Visa-ready plans from $721 per adult, billed annually · see your exact price by age.
The rule in writing
“The policy must provide medical and hospitalisation cover valid in France for the whole visa period (up to one year), stating inpatient and outpatient cover and the territory.”
Official source: France-Visas long-stay visa requirements — Last verified:
The rule in writing
“Since a December 2025 law, long-stay visitor-visa holders are no longer entitled to free public health cover (PUMa) on arrival and face a healthcare contribution (CSM) — private cover bridges the gap.”
Official source: Relocate.World — 2026 French healthcare fee for visitor-visa holders — Last verified:
Will your certificate pass?
What a consulate officer actually looks for on the page.
Passes when it shows
- Private health cover — not travel or Schengen
- Medical + hospitalisation cover valid in France
- Covers your full visa period (up to a year)
- No disqualifying deductible on the core cover
Refused when it’s
- A travel or Schengen “trip” policy
- A deductible / excess on core cover
- Cover that ends before your visa does
What 'expat' insurance means here
Expat or international health insurance is private cover designed for people living abroad, not travellers passing through. Unlike travel cover, it is structured for residence — which is exactly what a French visa file needs.
It has to state medical and hospitalisation cover valid in France for the whole visa period, naming inpatient and outpatient care and the territory. See the requirement below.
The bridge years before public cover
France's public system (PUMa) is something residents join after they settle in — not on day one. A December 2025 law also changed the picture for visitor-visa holders, adding a healthcare contribution. See the requirement below.
Expat cover carries you through that bridge. Many keep a plan running alongside or after joining the public system, using it as a top-up.
How to choose a plan
- Cover valid in France for the full visa period, stated on the certificate
- Inpatient and outpatient care both included
- Cover level that fits — from hospital-focused to full family cover
- Age caps met — plans carry upper age limits
- Same-day cover with no medical exam, and a 14-day cooling-off period
Benefits are public and set by the plan. Premiums are quote-based, so we price it to your family and ages. Pre-existing conditions are excluded, and cover excludes the United States.
Honest limits: Cover is worldwide but excludes treatment in the United States. Pre-existing conditions are excluded, including conditions you did not know about. We disclose this before you request a quote. Consulates keep discretion, and requirements can change. We show the published rule and its source; the final decision is the consulate’s.