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Health insurance for a French national living abroad
Verified 11 January 2023 - Directorate for Legal and Administrative Information (Prime Minister)
Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden
Period between entitlement and payment of benefits related to entitlement
Do you want to know your rights to health insurance if you move abroad? They depend on the country of residence (European Economic Area - EEA countries or Switzerland or other country) and your status (employee, student, pensioner,...). We present you with the information you need to know.
What applies to you ?
In an EEA country or Switzerland
Employed or self-employed expatriate
If you settle yourself in a European Economic Area (EEA) countries or in Switzerland to work there, you are no longer insured under the French scheme. You are covered by the social security of your country of establishment, to which you have to contribute. You receive the health insurance benefits provided by this country.
Before you leave France, you must inquire whether a minimum period of insurance, activity or residence is required in your country of establishment for the opening of your rights. If this is the case, you must ask your French sickness insurance fund for Form E104 (certificate concerning the aggregation of periods of insurance, employment or residence). It will have to be handed over to your health insurance institution in your country of establishment.
This form summarizes your insurance periods completed in France. These periods are taken into account in your country of establishment for the purpose of obtaining your entitlement to sickness insurance benefits.
Your family members are also covered by social security in your host country, whether they live there or not. If they continue to reside in France, you must apply for the document S1 (attestation for the registration of the members of the family of the employed or self-employed person) from your foreign institution of affiliation. Your family must then hand over this document to their health insurance fund in France, in order to be registered.
You can, however, choose to continue to benefit from the French scheme by joining the Caisse des Français de l'foreigner (CFE). This way you avoid waiting periods or the quarters lost for your retirement, when you return to France. Membership of the CFE is in addition to the contribution to the compulsory scheme of the country of expatriation.
Seconded employee
If you are posted temporarily (up to 24 months unless otherwise specified) by your employer in a European Economic Area (EEA) countries or in Switzerland, you continue to benefit from French social security.
To obtain your French social security support, your employer must either:
- To the National Center for International Mobility Management (CNG) (Ursaff) if you are under the general scheme
- To the Mutualité Sociale Agricole (MSA) if you come under the agricultural scheme.
With the agreement of the institution concerned, your employer must provide you with the A1 document (attestation concerning the applicable legislation).
You also need to do some things:
- Before your departure, you must ask your health insurance fund for the S1 document (registration for health insurance coverage).
- Once settled, you must hand this document over to the health insurance agency of your new home to receive medical care for yourself (and possibly your family).
Please note
if you are visiting your country of secondment for a short period of time without a residence, you can benefit from on-site medical care with your european health insurance card (ex E111).
You must keep the invoices and your payment documents and present them, upon your return to France, to your health insurance fund, accompanied by the form cerfa n°12267.
Care received abroad - Declaration to be completed by the insured
If you are a member of the Ameli account, you can claim reimbursement for this care online.
You need to go to your Ameli account.
Self-employed person providing temporary service in another State
If you are a self-employed person on a temporary assignment (24 months maximum unless otherwise specified) in a European Economic Area (EEA) countries or in Switzerland, you continue to benefit from French social security.
To obtain your French social security support, you must apply to either:
- To the National Center for International Mobility Management (CNG) (Ursaff) if you are under the general scheme
- To the Mutualité Sociale Agricole (MSA) if you come under the agricultural scheme.
With the agreement of the institution concerned, it must give you the document A1 (attestation concerning the applicable legislation).
You also need to do some things:
- Before your departure, you must ask your health insurance fund for the S1 document (registration for health insurance coverage)
- Once settled, you must hand this document over to the health insurance agency of your new home to receive medical care for yourself (and possibly your family).
Please note
if you are visiting your country of secondment for a short period of time without a residence, you can benefit from on-site medical care with your european health insurance card (ex E111).
You must keep the invoices and your payment documents and present them, upon your return to France, to your health insurance fund, accompanied by the form cerfa n°12267.
Care received abroad - Declaration to be completed by the insured
If you are a member of the Ameli account, you can claim reimbursement for this care online.
You need to go to your Ameli account.
Official
If you are sent by your administration in a European Economic Area (EEA) countries or in Switzerland, you remain covered by French social security.
To obtain your French social security support, your employer must either:
- At the National Center for International Mobility Management (Urssaf)
- To Mutualité Sociale Agricole if you come under the agricultural system.
