Do I need to change my carte vitale after moving in France?

When moving house in France, you need to update several administrative bodies about your change of address.

One such body is sécurité sociale - France's public health insurance administrator. Unlike the carte de séjour, you do not need to get a new Carte Vitale card after moving house. However, you do need to inform sécurité sociale that your address is no longer the same.

READ MORE: Do I need to change the address on my carte de séjour if I move house?

Luckily, it is very easy to update your address on the Ameli website.

Step 1: Log in

Go to the Ameli.fr website, and click 'Compte Ameli'.

To log on, you will need your social security number and your password (or provisional code).

Keep in mind you may receive a confirmation code to the email address associated with your account.

Step 2: Click 'Mes Démarches'

Go to the subheading 'Mes Démarches' and then click 'changement d'adresse postale'.

Screenshot of Ameli site (Credit: French govt)

Next, follow the prompts by adding your new address in. 

Your file should be updated shortly thereafter, and a new 'Attestation des droits' should be made available in your personal space.

To be sure that the changes have been properly added, you can go to a pharmacy and ask to check that your carte vitale is up to date.

Are there other ways to change my address?

You can also change your address by contacting your local CPAM (Caisses primaires d'assurance maladie) by phone. You can get the associated phone number by searching for your CPAM online.

It is also possible to do a change of address by sending a letter by the post. In the letter, you will need to include your social security number, the old and new addresses, as well as the date you moved house.

You can find a sample letter here.

What if I am leaving France permanently?

If you are registered with the French healthcare system and have a carte vitale, you need to tell Assurance Maladie that you are leaving France. What you need to know is here, and the declaration you to complete is here (pdf).

Broadly, if you are moving to another EU country, or one in the European Economic Area (EEA) and Switzerland, you can ask for a form that allows you to carry over your health benefits from France to your new home.

France also has bilateral health agreements with a number of non-EU countries. A list of those countries, and further information on what to do, for health purposes, if you’re moving to a country with or without a healthcare agreement with France is available here.

It’s probably a good idea to tell your GP (médecin traitant), too.

READ MORE: EXPLAINED: The bureaucratic boxes to tick if you plan to leave France permanently