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Signing up with a Dr or Dentist etc : France

• Registering your arrival
• Tax registration with the authorities
• Registering children with daycare/school/universities
• Signing up with a Dr or Dentist etc
• Set up a bank account
• Convert your driving licence?
• Registering or buying a car
• Search for a job
• Register for language courses
• Recycling
• If a student, check out the local student life
• Marrying in France
• British Nationals dying in France
• Protect your pension
• Keep an eye out for your work / residence permit / insurances / passport lapsing...
• Emergencies

Signing up with a Dr or Dentist etc

If you require medical treatment in France, you should contact the Local Caisse Primaire d’Assurance Maladie (CPAM).  Hand your European Health Insurance Card to them and they will give you a form.  Take this with you the first time you register with a Doctor (médicien traitant).  All specialist referals must go via this route.  Also make sure that your Doctor or Dentist is "conventionné" - this means they work within the French health system.

If you are in receipt of Sickness Benefit in the UK, you may be able to transfer payment to France. Ask at your local Jobcentre, Jobcentre Plus office or Social Security office in the UK for more information.

Many Doctors and Dentists are English speaking, especially in the more commercial areas of France. You have a free choice of general practitioner, paediatrician and several specialists within your area, providing your choice does not bring the doctor's/dentist's list above the maximum patients permitted.  Doctors are not obligated to accept everyone, so shop around for one which will accept your whole family.  It's not unusal for different members of the family to have different Doctors for whatever reason.  For an English speaking Doctor, ask around - other Brits in the neighbourhood can help as well as many of the locals.

Please note, as of late 2007, the laws surrounding some EU citizen's have changed.  Find out if you are affected here:

French Entrée - Heathcar cover changes in France

Private medical insurance is a personal choice. It is quite complicated figuring out what is and is not included in the state healthcare system and as a result, many expats do choose to have a private medical plan.  With the new laws above restricting access to their healthcare system by expats, it is probably now advisable to ensure you have adequate cover should something go wrong. 

Please check our Resources section to see if there is any further information on additional medical insurance, general private heathcare and private hospitals.