Health insurance of a foreigner in France

Verified 15 February 2024 - Directorate for Legal and Administrative Information (Prime Minister)

Are you a foreigner and are you planning to settle in France? Health insurance rights differ if you are a citizen of a European Economic Area (EEA) countries and Switzerland, the United Kingdom or another country. The rules applicable and the steps to be taken depend on your status (employee, pensioner, student, jobseeker). Here are the rules to know.

European (European Union, Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway, Switzerland)

It's not the same whether you have the EHIC or not.

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You have a European Health Insurance Card (EHIC) or a temporary replacement certificate

You got it from the social welfare agency from your country of origin an EHIC.

You can receive reimbursement for your medically necessary care in France under the same conditions as if you were in your country.

Your card must be valid at least until the end of the current academic year.

You do not have a European Health Insurance Card (EHIC) or a temporary replacement certificate

You must register on the website student-foreigner.ameli.fr.

Registration of a foreigner student to Social Security

The approach differs depending on whether or not you receive unemployment benefits from your last State of affiliation.

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You receive unemployment benefits from the last State of affiliation

For care, you present to the health insurance fund in France your European Health Insurance Card (EHIC).

You do not receive unemployment benefits from the last State of affiliation

Before you leave, you will request from your health insurance organization a certificate of transfer of the rights to benefits from the health insurance in case a continuation of the right of this plan would be provided for:

If there is no provision for legal maintenance, you contact the health insurance of your place of residence in France to determine under what conditions you may be eligible for social insurance.

The approach is not the same whether you are expatriate or seconded.

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If you are an expatriate

If you come to work and reside in France as an expatriate, you are insured in France (with exceptions, for example, if you are a public servant).

You are no longer insured in your country of origin and must contribute to the French social security system.

Under the universal health protection (Puma), you shall be entitled to the payment of your health costs without waiting period. You don't have to have worked a certain number of hours.

FYI  

It is up to your employer to take the steps to open your rights with the French Health Insurance.

Before you leave for France, you must obtain form E 104 from your sponsoring organization. It is a certificate that totals, in your previous country, periods:

  • Insurance
  • Employment
  • Or residence

It must be returned to your French health insurance fund.

These periods are taken into account as French insurance periods for the opening of your rights to sickness insurance benefits in France.

FYI  

If they have been residing in France with you since more than 3 months, your family members are covered by the French Health Insurance and are reimbursed for health care, medical treatment and hospitalization.

If they remain resident in your country of origin, you request the form S1 provided by your French Health Insurance.

Your family members' health insurance in the State of residence will check whether they are family members under local law. If so, this form will allow your family members to benefit in their country of residence from health insurance benefits.

If you're detached

If you are temporarily posted by your employer (Maximum 24 months unless derogated) in France and you reside there, you continue to be covered by the social security scheme of your country of origin.

In order to benefit from the care that will be provided to you in France as if you were affiliated to it, you must register for the French Social Security system.

For that, you must, before you leave, request document S1.You should ask the health insurance organization you report to in your country of origin.

Once in FranceHowever, it must be handed over to the health insurance fund of your home. You will then benefit from the support for expenses in France.

You will continue to benefit from your health insurance for all care received in your country of origin.

Your family members who accompany you to France can also benefit, under certain conditions, from the reimbursement of the care provided to them in France.

Please note

You are posted to France from Switzerland ? If you transfer your residence to France for a long time, you can choose between French health insurance and Swiss health insurance.

If you are a public servant

If you are an official of another European country, sent to France (e.g. diplomatic staff), you remain subject to the social protection scheme of the country to which your administration belongs.

In order to receive reimbursement for your medical treatment in France, you must first ask your affiliation organization on S1 document (registration for health insurance coverage).

You must then present this document to the competent health insurance fund in France.

You can transfer your rights to Health Insurance.

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General case

If you are retired from another European country and come to live your retirement in France, you can transfer your rights French Health Insurance.

You have to ask to the fund of the country in which your pension is duedocument S1(registration for health insurance coverage).

It is this fund that sends the document to your health insurance fund in France.

This document allows your attachment to the French social security system.

Your family members accompanying you to France must also apply for the S1 document.

Switzerland

If you hold a pension exclusively from the Swiss scheme and you reside in France, you benefit froma right of option.

United Kingdom

You must apply for a long-stay student visa to come and study in France.

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You have a European Health Insurance Card (EHIC), a replacement certificate or a Global Health Insurance Card

You can receive reimbursement for your medically necessary care in France under the same conditions as if you were in your country.

Your card must be valid at least until the end of the current academic year.

You have a S1 portable document

You must register on the website student-foreigner.ameli.fr.

Registration of a foreigner student to Social Security

We don't have any of those documents

You must register on the website student-foreigner.ameli.fr.

Registration of a foreigner student to Social Security

There are no international texts allowing you to benefit from the services of your country of origin in France.

You can get closer to France Travail (formerly Pôle emploi) to find out if you can benefit from French services.

Who shall I contact

Under the universal health protection (Puma), you are entitled to be reimbursed for your health costs without waiting period (it is not necessary to have completed a minimum of working hours).

Other country

You must register on the site dedicated to the reception of students, in order to benefit from the coverage of your health expenses upon your arrival in France.

Health insurance: registration of a foreigner student

There are no international texts allowing you to benefit from the services of your country of origin in France.

Ask France Travail (formerly Pôle emploi) if you can benefit from French services.

Who shall I contact

If you are an expatriate or seconded, it is recommended to contact the Cleiss. If you are a civil servant and sent to the embassy, you keep your Health Insurance.

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If you are an expatriate

You can get in touch with the Cleiss to find out the conditions for reimbursing your health expenses.

Who shall I contact

If you're detached

The conditions of your secondment are defined by the social security convention which your country of origin has signed with France.

You can get in touch with the Cleiss to find out the conditions for reimbursing your health expenses.

Who shall I contact

If you are a public servant

If you are sent by your administration to an embassy, consulate or other official body, you will still be covered by your country's health insurance.

You can get in touch with the Cleiss to find out the conditions for reimbursing your health expenses.

Who shall I contact

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