French Health Issues

Lobbying for your healthcare rights in France and the EU 

        

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What are the new health and immigration rules?

In 2007 the French government adopted an EU law, which applies to “inactif” EU citizens taking up residence in another EU country. For those of you wishing to move to France, the main consequences, for the first 5 years of residence, are:-

1. You must prove that you will not be a burden to the French Social Security system. You must have sufficient income and / or assets to demonstrate that you will be able to support yourself and your family without recourse to French social security benefits. For further information – see here
   
   
2. You must produce evidence that you will not be dependent on the French Health System. This will normally be achieved by either being in receipt of an ‘E’ form issued by the UK government (see “What are E-Forms?”) or having a certificate of comprehensive private health insurance. (See our “Insurance” section).

After 5 years’ legal and continuous residence the above does not apply. You should be treated the same as any citizen of France as long as you can prove legal and continuous residence to the satisfaction of the relevant French bureaucrat e.g. at your local CPAM office for application for membership of CMU.

However, for the first 5 years of residence in France, if you are an “inactif” you will not be entitled to join the French Health system unless you do so by virtue of an E-form.

See also

For more in-depth information on residence rules and procedures – see here

For details of registering with your local authority and obtaining a Residence Permit – see here

To learn more about the French health system – see here

To find more details of the term "inactif" - see here