Do you have to live in France to receive family benefits?

Verified 01 January 2025 - Directorate for Legal and Administrative Information (Prime Minister)

Yes, in order to be entitled to family benefits (examples: family allowances, back-to-school allowance), you must be a stable resident of France.

You must be in one of the following situations:

  • Have your habitual residence in France
  • Staying in France for more than 9 months (consecutive or not) during thecalendar year payment of benefits.

Residence in France can be proven by any means.

Warning  

There's no no nationality requirement. The persons of foreign nationality are entitled to family benefits under certain conditions.

However, exceptionally, you may be entitled to family benefits even in the absence of residence in France, if a Community regulation or an international convention so provides.

You can find out more from the Center for European and International Social Security Liaison (Cleiss).

Who shall I contact

  • Center for European and International Social Security Liaison (Cleiss)

    General information on social security abroad and assistance with individual applications

    By telephone

    +33 (0) 1 45 26 33 41

    Hotline:

    • Monday from 9 am to 12:30 pm
    • Tuesday from 1.30pm to 4.30pm
    • Wednesday from 9 am to 12:30 pm
    • Thursday from 1:30pm to 4:30pm
    • Friday from 1:30pm to 4:30pm

    By E-mail

    Access to contact form

    By mail

    Center for European and International Social Security Liaison

    44 Armand Carrel Street

    93100 Montreuil

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