Stay healthy in France

a clear roadmap to your coverage
1. Must‑Knows Before Arrival

Visa insurance required: Minimum €37,500 coverage + repatriation.

Already covered?

EU/EEA/Swiss

Get an EHIC (European Health Insurance Card)

UK

Get a GHIC (Global Health Insurance Card)

Andorra

Use S1 / SE130

Everyone else

Buy private travel insurance until you're in the system.

2. Registering with Assurance Maladie (Sécurité Sociale)

Submit:

Visa/long-stay permit

French IBAN

Birth certificate (official French translation)

Enrollment certificate

Passport or ID

Processing time:

Carte Vitale: up to 12 months

Temporary social security number: 2 weeks – 2 months

3. While You Wait

Keep private insurance active to avoid gaps.

Collect and save all feuilles de soins (paper forms from doctors/pharmacies).

These are required for retroactive reimbursement once your Vitale arrives.

4. Once You're Covered

Order your Carte Vitale on Ameli.fr/app

Register your family doctor (médecin traitant)

— boosts reimbursement rates.

At appointments:

Pay upfront; get 70–100% reimbursed later

Present Carte Vitale or coverage certificate

5. Add a Mutuelle (Complementary Insurance)

Covers:

🦷

Dental

👓

Optical

🧠

Psychology

🏥

Extra hospital fees

Cost:

Full plans: €70–80+

Students: €30–50/month

Students: €30–50 /month

Compare:

MGEN

AXA

Alan

Heyme

Expat&Co

6. Costs & Reimbursement Examples

Service

Cost

Reimbursed

GP visit

€25

~€17 (70%)

Specialist

€30–60

~70%

Hospital stay

€1200–3000/day

Mostly covered by sécurité sociale + mutuelle

Tier 2+ = additional charges not fully reimbursed

Tier 1 doctors = no extra fees

7. Other Health Services

Mental Health

Direct access to therapists also available (with upfront payment)

Covered partially with referral + mutuelle

EHIC:

Once you get your Vitale, request EHIC to use coverage while traveling in the EU.

8. FAQ Highlights

Delayed Carte Vitale?

Still covered retroactively.

Lost documents?

Contact CPAM (your local social security office).

Language support?

Call 3646 → ask for English hotline

Need help with paperwork?

University Help Desks often assist with document prep & calls

9. Toolkit Downloads

Printable checklists (Before Arrival, After Arrival, Mutuelle Comparison)

Provider contact sheets

Sample filled-out forms

contact@rainforest-sante.fr

contact@rainforest-sante.fr

contact@rainforest-sante.fr