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Social and Health Care Services for Undocumented Migrants in the Tampere Region

This page contains services meant for the undocumented people in the Tampere Region. Undocumented people do not have full access to social and health care services. Here you can find information about, for example, social and health care, and legal guidance.

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. livelihood. 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

Urgent Care Units

You can receive care from urgent care units after the closing times of the health care centres and during the weekends. The urgent care units in Nokia, Sastamala, Hatanpää in Tampere, Virrat, and Ylöjärvi provide services also during the evenings, weekends and holidays. Please call the urgent care unit before leaving there.

Hospital On-Call Services

NOTE! The following situations are ALWAYS cared at Tays emergency care for children:

  • Feverish (over 38°C) infant under the age of 3 months
  • Child who has had an electric shock
  • Child with a snakebite
  • Infant under the age of 21 months, who the parents think seems abnormal and needs an evaluation from a doctor

Other Health and Social Services

Other Advisory and Support Services