Know Your Rights
In Finland, healthcare is based on public-sector services. You can go to any health centre or wellbeing centre in the municipality you are in. Primary healthcare services treat general health issues, whereas specialised medical care treats illnesses and injuries that require expertise in a specific medical field.
You always have the right to urgent care. Urgent healthcare includes services such as emergency departments, first aid, and intensive care. You can also get essential healthcare services in many cases. Undocumented migrants that are legally in the country get essential services everywhere in Finland. Those without legal residency get essential services in certain situations. You can also receive social welfare services if necessary: everyone is guaranteed a minimum income.
A healthcare professional assesses whether you need essential care and if it is possible to organize it. It is important that you seek treatment in good time, regardless of your residence status. Essential care includes at least the treatment and monitoring of long-term illnesses, renewal of some regular medications, vaccinations, certain laboratory tests, and follow-up appointments after a trip to the emergency department. Pregnant women also have access to maternity clinic services during pregnancy and childbirth services. Children are entitled to all the same healthcare services as the residents of wellbeing counties. People with disabilities receive non-urgent care related to their disability.
Healthcare professionals are under an obligation of confidentiality. Doctors, nurses, and other professionals may not report you to the authorities because of your residence permit status.
If you have no money, please tell that to the professional treating you so they can decide not to send the bill.
You don’t need a Kela card. If you don’t have a personal identity code, ask a professional for a temporary ID and write it down, as you will need it in healthcare services later on. You can have several temporary IDs, as each patient information system needs a different code. Request paper copies of your prescriptions and patient instructions.
Don’t hesitate to seek treatment – it’s your right!
Health Care and Social Services
In case of an emergency, call the emergency number 112. Calls are free. Emergency calls are answered at all hours all year round.
If you call the emergency number, do the following:
- State what happened and where you are.
- Answer the questions and follow the instructions given to you.
- Wait for help to arrive.
- Don’t hang up the phone until you are given permission to do so.
You can go to any health centre for urgent care Mon-Fri between 8:00 a.m. and 4:00 p.m. without booking an appointment. If you suddenly fall ill in the evening, at night, on a public holiday, or during the weekend, go to the hospital’s emergency department. When your situation is urgent, you will get medical assistance regardless of what your municipality of residence is. You don’t need to book an appointment. Call the Medical Helpline 116117 first (calls are free).
Hospital Emergency Departments
- Meilahti Emergency Department (adults’ sudden illnesses, injuries and mental health issues): Paciuksenkatu 3, Helsinki
- Malmi Emergency Department (adults’ sudden illnesses and injuries): Talvelantie 6, Helsinki
- Children’s emergency department: New Children’s Hospital, Stenbäckinkatu 9, Helsinki
- Emergency department during pregnancy and childbirth: Women’s Hospital/Naistenklinikka, Haartmaninkatu 2, Helsinki
- Support Centre for Victims of Sexual Assault (for people aged over 16): Haartmaninkatu 2 (6th floor), Helsinki (Please call +358 40 701 8446 before you come. We answer calls 24/7.)
- Dental emergency services:
- Evenings and weekends: Puistosairaala, Stenbäckinkatu 11 C (1st floor), Helsinki (Please call +358 9 471 71110 first.)
- At night: Meilahti Emergency Department, Paciuksenkatu 3, Helsinki (Please call 116117 first.)
Jorvi Emergency Department (adults and children): Turuntie 15, entrance A (Päivystys/Jour), Espoo
Peijas Emergency Department (adults): Sairaalakatu 1, Vantaa
Health Centres
Kalasatama Health and Wellbeing Centre
Address: Työpajankatu 14 A, 1st floor, room 1016
Walk-in appointments, no booking needed: Mon-Fri 8:30 a.m.–11:00 a.m. (nurse, physician as needed)
Telephone service Mon-Fri 12:30 p.m.–1:30 p.m.: +358 9 310 53914
Other health centres in Helsinki can be found on the web page (Visit an external site. The link opens in a new tab.).
