Healthcare for visitors to Sweden

As a visitor to Sweden, you are entitled to health and medical care on the same financial terms applicable to Swedish residents. However, you will need to show your European Health Insurance Card (EHIC).

For more information about the EHIC card and how to apply for it, visit the website of the European Commission. You can also find information about the EHIC card at the Social Insurance Agency (Försäkringskassan).

Please note that you obtain an EHIC card by contacting the health insurance institution in your country of residence.

Prior authorisation is sometimes required

In some cases, prior authorisation or additional health insurance is required before seeking medical care in Sweden. The National Social Security Agency in the country where you are covered by social security insurance can advise whether prior authorisation or additional health insurance is necessary in your case. Contact the agency in question for more information.

The National Board of Health and Welfare – a national point of contact

The National Board of Health and Welfare is a national point of contact in Sweden for cross-border healthcare in accordance with the patient mobility directive, i.e. the Directive 2011/24/EU of the European Parliament and of the Council on the application of patients’ rights in cross-border healthcare.

Click here for the full text of the Directive in all EU languages

We are also responsible for providing information regarding certain areas of the Swedish healthcare system in accordance with Regulation (EU) 2018/1724 of establishing a single digital gateway to provide access to information, to procedures and to assistance and problem-solving services.

Click here for the full text of the Regulation in all EU languages

Sweden also participates in 24 of the European Reference Networks (ERN). ERNs are virtual networks involving healthcare providers across Europe. They aim to facilitate discussion on complex or rare diseases, conditions that require highly specialised treatment, and concentrated knowledge and resources.

Click here for more information about European Reference Networks (ERN)

Contact us if you have questions

If you have questions about how the Swedish healthcare system works, where to go for health and medical care and which rules that apply in Sweden on our website, you can contact our National contact point for cross-border healthcare at socialstyrelsen@socialstyrelsen.se.

If you send an e-mail to us, please be aware that according to the Swedish Public Access to Information and Secrecy Act, your query may be registered as a public document and any personal information will be processed according to the General Data Protection Regulation. We will respond to your query as soon as possible.