How to be covered if I am a retired European citizen ?

Once you have arrived in France, in order to be covered under the French healthcare system, you will need to submit the following documents to your caisse primaire d’assurance maladie (CPAM) :

- A copy of the passport or identity card ;
- The S1106 form « Application for membership in the French healthcare system » available on ameli.fr ;
- A copy of your S1 form, delivered by the healthcare system of your previous European country of residence ;
- The certified and complete copy of your birth certificate, with the mention of your parents’ names ;
- A copy of your marriage certificate, if applicable ;
- A proof of residency (utility bills, rental contract, etc.) ;
- Your French bank account details (copy of your official RIB - relevé d'identité bancaire/IBAN).

Your affiliation is finalised

The processing times to get a social security number can fluctuate between one CPAM to another.

Your CPAM will send you your social security number and an « attestation de droits » (certificate of rights), meaning you are covered by the French healthcare system and can be reimbursed for your medical expenses.

To claim your refund, you have to complete, sign and send your « feuille de soins » (brown paper), and the prescriptions if you have them, to your CPAM.

Please note that you cannot order a carte Vitale or open an ameli account directly after receiving your definitive social security number. This is due to the fact it may take some time for your social security number to be certified.

Once your social security number is certified, your CPAM will send you the carte Vitale form.

You can either order the card online by creating an ameli account or you can send the paper copy of the form by post, along with a recent identity photo and a copy of an identity document.

For better medical care and optimal reimbursements, register a « médecin traitant » (general practitioner) on your file.

You can find useful links according to your situation, by consulting this topic : « How to be covered : some useful links ».

Have a nice day.