Carte Vitale for Ukrainians in France: Documents and Translation

First doctor’s visit in France. You hand over your paper attestation de droits, and the receptionist frowns: “Do you have a Carte Vitale?” You explain you’re from Ukraine, you’ve got temporary protection - and she spends 15 minutes on the phone confirming that your piece of paper actually works. The Ameli forum is full of stories like this from Ukrainians. Let’s sort out how health insurance works for Ukrainians in France, how to get a Carte Vitale, and which documents you need to translate.

What’s a Carte Vitale and how does French health insurance work¶

Carte Vitale is a green plastic card that proves your right to health insurance in France. It’s basically your pass to doctors, pharmacies, and hospitals without paying out of pocket (or with minimal co-pays).

The system works on two levels:

PUMA (Protection Universelle Maladie - Universal Health Protection) - basic health insurance. Covers 70% of doctor visits, 80% of hospital stays, and 65% of medication. Available to everyone legally residing in France for more than 3 months.

CSS (Complémentaire Santé Solidaire - Solidarity Supplementary Health Insurance) - covers the rest that PUMA doesn’t. With CSS, you pay nothing for doctor visits, lab tests, hospital stays, basic dental work, glasses, and most prescribed medication.

Everything is managed by CPAM (Caisse Primaire d’Assurance Maladie - Primary Health Insurance Fund) - your local insurance office. That’s where you submit documents, ask questions, and where your Carte Vitale comes from.

What Ukrainians with temporary protection get¶

Good news: for Ukrainians with temporary protection (APS - autorisation provisoire de séjour), the process is simplified. Here’s what happens:

1. You get your APS at the prefecture marked “protection temporaire”
2. The prefecture automatically sends your info to CPAM
3. CPAM opens your PUMA and CSS rights for 12 months
4. You receive an attestation de droits by mail - a paper document confirming your coverage

The key point: for Ukrainians with APS, the standard 3-month waiting period is waived. Your health insurance kicks in right after you get your titre de séjour for temporary protection.

What CSS covers for Ukrainians¶

One Ukrainian user on the Ameli forum shared: “We got our APS in March, attestation arrived by mail a week later. Went to the doctor and pharmacy with it - everything worked, didn’t pay anything. But we still haven’t received a Carte Vitale after 8 months.” This is a typical situation - and we’ll explain why below.

Attestation de droits vs Carte Vitale - what’s the difference¶

After getting your APS, you’ll receive an attestation de droits by mail - a paper document with your social security number and proof of coverage. It’s NOT a Carte Vitale, but it works the same way.

With your attestation de droits you’re entitled to: - Tiers payant (no upfront payment) at doctors - Free medication at pharmacies - Hospital care

The problem is that not every doctor or pharmacist knows how to handle an attestation. One forum user shared: “The pharmacist refused my attestation, said they only accept Carte Vitale. Had to call CPAM right there to confirm everything was fine.” If this happens to you - call CPAM (3646) or show the doctor the ameli.fr page for Ukrainian refugees.

How to get a Carte Vitale: step-by-step¶

The attestation works, but Carte Vitale is more convenient - doctors recognize it instantly, it doesn’t tear, and you need it to create an Ameli account for online services. Here’s how to get one:

Step 1: Get your definitive social security number (NIR)¶

You’re first assigned a temporary number. For the permanent NIR, CPAM sends your file to SANDIA (Service Administratif National d’Identification des Assurés - the national identification service for insured persons, based in Tours).

SANDIA needs: - A copy of your passport or ID card - Your birth certificate with a sworn translation into French (traduction assermentée)

Processing time at SANDIA: 3 to 9 months. Yes, it’s slow. If it’s been more than 6 months, call CPAM and ask them to check the status.

Step 2: Submit your documents to CPAM¶

Send the following to your local CPAM (based on where you live):

You can mail everything to your CPAM or drop it off in person.

Step 3: Order your Carte Vitale¶

Once your NIR is confirmed, order your Carte Vitale: - Online through your ameli.fr account - Via the Ameli app - By mail (fill out the form)

Production time: 2-3 weeks after ordering. The card is free.

Translating medical documents for French doctors¶

A separate topic - translating medical documents from Ukraine that you might need when seeing doctors in France. This isn’t for CPAM, it’s for the doctors themselves so they can understand your medical history.

