Health insurance in France.
The public system is open to residents, but not on day 1 if you don’t work, and it only pays part of each bill. Here is how to cover the gaps.
The rules
What France asks of you.
Checked against official sources on 23 October 2026. Rules change, so the broker confirms them again before you apply.
- PUMa: after 3 months if you don’t work
If you work in France, you are covered once your application is accepted. If not, rights open after 3 months of stable, legal residence.
Source: service-public.gouv.fr - Non-EU: residence permit needed
Non-EU nationals need a valid residence permit to join PUMa.
Source: service-public.gouv.fr - Visitor visa: cover for the whole stay
The long-stay visitor visa needs health insurance for the whole stay, a promise not to work, and at least €1,477.93 net a month for 1 person.
Source: service-public.gouv.fr - New contribution in 2026
The 2026 Social Security law adds a contribution for PUMa members with no work income who pay no CSG. The amount is still to be set by decree.
Source: service-public.gouv.fr - EU retirees: the S1
EU retirees moving to France transfer their health rights with an S1 form from their pension fund.
Source: service-public.gouv.fr
Anyone who works in France, or lives there stably and legally, is covered by PUMa. It pays only part of the bill, so most people add a mutuelle, a top-up plan, for the rest.
Source: service-public.gouv.frLocal or international
We compare both. You keep the one that fits.
Residents join the public system and usually add a French mutuelle. An international plan helps before PUMa starts, or if you travel a lot.
- Local plans
Plans sold in France. Often cheaper, sometimes required for your visa. Filed by a broker licensed in France.
- International plans
Plans that cover you in France and beyond, and stay with you if you move again. Filed by our international broker partner.
What it costs
Published prices in France.
List prices from insurers and official schemes. Your quote depends on your age, health and the cover you pick.
- GP visit: €30
With a médecin traitant, public insurance pays 70%, or €21. You pay €9, plus a €2 flat fee per visit.
Source: service-public.gouv.fr - GP visit without a médecin traitant
Outside the coordinated care path, public insurance pays only 30%. You pay €21 of the €30.
Source: service-public.gouv.fr - Hospital daily fee: €23
Charged for each day in a hospital or clinic, or €17 a day in a psychiatric unit.
Source: service-public.gouv.fr - PUMa contribution (CSM): 6.5%
If your work income was under €9,420 in 2025 and your capital income over €23,550, you owe up to 6.5% on the part above that. The rate drops as work income rises.
Source: urssaf.fr
What to look for
Choosing a plan in France.
Ankyro checks each of these on every plan, so you don’t have to read the fine print.
- The first 3 months
If you don’t work, PUMa starts after 3 months. Your private plan must cover that gap and meet the visa rules.
- Dates that match the visa
Visitor visa holders must show cover for the whole stay. Check the dates match the visa and every renewal.
- A mutuelle on top
A mutuelle pays what public insurance leaves: the co-pay, the hospital daily fee, dental and glasses.
- Your employer’s plan first
Private employers must offer a group mutuelle and pay at least 50% of it. Check before you buy your own.
Step by step
Getting covered in France.
- 01Show private cover for your visa. The long-stay visitor visa needs health insurance for the whole stay. Keep that plan until PUMa starts.
- 02Get your residence permit. Non-EU nationals need a valid residence permit or residence document before they can join PUMa.
- 03Send form Cerfa 15763 to your CPAM. Fill in “Demander l’ouverture des droits à l’Assurance maladie” and send it to the CPAM, the health fund for where you live.
- 04Wait 3 months if you don’t work. Workers are covered once the file is accepted. Without work, rights open after 3 months of stable, legal residence.
- 05Declare a médecin traitant. Pick a GP who agrees to be your regular doctor and declare them. Without one, Assurance maladie refunds 30% of a visit instead of 70%.
- 06Add a mutuelle. Check your employer’s group mutuelle first, as private employers pay at least half. If you have none, buy one for the share PUMa leaves.
Common mistakes
3 we see all the time.
- 01Thinking PUMa starts on arrival. Without work, it starts after 3 months.
- 02Relying on public insurance alone. It refunds only part of each bill.
- 03Planning to freelance on a visitor visa. The visitor card bans all work.
Real published prices, and the 6 things that move yours.
Just visiting?For a holiday or a short trip, travel insurance is enough. See what France asks of visitors, and what care costs.
Questions
People also ask.
When can a foreigner join French public health insurance?+
Right away if you work in France. If you don’t work, after 3 months of stable, legal residence.
Do I need private insurance for a French visitor visa?+
Yes. You must show health insurance for your whole stay, plus about €1,477.93 net a month in income.
Is a mutuelle mandatory in France?+
Not for everyone. Private-sector employers must offer one and pay at least 50%.
Can EU retirees use their home health cover in France?+
Yes. Ask your pension fund for an S1 form and register it in France.
Other countries
Going somewhere else?
Most UK visas don’t ask for private insurance. You pay a yearly surcharge instead, and it opens the NHS. Here is what the surcharge buys, and what you still pay for.
02AustraliaMost visitors can’t use Medicare, and many visas carry condition 8501. Here is what each visa asks for, who gets Medicare, and what to check.
