Travelling abroad and epilepsy
How do I get a medical passport for travelling abroad ?
If you travel within the Schengen area, you need a Schengen Medical Certificate if you bring medication that is classified as a narcotic (e.g. medication for sleeping disorders etc.). The certificate is valid for a maximum of 30 days. The certificate is free of charge, but you must expect a processing time of 2 working days.
Remember documentation
When you go to pick up your medical certificate, remember to bring the following documentation:
- Medication (= medicine or prescription in hard copy/e-document) that carries the pharmacy’s label
- Information about the doctor who has issued the prescription (=prescription in hard copy/e-document)
- Information about your private address (=e.g. the yellow national health insurance card)
- Your passport
Do I need additional traveller’s insurance when I travel abroad ?
The blue European Health Insurance Card (EHIC) covers travels to countries in the EU as well as Norway, Iceland, Liechtenstein and Switzerland (The European Economic Area - EEA). If you travel to countries outside the EU or the EEA you will need to take out private traveller’s insurance.
The yellow Danish health insurance card is not valid abroad.
You can order the blue European Health Insurance Card (EHIC) on Lifeindenmark.dk or at the Citizen Service Centre in your local municipality.
What does the blue European Health Insurance Card cover ?
The blue EHIC is for when you travel abroad on holidays or for other time-limited stays abroad of a duration of up to 1 year. You need the blue EHIC card when you are:
- going abroad on holidays
- staying abroad in a traineeship/internship/practical work experience-agreement or if you are going as an au pair
- studying or taking a vocational programme that includes a stay abroad (in such cases, you also need Udbetaling Danmark (Payment Denmark) to assess whether your stay is of a nature that qualifies for coverage under the Danish social insurance schemes)
- going abroad for necessary treatment – including if you have a chronic disease/condition for which you are aware that you will need treatment while your are abroad.
The blue European Health Insurance Card (EHIC) grants you the same rights to health services as the citizens in the EU country (or country in the European Economic Area) that you are visiting. It is very important to note that some medical/hospital expenses or costs may therefore not be covered by the blue EHIC.
The EHIC does not cover transport expenses from a holiday destination to Denmark
In the event that you need to get other transport than what you had booked, due to illness or accident, the blue EHIC does not cover expenses incurred for your transport from the holiday destination to Denmark. If you wish to have coverage for such transport expenses, you need to take out a private traveller’s insurance. Note: there are separate arrangements for this type of transport from the Scandinavian countries (Finland, Iceland, Norway and Sweden).