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Paperwork

First 30 Days in France: Your Action Checklist

Your first month in France is the most document-heavy. The essentials: validate your visa with OFII (3-month hard deadline), open a bank account in the first few days, then register with CPAM and apply for APL. Order matters — each step unlocks the next.

24 June 2026 · 7 min read

The key insight: sequence determines success

French administrative bodies form a chain: without an address you can’t open a bank account; without a bank account you can’t register with CPAM; without CPAM you can’t register a doctor. Break the sequence and you lose weeks. Below is the order that works.

Week 1 — urgent priorities

Secure your address and justificatif de domicile

This is your foundational document for everything else. Acceptable forms: a rent receipt (quittance de loyer), a utility bill, or an attestation d’hébergement — a written statement from whoever hosts you, with a copy of their ID. Without a justificatif de domicile you cannot open an account at a traditional bank.

Day-one shortcut: Compte Nickel opens at any tabac in 5 minutes with just a passport — no proof of address required. It costs €20/year and gives you a French IBAN immediately. Use it as a bridge while your proper account is being set up.

Open a bank account

Revolut and Wise can be opened before you arrive in France — passport only. Both give a French IBAN and work for salary payments, transfers, and day-to-day spending. For a full French bank account (required by some CAF procedures), La Banque Postale accepts a récépissé as valid ID because of its public-service mandate.

If every bank turns you down, you have a legal right to an account (“droit au compte”): apply to Banque de France, they must designate a bank (usually La Banque Postale) within 3 business days, and that bank must open your account within a further 3 business days — under 10 days total.

Validate your visa with OFII

Hard deadline: 3 months from your date of entry into France. Missing this means your VLS-TS visa stops functioning as a residence permit and you lose your legal status.

The process is fully online: go to administration-etrangers-en-france.interieur.gouv.fr, create an account, enter your visa number, and pay the fiscal stamp. Since May 2026: €100 for students, up to €300 for workers. You will then receive a summons for a medical check — usually within 4 weeks in the regions (up to 6 months in Île-de-France). The medical is free.

Gather sworn translations of your key documents

Préfectures, CPAM, CAF and town halls only accept translations of birth certificates, marriage certificates and diplomas from a sworn translator (traducteur assermenté) — someone sworn in before a Cour d’Appel. Find one via the official expert list published by your regional Cour d’Appel. Get them done early: they’re needed everywhere. Cost: roughly €40–80 per document in 2026.

Week 2 — administrative steps

Register with CPAM (state health insurance)

Once you have an address and a RIB (bank account details), apply at your local CPAM office or online at ameli.fr under “Devenir assuré”. You’ll need: a passport copy, a copy of your titre de séjour or VLS-TS visa, a sworn translation of your birth certificate, a justificatif de domicile, a RIB, and — if applicable — your employment contract.

After about a month you’ll receive a preliminary NIA number and a temporary attestation. The physical Carte Vitale arrives in 3–6 months. The attestation is enough to see a doctor in the meantime.

Apply for APL housing benefit at CAF

Critical: APL is never backdated. Apply on caf.fr the moment you sign your lease. If you move in on the 17th, your entitlement starts on the 1st of the following month. A complete dossier takes around 37 days to process; payments arrive on the 5th of each month.

What you need: titre de séjour or récépissé, RIB in your own name (a partner’s or friend’s account will get your payments rejected), your lease, and justificatif de domicile.

Find and register a médecin traitant (GP)

A médecin traitant is your registered GP in the French system. Without one, you pay a higher co-payment when visiting specialists. Search for a doctor accepting new patients on ameli.fr, book an appointment, and the doctor registers you directly in the system — no form required. Online registration via ameli.fr is processed in 24–48 hours.

Practical note: in large southern cities (Montpellier, Marseille, Nice), GPs accepting new patients are scarce. Use ameli.fr’s search for organisations coordonnées territoriales — they help people who can’t find a GP on their own.

Weeks 3–4 — longer-term steps

Apply for your titre de séjour via ANEF

If your VLS-TS visa is nearing expiry or you’re changing status, apply at ANEF (administration-etrangers.gouv.fr) well before the expiry date. On submission you receive a récépissé — proof that your case is being processed. A récépissé authorises you to remain in France and to work. Processing times: 4 to 12 weeks depending on the département.

Get your numéro fiscal (tax ID)

This 13-digit number is required for CAF, rental dossiers, bank accounts, and a wide range of official procedures. First-time filers in France must submit a paper return to the Centre des finances publiques or use the form on impots.gouv.fr. The number is assigned within about a week.

File a return even with zero income — the avis d’imposition it generates is a key supporting document for many procedures.

