Please note different rules and procedures apply if you hold a UK Form S1.
If you are a French resident and plan to travel within an EU/EEA country or to the UK then you will need to have your own carte européene d’assurance maladie (CEAM). This is the French version of the European health insurance card (Ehic) which enables you to receive state healthcare if you are travelling within the EU/EEA or the UK.
If you receive free healthcare, then you will be entitled to a CEAM card. If as a resident you pay for your healthcare, you will receive healthcare in other EU/EEA countries or the UK at the same rate.
The CEAM card is individual and named, meaning that every separate family member must have their own, including children under age 16; it is valid for two years.
If you are a resident in France your CEAM card will enable you to show your healthcare rights as part of the French Assurance maladie therefore making sure that your medical costs are covered during your trip. The card is valid in public hospitals and with doctors and pharmacies across Europe
If you are a pensioner of another EU country or the UK (UK citizen healthcare is paid through the UK’s S1 system) then you should apply for an Ehics from those countries and not French CEAM. The UK EHIC version cannot be used in the UK, so it is advisable to carry a copy of your individual S1 form with other travel documents on visits to UK.
The CEAM card is only valid for care that has become necessary during your trip, is medically necessary, and cannot wait until you return to your home country (for example, accidental injury). Usually, whether a case is necessary must be decided by a health professional. Treatment that is planned in advance of travel is not covered.
If healthcare in the country you are visiting is normally free for residents, it will be free to you too on presentation of the card. Otherwise, you have to pay upfront and obtain a reimbursement, either by applying in the country through its usual channels, or on return home.
You can present the invoices and proof of payment to your local CPAM when you return to France or if you have an Ameli account you can get reimbursed for the care via your Ameli account.
The card is not an alternative to travel insurance and does not cover, for example, mountain or sea rescue or a flight home in case of injury. It will also not usually cover private care and in countries where the state does not fully cover healthcare costs, it will equally not reimburse you 100%.
If you are registered with the French Assurance Maladie, and are not a UK Form S1 holder you can order a CEAM card by
- Going online via your Ameli website account. You need to log in and head to the Mes démarches section. Your card will then be posted to your registered address within a few days. The card is free.
- Using the Ameli app to get a digital version, or request one by phone on 3646 within France, or +33 1 84 90 36 46 from outside of France. You can also request a card via the ameliBOT chatbot.
It is also possible to register for and use a digital card instead of a physical one.
The CEAM must be requested at least 20 days before you travel.
If you are travelling within the next 15-20 days, it is advised to ask for a provisional replacement certificate instead. This is valid for three months and is valid in the same situations as a normal CEAM.