Rights of asylum seekers: care, housing, financial assistance...
Verified 25 June 2024 - Directorate for Legal and Administrative Information (Prime Minister)
If you are persecuted or threatened in your country, you can seek asylum in another country. During the examination of your application, you can benefit from material reception conditions such as accommodation, financial assistance and social rights concerning work, health and education. Would you like to know how to benefit from these material reception conditions? We present you with the information you need to know.
As soon as you register of your asylum application, you can benefit from a accommodation in a reception center for asylum seekers (Canada) or other similar facility, depending on your situation and available places.
You will benefit from a social and administrative support.
If you refuse the accommodation offered to you, you will not be able to receive other forms of assistance.
One financial contribution may be requested depending on your resources, including a deposit (a sum paid to serve as a guarantee) when you enter the accommodation. The amount of such security may not exceed €150 per adult and to €75 per child.
You benefit from this accommodation for the duration of the examination of your application of asylum, including during the period of appeal to the NDANDA : National Court of Asylum or until you are transferred to another European country.
If no space is available, you are registered on a waiting list and you can be referred to temporary accommodation solutions, in a collective structure or a hotel.
If the asylum is yours granted, you must leave the accommodation within 3 months, renewable once.
If the asylum is yours rejected, you must leave the place within one month.
As an asylum seeker, you are not allowed to work for 6 months.
If you are an adult, a asylum seeker's allowance (Ada) can be paid to you. To qualify, you must meet the following 2 conditions:
- Have the asylum claim certificate
- Accept the material conditions offered to you (including accommodation)
The Ada is paid to you until the final decision granting or refusing you asylum or subsidiary protection.
The arrangements depend on your length of stay in France.
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For the first 6 months
You cannot get permission to work for the first 6 months after the application is registered by theOfpraOfpra : French Office for the Protection of Refugees and Stateless Persons.
However, pending the reply of Ofpra, you may, under certain conditions, benefit from the asylum seeker's allowance (AAD).
After 6 months
You can apply for work authorization if you meet the following 2 conditions:
- You have the proof of refugee claim
- Your application is currently under review for more than 6 months by theOfpraOfpra : French Office for the Protection of Refugees and Stateless Persons
In this case, when you apply to renew the completed attestation, you can also apply for a work authorization. A promise of employment or a contract of employment must accompany the application.
If the proposed employment contract is in the course of validity of the certificate, your future employer must request a work permit.
Whatever the time of filing, the application shall be examined in accordance with rules applicable to all foreigner workers in France. In particular, the employment situation is against you.
The duration of the work authorization cannot exceed the duration of your receipt, which is 6 months. The work authorization shall be renewable until Ofpra has taken a decision. You retain the right to work in the event of an appeal to the CNDA.
The application for authorization shall be examined under the same conditions as those applicable to all foreigner workers.
If you did not obtain the right to work during the proceedings before theOfpraOfpra : French Office for the Protection of Refugees and Stateless Persons, or if you have not applied, you will not be able to work for the duration of your appeal to the National Court.
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For the first 6 months
You cannot get permission to work for the first 6 months after the application is registered by theOfpraOfpra : French Office for the Protection of Refugees and Stateless Persons.
However, pending the reply of Ofpra, you may, under certain conditions, benefit from the asylum seeker's allowance (AAD).
After 6 months
You can apply for work authorization if you meet the following 2 conditions:
- You have the proof of refugee claim
- Your application is currently under review for more than 6 months by theOfpraOfpra : French Office for the Protection of Refugees and Stateless Persons
In this case, when you apply to renew the completed attestation, you can also apply for a work authorization. A promise of employment or a contract of employment must accompany the application.
If the proposed employment contract is in the course of validity of the certificate, your future employer must request a work permit.
Whatever the time of filing, the application shall be examined in accordance with rules applicable to all foreigner workers in France. In particular, the employment situation is against you.
The duration of the work authorization cannot exceed the duration of your receipt, which is 6 months. The work authorization shall be renewable until Ofpra has taken a decision. You retain the right to work in the event of an appeal to the CNDA.
The application for authorization shall be examined under the same conditions as those applicable to all foreigner workers.
If you did not obtain the right to work during the proceedings before theOfpraOfpra : French Office for the Protection of Refugees and Stateless Persons, or if you have not applied, you will not be able to work for the duration of your appeal to the National Court.
You can in a 1er time to receive emergency care.
Then, when your application is under review, you can take advantage of the universal health protection (Puma).
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Emergency care
While waiting to be covered by Puma, you can, in case of emergency, access to care in different ways:
- In some hospitals in which Health Care Access Hotlines - PASS (you are then treated by doctors and medicines can be given to you free of charge)
- To some associations who offer permanent access to dental, ophthalmological or psychological care without the need for social insurance
- In the case of a minor foreigner, Maternal and Child Protection Services (PMI), responsible for the regular monitoring of children aged 0 to 6 years and their vaccination without any social security claim
Puma
While your asylum claim is being processed, you can access the Puma.
You must provide proof of residence in France for more than 3 months to benefit from it.
Minors have been exempt from the residence requirement in France for more than 3 months.
You must apply to the primary health insurance fund (CPAM) of your place of residence or domicile.
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Emergency care
While waiting to be covered by Puma, you can, in case of emergency, access to care in different ways:
- In some hospitals in which Health Care Access Hotlines - PASS (you are then treated by doctors and medicines can be given to you free of charge)
- To some associations who offer permanent access to dental, ophthalmological or psychological care without the need for social insurance
- In the case of a minor foreigner, Maternal and Child Protection Services (PMI), responsible for the regular monitoring of children aged 0 to 6 years and their vaccination without any social security claim
Puma
While your asylum claim is being processed, you can access the Puma.
You must provide proof of residence in France for more than 3 months to benefit from it.
Minors have been exempt from the residence requirement in France for more than 3 months.
You must apply to the primary health insurance fund (CPAM) of your place of residence or domicile.
Your children must be in school from 3 to 16 years of age.
Registration in nursery school or primary school is done by the city hall.
Enrollment in a secondary school (college or and secondary school) is made directly at the establishment closest to your place of residence.
Material reception conditions shall be refused in the following cases:
- Refusal of the orientation region determined by theOfiiOfii : French Office for Immigration and Integration
- Refusal of the accommodation offer made to you
- Submission of an application for reconsideration of your asylum application
- Application for asylum out of time, without legitimate grounds
Material reception conditions shall be suspended in the following cases:
- Departure from the orientation region determined by theOfiiOfii : French Office for Immigration and Integration
- Departure from the accommodation offered to you
- Failure to comply with the requirements of the asylum authorities (absence from interviews, failure to present information to the authorities, lack of useful information to facilitate the processing of applications ...)
- Concealment of financial resources
- Delivering false information about your family situation
- Filing of several asylum applications under different identities
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Schengen Convention
Material reception conditions
Refusal of material reception conditions
Suspension of material reception conditions
Access to the labor market
Reception conditions for asylum seekers (guidance, domicile, material reception conditions)
Accommodation of asylum seekers
Allowance for asylum-seekers
Coverage of health costs
Amount of deposit when entering a place of accommodation
Financial participation of persons accommodated in a place of accommodation for asylum seekers
Online service
Service-Public.fr
French Office for the Protection of Refugees and Stateless Persons (Ofpra)
Ministry of the Interior