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How French residents can claim back the costs of Covid tests taken abroad

If you live in France Covid tests are free for all purposes, so it can come as a bit of shock when travelling to discover that other countries charge - sometimes more than €100 - for tests. But you could be able to claim a refund on these.

Published: 6 July 2021 14:01 CEST
How French residents can claim back the costs of Covid tests taken abroad
Photo: Denis Charlet/AFP

If you live in France and are registered within the French social security system, there is the option to claim back the cost of Covid tests – either PCR or antigen tests – taken abroad, however this doesn’t cover all countries.

In the EU or Schengen zone

If you’re travelling in the EU or the Schengen zone and you need a test for medical reasons – ie if you have symptoms or you are alerted as a contact case – this is reimbursed via European health insurance in the same way as any other medical procedure that you need while travelling.

When having the test, hand over your CEAM (carte européenne d’assurance maladie – the French equivalent of the EHIC) and the cost will be reimbursed. The CEAM can be requested in advance of travel via Ameli, allow 15 days before your journey for the card to arrive.

If you need a test for non-medical reasons such as for returning to France (and if you are not vaccinated you will need a negative Covid test to get back into the country) this isn’t covered by CEAM. However you can claim a refund via Assurance maladie once you are back in France – you can do this via your online Ameli account or on paper by filling in form S3125 Soins reçus à l’étranger (care received abroad). You can also claim in this way if you don’t have a CEAM card.

READ ALSO Ameli – how to set up your online French social security account

The bad news, however, is that non-medical tests are only reimbursed to a maximum of €35, which is the calculated rate for the actual cost of the test and analysis.

Most EU countries do charge for Covid travel tests, and the cost can vary from around €30 to €200 depending on the country and the provider.

Non-EU

If you’re outside the EU, only tests that are for medical reasons – if you have symptoms or are alerted as a contact case – will be reimbursed.

CEAM cards only work in the EU or Schengen zone, so you claim the refund via Assurance maladie once you are back in France – you can do this via your online Ameli account or on paper by filling in form S3125 Soins reçus à l’étranger (care received abroad).

However, these are only reimbursed at a rate of 27 percent, up to a maximum of €35, which is the calculated rate for the actual cost of the test and analysis. Tests in many non-EU countries are considerably more expensive than this. 

If you need a test for a non-medical reason such as travel there is no reimbursement offered. Only fully vaccinated people who are travelling from green list countries (which includes New Zealand, the USA and Canada s well as the EU) do not need a test to enter France, unvaccinated people from green list countries and everyone from orange or red list countries needs a negative Covid test in order to enter France.

READ ALSO How does France’s traffic light travel system work?

Travel tests in the UK are not available on the NHS and cost an average of £120, according to Which?

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EU

How would a ‘youth mobility scheme’ between the UK and EU really work?

The EU and the UK could enter into a 'youth mobility' scheme allowing young people to move countries to work, study and live. Here's what we know about the proposal.

Published: 18 April 2024 17:09 CEST
How would a 'youth mobility scheme' between the UK and EU really work?

Across the 27 countries of the EU, people of all ages can move countries to work, study, spend a long visit or chase the possibility of love – and all this is possible thanks to EU freedom of movement.

That freedom no longer extends to the UK. As a result of Brexit, a UK national who wants to move to an EU country, or an EU citizen who wants to move to the UK, will need a visa in order to do so.

However, a new ‘mobility scheme’ could re-create some elements of freedom of movement, if the EU and UK can come to an agreement.

The European Commission on Thursday announced proposals for a ‘youth mobility scheme’.

Who would benefit?

First things first, it’s only for the youngsters, older people will have to continue with the time-consuming and often expensive process of getting a visa for study, work or visiting.

The Commission’s proposal is for a scheme that covers people aged 18 to 30. 

Their reasoning is: “The withdrawal of the UK from the EU has resulted in decreased mobility between the EU and the UK. This situation has particularly affected the opportunities for young people to experience life on the other side of the Channel and to benefit from youth, cultural, educational, research and training exchanges.

“The proposal seeks to address in an innovative way the main barriers to mobility for young people experienced today and create a right for young people to travel from the EU to the UK and vice-versa more easily and for a longer period of time.”

How would it work?

We’re still at an early stage, but the proposal is to allow extended stays – for young people to be able to spend up to four years in the EU or UK – under a special type of visa or residency permit. It does not, therefore, replicate the paperwork-free travel of the pre-Brexit era.

The Commission states that travel should not be ‘purpose bound’ to allow young people to undertake a variety of activities while they are abroad.

Under the visa system, people must travel to a country for a specific purpose which has been arranged before they leave – ie in order to study they need a student visa which requires proof of enrolment on a course, or if they intend to work they need a working visa which often requires sponsorship from an employer.

The proposal would allow young people to spend their time in a variety of ways – perhaps some time working, a period of study and then some time travelling or just relaxing.

It would also not be subject to national or Bloc-wide quotas.

It seems that some kind of visa or residency permit would still be required – but it would be issued for up to four years and could be used for a variety of activities.

Fees for this should not be “excessive” – and the UK’s health surcharge would not apply to people travelling under this scheme.

Are there conditions?

Other than the age qualification, the proposal is that young people would have to meet other criteria, including having comprehensive health insurance, plus financial criteria to ensure that they will be able to support themselves while abroad.

The visa/residency permit could be rejected on the ground of threats to public policy, public security or public health.

Will this happen soon?

Slow down – what’s happened today is that the European Commission has made a recommendation to open negotiations.

This now needs to be discussed in the Council of Europe.

If the Council agrees then, and only then, will the EU open negotiations with the UK on the subject. The scheme could then only become a reality if the EU and UK come to an agreement on the terms of the scheme, and then refine the fine details.

Basically we’re talking years if it happens at all, and there’s plenty of steps along the way that could derail the whole process.

Don’t start packing just yet.

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