there is danger to life. Read more about emergency medical services and emergency care in Norway.

Briefly, you have the right to:

  • Immediate care for acute illness or injury.
  • Healthcare that is absolutely necessary and cannot wait, even when it is not acute.
  • Pregnancy, birth, and postnatal care and abortion.
  • Communicable disease prevention, which is free for everyone staying in Norway.
  • Evaluation by a specialist when necessary.

The right also applies to mental health. If you have serious mental distress or are in crisis, help for this counts as healthcare that cannot wait.

Adult undocumented migrants cannot be on a general practitioner list. This means you do not get a regular doctor like other residents do. That is why it is especially important to know where you can get help.

Can I get help without being reported to the police?

Seeking healthcare does not automatically lead to you being reported to the police or to immigration authorities. Healthcare personnel have professional confidentiality. This means they are not allowed to share information about you without a good reason.

The goal of healthcare is to look after your health, not to monitor your residence status. Many undocumented migrants are afraid to seek help, but healthcare personnel are there to help you as a patient.

Hospitals, emergency medical services, and general practitioners follow the same confidentiality rules. You can therefore seek emergency care without being afraid that healthcare personnel will report you to the authorities.

At health centers for undocumented migrants, this is made especially clear. They explicitly say that healthcare personnel have professional confidentiality and do not share information with police or authorities.

Health centers for undocumented migrants in Oslo and Bergen

A health center for undocumented migrants is a free healthcare service for people without legal residence. Here you can get help without showing ID and without paying in advance. These centers are run by the Red Cross and the Church's City Mission, which are two large volunteer organizations in Norway.

At such a center you can meet a doctor, nurse, midwife, and psychologist. You can come with all kinds of health problems and questions, regardless of your legal status. You can also ask for an interpreter if you need help with the language.

As of 2026-07-10, the centers are located in two cities:

  • Oslo: Health Center for Undocumented Migrants, Herslebs gate 43.
  • Bergen: Health Center for Undocumented Migrants, Kong Oscars gate 56.

All healthcare at these centers is free. Opening hours may change, so check the websites of the Red Cross or the Church's City Mission before you go.

What does the healthcare cost?

Generally, patients are expected to pay for healthcare in Norway. However, advance payment cannot be required from you if you are undocumented. No one can refuse you necessary care just because you do not pay first.

If you cannot pay, the healthcare service must cover the costs itself. At health centers for undocumented migrants, all help is free in any case. If you need help with your legal situation, you can read about legal aid in Norway.

Children and pregnant women have more rights

Children under 18 years have nearly the same health rights as other children in Norway. This also applies to children without legal residence. However, children cannot be on a general practitioner list.

Pregnant women have the right to help during pregnancy, birth, and the postnatal period. You also have the right to abortion. These rights apply even if you do not have a residence permit.

If you are uncertain, you can ask at a health center for undocumented migrants. They can explain what rights you specifically have.

How to get help in practice

If the situation is an emergency, do not wait. Call 113 if there is danger to life, or call the emergency medical line at 116 117.

If you need regular healthcare, you can go to a health center for undocumented migrants in Oslo or Bergen. You do not need ID, and the help is free. Feel free to bring any papers about your health if you have them, but it is not required.

Remember that you have these rights no matter where you live in the country. If you live far from Oslo or Bergen, you still have the right to emergency care at the nearest emergency medical service or hospital.

How to keep track

It can be difficult to remember all rights and addresses. SamfunnPrep is a free learning tool about Norwegian society and can help you understand how Norway works.

In the SamfunnPrep toolkit you will find simple explanations and exercises in multiple languages. See our tools to get started.

Knowing your health rights is part of civic knowledge — on SamfunnPrep you can learn more about Norwegian society for free.