{"id":6589,"date":"2022-01-15T11:16:20","date_gmt":"2022-01-15T10:16:20","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.igmm.cnrs.fr\/students\/newcomers-guide\/"},"modified":"2022-01-16T09:48:30","modified_gmt":"2022-01-16T08:48:30","slug":"newcomers-guide","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/www.igmm.cnrs.fr\/en\/students\/newcomers-guide\/","title":{"rendered":"Newcomers\u2019 Guide"},"content":{"rendered":"
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What to do when you arrive in France<\/span><\/strong><\/h5>\n

This roadmap is intended as a general guide for IGMM newcomers to facilitate settling into your life in Montpellier.
\nPlease note that the documents and steps may vary depending on your country of origin, work permit, university agreements, type of contract, etc.<\/p>\n

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PAPERWORK :<\/h3>\n
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1) Get a French phone number ASAP<\/span><\/strong><\/h4>\n<\/div>\n
\"\"It\u2019s needed to open a bank account in France so that you can be paid.\nHow :<\/u><\/strong> \n-\u00a0 Choose a company that you like (e.g. Free, Orange, Bouygues, SFR, Sosh, ...)\n-\u00a0 Order the SIM card (forfait)<\/em> online. \n-\u00a0 You will need a local address (it can be temporary)<\/pre>\n
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2) Open a bank account<\/span><\/strong><\/h5>\n
\"\"You will need it to get your salary and to do a transaction in France.\nHow :<\/u><\/strong>\n-\u00a0 Find\u00a0 a bank, they are all similar\u2026. (La Banque Postale, Banque Populaire, BNP Paribas, \u2026)\n-\u00a0 Bring to the bank office to set up an account :\n\u2714\u00a0<\/span> Your French phone number\n\u2714<\/span>\u00a0 Your French address1\n\u2714<\/span>\u00a0 Your ID (piece d\u2019identite)\n\u2714<\/span>\u00a0 Your employment contract (not necessary for Masters\u2019 students)\n\u2714<\/span> \u201cStudent certificate\u201d (Certificat de scolarit\u00e9) issued by the UM \nor convention d\u2019accueil for non-EU students (only for PhD or Masters\u2019 students)\nAsk for a bank card<\/u> (VISA, Mastercard, \u2026). The bank usually only gives \u201cdebit <\/u>card\u201d to newcomers.\nAlthough not essential, having a checkbook<\/u> might come in handy in some situations where credit cards are not accepted.<\/pre>\n
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3) Get your residence permit* <\/span><\/strong>(titre de s\u00e9jour)<\/span><\/em><\/span><\/span><\/h5>\n<\/div>\n
\"\"*<\/strong>Only for non-EU nationals. \nCompulsory to apply for the titre de sejour<\/em> no later than the 3 months after your arrival.\nHow:<\/u><\/strong>\n- Get an appointment with \u201cService Accueil International \u00c9tudiants\/Chercheurs\u201d (SAIEC<\/a>).\nThe website has an English version. The staff are great and they will guide you to get an appointment \nat the City Hall (Prefecture)<\/em>, and help you with any other issues you may have.<\/pre>\n
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4) Get access to social security<\/strong><\/span> (public healthcare) (Assurance Maladie)<\/em><\/strong><\/h5>\n
\"\"Get your social security number and social security card (Carte vitale)<\/em>\nHow:<\/u><\/strong>\n-\u00a0 Bring documents in person to:\nCPAM de l'H\u00e9rault - Montpellier Gambetta\n29 Cr Gambetta, 34000 Montpellier\n\n- If you come to Montpellier with a \u201cPassport talent\u201d,<\/em> send your documents by post to:\nAssurance Maladie<\/strong>\nSRI\/Talents<\/strong>\n75948 PARIS Cedex 19<\/strong>\n\n-\u00a0 Documents needed[1]<\/sup><\/a>:\n\u2714   A \"demande d\u2019overture des droits \u00e0 l\u2019assurance maladie\"<\/a> (you\u2019ll need a French address, a temporary one will do)\n\u2714  \u00a0Your birth certificate (acte d\u2019\u00e9tat civil)<\/em>[2]<\/sup><\/a>\n\u2714  \u00a0A copy of your ID (titre de s\u00e9jour and others if no-EU)\n\u2714  \u00a0A copy of your contract or a payslip (bulletin de paie)<\/em>\n\u2714  \u00a0Your RIB[3]<\/sup><\/a> (Releve d\u2019identite Bancaire<\/em>)\n- Google \u201cdemande d\u2019ouverture des droits \u00e0 l\u2019assurance maladie\u201d<\/a> to download the document. \nThere, you will find the list of the documents needed.\n\n<\/pre>\n
Put all these documents in an envelope and leave it in the mailbox inside IGMM (send by post if you are submitting \nthem to Paris).\nYou should receive the Carte vitale <\/em>with your social security number (numero assurance maladie)<\/em> by reply mail \nin ~1 month.\nIf need to see a doctor before you get your Carte vitale<\/em>, your medical expenses will still be covered \nby the Social Security (SS) as long as you have the SS ID number.\nYou can then set up your online account for the health insurance (Assurance maladie)<\/em> in ameli.fr<\/a>.\nAsk for a \u201cEuropean Healthcare card\u201d<\/strong> on your online account if you travel around the EU.\n\n<\/pre>\n
NB: it is possible to get a complementary insurance (mutuelle)<\/em> (e.g. LMDE or Heyme) to cover costs that the \ngovernment-based Assurance maladie does not cover<\/pre>\n
