How do UK nationals get cover in France?

• My wife and I have a UK NHS card. Someone told me we can obtain coverage under the French system where we are currently living - and by presenting our credentials somewhere we could obtain European wide coverage.

  03 Jan 2005, 08:37 Anonymous

Replies

• But isn't there a European card now?

  I will check the UK Post Office, but is there no way to obtain one in France? There was some talk of issuance of an EU wide health insurance card that harmonises the system across the continent.
  
  One thing that I do not agree with is the need for a Carte de Sejour. I applied for one and was told that they are now no longer required if you are an EU citizen.
  
  Thanks anyway.

  Anonymous 03 Jan 2005, 10:00 - Report

• Still legally need to declare residency

  Hi,
  
  The problem with this stuff is that it's changing so quickly.
  
  However, according to the law there is a 'requirement' for stays longer than 3 months.
  
  http://vosdroits.service-public.fr/particuliers/F2651.html?n=Etrangers%20en%20France&l=N8&n=Etrangers%3A%20s%E9jour%20et%20travail&l=N110&n=Ressortissants%20communautaires%20en%20France&l=N112
  
  Vous êtes ressortissant d'un pays de l'Union européenne ou de l'Espace éconique européen (EEE)
  
  Vous pouvez séjourner en France jusqu'à trois mois sur simple présentation d'un passeport en cours de validité ou d'une carte nationale d'identité.
  
  Si vous êtes chômeurs, vous pouvez rester trois mois en France pour rechercher un emploi.
  
  Carte de séjour
  
  Au-delà de trois mois, vous devez demander une carte de séjour portant la mention "Communauté européenne" ou "Espace économique européen".
  
  Coût: gratuit (depuis le 01/09/98).
  
  I know in practice there is no real requirement if you do not need the carte de sejour to do anything official.
  
  The problem with the harmonization of the health card is that the UK got an exemption to get 6 months longer to implement the system, so you get issued an E111 and a special form saying it's still OK to use and then get the European Health card. As far as I know, you can only apply in the UK (but ask a friend to mail over the form). The big problem is the form asks you declare that you are not planning on taking up residence abroad (which might be your case). All a bit of a pain...
  

  Anonymous 03 Jan 2005, 10:01 - Report

• getting medical cover in france

  I live 6 months in France and 6 months in the uk. We have a UK based business and pay our taxes in the UK. I have just found out that I am pregnant. although my baby will be born in the UK. I will need medical care in france for the first 3 months of my pregnancy and follow up care after the baby is born. I don't have a carte de sejour or medical insurance. Anybody got any advice. thanks

  Anonymous 31 Jul 2005, 01:17 - Report

• Best advice may be to go private

  If you are using the NHS in the UK, you might want to go private in France (this might be difficult now as there is usually a minimum period you need to have a policy for to qualify for maternity care).
  
  The other alternative is to get the European Health Insurance card from the Post Office, although this may not help as this is only meant for use in emergency situations. It would be a good idea to ask the Department of Social Security in the UK how to deal with the situation.
  
  Follow-up care for the baby should not be a problem if he has the card. The other thing to look at might be getting French coverage under the social security there (may be a pain, but could be worth it).

  Anonymous 03 Aug 2005, 10:45 - Report

• You're better off in France anyway

  My wife gave birth here in December, and I can safely say that it's worth going through the trouble to get french health care.

  Anonymous 07 Aug 2005, 12:33 - Report

• RESIDENCE PERMITS

  The guy above posting French stuff about the need for permits for EU Nationals to work in France is completly wrong. The law he quotes is 1998. Below is the recent one from the very website he quotes.
  
  I don't understand why anyone would want to confuse people. He must never have worked in France and is just peddling about crap nonsense.
  
  <<translated>>
  
  "Suppression of the obligation to hold a residence permit for the Community, Swiss nationals and of the European economic Area
  
  The L121-1 article of the code of the entry and the stay from abroad and the right of asylum provides that the nationals of the European Union (UE), Swiss and of the European economic Area, which wish to be established in France, are not subjected any more to the obligation to hold a residence permit.
  
  If they make the request of it, it to them however is delivered a title, subject to absence of threat for the law and order.
  
  Only remain still held to have a residence permit the nationals of the 10 new Member States entered the UE on May 1 2004 which wishes to carry on an economic activity in France, except for Cypriot and of the Malteses.
  
  Our card of information contains the rules applicable to the Community nationals before the reform brought by the law n°2003-1119 of November 26, 2003 relating to the stay from abroad to France. It is in the course of update following the publication of the decree n° 2005-1332 of October 24, 2005 , which specifies the new conditions of entry and stay of the Community nationals in France."
  
  
  
  
  

  Anonymous 31 Dec 2005, 02:08 - Report

• Social Security

  The original trans European agreements were made for people being sent to another European Community country by their employers (thereby allowing the employee to continue contributions in his own home country and receive treatment in the work country) This obviously means that a person DOES contribute somewhere. In addition, people going to establish themselves in another European country (self employed) or working for a local employer were intended to pay into and therefore be covered by the local work plan (French social security in this case)
  
  A lot of the questions, and remarks here maybe don't fall into this kind of area, and questions I have seen on a lot of similar forums are probably prompted by the possibility of weedling between the cracks to get the best of benefits by "cherry picking" Come on, be a real representation of "Fair Play"
  
  PS I am a Brit who has lived in France for 35 years, worked here, and been self employed and involved in this particular subject with national groups. I'm a little tired of listening to Brits in Paris restaurants boasting about how they fiddle the system (for the moment) and assuming that others in the same restaurant can't understand them.

  Anonymous 01 Jan 2006, 04:39 - Report

• Re Above

  I just read the message above. I posted the one above yours. Mine simply stated you don't need a residence permit if you are an EU national as previous posts indicate you do.
  
  Why all the bizzare 'Speakers Corner' stuff about beating the French System? I for one pay my taxes, and have done in many EU countries.
  
  That is not what my post was about - I simply cleared the air with facts for WORKERS here.
  
  Time to get off your soap box mate.
  
  

  Anonymous 02 Jan 2006, 11:15 - Report