What is Family and Social Life Support (FSSA)?

Verified 09 December 2022 - Directorate for Legal and Administrative Information (Prime Minister)

Are you retired as a foreign national and would like to live temporarily or permanently in your country of origin? Under certain conditions, you can receive assistance for family and social life (AVFS). This aid is intended to compensate for the loss of certain benefits which are no longer paid in the case of residence abroad (e.g. the solidarity allowance for the elderly - Aspa).

Support for family and social life (AVFS) is a monthly allowance granted to pensioner of foreign nationality having scarce resources and desiring to reside, temporarily or permanently, in his country of origin.

It is granted under certain conditions and the amount depends on your resources.

AVFS is managed by the Caisse de la Mutualité sociale agricole (MSA) in Picardie for the whole of France.

To be eligible for AVFS, you must have obtained or applied for all retirement pensions to which you are entitled, including with foreigner pension schemes and international organizations.

In addition, you must meet several conditions.

Nationality

You must be a foreign national.

Age

You must be over 65.

However, if you are deemed unfit for work or receive the Disabled Adult Allowance (DAA), you can apply for the DWA from age 62.

Residence

You must be housed alone in a migrant worker's home or social residence at the time of the request for assistance.

You must meet a condition of residence in France that varies according to your country of origin:

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European

You can collect the AVFS if you come from a country of the European Economic Area or Swiss on condition that you have resided in France for more than 3 months.

Foreigner of another country

You can collect AVFS if you have been living in France for more than 15 years.

You must also be legally resident, i.e. have a residence permit or a receipt for the renewal of a residence permit.

Resources

Your resources should not exceed €7,926.80 per year.

The resources taken into account are all the categorical net income the year preceding the application year (2022 for 2023 applications).

The application is made using the cerfa form n°16149.

Application for assistance in family and social life (AVFS)

You must send your application accompanied by the supporting documents to the MSA of Picardie:

The maximum amount of the AVFS is €660.57 per month (either 7,926.84 maximum per year).

If your annual resources are less than  €660.57, the AVFS is allocated to you at the maximum amount.

If your annual resources are greater than  €660.57However, the AVFS amount decreases according to your resources.

The aid shall be paid each month to expired term, i.e. on the 4th of the month following the month to which it relates.

It is due from 1er day of the month following the date of receipt of the request.

The 1er payment shall be made no later than 2 months after the award decision.

Example :

If the application is lodged on 16 April 2023, the aid shall be granted from 1er May 2023.

You must inform the MSA of Picardie of any change in the amount of your income or your place of residence.

It is not possible to combine AVFS with other aid or benefits (RSA, specific solidarity allowance - SSA, solidarity allowance for the elderly - Aspa, Disabled Adult Allowance - AAH, personalized housing assistance - APL,...).

You keep health insurance for your medical care in France, regardless of where you live.

Access to the French health care system is therefore possible even if you leave the French territory more than 6 months.

The AVFS is automatically renewed every year as long as you meet the conditions to benefit from it.

But you have to declare every year your resources using the cerfa form n°16150.

Support for Family and Social Life (AVFS) - Declaration of Resources

In the absence of a declaration, your aid cannot be calculated and is therefore suspended.

Upon receipt of your declaration of resources, the amount of your aid is regularized.

If you spend more than 6 months a year outside of France, you must also produce a certificate of existence.

Application for assistance in family and social life (AVFS)

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