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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)

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)

Go to:

etudiant-etranger.ameli.fr

Submit:

Passport or ID

•

Enrollment certificate

•

Birth certificate (official French translation)

•

French IBAN

•

Visa/long-stay permit

•

Processing time:

Temporary social security number: 2 weeks – 2 months

Carte Vitale: up to 12 months

3. While You Wait

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

These are required for retroactive reimbursement once your Vitale arrives.

Keep private insurance active to avoid gaps.

4. Once You're Covered

— boosts reimbursement rates.

Order your Carte Vitale on Ameli.fr/app

Pay upfront; get 70–100% reimbursed later

Present Carte Vitale or coverage certificate

At appointments:

5. Add a Mutuelle (Complementary Insurance)

€70–80+

Full plans:

€30–50/month

Students:

Cost:

🏥

Extra hospital fees

🧠

Psychology

👓

Optical

🦷

Dental

Covers:

Compare:

MGEN

AXA

Alan

Heyme

Expat&Co

6. Costs & Reimbursement Examples

Hospital stay

€1200–3000/day

Mostly covered by sécu + mutuelle

Specialist

€30–60

~70%

GP visit

€25

~€17 (70%)

Reimbursed

Cost

Service

Tier 2+ = additional charges not fully reimbursed

Tier 1 doctors = no extra fees

7. Other Health Services

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

EHIC:

(with upfront payment)

Direct access to therapists also available

Covered partially with referral + mutuelle

Mental Health

8. FAQ Highlights

University Help Desks often assist with document prep & calls

Need help with paperwork?

Call 3646 → ask for English hotline

Language support?

Contact CPAM (your local social security office).

Lost documents?

Still covered retroactively.

Delayed Carte Vitale?

9. Toolkit Downloads

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

Sample filled-out forms

Provider contact sheets

Step-by-step video tutorials

French–English glossary for medical terms