Which medical documents you should translate¶

For routine doctor visits, a regular translation is often enough - the doctor just needs to understand the content. But for administrative purposes (CPAM, MDPH, CAF, schools), a sworn translation is required.

ALD - long-term conditions¶

If you have diabetes, cancer, HIV, cardiovascular disease, or another chronic condition, you can apply for ALD status (Affection de Longue Durée - long-term condition). With ALD, 100% of treatment costs for that condition are covered.

To apply, your doctor (médecin traitant) fills out a protocole de soins. But they need your medical documentation from Ukraine - diagnosis, test results, discharge summaries. All of this needs to be translated. For the ALD protocol, CPAM typically requires sworn translation of medical documents.

Sworn translation: costs and where to find a translator¶

Translation prices in 2026¶

For multi-page medical documents (discharge summaries, test results), expect €40-60 per page. If you’ve got several documents, ask about package discounts.

Where to find a Ukrainian sworn translator¶

• Official sworn translator directory: annuaire-traducteur-assermente.fr
• Embassy list: france.mfa.gov.ua
• Ukrainian directory: paris-ua.com/directory/traducteur-assermente

There are fewer than 200 Ukrainian sworn translators in all of France. In some regions, you’re looking at weeks of waiting. Plan ahead, especially if you need the translation before a specialist appointment.

For a quick understanding of what’s in your documents, ChatsControl can help create a draft translation of medical records - so you know what the document says, or to speed up the sworn translator’s work.

Digital Carte Vitale - the smartphone app¶

Since November 2025, France has the Carte Vitale app (apCV) - a digital version of the card on your phone. It’s free on Android and iOS.

How to activate: - Have a definitive NIR and Carte Vitale - Download the France Identité app and activate your digital identity - Or go through biometric verification in the app

For Ukrainians with temporary protection, there’s a catch: activating through France Identité requires a new-format French ID card. If you don’t have one, use biometric activation or stick with the physical Carte Vitale.

Common problems and how to fix them¶

CPAM didn’t receive your info from the prefecture. It happens. Take a copy of your APS to CPAM in person. Or call 3646 and ask them to check the status.

You can’t create an Ameli account. You need a definitive NIR for that. With a temporary number, you can’t create an account - this is normal. Wait for confirmation from SANDIA.

Doctor refuses your attestation de droits. Show them the ameli.fr page for Ukrainian refugees or call CPAM while you’re there. By law, the attestation has the same legal weight as a Carte Vitale.

Birth certificate rejected. SANDIA only accepts birth certificates with sworn translation (traduction assermentée). A notarized translation from Ukraine won’t work - you need a translator registered with a French Court of Appeal.

CSS expired (12 months). You need to apply for renewal. Do it early - 2-3 months before expiry. If your APS has been extended, CSS will be renewed too.

FAQ¶

How does a Ukrainian with temporary protection get a Carte Vitale in France?¶

The process has several steps: get your APS at the prefecture, wait for your attestation de droits from CPAM, submit documents for a definitive NIR (passport + birth certificate with sworn translation). Once your NIR is confirmed, order the Carte Vitale online at ameli.fr or by mail. The whole process takes 3 to 9 months.

Do I need a Carte Vitale if I already have an attestation de droits?¶

No, the attestation de droits works the same way - it gives you access to free doctor visits (tiers payant), medication, and hospital care. But the Carte Vitale is more practical: doctors accept it without questions, and you need it to set up an Ameli account for online services.

How much does it cost to translate documents for the Carte Vitale?¶

For the Carte Vitale itself, you need a sworn translation of your birth certificate - that’s €30-50. Translation of medical documents for doctors costs €35-60 per document, depending on length and complexity.

Which medical documents from Ukraine should I translate for French doctors?¶

It depends on your situation. For continuing treatment - discharge summaries, specialist reports, prescriptions. For ALD applications (chronic conditions) - full medical records with sworn translation. For enrolling a child in school - vaccination records. For MDPH (disability) - all medical reports with sworn translation.

How long does it take to get a Carte Vitale in France?¶

From submitting documents to CPAM to receiving the card - 3 to 9 months, sometimes longer. Most of that time is SANDIA processing your file for the definitive NIR. The card itself takes just 2-3 weeks to produce once ordered.