With the agreement of the institution concerned, your employer must provide you with the A1 document (attestation concerning the applicable legislation).
In order to receive reimbursement for medical treatment in your country of establishment, you must apply for the S1 document from your health insurance fund in France.
You must then hand it over to the competent health organization in your country of establishment. This form allows you to register for health insurance coverage.
If you go to study in a European Economic Area (EEA) countries or in Switzerland less than a year, you remain affiliated to the French social security.
Before you leave, you must ask for your european health insurance card to your health insurance fund.
This card will allow you to prove your rights to health insurance and to benefit from on-the-spot care of your medical care.
If you leave for more than a year, you will no longer be affiliated in France. You will have to ask the health insurance organization of your country of study for the conditions of membership of the local social security scheme. You may need to purchase private insurance to cover your health costs.
If you are compensated in France and authorized to transfer your residence to the EEA or Switzerland for 3 months (exceptionally 6 months), you remain affiliated to the French social security during this period.
Before you leave, you must ask for the european health insurance card to your health insurance fund. You must present it in case of medical care in your new country of residence.
If you are a pensioner of the French system and you go to live in a European Economic Area (EEA) countries or in Switzerland, you can transfer your health insurance rights there. You must not receive a pension from your country of residence that entitles you to health care.
Before your departure from France, you must ask your pension fund for the S1 document (registration for health insurance coverage).
Once there, you must hand over this document to the relevant social security body in your country of establishment. You will receive medical care in accordance with the legislation and formalities in force in this country.
You can come back to France for treatment. All your care will be taken care of according to French legislation.
If you want to stay outside of France or outside your new country of installation, you will need to take the european health insurance card. Ask your health insurance fund before you leave France.
FYI
you do not have to return your Vitale card when you leave. This will allow you to be taken care of during your stays in France.
In another country
If you're detached
During your stay abroad, you continue to benefit from the French social security system for all risks. Depending on the country of secondment, you may be able to receive medical care with an advance waiver of costs.
Risks subject to assessment | Organization |
|---|---|
Sickness, maternity, disability, industrial accidents, occupational diseases | Primary health insurance fund (CPAM) |
Basic pension | National Old Age Insurance Fund (Cnav) |
Supplementary pension | Agirc - Arco |
Unemployment insurance | Pôle emploi |
It is up to your employer to take the steps and make the request for secondment to the National Center for International Mobility Management (Urssaf) or the Mutualité Sociale Agricole, if you are covered by the agricultural system under international or bilateral social security agreements.
If such an agreement exists and the conditions for secondment are met, including the duration of the assignment, social contributions will only be paid in France.
In the absence of a bilateral social security agreement, your employer may apply to the French scheme for maintenance under national law. In this case, the employer will have to pay the contributions in France and in the country of employment.
The employer provides you with the certificate of secondment provided by the CNG.
On your return to France, you and your family receive all the benefits, as if you had stayed in France.
Warning
maintaining the french social security system does not exempt you, in some countries, from also contributing to the local social security system for certain risks.
For claim reimbursement for care, (if you have not requested it in the country of secondment where possible), you must keep the invoices and proof of payment. You must present them, on your return to France, to your health insurance fund, accompanied by the form cerfa n°12267.
Care received abroad - Declaration to be completed by the insured
If you are a member of the Ameli account, you can claim reimbursement for this care online.
You need to go to your Ameli account.
Get reimbursed for care done abroad from Ameli account
If you are an expatriate
If you are an expatriate abroad, you stop depending on French social security. You must be covered by the social protection system of the country in which you work. Your rights depend on whether or not a bilateral social security convention between France and that country,
You must return your vital card, which can only be used if you live and are insured in France.
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Existence of a convention between France and the country
You are entitled to the provisions of this Convention and to equal treatment with the inhabitants of the country.
The competent institutions abroad will take into account your period of insurance in France when examining your possible rights to the various benefits.
As for your health insurance cover, you will have to ask your health insurance fund for the agreed form of attestation of periods before your departure.
During your period of employment abroad, you will be entitled to local health insurance benefits, if they exist, on presentation of the form attesting to your French insurance periods. This right will be open to you within a certain period (variable according to the agreements) since the end of your French insurance period.
