Migrants in an irregular situation: access to healthcare in 10 European Union Member States

This report looks at the law and practice concerning access to healthcare for migrants in an irregular situation in 10 EU Member States, namely Belgium, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Poland, Spain and Sweden. It focuses on migrants who are present in an irregular situation, namely those who do not fulfil conditions for entry, stay or residence. Through interviews with a range of different sources including public authorities at the national and local level, health professionals, non-governmental organisations (NGOs) providing healthcare and irregular migrants themselves, this report documents the legal, economic and practical obstacles that hinder irregular migrants’ access to healthcare. The body of this report is structured in four chapters. The first describes the national legal framework, followed by a look at regional and local policies on access to healthcare for migrants in an irregular situation. The third and fourth chapters deal with the effects of exclusion from healthcare and with practical obstacles and challenges.