Medical care for undocumented persons in Finland

Treating undocumented persons is not illegal under any circumstances. Healthcare professionals have the duty and right to provide healthcare services to those who need it. Healthcare professionals do not have a right to report persons staying in the country illegally to the authorities, and they are subject to extensive duties of confidentiality and providing assistance.

A healthcare professional must always assess the necessity and need for services. The assessment must consider the duration of the stay and the health status of the client.

However, healthcare services must also arrange necessary non-urgent treatment for undocumented immigrants if refusing treatment would be unreasonable due to their health condition or disability. The assessments are made individually on medical grounds, ultimately by a doctor. Healthcare services must also arrange treatment for undocumented immigrants if its refusal:

• would seriously endanger the health of others, or
• would impair the well-being of a minor in the person’s care.

Public healthcare must also provide access to undocumented people

• services related to pregnancy, childbirth and postnatal care (including maternity clinic services, birth control advice and abortion)
• treatment started as a minor until completion, even if the person turns 18 during the treatment
• non-urgent health services necessary for a disabled person due to their disability. 

Costs of treatment for undocumented persons

In general, undocumented persons are responsible for the medical care costs that they incur in Finland. If the costs of the treatment cannot be collected from the persons themselves, Kela will reimburse to the public healthcare provider the costs that exceed the client fee.  If the undocumented person is clearly without means, public healthcare may waive the recovery of costs. Undocumented persons should, however, always pay the client fee for public healthcare.

Global Clinics are volunteer-run clinics that provide undocumented people with health advice, multidisciplinary support and service referrals to public healthcare. Clinics treat undocumented immigrants on a discretionary basis if they have been repeatedly denied access to public healthcare or if, for one reason or another, an undocumented person is afraid of seeking public services. The clinics operate in Helsinki and Turku and employ volunteer doctors and medical personnel. Help is available free of charge and in confidence.

Undocumented persons refer to several groups of people

Undocumented persons or persons whose status resembles that of an undocumented person refer to several different groups of people, and the terminology is not standardised. Generally speaking, undocumented persons refer to all or some of the below groups of people:

• a person who is staying in Finland for a longer period without a valid residence permit or visa
• a person who is in Finland legally but does not have a municipality of residence
• an EU citizen and their family members who are legally in the country but have no insurance protection for illness or medical care or a municipality of residence.

The right to medical care of undocumented persons does not cover people temporarily residing in the country (for example, tourists) or who have sought treatment in Finland.