If you're moving to France for the first time, your insurance must start on your arrival date. If you're renewing your visa or residence permit and were previously insured elsewhere, your new policy should start the day after your previous policy expires to avoid any gap in coverage. Either way, signing up is fully digital and only takes a few minutes.
When does my expat health insurance need to start?
The right start date depends on your situation:
If you're moving to France for the first time and haven't arrived yet, your insurance must start on your arrival date. The authorities don't require your coverage to begin on the day of your appointment — but they do require an insurance certificate that shows your arrival date as the start date. Starting your coverage on your arrival date also means you won't have a waiting period.
If you're renewing a visa or residence permit and were previously insured elsewhere, your new policy should start the day after your previous policy expires. This ensures you don't have any gap in health coverage.
Can I choose my own start date?
Yes. You can set your start date to any date in the future, the earliest being tomorrow. Your insurance certificate is issued immediately after you sign up, so you schedule your policy as early as 12 months in advance if you'd like, or just a few days before your Visa appointment. Although we would always recommend planning your move early.
What should I do if my arrival date in France changes?
To update your start date before your policy starts, you'll need to sign up for a new policy with your correct arrival date first. Once that's done, go to your old policy in your Feather account and cancel it with the reason "I have another health insurance."
Since your old policy hasn't started yet, you'll automatically receive a full refund.
You can find more information about this in our dedicated FAQ.
How do I sign up for expat health insurance?
You can sign up for expat health insurance on our website. The process is fully digital and only takes a few minutes: no documents to upload, and you'll be approved instantly.