How long did the application process take from start to finish?
Official advice states that the application should take two to three weeks - but it took much longer for the vast majority of respondents in our survey.
Some applicants reported ongoing problems - in some cases multi-year, ongoing legal battles - in trying to get their card.
What type of photograph to use in the application?
There is no obligation to use an accredited French photo booth or professional photographers for a carte Vitale application.
The rules concerning what type of photographs to use are the same as for an identity card, which you can consult here.
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However, applications with photos that do not satisfy these requirements may be rejected.
The results of our survey show that people use a wide variety of photographs.
However, a quarter of respondents to our survey saw their initial application rejected
Here are some of the reasons given:
”I forgot to sign it”
“We had to unsubscribe from the UK health service and provide a letter from the NHS confirming this.”
“They said I was not considered as a permanent resident because I was often out of the country”
“I moved house and changed region”
“I had to apply for a new birth certificate in the UK and sent that”
Did you try to contact your Cpam health authority by telephone or email to see how the application was progressing?
Applications for a carte Vitale are made through the French state health insurance website Ameli, however the applications are processed by the regional Caisse primaire d’assurance maladie (Cpam, healthcare services).
There is significant regional variation between these regional Cpams, some of which may have more work - fewer resources - than others.
If you contacted your Cpam, was it any help?
The Cpam system operates an English language advice line 09 74 75 36 46 - which several respondents described as “very helpful”, however others said it was “always busy”.
Reader tips on applying for a carte Vitale
1. Be patient - it can take a long time
Many readers reported waits of 6 to 12 months, with some waiting over two years.
2. Follow-up your application with a call
“A good French friend said, ‘Call them, keep on them or your application will go to the bottom of the pile.’ So I did.”
“They said they had sent it out but hadn’t. Within two weeks after France Services were involved, I got my card.”
“I will be using the France Services for everything from now on.”
4. Prepare more documents than you think you will need
“They want to know every name you've used since birth.”
“We overlooked, for example, that you need to unsubscribe from the NHS before applying to the French system.”
5. Be ready for surprises
“My original card was cancelled as I had not updated at a pharmacy. I (and everyone I asked) did not know this was needed.”
“Mine took almost a year, my daughter’s took three months.”
“My husband got his in 10 weeks. Mine came 10 weeks later—only after we got France Services involved.”
“CPAM asked for additional documents by letter(!) instead of email, with the deadlines already overdue by the time they arrived.”
6. Keep all records in case of problems
“Luckily I kept every letter (of which there are many) so I could quote names and reference numbers and sort out the delay.”
7. Some regions are more helpful than others
“Guingamp were so nice and sympathetic, completely different to the downright rotten attitude from Bergerac.”
8. Get help if you are stuck in a bureaucratic loop
“We appealed to the British embassy who put us in touch with the International Organisation for Migration in Brittany, who got it sorted very quickly.”
9. Remember that the system works for most people
“It was very straightforward. They said it would take a certain period of time and at the end of that time the card duly arrived.”
“The process was easy, although quite a long wait (more than 10 weeks).”
