Vital Card
Verified 18 November 2025 - Public Service / Directorate of Legal and Administrative Information (Prime Minister)
The Vitale card is a personal, confidential, secure and free card. It allows you to identify yourself with the Health Insurance. This card chip-based contains the information necessary to manage your care. So you no longer need to send your treatment sheet by mail. You get paid back faster. We present you the information to know.
FYI
The Vitale card as a moving application is deployed throughout the territory since November 2025.
The healthcare professional you see (doctor, dentist, etc.) uses your Vital Card to create an electronic care sheet (which replaces the paper skincare sheet).
Your Vitale card allows you to take charge of your consultation.
The information is transmitted directly to your health insurance organization by the healthcare professional.
So you get refunded in a week without having to do anything.
In some cases, the Vitale card may allow you not to advance the fees: this is called the third-party payer.
Please note
To benefit from the coverage of your medical care during a trip or short stay in Europe, you can ask for the European Social Security Card (EHIC).
This Vitale card also allows:
- To access the online services of the Health Insurance
- To consult, feed or close your pharmaceutical record.
How to obtain the Vitale card may vary depending on your situation. Proof of identity is required.
General case
Obtaining a Vital Card requires having a Social security number.
Each health insurance organization shall ensure:
- Of your identity
- And your rights to cover your health care costs.
This Vitale card attests to your registration and your rights to Health Insurance.
It is valid everywhere in France.
Please note
From the age of 16, your primary health insurance fund contacts you directly and sends you the form “ My new Vitale card ». It is possible to order a Vitale card for your child from the age of 12, from the email account only.
French pensioner living abroad
You are retired from the French social security system and live abroad, you have a right to health insurance.
As a result, you can see your healthcare expenses covered during your temporary stays in France.
However, if you reside in a country outside EEA and Switzerland, certain conditions may be required for the reimbursement of your care during your stay in France.
Simply register:
- On the Ameli website
- Or contact the Center national des retraités français de l'foreigner (CNAREFE).
Who shall I contact
Center national des retraités français de l'foreigner (CNAREFE)
By mail
CNAREFE Health Insurance
77605 Marne-la-Vallée Cedex 3
By phone
+ 33 811 701 005
Monday to Friday from 8am to 5pm (French time)
The conditions for receiving the Vitale card may vary depending on your plan (general scheme or agricultural social security - MSA).
General case
The Vitale card is issued free of charge by the Health Insurance.
Depending on the case, you can order a Vitale card:
- Using your ameli account
- Or by using the Email Account application
- Or by mail.
These may include:
- From your 1re Vitale card
- From the 1re upon your arrival in France
- Or a Vitale card for your child between 12 and 16 years old.
Your first Vital Card
You can order your Vitale card:
- Online from your email account or via the email account application
- By mail.
From the age of 16, the Health Insurance addresses a form “ My new Vitale card ». HoweverHowever, it is not necessary to return this form if the application for a Vitale card has been made from the Ameli account.
If you apply for the Vitale card via your Ameli accountHowever, the deadline for obtaining it is 2 weeks.
If you request this card by postHowever, the delay is about 3 weeks.
When the Vitale card is sent to you, you will also receive a hard copy of the information stored on it.
FYI
THEattestation of rights may be essential for certain activities related to everyday life. In particular, you can download it from your email account.
If there is an error or inaccuracy on the paper copy, you must report it to your health insurance organization.
Your first Vitale card when you arrive in France
As soon as you have obtained your final social security number, you can :
- Order a Vitale card directly online from your Ameli account
- Or complete and return the form “ My new Vitale card ».
The card will be sent to you.
If you apply for the Vitale card via your Ameli accountHowever, the deadline for obtaining it is 2 weeks.
If you request this card by postHowever, the delay is about 3 weeks.
When the Vitale card is sent to you, you will also receive a hard copy of the information stored on it.
FYI
THEattestation of rights may be essential for certain activities related to everyday life. In particular, you can download it from your email account.
If there is an error or inaccuracy on the paper copy, you must report it to your health insurance organization.
Your child is between 12 and 16 years old
You can order a Vitale card for your child.
Apply for a Vitale card (general diet)
When the Vitale card is sent to you, you will also receive a hard copy of the information stored on it.
FYI
THEattestation of rights may be essential for certain activities related to everyday life. In particular, you can download it from your email account.
If there is an error or inaccuracy on the paper copy, you must report it to your health insurance organization.
Reminder
If you have not applied for a Vitale card for your child, at the age of 16, your primary caisse will contact you directly and send you the form “ My new Vitale card ».
This form is not useful if you apply for your Vitale card online from the email account.
The list of entries differs depending on whether the card is a physical card or a mobile application:
Hardware Card
The Hardware Vital Card includes the following information:
- Your social security number
- Your photo if your Vitale card has been issued since 2007
- Your postal or email address
- Your rights to cover your healthcare costs.
It may also contain the following additional information:
- Mention of the declared attending physician
- Mention with your agreement of a possible mutual
- Management of occupational accidents and diseases.
Digital Card
It comprises in particular :
- Your Social Security number
- Your photo
- Your postal or email address.
If you notice an error concerning your identity (surname, first names, sex, date or place of birth), you must request correction using this online service:
The Vitale card is issued without validity period but must be the subject of updates.
However, the end of entitlement to health insurance benefits means that it is impossible to use the Vitale card. You are required to return this card to the organization that issued it.
You need to update your Vital Card:
- At least 1 time a year (not to forget, you can always choose the same time of year)
- And with every change of personal or professional situation, after informing your health insurance organization. Examples: moving, change of email address, birth, long-term condition, change of attending physician, change of organization ensuring the coverage of your health costs.
