European researchers and their family

During your stay in France, it is essential that you and your family are covered by an insurance policy, whether private or provided by a French Social Security body.

Your rights are different depending on whether you are a citizen of a member state of the European Economic Area (EEA) or another country. The applicable rules and procedures to follow depend on your status (employee or other).

Important: Ensure you have your European Health Insurance Card (EHIC) with you and request the S041 form (previously E104 form) from your local health insurance provider before you leave. This document outlines the periods of insurance validated in a Member State. It enables you to register with the French National Health Service.

If you have not requested this form before you left, the local health service office will contact your former health insurance service to obtain it.

More information about health insurance for foreigners in France.

The rules concerning health insurance rights during a stay abroad vary from one country to another. You must contact your health insurance provider in your country of residence to find out the conditions and period of cover during your stay in France.

You might also contact the CLEISS, the liaison body between the French social security institutions and their foreign counterparts.

European legislation states that if you come to France to work, you will be exclusively covered by the French social security system from your first hour of employment in France.
You will no longer be covered by the social security system in your country of origin.

Your employer can register you on your behalf, please contact your Human Resources department to find out if this is the case. If not, you will have to send your application yourself.

To do this, you need to register with the Caisse Primaire d’Assurance Maladie (CPAM) [local health service office] of your place of residence by submitting a request to entitlement to health insurance (form S1106).

Your spouse or your adult children residing in France on a stable and regular basis may register under the PUMA (Universal Health Protection) scheme without a waiting period.

Your children who are minors may be registered as dependents via the application form for minors.

More information about registering with the French scheme for employees.

Registering with the French Social Security system is subject to conditions if you do not have a French employment contract.

You may, depending on your situation benefit from the Universal Health Protection (PUMA) scheme of the French Social Security system after residing in France for 3 months. Check your eligibility with the CPAM (local health service office) of your place of residence.

You must provide documents proving that you are no longer covered by the social security system in your previous country of residence. You must register with the local health service office (CPAM) of your place of residence.

Important: you cannot register in advance. You must wait to have been residing in France for 3 months to register.

If you are still covered in your previous country of residence, we strongly recommend that you request:

• Your European Health Insurance Card
• If you change your habitual country of residence, you need to complete the S1 form

If you are no longer covered in your previous country of residence, we strongly recommend that you arrive in France with private insurance, which will also help you prove that you have been present in France for 3 months.

More information about the S1 form.