Health insurance for a foreigner on holiday (or short stay) in France
Verified 13 March 2026 - Public Service / Directorate of Legal and Administrative Information (Prime Minister)
You are a foreigner, you come on holiday in France (or for a short stay) and you want to know if you can benefit from unforeseen and necessary medical care and be reimbursed for your health expenses in France? The rules differ depending on whether you are a national of theEuropean Economic Area, Switzerland, the United Kingdom or another country.
EEA or Switzerland
If you are making a short stay in France as a insured national from the European Economic Area (EEA) or from Switzerland, you must then hold a European Health Insurance Card (EHIC). This allows you to benefit from the care of your care in France by accessing the French health system more easily. To obtain this card, and before any departure for FranceHowever, you must apply to your health insurance organization.
To benefit from the EHIC, you must:
- To be insured by a social security scheme of a member country from the European Economic Area (EEA) or Switzerland
- And stay temporarily in France.
It doesn't matter:
- Your status (worker, student, jobseeker, pensioner, right holder ...)
- And the reason for your temporary stay (weekend, holidays, language or professional stay...).
You must apply for your EHIC before your departure, with the competent health insurance body in your country of affiliation.
Every person in your family must have their own EHIC, including your children.
Please note
In some European countries, the EHIC is confused with the national health insurance card. Ask your local health insurance agency.
Your EHIC allows you to:
- Receive unforeseen and medically necessary care in France (care that cannot wait for your return to your country)
- Be reimbursed for your health expenses (medical, pharmaceutical, dental, hospitalization and laboratory analysis and examinations).
FYI
The EHIC also covers chronic or pre-existing diseases, pregnancy and childbirth. But the EHIC is not valid if you come to France for treatment.
You can contact in France a medical practitioner or to an approved or approved health care facility. You benefit from the same conditions of access to healthcare as French insured persons.
Depending on the professional consulted (liberal doctor, mutual health center or public hospital for example), you will have to, or not, advance the costs.
If the doctor or hospital in France refuses your EHIC, you can ask your health insurance organization to intervene.
If your approach does not solve the problem, you can ask for help from Solvit.
If you pay the professional, you can be reimbursed once you return to your country, with your affiliation organization, on presentation of invoices and proof of payment. Your organization will tell you what to do.
You can also be reimbursed in France by the primary health insurance fund of the place of care on presentation of proof (medical prescription, care sheet...). Check with the local cash register.
In particular, you can search by your place of stay (by indicating the street, city or postal code) for health professionals and their rates.
The different reimbursement rates for healthcare expenses can also be consulted (part of the expenses are usually your responsibility).
If you have forgotten your EHIC, you can be treated in France but you have to make advance of all your medical expenses, including your hospital care.
Once back in your country, you can get a refund from your health insurance organization. Keep the invoices and your receipts. You will be asked for them.
United Kingdom
If you are a national of the United Kingdom and wish to come and stay in France, then you must have the global health insurance card issued by the United Kingdom. This card replaces the EHIC. Persons whose EHIC has expired must apply for this comprehensive health insurance card from their UK affiliated health insurance fund.
You can apply for GHIC through the National Health Service in the United Kingdom.
This request must be made before coming to France.
Reminder
Since 11 January 2021, GHIC has replaced the EHIC issued by the United Kingdom. The EHIC remains valid in France until the card expires. Only persons whose EHIC has expired need to apply for the global health insurance card.
Benefits in kind shall cover:
- Medical expenses
- Pharmaceutical costs
- Costs of dental care and prostheses
- Hospitalization costs
- Costs of laboratory tests and examinations
- The costs of medical transport.
Your Health Insurance may issue you a “Provisional Replacement Certificate” (Provisional Replacement Certificate or PRC).
This certificate, issued for a limited period of validity, can then be used under the same conditions as the GHIC.
You put back to the CPAM: titleContent from where you received your care:
- The care sheet dated, signed
- In case of hospitalization, the discharge report
- Your prescriptions
- A copy of your GHIC card or PRC.
You will need to specify your permanent address and bank details (bank name, address, SWIFT code, account number with code IBAN or BIC).
As a general rule, the health insurance fund does not reimburse all expenses.
Other country
If you are a citizen of a country not belonging to the European Economic Area and if you are not a UK national, you need to get in touch with your UK health insurance before coming to France.
This way, you will know if it covers medical care abroad and under what conditions or if you need insurance to cover medical expenses in France.
FYI
Most of the agreements signed by France with other countries do not provide for the provision of care during a temporary stay.
However, under certain very strict conditions, coverage is possible if you are insured in certain States or territories.
Who can help me?
Find who can answer your questions in your region
Center for European and International Social Security Liaison (Cleiss)
General information on Social Security abroad and assistance with the procedures of individuals
By phone
+33 (0) 1 45 26 33 41
Hotline:
- Monday from 9am to 12.30pm
- Tuesday from 1:30 pm to 4:30 pm
- Wednesday from 9 am to 12.30 pm
- Thursday from 1:30 pm to 4:30 pm
- Friday from 1:30 pm to 4:30 pm
By mail
Access to contact form
By post
Center for European and International Social Security Liaisons
44 Armand Carrel Street
93100 Montreuil
Online service
Center for European and International Social Security Liaison (Cleiss)
Ameli.fr
National Health Insurance Fund (Cnam)
National Health Insurance Fund (Cnam)