Kela card

What is the Kela card?

Your Kela card proves that you have the right to health insurance reimbursements paid by Kela. These are called Kela reimbursements (Kela-korvaus).

However, you do not usually need to show your Kela card because your right to Kela reimbursements can be checked electronically when you show your official ID card or driver’s license.

Kela will send a Kela card automatically to

• everyone who is covered under the Finnish national health insurance scheme
• newborn children after the Digital and Population Data Services Agency has told Kela about the child’s birth.

The Kela card is not an official ID card. There is no electronic version of the Kela card. Kela photocards are no longer being issued.

If you have the right to a special rate of reimbursement for medicines, Kela will add a note about this to your Kela card.

What do you need a Kela card for?

You need a Kela card to prove that you have the right to Kela reimbursements when you go see a private doctor or a private dentist who cannot check your information electronically.

You have to prove that you have the right to Kela reimbursements to get direct reimbursement (suorakorvaus) for the costs of your medical care. Direct reimbursement means that the amount covered by Kela will be deducted from the cost of your care directly at the private clinic and you pay the rest as a copayment (omavastuu).

If you cannot get direct reimbursement at the private clinic, you can apply for it afterwards from Kela.

When can you not use the Kela card?

Moving abroad may affect your right to use the Kela card. If you move abroad temporarily or on a permanent basis, let us know of this in the OmaKela e-service (available only in Finnish and Swedish). Go to ‘Ilmoita muutoksista’ (Notify Kela of changes) and select ‘Suomesta ulkomaille tai ulkomailta Suomeen’ (Leaving Finland or coming to Finland). Kela will check if you are covered under the Finnish national health insurance scheme and if you are entitled to benefits from Kela.

You cannot use the Kela card in the following situations:

• You have moved from Finland to another country and you are therefore not covered under the Finnish national health insurance system.
• You have been granted a Kela card on the basis of employment in Finland, but you no longer earn enough for you to be covered under the Finnish national health insurance system.
• You need a residence permit in Finland, but your residence permit is not extended or the permit is cancelled.

You can see your right to benefits from Kela in the OmaKela e-service by going to ‘Päivitä omia tietojasi’ (Update your information).

Changes to the Kela card

Kela will send you a new Kela card automatically

• if your name changes and you have reported the change to the Digital and Population Data Services Agency (dvv.fi)
• if your entitlement to a special rate of reimbursement for medicines changes.

What to do if you have lost your card

You can apply for a Kela card either on a form or in the OmaKela e-service. OmaKela is currently only available in Finnish and Swedish. Kela’s forms are also available in English.

Apply for a Kela card in OmaKela (available in Finnish and Swedish).

Go to OmaKela to see if Kela has made a decision on your application. In OmaKela, you can also give consent for Kela to send you messages. This will help make your application process and other contacts with Kela quicker.

No fee is charged for the renewal of the Kela card. If you find a Kela card that belongs to another person, please return it to Kela.

The decision notice is only in Finnish or Swedish. If you need help with something, you can call one of our English language customer service numbers.

Kela card for persons who move to Finland

You can apply for a Kela card either on a form or in the OmaKela e-service. OmaKela is currently only available in Finnish and Swedish. Kela’s forms are also available in English.

1. If you are moving to Finland or coming to work in Finland, you can apply for a Kela card in OmaKela (available in Finnish and Swedish).
2. Let us also know in OmaKela that you are moving to Finland.

Go to OmaKela to see if Kela has made a decision on your application. In OmaKela, you can also give consent for Kela to send you messages. This will help make your application process and other contacts with Kela quicker.

The decision notice is only in Finnish or Swedish. If you need help with something, you can call one of our English language customer service numbers.