Navigating the French Administration as an Au Pair: What to Do If Your SSN Hasn’t Arrived Yet 🇫🇷🛂
🔍 Navigating French administration as an au pair can be a real headache! What should you do if your Social Security Number (SSN) hasn’t arrived yet, and the préfecture is asking for a health insurance certificate for your appointment? In this article, I share advice from other au pairs who have faced the same issue and offer concrete solutions to help you avoid complications. 📄✅ Don’t let administrative delays ruin your au pair experience in France! 🇫🇷✨
Allison Marton
2/13/20251 min read
If you're an au pair in France, you’ve probably realized that dealing with administrative paperwork can be a real headache! One of the most common issues au pairs face is the delay in receiving their Numéro de Sécurité Sociale (SSN), which is required for many official processes—including the renewal of your visa or residence permit.
Recently, I came across a conversation between two au pairs who shared their experiences and advice on handling this situation. Here’s what I learned from them:
📌 Do You Really Need Your SSN for Your Préfecture Appointment?
One au pair was worried because her Social Security Number hadn’t arrived yet, and the préfecture told her that she needed the Attestation de l’Assurance Maladie (health insurance certificate) for her appointment. She was wondering if she should wait until two weeks before her visa expired or if there were other solutions.
👉 The response from another au pair was reassuring: Yes, you can use your private health insurance as a temporary solution! The préfecture understands that the processing of your SSN at CPAM can take a long time. Just print out the attestation of your private insurance and explain that your SSN is still being processed.
✅ What Documents Should You Bring?
If you're in the same situation, make sure to prepare:
✔️ Your private health insurance certificate (covering at least one month of your stay)
✔️ Proof that you have already sent your documents to CPAM (e.g., a receipt or confirmation email)
✔️ Any communication from CPAM showing that your application is still being processed
💡 Important: Don’t wait until your visa expires to take action! If your dossier is incomplete, the préfecture could refuse or delay your renewal, making your situation more complicated.
🚀 Final Advice
Dealing with French administration requires patience, but remember: it’s not your fault if your SSN is taking time to process! As long as you bring proof that you’ve done your part, you should be fine.
