France · visa health insurance
Health insurance for a French long-stay visa
By Covered Abroad Research Desk · Last verified July 2026
Which visa are you applying for?
Pick your path — we’ll show you the exact rule for your case.
France: the published rule
The rule in writing
“For a long-stay visa (VLS-TS), you must hold private health insurance covering your full stay in France. Travel insurance and short-stay Schengen policies are not accepted.”
Official source: France-Visas (france-visas.gouv.fr) & FrenchEntrée long-stay guide — Last verified:
The rule in writing
“Consulates commonly refuse policies with a deductible (excess) on the core cover. Applicants report rejections over deductible clauses; the certificate should show cover without a disqualifying deductible.”
Based on: Consulate application guidance & documented applicant reports — Last verified:
The rule in writing
“A December 2025 law (LOI n° 2025-1403, art. 53) introduced a healthcare participation charge for certain non-working residents who are exempt from standard French social contributions — the implementing decree is pending, and scope will firm up when it publishes. Private cover remains the bridge for the visa year either way.”
Official source: Légifrance — LOI n° 2025-1403 du 30 décembre 2025, article 53 (new Art. L.160-1-1 CSS) — Last verified:
France insurance guides
Health insurance for a France long-stay visa (VLS-TS)
France's VLS-TS long-stay visa needs private health insurance, not travel cover: no disqualifying deductible, valid for your full stay. See the published rule.
Read the ruleVLS-TS health insurance (and how it differs from VLS-T)
VLS-T and VLS-TS both need private French health insurance, not travel cover. See which long-stay visitor visa you hold and what certificate each requires.
Read the ruleHealth insurance for the France visitor (visiteur) visa
The France visitor (visiteur) visa needs private health insurance with no disqualifying deductible. See what families and retirees must show the consulate.
Read the ruleHealth insurance in France for US citizens
Your US employer plan, marketplace policy, and Medicare won't cover you living in France — or satisfy the visa. See what does, and the rule behind it.
Read the ruleHealth insurance in France for UK citizens
Since Brexit, your GHIC is not residence cover and NHS access ends when you move. The S1 helps only some pensioners. See what the France visa actually needs.
Read the ruleExpat health insurance for living in France
How to choose expat health insurance for France: cover that meets the visa rule and bridges the gap before public cover applies. Benefits are set by the plan.
Read the ruleHow the French healthcare system works for expats
PUMa, the carte vitale, CPAM, and the mutuelle — how France's public healthcare works for expats, and how private cover bridges the gap until you can join it.
Read the ruleHow much is health insurance in France?
Real 2026 rates for private health insurance in France, from $392 a year at 18. Examples at ages 40, 55 and 65, a flat child rate, and what each tier buys.
Read the ruleFrance talent passport insurance: what your certificate needs to say
Talent passport visas need private health insurance, not travel cover, valid in France for your full stay, with inpatient and outpatient care stated.
Read the ruleHealth insurance for a French student visa
France asks students for no private cover — you join the public system free. Where insurance actually matters, and the means figure that jumped in August 2026.
Read the ruleWhere in France?
How healthcare actually works where you are going — the hospitals, where new arrivals settle, and what that means for the policy you buy.
Moving to Paris: hospitals, areas and visa cover
Moving to Paris: the AP-HP public system, private and bilingual hospitals, where new arrivals settle, and what your visa cover has to do.
Read the guideMoving to Nice: hospitals, areas and visa cover
Moving to Nice: the CHU hospitals and private cliniques, where arrivals settle along the coast, and what your visa policy has to cover.
Read the guideMoving to Lyon: hospitals, areas and visa cover
Moving to Lyon: how the Hospices Civils sites split specialties, where arrivals settle, and what that means for the cover you buy.
Read the guideLiving in France: care and costs
After the visa comes the practical part. These answer how care actually works once you are there, quoted from France’s own health service.
- Bringing prescription medication to France
- The cost of having a baby in France
- Does French health insurance cover dental care?
- How much is a dentist in France?
- Emergency dentist in France: who to call and when
- What is the emergency number in France?
- Going to A&E in France: what to expect at les urgences
- How to find an English-speaking doctor in France
- English-speaking doctors in Paris: where to look first
- France work visa health insurance: what a salarie visa actually needs
- Getting a French social security number as a foreigner
- What is a medecin traitant, and why it changes what you get back
- Out of hours doctor in France: who to call at night and at weekends
- What is 100% Santé, and what does it actually pay for?
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14-day cooling-off period Ratings, certifications and figures are Regency Assurance’s — our underwriter — quoted from public sources and verified July 2026. Independent scores update over time: see Regency on Trustpilot (4.4/5) and Reviews.io (3.92/5). Covered Abroad’s own reviews appear here once we have them.
Common questions
Do I need health insurance for a French visa?
Yes. A long-stay visa requires private health insurance covering your full stay. Travel insurance is not accepted.
Is there a minimum amount of cover?
The policy must cover medical and hospitalisation costs in France for the whole visa period, stating inpatient and outpatient cover, with no disqualifying deductible on the core cover.
What changed for 2026?
A December 2025 law introduced a healthcare participation charge for certain non-working residents exempt from standard French contributions — the implementing decree is pending, so scope will firm up when it publishes. Private cover remains the bridge for the visa year either way.
Get a certificate that meets the published rule
Tell us your destination, visa, and who’s moving. Our team reviews it against the current requirement and calls you with a quote — no obligation.
Cover underwritten by Regency Assurance · every rule on this site cited and dated · a person calls back within one business day.
Before you request a quote: cover is worldwide but excludes treatment in the United States, and pre-existing conditions are not covered — including conditions you did not know about. We say this up front so a quote is worth your time.