Does Finland issue European Health Insurance Cards?

Cloudberry · Post by **Cloudberry** » Fri Aug 26, 2011 5:34 pm

We have recently headed to the UK for a work contract. Our plan is to return to Finland once the contract is done but for now my husband needs to renew his UK visa to keep working here (I'm fine since I have a Finnish/EU passport). We just found out that we both need to supply a European Health Insurance Card or similar to the UK Border Agency with his residency card application. I'm not sure where we get that from. I could only see how UK citizens can apply for one of those, does Finland issue these for its citizens living and working in the EU too?

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onkko · Post by **onkko** » Fri Aug 26, 2011 7:28 pm

http://www.kela.fi/in/internet/suomi.ns ... enDocument

Brent · Post by **Brent** » Fri Aug 26, 2011 11:38 pm

In english: http://www.kela.fi/in/internet/english. ... enDocument

Rip · Post by **Rip** » Sat Aug 27, 2011 12:24 am

So I think the answer to the question is "no". If you're not KELA insured you will not get that card either.

filecore · Post by **filecore** » Wed Aug 31, 2011 10:00 am

Rip wrote:So I think the answer to the question is "no". If you're not KELA insured you will not get that card either.

Or then the answer is yes. If your husband is eligible for social services in Finland - i.e., if he has or can get a KELA card - then he will be eligible for the EU one of it too. If he has a residence permit or has lived here for more than two years (the former seems likely if he needs a visa to the UK, I can't see how he would be in Finland without a permit) then I see no reason why he doesn't also have/can't also get a KELA card.

Rosamunda · Post by **Rosamunda** » Wed Aug 31, 2011 11:25 am

A Finnish issue EU health card is only valid for emergency healthcare and its validity ends after you have been domiciled outside of Finland for more than three months.

In other words...

So if you live in Finland (ie you are earning a salary and paying taxes here or are entitled to benefits, pension etc) and you travel to another EU country for work or pleasure you are covered for emergency healthcare. I once used mine in France when I had severe back pain in the middle of a holiday.

If you move from Finland to live in another EU country, the card gives you transitional cover for three months.

If you have been living and working in the UK for more than three months then you are not entitled to an EU health card from Finland.

At least, that is my understanding...

Once you have applied for a Finnish EU card, they send the renewals automagically through the post (every couple of years I think), as long as you are in the system.

If you need confirmation then try sending an email to www.intofinland.fi

Cloudberry · Post by **Cloudberry** » Mon Sep 12, 2011 2:08 pm

Thanks for your replies.

Just a follow up. I ended up applying for our EHIC cards here in the UK (you just have to be resident here and have a NIN to get it) and received it in the post about a week later. We haven't lodged my husband's UK residence card application yet since we heard the system is changing here very soon (you'll be able to lodge your application F2F and have it issued immediately vs lodging it by post and waiting for 6mths) and his current family visa is good 'til Nov. So hopefully our Kela cards and the new EHICs we have will be enough for them and save us having to purchase private insurance cover for the time we're here.

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