Setting Up Ameli & French Healthcare

Step-by-step instructions

Determine your CPAM office

The Caisse Primaire d'Assurance Maladie (CPAM) is your local health insurance office. Find yours at ameli.fr based on your home address. Each département has its own CPAM. If you've just arrived, you'll be registering as a new beneficiary (première affiliation). Note: if you're employed, your employer may handle the initial registration through your first pay slip.

Create your Ameli account

Go to ameli.fr and click 'Créer mon compte.' You'll need your social security number (numéro de sécurité sociale). If you don't have one yet, it will be assigned during your registration. Temporary numbers start with 7 (for men) or 8 (for women). Once your permanent number is assigned (starting with 1 or 2), you can fully activate your account.

Submit your registration dossier

Send your dossier to your CPAM either by post (recommended: lettre recommandée with tracking) or drop it off in person. Include the completed S1106 form (Demande d'ouverture des droits à l'assurance maladie), along with all required documents. Some CPAMs accept online submissions through the Ameli app — check your local office's options.

Receive your attestation de droits

After processing (usually 2–6 weeks), you'll receive an attestation de droits — a document proving you're covered by the French health system. Download it from your Ameli account or request it by post. This attestation is what you'll show doctors and pharmacies until you receive your carte Vitale.

Order and activate your carte Vitale

Once your permanent social security number is assigned, request your carte Vitale through your Ameli account. You'll need to upload a passport-sized photo. The physical card arrives in 2–4 weeks. Activate it at a pharmacy terminal or through the Ameli app. The carte Vitale is your key to automatic reimbursement for medical expenses.

Consider a mutuelle (complementary insurance)

French public health insurance covers about 70% of standard medical costs. A mutuelle (complementary private insurance) covers the remaining 30% plus extras like dental, optical, and hospital stays. Compare plans on sites like LeLynx.fr or Lesfurets.com. Your employer may offer a mandatory mutuelle d'entreprise. Prices range from €20–80/month depending on coverage level.

Documents you'll need

Valid passport or ID
Titre de séjour or visa (proof of legal residence)
Proof of address less than 3 months old
Birth certificate (translated by sworn translator if not in French)
RIB (bank account details) for reimbursements
S1106 form (Demande d'ouverture des droits)
Passport-sized photo for carte Vitale
Employment contract (if applicable)

Pro tips

Even before receiving your carte Vitale, you can see doctors. Pay upfront and submit a feuille de soins (paper claim form) to your CPAM for reimbursement.

The Ameli app is surprisingly well-made. Use it to track reimbursements, download attestations, and message your CPAM directly.

If you're a student, you're automatically enrolled through your university registration — no separate CPAM application needed since 2019.

Doctors marked 'Secteur 1' charge regulated rates and you get maximum reimbursement. 'Secteur 2' doctors charge more with lower reimbursement.

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