Maternity care for international student

nhithuc · Post by **nhithuc** » Thu Sep 17, 2015 12:22 am

Hi all

I have a question concerning my current pregnancy situation. I am an international student (study length 3,5 y and I'm in my second year) who is 4 months pregnant. As soon as I found out I was pregnant I called the Maternity Service to know if I had to pay for my maternity care and they said that as long as I had permanent address and social security number I didn't have to pay anything. Up to now I've got 3 check-up appointments with Neuvola, one ultrasound and several laboratory tests, all were free. But today i went through www.hus.fi (as in here: http://www.hus.fi/en/medical-care/medic ... fault.aspx), it states that only foreign mother who is having permanent residency can get (free) maternity service as Finnish mother, otherwise she needs to contact a private health care service.

So i'm confused now, am I considered permanent resident? As far as I know I'm not considered permanent resident, then why I got all the free maternity care in the last few months (some mistakes in the system)? Or free maternity care is applied also for international student who has a social security number? Does anyone have any experience or knowledge about this?

Thank you a lot for your time.

**Sponsor:**

Tiwaz · Post by **Tiwaz** » Thu Oct 08, 2015 8:58 am

nhithuc wrote:Hi all

I have a question concerning my current pregnancy situation. I am an international student (study length 3,5 y and I'm in my second year) who is 4 months pregnant. As soon as I found out I was pregnant I called the Maternity Service to know if I had to pay for my maternity care and they said that as long as I had permanent address and social security number I didn't have to pay anything. Up to now I've got 3 check-up appointments with Neuvola, one ultrasound and several laboratory tests, all were free. But today i went through http://www.hus.fi (as in here: http://www.hus.fi/en/medical-care/medic ... fault.aspx), it states that only foreign mother who is having permanent residency can get (free) maternity service as Finnish mother, otherwise she needs to contact a private health care service.

So i'm confused now, am I considered permanent resident? As far as I know I'm not considered permanent resident, then why I got all the free maternity care in the last few months (some mistakes in the system)? Or free maternity care is applied also for international student who has a social security number? Does anyone have any experience or knowledge about this?

Thank you a lot for your time.

If your residence permit has expiration date, you are not permanent resident. Residence permit for studies is temporary.
http://www.migri.fi/services/faq/reside ... rmit_types
Point 9.

So my guess is that someone made a mistake and it would be in your interests to correct it. It might be that upon discovery of error it is considered error of officials and Finns have to suffer the bill, or they charge you for received services afterwards.

rinso · Post by **rinso** » Thu Oct 08, 2015 9:37 am

Foreign students have to take care of their own medical costs (to have a medical insurance is a condition for your students residence permit).
So I also think it was a mistake and you have to pay the bills yourself.

betelgeuse · Post by **betelgeuse** » Thu Oct 08, 2015 12:09 pm

Tiwaz wrote: If your residence permit has expiration date, you are not permanent resident. Residence permit for studies is temporary.
http://www.migri.fi/services/faq/reside ... rmit_types
Point 9.

In terms of medical services the definition of permanent residence does not come from the Aliens Act. There's a separate legislation for that which is covered here:

http://www.kela.fi/web/en/moving-to-finland

I have not looked into maternity care. There can be special rules for that (children involved).

Tiwaz · Post by **Tiwaz** » Thu Oct 08, 2015 2:07 pm

betelgeuse wrote:
Tiwaz wrote: If your residence permit has expiration date, you are not permanent resident. Residence permit for studies is temporary.
http://www.migri.fi/services/faq/reside ... rmit_types
Point 9.
In terms of medical services the definition of permanent residence does not come from the Aliens Act. There's a separate legislation for that which is covered here:

http://www.kela.fi/web/en/moving-to-finland

I have not looked into maternity care. There can be special rules for that (children involved).

". For example, students moving to Finland for the sole purpose of studying are considered to be staying in Finland temporarily."

betelgeuse · Post by **betelgeuse** » Thu Oct 08, 2015 9:13 pm

Tiwaz wrote: ". For example, students moving to Finland for the sole purpose of studying are considered to be staying in Finland temporarily."

Yes and what's your point? The basis for that statement is in Act on the Application of Residence-Based Social Security Legislation.

Tiwaz · Post by **Tiwaz** » Fri Oct 09, 2015 5:48 am

betelgeuse wrote:
Tiwaz wrote: ". For example, students moving to Finland for the sole purpose of studying are considered to be staying in Finland temporarily."
Yes and what's your point? The basis for that statement is in Act on the Application of Residence-Based Social Security Legislation.

Did you read your own link? It is from there. Students are not permanent residents anywhere.

betelgeuse · Post by **betelgeuse** » Fri Oct 09, 2015 3:45 pm

Tiwaz wrote: Did you read your own link? It is from there. Students are not permanent residents anywhere.

This will be my last comment with you on this topic since I don't think anything more with you is productive. For students the rules are pretty much the same. However, for people on A permits the concept of permanent residence is very different. For Aliens Act they are not considered to have permanent residence rights but for social security legislation they can be from the moment they take up residence.

Tiwaz · Post by **Tiwaz** » Fri Oct 09, 2015 8:27 pm

betelgeuse wrote:
Tiwaz wrote: Did you read your own link? It is from there. Students are not permanent residents anywhere.
This will be my last comment with you on this topic since I don't think anything more with you is productive. For students the rules are pretty much the same. However, for people on A permits the concept of permanent residence is very different. For Aliens Act they are not considered to have permanent residence rights but for social security legislation they can be from the moment they take up residence.

Read the @#$% website YOU provided. Quote is from there. KELA does NOT consider students permanent.

SO SAYS YOUR OWN POSTED KELA WEBSITE.

Chany · Post by **Chany** » Sun Dec 20, 2015 8:41 pm

Hey,
As long as you had lived here for a minimum of 180 days prior your pregnancy you get pre and post natal care like a permanent residence, ie the whole package. It can not be a mistake, i know quite a number of international students who have been in your situation before, with a b student residence but they didnt have to pay for these. But you can always confirm with kela.
Congratulations and good luck

sumitasharma · Post by **sumitasharma** » Tue Dec 22, 2015 10:37 am

Chany wrote:Hey,
As long as you had lived here for a minimum of 180 days prior your pregnancy you get pre and post natal care like a permanent residence, ie the whole package. It can not be a mistake, i know quite a number of international students who have been in your situation before, with a b student residence but they didnt have to pay for these. But you can always confirm with kela.
Congratulations and good luck

I was thinking the same...

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