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[1]<\/a> This is a standard list, documentation may vary depending on nationality, work status, etc. \nYou may need to submit additional documentation.Visit http:\/\/impots.gouv.fr\/<\/a> for further information.\n[2]<\/a> Check languages accepted, and translate it to French by an accepted official translator if necessary\n(there are several agencies that do that, e.g. https:\/\/www.traducteur-assermente-montpellier.fr\/<\/a>. \nMake sure you get a quote for the price before you choose one)\n[3]<\/a> A RIB is a piece of paper that contains your bank account information in a specific format. \nYou will be able to download from your online bank account. \nIt is what you need to give when asked for your bank account number.<\/pre>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div><\/div>
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5) Get a tax ID number<\/strong><\/span> (numero fiscal)<\/em><\/h5>\n
\"\"There is no urgency here, but you will need it for your tax declaration (declaration des revenus)<\/em> \nonline<\/u> (to do in June of every year to declare your income of the year before). \nIf you don\u2019t have a numero fiscal<\/em> when you do your first declaration you can still submit \nyour tax declaration by post and a fiscal number will be given to you.\n\n<\/pre>\n
There are several ways of obtaining the fiscal number. Visit http:\/\/impots.gouv.fr\/<\/a> for more info.\nHere\u2019s how to obtain it with the numero assurance maladie<\/em> (\u201cNumero fiscal avec numero assurance maladie<\/em>\u201d):\n\n<\/em><\/pre>\n
- Go to http:\/\/impots.gouv.fr\/<\/a> \n\u2192 Click on CONTACT - Acc\u00e9der \u2192 Vous \u00eates: Particulier\n\u2192 Votre demande concerne: l'acc\u00e8s \u00e0 votre espace particulier\n\u2192 Au sujet de : Je n'ai pas de num\u00e9ro fiscal. Click to the link \u201cAcc\u00e8s au formulaire\u201d fill it in and follow the instructions to send by e-mail:\n\u2714<\/span> Completed document \u00ab demande de cr\u00e9ation d\u2019un taux personnalis\u00e9 et \u2044 ou d\u2019acomptes de pr\u00e9l\u00e8vement \u00e0 la source \u00bb\n\u2714<\/span> Copy of ID (carte d\u2019identit\u00e9, passeport)\n<\/em>\u2714<\/span> Copie of carte vitale\nOnce you have a fiscal number you can do the declaration \u201cd\u2019imp\u00f4ts en ligne<\/em>\u201d trough your personal area in http:\/\/impots.gouv.fr\/<\/a> [1]<\/sup><\/a>\nAlso, note that you will have to pay a tax on your apartment\/flat.\nIt can be quite expensive (it is best to find out how much when you rent the apartment\/flat) and applies to a place you occupy on January 1 each year.\n\n<\/pre>\n
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FINDING AN APPARTMENT :<\/strong><\/span><\/h5>\n
\n\"\"A. If you are a student<\/span><\/strong> (Undergrads, Erasmus, MScs, PhDs, etc) you are eligible to apply for accommodation\nin the Centre r\u00e9gional des \u0153uvres universitaires et scolaires (CROUS)<\/span><\/a>. <\/strong>(Minimum stay of 3 months)\nTo apply for it, log in to this website https:\/\/www.messervices.etudiant.gouv.fr\/envole\/<\/a>.\nThis can be done before you arrive to Montpellier).\nIn Lokaviz.fr<\/strong><\/span><\/a> you may find apartments\/flats for students rented by private individuals.\n\n<\/pre>\n
B. If you are not a student,<\/strong><\/span> or you prefer to live in a \u201cclassic\u201d apartment\/flat,\"\"\nhere\u2019s some useful information:\nLeboncoin.fr<\/a> is a useful website with apartments\/flats both from private individuals and agencies.\nYou will need:\n\u2714\u00a0 <\/span>RIB\n\u2714 <\/span> Work contract with salary or work contract and pay slip\n\u2714 <\/span>\u00a0Insurance (assurance)<\/em>[2]<\/sup><\/a> (e.g. MAIF, AXA[3]<\/sup><\/a>, ADH, with your bank)\n\u2714 <\/span> (Guarantor (garant)<\/em>)[4]<\/a>\n\n<\/pre>\n
Usually, the charges included in the rent are cold water and common costs of the building (garbage, cleaning, etc).\nThe good apartments\/flats are rented fast, make sure you have all your documents ready and be quick!<\/pre>\n
If you need to get electricity\/gas, you can apply online through the website of you company of choice (e.g. EDF, ENGIE).<\/pre>\n
Find out if you are eligible for financial aid via APL (aide personnelle au logement<\/em>) from la Caisse d'allocations familiales (CAF)<\/a>.<\/pre>\n
Some small agencies and private individuals do not ask for a guarantor, but in most cases you need one\n(including for renting a room at the CROUS). The guarantor can be an individual based in France,\nbut fortunately it can also be an institution. For people under the age of 30 (but over 18),\nthere is a nationwide system called Visale (https:\/\/www.visale.fr\/<\/a>), it is reliable, cheap and easy to use.\nUnfortunately, the website is in French so you may have to ask someone to help you apply.\nFor people over 30 there are some private organizations, e.g. Garantme (https:\/\/garantme.fr\/<\/a>),\na bit more expensive, but worth exploring.<\/pre>\n
For further information refer to this website:\nhttps:\/\/www.euraxess.fr\/france\/information-assistance<\/a><\/pre>\n
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OTHER INFO :<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n