03Dubai and the UAEIn Dubai, no insurance means no visa. Your employer covers you, but not always your family. Here are the rules, and what the basic plan leaves out.
04PhilippinesThe retiree visa asks for a medical certificate, not a policy. The new nomad visa does ask for cover. Here is what each visa needs, and how PhilHealth works for foreigners.
05NetherlandsIf you live or work in the Netherlands, Dutch basic insurance is the law. A few people are exempt. Here is who must sign up, by when, and what it costs in 2026.
06CanadaEach province runs its own health plan, and some make you wait. The super visa has strict insurance rules. Here is how Ontario and BC differ, and what the super visa needs.
07Saudi ArabiaIn Saudi Arabia, no insurance means no iqama. Your employer pays for you and your family, and visitors need a policy too. Here is who pays, and what each policy covers.
08JapanIf you live in Japan, joining public insurance is the law. A private plan can only sit on top. Digital nomads are the exception.
09GermanyEveryone in Germany must be insured, and a residence permit needs cover equal to the public system. Here is how to choose, and what gets rejected.
10SingaporeThe national plan is for citizens and PRs. Hospital bills for foreigners are high, and families are often left out. Here is what to check.
11ThailandRetirement visas have hard minimums, the DTV has none, and public care is not free for foreigners. Here are the rules, and what to check.
12SpainSpain has the strictest visa insurance rules in Europe: a Spanish-authorised insurer, no co-pays, no waiting periods. Here is what passes.
13MalaysiaPublic hospitals charge foreigners full price, and work schemes only cover injuries at work. Here is what each pass asks for, and what to check.
14QatarMost visitors need a QAR 50 a month policy before Qatar issues a visa. The law covers expats too, but that part is still rolling out. Here are the rules.
16PortugalThe visa asks for travel medical cover. The public system opens once you are a resident. In between, and after, here is what to check.
17MexicoNo visa asks for it, so many expats skip it. Then a private hospital asks for payment first. Here is how cover really works in Mexico.
18ItalyWorkers join the public system for free. Retirees and nomads need private cover for the visa, then pay at least €2,000 a year to join. Here are the rules.
19South KoreaStay more than 6 months and you must join the national plan. Before that, and for your share of each bill, you need your own cover.
20VietnamOnly long local contracts come with public cover, and most expats use private hospitals anyway. Here is what the rules say, and what to check.
21Bali and IndonesiaMost Indonesian visas don’t ask for insurance. But hospitals ask for payment first, and serious cases fly to Singapore. Here is what to check.
22GreeceThe consulate takes travel cover for the visa. The residence permit then asks for full health cover. If you don’t work for a Greek employer, that means a private plan.
23ColombiaNomads and retirees need a private policy with exact wording. Residents who work must join the public EPS system. Here are the rules.
24Costa RicaResidents must pay into the Caja, whatever private plan they have. Nomads need their own cover for the visa. Here is how it fits together.
25USAThe US has no public plan you can simply join. Some visas set minimum cover. Others leave it to you. Here is what a J-1 needs, who can use the Marketplace, and what plans cost.
26SwitzerlandBasic health insurance is compulsory for everyone who lives in Switzerland. You have 3 months to sign up. Here is how it works, and what to check.
27IrelandNon-EEA students must hold private medical insurance. Everyone else gets public care once they count as living in Ireland for 1 year. Here is what to check.
28Dominican RepublicThe residence visas for retirees and rentistas ask for a medical certificate, not an insurance policy. Public care is limited. Private care is good but costly.
29New ZealandStudent visas require insurance. A work visa of 2 years or more may open public health care. ACC covers accident injuries. Here is what to check.
30IsraelIn Israel, the public system is for residents. If your life is centred there, you join a health fund (kupat holim). If not, you need private cover.
31Hong KongPublic hospitals in Hong Kong are cheap for eligible persons. Many foreigners are not on that list. Here is who is, what the rest pay, and what to check in a plan.
32ChinaIf you work in China on an employment permit, your employer must enrol you in social insurance. That includes basic medical cover. Here is how it works, and what to check on top.
33ArgentinaEmergency care is open to everyone. For other care at national hospitals, foreigners without permanent residence must show insurance or pay first. The rules are new, so check them.
34IndiaWe found no official rule that ties health insurance to an Indian work visa. We also could not confirm a public scheme for foreign residents. So the plan is yours to choose. Here is what to check.
35TurkeyA residence permit application needs valid health insurance for the whole permit. Most new expats buy a private policy. The public SGK system opens later, after 1 year of residence.
36BrazilThe digital nomad visa needs health insurance valid in Brazil. The public system is open to migrants by law. Many expats add a private plan for speed.
37PanamaThe Pensionado visa asks for a health certificate, not an insurance policy. The public system is tied to the Caja. Private care is the main option for most expats.
38South AfricaStudy and exchange visas ask for proof of cover from a registered medical scheme. Public clinics offer free primary care. Here is what to check.
39KenyaKenya’s public fund is run by the Social Health Authority (SHA). A foreigner who lives in Kenya for more than 12 months pays into it. Shorter stays need travel health insurance instead.
40TaiwanTaiwan has one national health insurance. Foreigners with a residence certificate can join. If you have a job, you join through your employer. If not, there is a wait.