Your carte vitale contains all the information you need to identify yourself to the Assurance Maladie, to your coverage in the event of hospitalization and, above all, for reimbursement of your healthcare costs. By presenting it to your doctor, you can be sure of being automatically reimbursed within a week, with no need to send in a claim form. The carte vitale is personal, confidential and secure, free of charge and valid throughout France.

In this article, we'll explore the steps an international student needs to take to obtain his or her carte vitale. Let's get to the heart of the matter without further ado!

Documents to be compiled in advance

First and foremost, you should know that the procedure for obtaining a carte vitale is almost exclusively online (apart from a call you'll have to make). For this reason, all documents must be scanned:

1- Proof of identity passport, identity card...

2- student visa

3- Proof of schooling A certificate of enrolment from a French higher education establishment.

Refused Documents for which no period is specified and for which no names are given. Pre-registration documents, admission certificates, admission or acceptance letters and admission certificates are not accepted.

Accepted Any nominative document specifying the period of schooling issued by the school after validation of final registration (must specify the period of schooling and be nominative.): Examples: certificate of schooling, proof of final registration, student card.

4- Proof of civil status. Acceptable documents must be fully legible, authenticated and in the original language of your choice :

a marriage certificate.

a full copy of the birth certificate;

birth certificate with filiation (or any other document issued by a consulate);

a family record book.

5- A residence permit Proof of legal residence : residence permit, confirmation of validation of your long-stay visa registration, residence permit receipt, multi-annual or temporary residence permit. We therefore advise you to apply for your residence permit before applying for your carte vitale. Click on the button below to access our practical guide to obtaining your residence permit:

6- A bank statement (RIB): compare and choose the best bank for you and obtain your RIB by reading our comparative article on banks by following this link :

7- A valid e-mail address Please note that the e-mail address is the preferred means by which the organization issuing the carte vitale will contact you. If you don't already have an e-mail address, we advise you to create one (a gmail account, for example).

8- A digital passport photo.

How to apply

1- Registering with Ameli étranger

When you're sure you've gathered the required documents, go to theAmeli foreign here's the link: https://etudiant-etranger.ameli.fr

• Click on “Start the questionnaire” and follow the instructions!
• If you follow the steps correctly, the documents listed above will be requested. Submit them now!
• After submission, an e-mail will be sent to you indicating that your documents are being processed.

• This certificate proves that your application has been accepted. It contains a Waiting Identification Number (NIA) and also enables you to be reimbursed for your treatment (so take it with you when you go to hospital for treatment). That said, since it's a provisional document, it is necessary to follow the next step to obtain a definitive social security number.

2- Registration on Ameli.fr

• When you receive your certificate of entitlement, call a CPAM advisor on 3646. Tell him you want to create your Ameli account. He will deliver you your social security number definitive, make a note of it!
• Then go to the Ameli website: https://www.ameli.fr
• Go to “Create an ameli account”, fill in your personal details and the social security number given to you by the advisor you called. Congratulations! You've just created your ameli account, now let's go on to requesting your carte vitale.

3- Ask for your carte vitale

To request your carte Vitale on ameli.fr, follow these steps:

Further information

We recommend using the Compte ameli mobile application for faster orderingYou can take a selfie and photograph your ID directly from your smartphone. 

Your Vitale card will take around 2 weeks to arrive if you apply online. You can track the progress of your order in the “Mes démarches > Suivre mes démarches > Commande de carte Vitale” section of your ameli account.

To use your Vitale card, follow these simple steps:

1. Present your Vitale card whenever you visit a doctor or buy medication.
2. The healthcare professional (doctor, pharmacist, etc.) inserts your card into a reader to create an electronic medical claim form.
3. The information is transmitted directly to your health insurance organization.
4. You'll be reimbursed within a week, with no additional formalities.

ULTIMATE ADVICE

Note that the carte vitale does not always cover the full cost of your care. You will have need to take out additional insurance if you want to be reimbursed at 100%. We recommend that you read our comparative articles on supplementary insurance for students, so that you can choose the best offer for you! Click on the following button to access the blog:

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