During overnight budget debates that concluded just before dawn on 10 November 2025, France’s National Assembly adopted an amendment that will oblige many holders of the long-stay ‘visitor’ visa (VLS-TS) to pay a fixed annual contribution to the state health-care system. The measure—championed by centrist Horizons MPs François Gernigon and Nathalie Colin-Oesterlé—targets mostly US retirees who relocate to France on pension income yet gain access to universal coverage (PUMA) after three months of residence without paying French tax.
Under the proposal the exact fee will be set by decree early next year, but government sources say €600-€800 per adult is being discussed. Nationals of countries that already reimburse France under bilateral social-security agreements (e.g., the UK, most EU/EEA states) will be exempt. The amendment sailed through the Assembly by 176 votes to 79, with support from President Macron’s Renaissance group, Horizons, Les Républicains and the far-right RN; left-wing NUPES parties denounced it as discriminatory.
![French Parliament Votes Health-Care Levy on Long-Stay ‘Visitor’ Visa Holders]()
Practical impact: mobility specialists who manage retirement or remote-work relocations must budget for the new levy once the decree appears—likely in Q2 2026. Visa strategies that rely on proof of private insurance might become more attractive if the flat fee exceeds premium costs. Immigration lawyers also warn that prefectures could tighten scrutiny of private coverage to ensure it genuinely reimburses care in France, not just emergencies.
Broader context: the health-care amendment dovetails with Interior Minister Gérald Darmanin’s forthcoming immigration bill, which seeks greater “fiscal fairness” from non-EU nationals using French public services. Although the Senate could still strike the fee during the upcoming joint committee stage, analysts say rejection is unlikely given broad public support for reciprocity in social benefits.
Advice for employers and relocation advisers: review current expatriate policies for US, Canadian and Australian staff on visitor visas; factor in the health levy when calculating total cost of assignment. Communicate early with retirees who may not follow parliamentary minutiae—unexpected invoices next autumn could sour client relations if stakeholders are not forewarned.
Under the proposal the exact fee will be set by decree early next year, but government sources say €600-€800 per adult is being discussed. Nationals of countries that already reimburse France under bilateral social-security agreements (e.g., the UK, most EU/EEA states) will be exempt. The amendment sailed through the Assembly by 176 votes to 79, with support from President Macron’s Renaissance group, Horizons, Les Républicains and the far-right RN; left-wing NUPES parties denounced it as discriminatory.
Practical impact: mobility specialists who manage retirement or remote-work relocations must budget for the new levy once the decree appears—likely in Q2 2026. Visa strategies that rely on proof of private insurance might become more attractive if the flat fee exceeds premium costs. Immigration lawyers also warn that prefectures could tighten scrutiny of private coverage to ensure it genuinely reimburses care in France, not just emergencies.
Broader context: the health-care amendment dovetails with Interior Minister Gérald Darmanin’s forthcoming immigration bill, which seeks greater “fiscal fairness” from non-EU nationals using French public services. Although the Senate could still strike the fee during the upcoming joint committee stage, analysts say rejection is unlikely given broad public support for reciprocity in social benefits.
Advice for employers and relocation advisers: review current expatriate policies for US, Canadian and Australian staff on visitor visas; factor in the health levy when calculating total cost of assignment. Communicate early with retirees who may not follow parliamentary minutiae—unexpected invoices next autumn could sour client relations if stakeholders are not forewarned.