Register with France Travail (if job-seeking)

France Travail (formerly Pôle emploi) isn’t only for the unemployed. It offers language courses, job-search support, and retraining assistance. Register online at francetravail.fr.

Exchange your driving licence

If your licence was issued by a country with a bilateral agreement with France, you have 1 year from your first titre de séjour to apply for an exchange via ANTS (permisdeconduire.ants.gouv.fr). After 12 months, your foreign licence is no longer valid in France. The fee since May 2026 is €40. After submitting, you receive an attestation de dépôt valid for another 4 months while your French licence is produced. A sworn translation is required unless your licence is in English.

Master checklist

ActionDeadlineWhereNotes
Justificatif de domicileDay 1From your landlord / hostEverything else depends on this
Compte Nickel (temporary account)Day 1–2Any tabac€20/year, passport only
Revolut / WiseBefore arrival or Day 1AppFrench IBAN immediately
OFII visa validationWithin 3 months of entryadministration-etrangers.gouv.frFee €100–300 (from May 2026)
Sworn document translationsWeek 1–2Cour d’Appel expert list€40–80/doc; needed everywhere
CPAM registrationWeek 2ameli.fr or local CPAMNIA ~1 month; Carte Vitale 3–6 months
CAF APL applicationImmediately after signing leasecaf.frNever backdated; payment on 5th
Médecin traitantWeek 2–3ameli.frWithout one: higher specialist fees
ANEF — titre de séjourBefore visa expiresadministration-etrangers.gouv.frRécépissé = right to stay and work
Numéro fiscalWeek 3–4impots.gouv.fr~1 week to receive
France TravailWeek 3–4 (if needed)francetravail.frLanguage courses available too
Driving licence exchangeWithin 12 months of titrepermisdeconduire.ants.gouv.fr€40 (2026), sworn translation

Good to know

Originals + copies + translations. Keep a folder with three sets of every document: original, several photocopies, and a certified translation. Offices sometimes ask to keep copies — never hand over an original unless explicitly asked.

Photos. Keep a stock of standard French ID photos (35×45 mm, light background) — you’ll need them for OFII, ANEF, and CPAM.

Ask real people. Office addresses, working tricks for getting ANEF appointments, and actual processing times in specific departments change constantly and rarely appear in official sources. That’s what the community is for.

The “Vibe South of France” Telegram chat connects Russian-speaking residents of Montpellier and the entire South of France. Members share practical document tips, working translators, and up-to-date tricks for ANEF and CPAM appointments — things that never make it into official guides.

Join the “Vibe South of France” Telegram community — relocation and life in southern France

More relocation guides

Frequently asked questions

How much does OFII visa validation cost in 2026?
Since May 2026: from €100 for students (reduced rate) up to €300 for workers and family members. Payment is a fiscal stamp (timbre fiscal) paid online when submitting your application on ANEF. The exact rate depends on your visa category.
What if I have no fixed address and no justificatif de domicile?
Your options: an attestation d’hébergement from whoever is hosting you (with a copy of their ID), domiciliation through an association such as La Cimade, or through your local CCAS. Compte Nickel opens in any tabac in 5 minutes with only a passport — no proof of address needed — and costs €20/year. It’s a stopgap, but gives you an IBAN instantly.
Do I need to file a tax return even if I had no income in France?
Yes, it’s worth doing. Your numéro fiscal and the avis d’imposition (tax assessment notice) are required for many other procedures — CAF, bank accounts, rental dossiers. First-time filers must submit a paper return to the Centre des finances publiques or use the form on impots.gouv.fr; the number is assigned within about a week.
How long does it take to get a Carte Vitale?
Expect 3–6 months from your CPAM registration for the physical card. However, you’ll receive a preliminary NIA number and temporary attestation within roughly a month — enough to see a doctor right away. Submit a complete dossier first time to avoid delays.
When should I apply for APL housing benefit at CAF?
Immediately after signing your lease — APL is never backdated. If you moved in on the 15th, your entitlement starts from the 1st of the following month. A complete dossier takes around 37 days to process on average. Payments arrive on the 5th of each month.
Can I drive in France on a foreign licence?
If your licence was issued by a country with a bilateral exchange agreement with France, you may drive for the first 12 months from receiving your first titre de séjour. Once you apply for the exchange via ANTS you receive a deposit certificate (attestation de dépôt) valid for another 4 months. The exchange fee since May 2026 is €40.

This is your chat in the South of France

Questions about moving, housing, doctors, schools, where to buy buckwheat — and just good company. ~400 people in the chat answer in Russian every day. Free.

Open the Vibe South of France chat on Telegram @vibe_sud_france