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💳 Tervisekassa

European Health Insurance Card

The EHIC entitles you to necessary medical care in other EU countries, the UK, Norway, Iceland, Liechtenstein and Switzerland on the same terms as local insured people. It's free, ordered via eesti.ee or Tervisekassa, and arrives by post in about 10 days. An adult's card is valid up to 3 years, under-19s up to 5 — as long as your health insurance is valid.

Service passportUpdated: 29.07.2026.
Cost
Free
Duration
By post in ~10 days
Deadline
Valid up to 3 years (children 5)
Where
eesti.ee or Tervisekassa
Open the official service →
✓ Information verified: 2026-07-29 Report an error

Who this applies to

Everyone insured in Estonia who travels in Europe. The card covers necessary care at public facilities, but not co-payments, transport back to Estonia or private care — so travel insurance is recommended on top. If the card is at home or hasn't arrived, order the substitute certificate at eesti.ee — it lands in your e-mail instantly.

Step by step

Order the card

At eesti.ee choose the EHIC order, confirm your postal address and submit. You can order for your minor children too.

Await the card by post

The card arrives by regular post in about 10 days. If you travel sooner, order the substitute certificate — it equals the card.

Use it at public facilities

Show the card with an ID document. If you paid yourself, keep the invoices — Tervisekassa can reimburse per local tariffs.

Common mistakes

Treating the card as travel insurance — it covers neither co-payments nor transport home.
Ordering days before the trip — post takes ~10 days; the quick fix is the substitute certificate.
Going private — the card works only at public-system facilities.

Frequently asked questions

Where is the card valid?

In EU countries, the UK, Norway, Iceland, Liechtenstein and Switzerland — at public healthcare facilities.

What if the card stayed home?

Order the substitute certificate at eesti.ee — it arrives instantly by e-mail with the same rights. It's also downloadable from the health portal.

Official sources

Verified against official sources · 29.07.2026.

See also