Health Insurance Requirements for the French Visitor Visa

If you are applying for a French long-stay visa, you must show proof of health insurance that meets Schengen requirements. This is not optional.

Before your visa can be approved, you must demonstrate that you are covered for medical care in France during your first year.

This page explains what that means and how to approach it correctly

Why Health Insurance Is Required

The French Visitor Visa requires you to confirm that you will not rely on the French healthcare system immediately upon arrival.

Until you are eligible to apply for France’s public system, you must carry private coverage that meets specific standards.

This protects both you and the state.

What “Schengen-Compliant” Actually Means

Your insurance policy must:

• Cover medical expenses in France

• Cover hospitalization

• Include emergency care

• Provide a minimum coverage amount required under Schengen rules

• Be valid for the full duration of your visa

The consulate is not looking for a deluxe American health plan. It is looking for clear compliance.

Emergency Coverage vs. Comprehensive Coverage

For most applicants, the first-year policy is designed to satisfy visa requirements. It does not need to mirror a long-term U.S. health plan. Many people carry emergency-focused coverage during their first year and later transition into the French healthcare system once eligible.

Year one is about compliance and continuity. Long-term strategy comes later.

When You Transition to French Healthcare

After living legally in France and meeting residency requirements, you may apply for access to the French public healthcare system.

This transition does not happen automatically. It requires documentation, patience, and proper timing. Your first-year insurance bridges that gap.

Common Insurance Mistakes

Problems usually arise from:

• Policies that do not meet minimum coverage requirements

• Policies that exclude France

• Coverage that expires too early

• Confusion about start dates

• Assuming U.S. Medicare qualifies (it does not)

Clarity matters. If the consulate cannot quickly confirm compliance, your application slows down.

Timing Your Insurance Correctly

Your policy should align with:

• Your visa start date

• Your arrival in France

• The full duration of your long-stay visa

Gaps or mismatched dates create unnecessary complications.

Health Insurance and Peace of Mind

The visa requirement is administrative. But moving countries is not.

Knowing you are properly covered during your first year reduces stress and allows you to focus on settling in.

If You Want the Full Insurance Strategy

This page explains the requirement. But choosing the right type of policy, understanding start and cancellation timing, coordinating with financial documentation, and planning the transition into the French system are where most Americans get uncertain.

In Get Frenched, I walk through exactly how I structured my coverage, when I started it, and how it fit into the broader move.

If you’re going to do this, do it cleanly.

Start with the book.

[Start with Get Frenched]