Procedures to follow before you leave France

Whether you are student, PhD student or researcher, here you will find all the steps you need to take before you leave France.

steps to take

before LEAVING france

Housing or accommodation insurance

You may terminate your contract at least 2 months before it expires. Some insurance companies may request a copy of your residence permit and a certificate of accommodation abroad. However, this is very unusual.
Your request should be made by registered letter with acknowledgement of receipt.

Social Security: you can keep your social security number and Carte Vitale for life. So if you return to France, you can contact the the Caisse Primaire d’Assurance Maladie (CPAM) again to register.
Mutual / Complementary health insurance: all you need do is send a registered letter with acknowledgement of receipt to your mutual / complementary health insurance company to terminate your contract on the grounds that you are leaving France.

You can terminate your contract at no cost and with no need to justify your decision provided you contact your insurer at least 1 month beforehand, unless you can prove that you are obliged to do so due to a change of circumstances (moving abroad, etc.). If you sell your vehicle, you can terminate your contract the day after the sale.
Request for termination is made by registered letter with acknowledgement of receipt.

To cancel the registration document for your car – if it is registered in France – use form CERFA 13756*02
You must also return the registration certificate.
Please note: this procedure means that you can no longer drive your car in France.

You may request the closure of your account – by registered letter with acknowledgement of receipt – at any time unless your contract provides for a notice period that may not exceed 30 days.
For a closure requested more than 6 months after the account was opened: no termination fees will be charged. For a closure requested less than 6 months after the account was opened: the bank may charge a fee proportional to the costs it incurs as a result of the closure.
Please note: you must have enough money in your account to settle current transactions (cheques, bank card transactions, direct debits). The bank may require reimbursement of an overdraft before closing an account. As long as you have not repaid the overdraft, the account can not be closed. All means of payment (bank card, cheque book) must be returned to the bank or destroyed.
It is also recommended not to close your bank account before current transactions have been settled (cheques issued, bank card transactions, upcoming direct debits) or before certain benefits have been paid out after your departure (CAF allowances, CPAM reimbursements, etc.).

The 2 are often included in the same contract, with the same supplier. You must comply with the deadline, which varies (up to 30 days) depending on supplier.
You can terminate your contracts:
- By phone: by calling the customer service department of your supplier(s)
- Online: via your customer area on the website(s) of your supplier(s)
- By registered letter with acknowledgement of receipt.
Please note: this procedure only applies to you if you have taken out a contract with an electricity and/or gas supplier yourself. If electricity and/or gas charges are included in your rent, you do not need to worry about terminating this type of contract.
In general, you can terminate an electricity and/or gas contract at no extra cost. Nonetheless, we advise you to check your contract(s) carefully on this point.

You must take into account the period of notice. The notice is the period you must comply with between the time you inform the landlord or accommodation manager of your departure and the date of departure from your accommodation. In general, notice is 3 months for unfurnished rentals and 1 month for furnished rentals.
Termination of lease is by registered letter with acknowledgement of receipt or by hand-delivering letter (i.e. directly) to your landlord or accommodation manager. The notice period begins when your landlord or accommodation manager receives your letter.
Please note: You must continue to pay your rent during the notice period.

Check conditions for terminating your contract directly with your internet and/or telephony operator on their website or by phone. They may differ from one operator to another. However, in most cases, you can terminate your subscription via your customer area on your operator’s website.
Depending on your situation, some internet operators may ask you for supporting documents and/or charge you termination fees.
As regards your phone, we advise you to keep your line as long as possible and only have it closed on the eve of your departure or from abroad.

For other subscriptions you may have taken out, all you need to do is send a cancellation request due to the fact that you are leaving the country by registered letter with acknowledgement of receipt (preferably).
Please note: any month of subscription that has already begun is due.