Carte Vitale: the steps in order
You cannot order the card on day one: first you need health insurance rights and a permanent social security number.
What to do
- Puma rights: through work or, without a job, after 3 months of living in France with a residence document.
- The CPAM first gives you a temporary number. You order the card once you have your permanent social security number.
- Ordering: in your ameli account or the Compte ameli app (about 2 weeks), or by post with the form "Ma nouvelle carte Vitale" (about 3 weeks).
- Until the card arrives, you can download an attestation de droits from your ameli account.
Official sources
- Service-Public F34308: Puma (27 April 2023)
- Service-Public F16467: Social security number (8 March 2022)
- Service-Public F265: Carte Vitale (29 August 2026)
Checked: 2 October 2026. Official pages are in French. This is general information, not legal advice.
Your dates, not general ones
Get your steps in order and the Ameli S1106 form filled with your details. Sign in with Google or an email link. No separate sign-up and no passwords.
Start for freePrivate service, not affiliated with the French government. Information and preparation, not legal advice.