Do you have to live in France to receive family benefits?

Verified 01 January 2026 - Public Service / Directorate of Legal and Administrative Information (Prime Minister)

The rules vary depending on where you live:

General case

Yes, in order to be entitled to family benefits (examples: family allowances, back-to-school allowance), you must reside in France on a stable basis.

You must be in one of the following situations:

  • Have your habitual residence in France
  • Staying in France for more than 9 months (whether consecutive or not) during thecalendar year payment of benefits.

Residence in France can be proven by any means.

Warning  

There's no no nationality requirement. The persons of foreign nationality are entitled to family benefits under certain conditions.

However, exceptionally, you may be granted a right to family benefits even in the absence of residence in France, if a Community regulation or an international convention so provides.

You can inquire at the Center for European and International Social Security Liaison (Cleiss).

Who shall I contact

  • 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

Mayotte

To receive family benefits, you must, whatever your nationality:

  • Stably reside in Mayotte
  • To have in your effective and permanent charge one or more children residing in a stable manner in Mayotte.

You are considered to be a permanent resident if you have your main home or residence in Mayotte.

The place of your main stay is Mayotte if you stay there personally and effectively for more than 9 months during the'calendar year the payment of family benefits.

Any child who lives permanently in Mayotte is considered to be residing permanently in that department.

Likewise, a child resides in Mayotte if he lived there permanently until then and who, while retaining his family ties, accomplishes outside the department:

  • One or more temporary stays of a duration not exceeding 3 months during thecalendar year
  • Or a longer stay to allow him to pursue studies or receive care required by his state of health.

Who can help me?

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