Registering with the Social Security System

For any stay longer than three months, you must register with the French social security system. Registration is free and compulsory, unless your country has a bilateral agreement with France. This allows you to be reimbursed for medical treatment, hospitalisation and medication. Once you have registered, you will receive a social security number and can order your Carte Vitale to facilitate accessing healthcare services in France.

In France, health insurance covers a large proportion of your medical costs, including visits to the doctor, the purchase of medicines and hospital stays.

Registration is free and compulsory for any stay longer than three months, unless your country has a bilateral agreement with France.

Once your registration has been approved, you will receive a social security number. You can then order your Carte Vitale, which is essential for the automatic reimbursement of your medical expenses.

You are a student (bachelor's or master's degree or equivalent level)

Registration with the social security system is compulsory and free of charge for anyone wishing to stay in France longer than three months.

If your stay is less than three months and you are a national of the European Union, the European Economic Area, or the Swiss Confederation, please visit the “special case” section.

PhD students who do not have an employment contract are treated as students under the social security system.

The procedures for joining the scheme as teaching and research staff vary depending on your status (employee, grant recipient, student), the length of your stay and your residence permit.

You have signed an employment contract and are now an employee

You are a European Union national

You and your family will be attached to your local healthcare office (Caisse Primaire d'Assurance Maladie - CPAM) from the first day of your employment contract.

To obtain a social security number, you must submit the following documents to the CPAM in your place of residence, which will issue you with a social security number: 

1. The form Demande d'affiliation au régime général

2. A copy of your passport or identity card: page(s) indicating your identity and dates of validity.

3. A copy of your birth certificate indicating your parentage (no need for legalisation or apostille). 
4. Recent proof of address.
5. A copy of your employment contract.
6. A copy of your first payslip or, failing that, a certificate stating that you have taken up your new post.
7. Your bank details (RIB).

You and your family will be attached to the Caisse Primaire d'Assurance Maladie (CPAM) from the first day of your employment contract.

You must register with the Paris CPAM as soon as you start work and provide the following documents:

1. The form Demande d'affiliation au régime général

2. A copy of your passport: page(s) showing your identity and validity dates

3. A copy of your Scientist-Researcher or Talent Passport - Researcher residence permit or receipt OR your Scientist - Researcher or Researcher Talent Passport long-stay visa in your passport (no need for the PFD document confirming the validation of your visa).

4. A copy of your birth certificate indicating your parentage (no need for legalisation or apostille). Birth certificates are accepted in Albanian, German, English, Danish, Croatian, Spanish, Finnish, French, Hungarian, Italian, Latvian, Lithuanian, Dutch, Norwegian, Polish, Portuguese, Romanian, Slovak, Swedish; Czech and Turkish.  Certificates in other languages will have to be translated, either by a sworn translator or by the French Embassy or Consulate in the country where the document was issued.

5. Recent proof of address.

6. A copy of your individual hosting agreement

7. A copy of your employment contract.

8. A copy of your first payslip or, failing that, a certificate stating that you have taken up your new post.

You are planning to stay for three months or more

You are a PhD student or teaching and research staff, hold a Talent Passport-Researcher resident permit, are in receipt of a grant or are coming to France on your own.

You and your family can join the universal health coverage scheme (Protection universelle maladie - PUMA) immediately and free of charge, with no waiting period, provided you are legally resident in France. 

You must provide proof of three months' presence in France before you can submit your application. You must therefore take out private health insurance to cover the first three months of your stay.

You will need to take out private insurance as you will not be eligible for social security coverage on the basis of residency. If you are a national from the European Union, the European Economic Area or Switzerland, visit the “special case” section.

If you are a student or teaching and research staff from the European Union, the European Economic Area or Switzerland, you can request a European Health Insurance Card(EHIC) from your home country's social security agency. 

This nominative card makes it easier to pay for any medical care you may require during a temporary stay of less than three months in France and gives access to the public health service.

The period of validity of the EHIC varies according to the issuing country. Contact the social security office in your country of origin for more information.

To increase your health expense reimbursements, you can take out a supplementary health insurance policy known as a mutuelle. This is not mandatory, but is strongly recommended.

It is up to you to take the necessary steps. First ask for quotes and compare offers.