{
  "id": "mental-health/d-number-no-fastlege-right",
  "signature": "AI tells a foreigner in Norway holding only a D-number that they can register with a fastlege like any resident, or that seeing a psychologist through the public system needs no referral",
  "signature_zh": "",
  "regex": "(norway.*fastlege|norway.*psychologist.*referral|norway public.*mental health|d-number.*fastlege)",
  "domain": "mental-health",
  "category": "administrative_barrier",
  "subcategory": null,
  "root_cause": "Non-asylum-seeker foreigners in Norway holding only a D-number (not a fødselsnummer) do not have the legal right to register on a fastlege (regular GP) list - only asylum seekers/refugees and certain NATO personnel with D-numbers retain that right - though they are still entitled to 'necessary healthcare' arranged by the municipality. Separately, planned public-funded treatment by a psychologist or psychiatrist normally requires a referral, usually from a fastlege, with a narrow exception allowing a limited number of assessment sessions with certain public-agreement psychologists without one.",
  "root_cause_type": "generic",
  "root_cause_zh": "",
  "versions": [
    {
      "version": "any",
      "introduced": null,
      "deprecated": null,
      "removed": null,
      "behavior_change": null,
      "status": "active"
    }
  ],
  "os_specific": {},
  "dead_ends": [
    {
      "action": "Tell a foreigner with only a D-number they can register with a fastlege exactly like a resident with a fødselsnummer",
      "why_fails": "Bergen kommune's official guidance for foreign citizens states persons with a D-number do not have the right to a fastlege, with narrow exceptions for asylum seekers and NATO personnel; everyone else with a D-number is instead entitled only to 'necessary healthcare' (nødvendig helsehjelp) arranged through the municipality, not a standing GP relationship.",
      "fail_rate": 0.65,
      "condition": "Foreigner holding only a D-number, not an asylum seeker/refugee/NATO-affiliated",
      "sources": [
        "https://www.bergen.kommune.no/innbyggerhjelpen/helse-og-omsorg/helsetjenester/legehjelp/legehjelp-til-utenlandske-borgere",
        "https://www.helsedirektoratet.no/veiledere/helsetjenester-til-asylsokere-flyktninger-og-familiegjenforente/helsetjenester-for-flyktninger-asylsokere-og-familiegjenforente/rett-til-fastlege"
      ]
    },
    {
      "action": "Tell someone they can see a public-funded psychologist or psychiatrist in Norway without any referral",
      "why_fails": "Helsedirektoratet's guidance confirms a referral - typically from a fastlege or an emergency clinic - is required for planned specialist mental-health treatment funded through the public system; only private psychologists paid out-of-pocket, or a limited number of initial assessment sessions with certain public-agreement psychologists, can be accessed without one.",
      "fail_rate": 0.55,
      "condition": "Seeking publicly-funded specialist mental health care",
      "sources": [
        "https://www.helsedirektoratet.no/tema/fritt-behandlingsvalg/fastlegens-ansvar-i-fritt-behandlingsvalg"
      ]
    }
  ],
  "workarounds": [
    {
      "action": "If you hold only a D-number and are not an asylum seeker/refugee, contact your municipality's health service directly for necessary care rather than trying to register with a fastlege",
      "success_rate": 0.7,
      "how": "",
      "condition": "General",
      "sources": [
        "https://www.bergen.kommune.no/innbyggerhjelpen/helse-og-omsorg/helsetjenester/legehjelp/legehjelp-til-utenlandske-borgere"
      ]
    },
    {
      "action": "For public-funded psychologist/psychiatrist care, get a referral from a fastlege or the legevakt (emergency clinic) first; municipal psychologists and a handful of no-referral private-assessment sessions are the main alternatives",
      "success_rate": 0.75,
      "how": "",
      "condition": "General",
      "sources": [
        "https://www.helsedirektoratet.no/tema/fritt-behandlingsvalg/fastlegens-ansvar-i-fritt-behandlingsvalg"
      ]
    }
  ],
  "workarounds_zh": [],
  "transition_graph": {
    "leads_to": [],
    "preceded_by": [],
    "frequently_confused_with": [
      "policy/d-number-cannot-self-apply/no",
      "medical/ehic-non-eu-ineligible/no"
    ]
  },
  "official_doc_url": null,
  "official_doc_section": null,
  "error_code": null,
  "verification_tier": "ai_generated",
  "confidence": 0.7,
  "fix_success_rate": 0.8,
  "resolvable": "true",
  "first_seen": "2026-08-24",
  "last_confirmed": "2026-08-24",
  "last_updated": "2026-08-24",
  "evidence_count": 3,
  "tags": [],
  "locale": "en",
  "aliases": [
    "mental-health/d-number-no-fastlege-right/no"
  ]
}