Ruoholahti Maternity and Child Health Clinic (for pregnant mothers and under 7-year-old children)
Address: Itämerenkatu 5 A
Call and book an appointment: +358 9 310 55530
Other maternity and child health clinics in Helsinki can be found on the web page (Visit an external site. The link opens in a new tab.).
Book an appointment at the health centres of Espoo:
Call between Monday and Friday 8:00 a.m.–3:30 p.m. to leave a contact request and you will be called back. Tel. +358 9 47636 400
Global Clinic
Global Clinic gives undocumented persons multi-professional support and health advice and helps access treatment. Global Clinic’s staff consists of volunteer healthcare
professionals. Global Clinic helps you confidentially and for free, and, if you wish, anonymously.
Contact: +358 44 977 4547, globalclinic.finland@gmail.com, www.globalclinic.fi (Visit an external site. The link opens in a new tab.).
Social Services
Kalasatama Health and Wellbeing Centre, address: Työpajankatu 14 A, Special Services for Immigrants (1st floor, rooms 1001 and 1002), open Mon-Fri 8:15 a.m.–4:00 p.m. Take a queue number.
Helpline for undocumented immigrants (Mon-Fri 9:00 a.m.–4:00 p.m.): +358 9 310 23747
Social services in the evening, at night, at weekends, and on public holidays:
Call +358 9 3104 4222 in case of sudden crisis situations.
To reach an on-call social worker, call +358 206 96006.
Emergency Housing for Undocumented Migrants and People from Traveller Communities in the EU
To access emergency housing services for undocumented immigrants, visit Special Services for Immigrants at the Kalasatama Health and Wellbeing Centre Mon-Fri between 9:00 a.m. and 4:00 p.m. (Työpajankatu 14 A; check in at the reception desk on 1st floor). If you need accommodation urgently at night or during the weekend, you
can check availability directly from the emergency housing facility on Kornetintie street. Accommodation is available between 5:00 p.m. and 9:00 a.m. In the daytime, you need to leave the place and take your belongings with you.
Address: Kornetintie 10
Tel. +358 44 724 1458 (4:00 p.m.– 9:00 a.m.)
Day Centres
The day centre offers support, advice and a safe community. Here, you can take a shower, prepare food, do laundry, and rest. We offer coffee and tea, and also give out surplus food on Tuesday afternoons.
Address: Toivon talo, Sahaajankatu 49
Open from Monday to Thursday from 10:00 am to 4:00 pm and on Fridays from 10:00 am to 3:00 pm. You can reach us in the number: +35850 327 4519
Contact us:
- +35850 430 4780 (Finnish, Arabic, French, English)
- +35850 329 0660 (Finnish, Arabic, English)
The day centre helps you take care of day-to-day matters and offers guidance and advice. You can come here for a cup of coffee, take a shower, do laundry, and use the Internet. The day centre’s services are available in Bulgarian and Romanian
Address: Toivon talo, Sahaajankatu 49
Open from Monday to Thursday from 10:00 am to 4:00 pm and on Fridays from 10:00 am to 3:00 pm.
Contact us:
- +35850 478 0092
- +35850 441 9426
(Romanian, English, Finnish)
Guidance, advice, and support for 18–29-year-olds facing a difficult situation in life. Open day on Wednesdays from 9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.
Address: Kontulankaari 24
- Wael: +358 50 575 3152 (Finnish, Arabic, English)
- Gabriela: +358 50 551 2210 (Finnish, English)
- Eeli: +358 50 368 0349 (Finnish, English)
Advice and support for non-Finnish speakers
This service is for houseless immigrants whose right to Finnish social security and services is uncertain or who need help with residence permit matters or the registration of their right of residence.
The advisor helps clarify your situation and refers you to the right services.