The update of the Vitale card allows a quick refund, taking into account your updated data.
To update the Vitale card, terminals are available in the following places;
- Health insurance bodies
- In most pharmacies
- Some health facilities.
Terms and conditions may vary depending on which plan you are dependent on.
Warning
This approach is free of charge. If you're asked for money, it's a scam.
General case
You can do this online, by phone or in a CPAM.
Online
You log into your email account on the Internet or on the application.
Then you go to “ my steps ”, and enter the online service “ report the loss or theft of Vitale card ».
Vital Card: lost, stolen or defective (general diet)
Please note
You can also report the loss or theft from the Email Account application for smartphone and tablet.
Once this procedure has been completed, enter the online service “ order a Vitale card »
Please note
It is advisable to use the Ameli Account application to order the Vitale card.
From your smartphone, you can take a selfie and photograph your ID.
These 2 elements necessary for the manufacture of your new card will be sent instantly. This allows a better processing time.
While waiting to receive your Vitale card, you can get a attestation of rights.
The new Vitale card is sent within 2 to 3 weeks.
By phone
Who shall I contact
Health insurance - 3646
To obtain information about your rights and procedures, ask a question about your file, report a change in situation, consult your refunds or obtain a certificate of rights.
By phone
3646
Open Monday to Friday.
Watch out : hours may vary depending on your department.
As a general rule, opening hours are at least from 8:30 am to 5:30 pm.
Free service + price call, from a landline or mobile phone.
From Mayotte, call 02 69 61 91 91:
- Monday to Thursday from 7:30 am to 2:30 pm
- Friday from 7:30 am to 12 pm
From the foreigner: +33 1 84 90 36 46 (free service + price of a call).
To facilitate the answers and to identify you, think about getting your Vitale card before contacting the Health Insurance.
By video interpretation (you are deaf or hard of hearing)
If you are deaf or hard of hearing, you can contact a advisor by videointerpretation.
On site
You must submit the declaration of loss, theft or malfunction to your CPAM and receive a new Vitale card within 3 weeks.
While waiting for your health insurance fund sends you by mail the form " Vital Card ” allowing you to get another one.
Please note
While waiting to receive your Vitale card, you can get a attestation of rights.
Fraudulent calls
Phone solicitations use fraudulently the name of the Health Insurance.
36 46 is the only number to contact your primary health insurance fund.
Your contact person will never ask you for your bank details (bank account number, RIB, credit card number...) on this occasion.
You must not follow up on these calls.
Example :
A message on your answering machine asking you to call back your “Health Insurance”. Its purpose is to make you call a heavily overtaxed number and thus extract money indirectly. So you don't have to call back because it's a scam attempt.
Fraudulent emails
These fraudulent emails are presented as coming from the Health Insurance: they use the logo of the Health Insurance and display the link of the site Ameli.
The emails that the Health Insurance can send you in your personal messaging (concerning a procedure or a request that you have made) you always ask to log in to your account ameli.
It is only in this secure space that messages and supporting documents are exchanged with the Health Insurance.
Do not reply to these fraudulent emails and delete them from your mailbox.
If you have already provided your bank details (example: credit card numbers), notify your bank promptly to oppose.
The Vitale card app offers a free cloud solution, allowing access from your smartphone to the same services than the physical Vital Card.
It can be downloaded from the App Store and Google Play.
Warning
The app is being rolled out gradually to healthcare professionals. It is therefore recommended to always keep your physical Vital Card with yourself.
The situation differs depending on whether you use or not France Identity :
Répondez aux questions successives et les réponses s’afficheront automatiquement
You are using France Identity
If you hold the national electronic identity card, you can use the application France identity enable app Vitale card.
You are not using France Identity
Example: you do not yet have an identity card in the form of a bank card.
The following 3 conditions must be met:
- Have an open Ameli account
- Be over 16 years old
- Be attached to a health insurance fund of a department in which this app is activated.
You can activate the app by video by following these steps:
- Prepare your social security number and ID
- Download the Vitale card application from the App Store or Google Play
- Activate your digital Vital Card with a video of your ID and face to validate your identity.
On your new smartphone, you just have to download the Vitale card application again on the App Store or Google Play and then activate it. Your profile on your old smartphone will then be automatically deleted.
In the absence of a new smartphone, you can call your health insurance fund who will proceed to delete your profile on the application.
Who shall I contact
Health insurance - 3646
To obtain information about your rights and procedures, ask a question about your file, report a change in situation, consult your refunds or obtain a certificate of rights.
By phone
3646
Open Monday to Friday.
Watch out : hours may vary depending on your department.
As a general rule, opening hours are at least from 8:30 am to 5:30 pm.
Free service + price call, from a landline or mobile phone.
From Mayotte, call 02 69 61 91 91:
- Monday to Thursday from 7:30 am to 2:30 pm
- Friday from 7:30 am to 12 pm
From the foreigner: +33 1 84 90 36 46 (free service + price of a call).
To facilitate the answers and to identify you, think about getting your Vitale card before contacting the Health Insurance.
By video interpretation (you are deaf or hard of hearing)
If you are deaf or hard of hearing, you can contact a advisor by videointerpretation.
Who can help me?
Find who can answer your questions in your region
If you depend on the general plan
Primary Health Insurance Fund (CPAM)If you depend on the farm system
Agricultural Social Mutuality (ASM)
Content and operation of the Vitale card
Content and operation of the Vitale card
Online service
Online service
Online service
FAQ
Service-Public.fr
National Health Insurance Fund (Cnam)
National Health Insurance Fund (Cnam)
National Health Insurance Fund (Cnam)
Ameli.fr