Health care for those who are asylum seekers or without a valid visa or residency permit

If you are under 18 years of age

If you are under 18 years of age and are an asylum seeker or without a valid visa or residency permit, you have the right to the same health and dental care as other young people in Sweden. Generally, it does not cost anything for medical care if you are under 18 years of age. 

If you are over 18 years of age

If you are over 18 years of age and are an asylum seeker or without a valid visa or residency permit, you have the right to medical care if a doctor or dentist says that it cannot wait. You always have the right to maternity care, abortion and advice about birth control.

Where can I get health care?

You can go to the health care centre of your choice in Sweden.

Some types of care cannot be given at a health care clinic. If you need to see a specific professional for example an ophthalmologist, a psychiatrist or another type of specialist, the doctor at the health care clinic can explain what you need to do make an appointment.

You can also go to a Youth Guidance Centre (ungdomsmottagning). Here are the phone numbers and addresses to each of the Youth Guidance Centres in Sweden.

You can always call 1177 for medical advice.

If you or someone around you needs an ambulance, call 112.

How much does health care cost?

• A visit to a doctor at a health care clinic, and medical care that you receive through referral costs SEK 50.
• Treatment at the dentist costs SEK 50.
• You pay a maximum of SEK 50 for prescription medication.
• You do not pay anything if you are admitted to hospital.
• You do not pay anything for child health care, maternity care or childbirth.
• If you have a contagious disease and need specialist care, you do not pay anything for these treatments.
• If you are under 18 years of age, you usually do not pay anything for any type of care.
• The payment for a visit to the emergency room at a hospital can vary depending on which district (region) in Sweden you are in. 

The right to an interpreter

You have the right to an interpreter when you receive medical or dental care. You do not pay anything extra for the use of an interpreter.

You, or the person helping you, needs to request an interpreter before your visit. The interpreter can attend in person or can interpret over the phone. Read more about interpreters at 1177.se.

Confidentiality

The people who work in health care are not allowed to tell any person or a government agency about you, unless the professional asks for your permission first. This is called confidentiality.

You can read more about confidentiality here.

Health check-ups

All asylum seekers must be offered a health check up. You do not pay anything for this. You will be seen by a nurse or another professional, who will have a look at your health.

If you do not have a valid visa or residency permit, health care professionals must ask if you would like a health check-up when you visit the clinic. If health care professionals do not ask you this, you can request to have a health check-up.

LMA card

If you are an asylum seeker and need health care, you need to show the card issued to you by the Swedish Migration Agency (Migrationsverket). This is called an LMA card. If you do not have your LMA card yet, you can instead show the receipt which says that you have applied for asylum.

Where can I get more information?

FARR, the Swedish Network for Refugee Support Groups (Flyktinggruppernas Riksråd) has information in several languages about your rights, if you are applying for asylum or are without a valid visa or resicency permit. 

You can read more about health care at 1177.se. Information is available in different languages.