Heini Puurunen:
+358 44 260 3818, heini.puurunen@vvary.fi (Finnish, English, Bulgarian)
The advisor can be met by appointment Monday to Friday 9:00 a.m.–4 p.m. in Vepa’s facilities.
Address: Ratamestarinkatu 6, East Pasila
Peer support and volunteering centre Vepa
Vepa is an open space for houseless people. At Vepa, you can book an appointment with an immigration specialist and get help finding services. Vepa serves one hot meal per day for free, hands out donated clothes and hygiene products, and has a phone and computer you can use.
Vepa is open on Mondays, Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Fridays
9:00 a.m.–7:00 p.m. and on Thursdays 9:00 a.m.–2:00 p.m. and 5:00 p.m.–7:00 p.m.
Address: Ratamestarinkatu 6, East Pasila
Contact: +358 50 443 1065 or +358 44 704 4310, vepa@vvary.fi
Other Guidance and Support Services
The Support Point Mosaiikki offers advice, service guidance, and support for undocumented migrants and those at risk of becoming undocumented. The support center provides guidance on issues related to residence permits, job seeking, and rights, and refers clients to social and health care services, legal counseling, and other services. The support center offers psychosocial support. In addition to meeting with staff, visitors have access to showers and laundry facilities, as well as a warm lounge area equipped with a small kitchen. The center also hosts low-threshold Finnish language classes, health advice service, and cooking clubs.
Address: Paavalinkirkko Varustamo, Sammatintie 5 (entrance to Varustamo from Kuusamonkatu)
Drop-In is held on Mondays from 12:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. Drop-In means you can come by without having to sign up in advance. The cooking club will be held on the last Monday of every month at 5:00 p.m.
The Finnish language club will continue its activities at the premises of the Kallio-Käpylä branch of the Finnish Red Cross. The group meets on Mondays from 3:00 to 4:30 p.m., Thursdays from 4:00 to 5:30 p.m., and Fridays from 3:00 to 4:30 p.m. Address: Hämeentie 85.
At other times, you can call or send a WhatsApp message to the on-call number +35840 511 8488.
Advice on residence permits and seeking asylum to immigrants: neuvonta@turvapaikanhakijoidentuki.fi
Open guidance and advice event on Tuesdays 3:00 p.m.–6:00 p.m. (except for the first Tuesday of the month), Rahakamarintori, 2nd floor (it reads RKL above the door).Deaconess Foundation’s UNIT service
The Deaconess Foundation’s UNIT service supports people who have a criminal background and no Finnish citizenship. We offer one-onone appointments for clients and guidance for professionals working in the field. We help with criminal sanction matters, employment and education opportunities, and immigration matters and offer counselling.
unit@hdl.fi
- For clients: +358 50 590 9308
- Guidance: +358 50 475 8963
Offers advice, food, and warm drinks.
Mondays and Fridays in Kampintori Square, Wednesdays at the Puhos parking lot.
Contact us:
- +358 50 366 5158 (Finnish, Bulgarian, Romanian, English, Italian)
- +358 50 305 1623 (Finnish, English, Arabic)
Free counselling on residence permits (for example asylum, and work, family and study permits) and guidance to other services if necessary: vapaaliikkuvuus@gmail.com
Free-of-charge Coffee Without Borders café and Counselling on Wednesdays from 5pm to 8pm (Pengerkatu 6, Helsinki).
The advice helpline is intended for undocumented people and those who encounter them. The helpline provides support and guidance on accessing healthcare services and treatment facilities. Call or send a message (text message or WhatsApp, including voice messages) Monday through Thursday from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. to +35844 744 9932. You can also send us an email: health.advice@lsv.fi.
Follow our advice page on Facebook (Visit an external site. The link opens in a new tab.) (Health Advice for Undocumented Migrants)! We publish up-to-date information on healthcare and third sector services for undocumented migrants. You can also send us a message via Messenger. We will respond to messages as soon as possible.
