What health insurance when returning to France after working as an expatriate?
Verified 02 October 2025 - Directorate of Legal and Administrative Information (Prime Minister)
If you are French and you return to France after an expatriation, the rules for opening or maintaining your health insurance rights upon your return depend on your former country of installation and your professional situation. We explain the rules to know.
The rules differ depending on whether you were an expatriate in a countries of the European Economic Area, the European Union, or in Switzerland or another country.
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Return from EEA, EU, Switzerland
If you were an expatriate in a country of the European Economic Area, the European Union or Switzerland, you are covered by the social security system of your country of residence. When you return, the situation is different depending on your current situation:
You work
You will again benefit from the French Health Insurance.
Indeed, compulsory affiliation to the French health insurance on the basis of professional activity criteria is acquired from the first hour worked.
To have your rights opened, you must send by mail a copy of the employment contract or a pay slip accompanied by the Form S1106 (application for entitlement to universal protection disease - Puma) to the CPAM: titleContent of your place of residence.
After being re-enrolled in the Health Insurance, you must update your Vitale card.
FYI
In the event of incapacity for work occurring after resumption of activity in France, you may, if this resumption of activity is not sufficient to entitle you to daily compensation (sickness or maternity), request the taking into account of periods of work performed in your former country of residence.
You can't find a job
You receive unemployment benefits from your former country of residence
Your unemployment benefit entitlements are transferable in France for 3 months under conditions.
You benefit from the Health Insurance on presentation of your european health insurance card.
You did not receive unemployment in your country of installation
Before you leave, you will check with your foreign health insurance fund to find out if you are still entitled to health insurance.
In this case, you benefit from the French Health Insurance. You must present your european health insurance card (or the document S1 laptop which allows registration for health insurance coverage).
If there is no entitlement retention period under the previous membership plan, you request the universal protection disease (Puma) to your CPAM: titleContent. Once in France, you have to wait 3 months before having your rights opened if you do not resume a professional activity.
You're retired
If you are retired from a country of the European Union (EU), Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway or Switzerland, the treatment will be different.
You are retired from an EU country, Iceland, Liechtenstein or Norway
You can transfer your health insurance entitlements if you receive a pension due to the legislation of one of these countries. However, France will only cover, on behalf of the country debtor of the pension, the only care provided on French territory.
To obtain your affiliation to the French Social Security system, you request the document from the fund that pays you the pension S1 laptop.
You are retired from the Swiss scheme
You have the right to choose between:
- French Health Insurance
- Or the Swiss regime
This choice is final.
Changes in marital status (marriage, divorce) or changes in the composition of the family unit (birth or death of a family member) are not considered as new operative events. These changes do not allow you to change options.
You must apply for French health insurance if you live in France and receive a monthly pension.
Return from the United Kingdom
If you were an expatriate in the UK, you were covered by the social security system in your country of residence. When you return, the situation is different depending on your current situation:
You work
You will again benefit from the French Health Insurance.
Indeed, compulsory affiliation to the French health insurance on the basis of professional activity criteria is acquired from the first hour worked.
To have your rights opened, you must send by mail a copy of the employment contract or a pay slip accompanied by the Form S1106 (application for entitlement to universal protection disease - Puma) to the CPAM: titleContent of your place of residence.
Once you are re-enrolled in the Health Insurance, you must update your Vitale card..
FYI
In the event of incapacity for work occurring after resumption of activity in France, you may, if this resumption of activity is not sufficient to entitle you to daily compensation (sickness or maternity), request the taking into account of periods of work performed in your former country of residence.
You can't find a job
You are addressing the CPAM: titleContent of your new place of residence so that it can examine your possible rights to the benefit of the universal protection disease (Puma). Once in France, you have to wait 3 months before having your rights opened if you do not resume a professional activity.
Return from another country
You have ceased to depend on the French Social Security during or during your expatriation unless you have taken out voluntary insurance.
You have contributed to the Caisse des Français de l'foreigner (CFE)
You can benefit, under conditionsduring the 3 months following your return, benefits from the CFE expatriate scheme.
You did not contribute to the CFE
Your rights depend on your situation:
You immediately find work again
You are again dependent on the French Health Insurance.
With the universal protection disease (Puma) compulsory affiliation to the French health insurance on the basis of professional activity is acquired as of 1era hour worked.
If you have worked in a country linked to France by a Social Security agreement, your periods of insurance completed in that country may possibly be taken into account according to what the agreement in question provides.
FYI
As soon as you have your employment contract, you must go to the CPAM: titleContent of your place of residence to have your rights opened.
You must hand over the Form S 1106 completed and accompanied by supporting documents.
You do not immediately find work
To obtain health coverage, a residence period in France of 3 consecutive months must be respected. This condition can be proved by any means (example: 3 successive rent receipts).
In addition, you must postpone the CPAM: titleContent from your place of residence on Form S 1106 completed and accompanied by supporting documents.
You are registered with France Travail and receive unemployment benefits (due to previous periods of work in France, your membership in the expatriate insurance of France Travail...)
Your unemployment benefits give you rights to the Health Insurance.
You did not receive unemployment in your country of installation
To obtain health coverage, a residence period in France of 3 consecutive months must be respected. You must transmit to the CPAM: titleContent from your place of residence on Form S1106 completed and accompanied by supporting documents to apply for the granting of universal protection disease (Puma).
You have no social security coverage
Ask your CPAM: titleContent the universal protection disease (Puma).
You're retired
This depends on whether your country of origin has a Social Security agreement with France (the list is available on the Cleiss website).
Depending on the country and what the Social Security Convention provides, you may or may not benefit from health insurance in France.
If the social security agreement entered into by your country does not entitle you in France and if you meet the conditions of stable residence on French territory, you can apply for the universal protection disease (Puma) to your CPAM: titleContent.
You must complete the Form S1106 completed and accompanied by supporting documents.
Who can help me?
Find who can answer your questions in your region
For any questions on return and any information on bilateral conventions and European social security regulations
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 courier
Access to contact form
By mail
Center for European and International Social Security Liaisons
44 Armand Carrel Street
93100 Montreuil
For any question on the rights open to return to France by voluntary adherence to sickness-maternity-disability risks
Caisse des Français de l'foreigner (CFE)For any question on the rights open to return to France by joining unemployment insurance
France Labor (formerly Pôle emploi) services - Expatriate services
Online service
Online service
European Commission
Caisse des Français de l'Foreigner (CFE)
France Travail (formerly Pôle emploi) international
Center for European and International Social Security Liaison (Cleiss)