France

We found no evidence of any official restrictions on entry to France based on HIV status.

According to UNAIDS and the US Department of State, France does not have any HIV-related restrictions on entry.

Nothing in the list of documents required to request a visa, available on the official site for visas to France suggests an HIV related restriction on entry. There is a list of supporting documents that should be included with the visa application and none of those documents makes reference to HIV or the general health of the applicant.

We found no evidence of any official restrictions on short-term stay in France based on HIV status.

According to UNAIDS and the US Department of State, France does not have any HIV-related restrictions on short-term stay.

As above, the list of documents required to request a visa, available on the official site for visas to France, does not suggest an HIV-related restriction on short-term stay.

We found no evidence of any official restrictions on long-term stay in France based on HIV status.

According to UNAIDS and the US Department of State, France does not have any HIV-related restrictions on long-term stay.

As above, the list of documents required to request a visa, available on the official site for visas to France, does not suggest an HIV-related restriction on long-term stay.

Article 313-11 point 11 of the French Foreigners Entry and Residence Code provides that a residence permit shall be granted to ‘a foreigner habitually residing in France whose state of health necessitates medical treatment and care the lack of which could lead to exceptionally serious consequences for the individual in question, provided that the individual cannot in actuality obtain appropriate treatment in his or her country of origin’. Migrants can apply for this permit even if they are in an irregular situation, and this takes into account not just the presence of treatment in a country but barriers to entry including potential discrimination.

Following the adoption of a new Immigration Act by Parliament, the matter was referred to the Constitutional Council in December 2023 with the aim of verifying that the text complied with the Constitution before it was promulgated. All the provisions attacking the right of residence of sick foreign nationals and their access to the social measures from which they could benefit were censured by the Constitutional Council and will therefore not be applied. 

In its decision of 25 January, the Constitutional Council censured articles 9 and 10, which made access to a residence permit for treatment conditional on the availability of treatment in the country of origin, rather than actual access to it.

In 2006, activists around the openly HIV-positive representative Jean-Luc Romero launched a media offensive to draw attention to the discriminatory entry regulations of the USA.

The following summarises available information on access to healthcare for people living with HIV in France. There is some evidence that non-nationals are restricted from accessing treatment in the same way as nationals.

For general care for tourists in France, you must have proof of insurance, such as the European Health Insurance Card (EHIC), UK Global Health Insurance Card (GHIC), or similar documentation. Medical appointments and medications have to be paid upfront, then reimbursement can be sought from insurance.

For HIV and STI testing, CeGIDD establishments offer free tests and treatment. In case of Post Exposure Prophylaxis (PEP), the consultation and lab tests are initially free in A&E, but must be paid later. Medications must be paid for, except for the initial 3-5 day starter kit.

PrEP or antiretroviral treatment can be bought in a pharmacy with a prescription and paid for with a credit card. Without a prescription, a CeGIDD or an Infectious Diseases department can help. In Paris, several hospitals offer walk-in services for this care.

To start PrEP, a CeGIDD can be visited for testing. Medical appointments and tests are free, but the medication must be paid for at a pharmacy.

You can search for CeGIDD and other treatment/test centres on this page: https://www.sida-info-service.org/annuaire/.

For migrants in France, in principle, anyone in need – whether French or not – who has been ‘resident’ in France for more than three months is entitled to basic and supplementary health cover provided by the public health service, which guarantees ‘free’ care. Since 2020, there has been one exception to this general principle: for non-nationals over the age of majority, no health cover is guaranteed for the three months following the expiry of their visa or non-renewed residence permit.

For destitute non-nationals residing in France who are not eligible for health insurance because they are not legally resident, the Aide Médicale d’Etat is a means-tested insurance scheme providing coverage for most medical care at 100% of the Social Security rate, though it excludes certain services, such as medically assisted reproduction and specialised accommodation for disabled children. Temporary visitors, even in medical emergencies, are not eligible for AME. 

In practice, many undocumented migrants struggle to access care. Barriers include a lack of awareness, insufficient documentation, and occasional discrimination from healthcare providers. Additionally, migrants, especially from sub-Saharan Africa, face significant barriers to HIV care, including delayed diagnoses, stigma, and socio-economic challenges.

More information is available at: https://www.service-public.fr/particuliers/vosdroits/F17164.

• UNAIDS
• US Department of State
• Official site for visas to France
• Service-Public.fr
• SIDA Info Service

Migrant populations

Refugees and asylum seekers