In the absence of an agreement
Your rights will depend on the social security system of your country of expatriation. If you consider them insufficient and want to continue to benefit from the French regime for certain risks, you can take out insurance.
You can still benefit from French social security by subscribing to voluntary insurance.
You can join the Caisse des français de l'foreigner (CFE) for sickness-maternity-invalidity, occupational accidents and diseases and old age (basic pension) insurance.
Who shall I contact
You can insure against one or more of these risks depending on your family situation and the particularities of the local social security scheme.
Under certain conditions, you can also contribute (individually or through your company):
- for your supplementary pension with the Caisse de pension des expatriés (CRE) if you are a non-executive or with the Ircafex (executive and related retirement) if you are an executive,
- for your unemployment insurance, with the Pôle emploi Expatriate Service.
Adherence to voluntary insurance does not prevent you from contributing to the compulsory scheme of your country of expatriation. Even if you take out voluntary insurance, you can benefit from the existing bilateral agreement between France and your country of expatriation, if it exists.
If you are a public servant
If you are sent by your administration to an embassy, consulate or any other official body, you remain covered by French social security.
It is up to your employer to make the application for secondment to the Center national de gestion de la mobility internationale (URSSAF).
In order to be reimbursed for your medical care in your country of establishment, you must apply for the S1 document (registration for health insurance coverage) from your health insurance fund in France. You must then hand it over to the competent health organization in your country of establishment.
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You're going to study for less than six months
You can benefit from a lump sum reimbursement of care without it exceeding the amount of the reimbursement that would have been allocated for care received in France. This is despite the fact that care is more expensive in the other country.
You're going to study for more than 6 months
You're under 20
You can benefit from a lump sum reimbursement of care without it exceeding the amount of the reimbursement that would have been allocated for care received in France. This is despite the fact that care is more expensive in the other country.
You're over 20
You are no longer covered by French health insurance. Find out about the possibilities or the obligation to insure yourself with the local social security system.
You will not be compensated by Pôle emploi.
In order to benefit from unemployment, one must live in France and be in effective search of employment.
Your rights will depend on whether your country of expatriation is linked to France by a social security convention or not.
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There is a bilateral social security agreement with France
If your country of expatriation is bound to France by a social security agreement, you benefit from the provisions of that agreement and from equal treatment with the inhabitants of the country.
The competent institutions abroad will take into account your period of insurance in France when examining your possible rights to the various benefits.
As for your health insurance cover, you will have to ask your health insurance fund for the agreed form of attestation of periods before your departure.
During your period of employment abroad, you will be entitled to local health insurance benefits, if they exist, on presentation of the form attesting to your French insurance periods. This right will be open to you within a certain period (variable according to the agreements) since the end of your French insurance period.
There is no bilateral social security agreement with France
Your rights will depend on the social security system of your country of expatriation.
If you consider them insufficient and want to continue to benefit from the French regime for certain risks, you can take out insurance.
Who can help me?
Find who can answer your questions in your region
To learn about social protection internationally
Center for European and International Social Security Liaison (Cleiss)
General information on social security abroad and assistance in the application of individuals
By telephone
+33 (0) 1 45 26 33 41
Hotline:
- mondays and wednesdays: 9am to 12.30pm
- tuesday and thursday: 1:30 p.m. to 4:15 p.m.
- Wednesday from 9 am to 12:30 pm.
By E-mail
Access to contact form
If you are dependent on the general diet
Primary health insurance fund (CPAM)If you are dependent on the farm plan
Mutual Social Agricultural Organization (MSA)If you are insured with the Caisse des Français de l'foreigner
Caisse des Français de l'foreigner (CFE)If you are concerned by the additional pension Malakoff Humanis
Malakoff Humanis International Agirc-ArcoIf you are covered by unemployment insurance for expatriate employees
Pôle emploi services - Service expatriates
Employees posted abroad
Employees posted abroad
Online service
Service-Public.fr
Center for European and International Social Security Liaison (Cleiss)
National Health Insurance Fund (Cnam)
Center for European and International Social Security Liaison (Cleiss)
National Health Insurance Fund (Cnam)
European Commission
European Commission
European Commission
European Commission
Caisse des Français de l'Foreigner (CFE)
International pôle emploi