The mandatory medical examination at OFII
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The medical examination at the French Office of Immigration and Integration (OFII) is a mandatory requirement for applicants seeking a residence permit in France valid for more than three months.
What is the purpose of the medical examination?
The medical examination at the OFII allows you to obtain a medical certificate from the OFII. This certificate is required to renew your residence permit. It certifies that you meet the medical requirements for residing in France.
This medical examination is a check-up and preventive health screening. During the appointment, the OFII doctor and nurse will provide you with the following, among other things:
- A general clinical examination
- A chest X-ray, depending on your country of origin
- A review of your vaccination status
- Screening for infectious diseases
Following the general clinical examination, you may be referred for further medical care.
Medical confidentiality is absolute.
This means that if you are of legal age, your personal medical information will be shared only with you and no one else—not even your family. If you do not speak French, an interpreter will be available to assist you during this process.
Where does the examination take place?
The medical examination takes place in France, except in countries where the OFII has a representative office abroad.
It is conducted:
- Either by the OFII, at its regional offices in France or at its representative offices abroad. In both cases, the examinations are performed by medical and paramedical staff.
- Or in hospitals, healthcare centers, or doctors’ offices
Who is concerned?
You are required to undergo a medical examination in any of the following cases:
- You have validated your Long-Stay Visa Leading to a Residence Permit (VLS-TS) on the Administration-etrangers-en-France website, and this visa falls under one of the categories eligible for a medical examination
- You have applied for a residence permit.
The medical examination process
You will automatically be scheduled for a medical examination after validating a Long-Stay Visa Leading to a Residence Permit (VLS-TS) on the Administration-etrangers-en-France website. Here are the visa categories you must validate online to obtain a medical appointment:
- “Salarié”,
- Vie privée et familiale en qualité de Conjoint de Français,
- “Vie privée et familiale” en qualité de Conjoint Bénéficiaire du regroupement familial
- “Travailleur temp." ou "travaill. temp."
- Visiteur
- "Entrepreneur-Prof. Libérale"ou "Ent./Prof.Lib"
If you have received a favorable decision for family reunification and your family resides abroad, upon the arrival of your dependents in France, you must send their visas to the Territorial Directorate of the OFII.
To find the contact information for the territorial directorate, visit the Help page.
Important: You will receive a summons. This means you are required to attend the appointment. If you cannot attend, you must provide a valid reason for your absence.
A medical certificate is one of the documents you must submit to the prefecture to obtain your first residence permit or to renew it.
You must arrive at the appointment location at the time indicated on your appointment notice. Please bring your identification documents and your appointment notice.
You will then be seen by a nurse and a doctor. They will conduct a health assessment with you.
At the end of the appointment, the OFII doctor will give you a written medical certificate. You should keep a copy of this certificate and submit a copy to the prefecture. If you are eligible for family reunification, you will need to submit another copy to the CAF.
If your health requires specialized care, the OFII doctor will write a referral letter for a general practitioner or a specialist.
You will receive a summons. This means you are required to attend the appointment.
If you are unable to attend, you must provide a valid reason for your absence.
A medical certificate is one of the documents you must submit to the prefecture to obtain your first residence permit or to renew it.
In some cases, the OFII doctor may ask you to undergo additional medical tests. You will then be asked to return for a second medical examination to present the results to the OFII doctor.
In summary
The OFII medical examination is a mandatory step for certain people applying for a residence permit in France. It helps assess your health condition and allows you to obtain the medical certificate required to apply for or renew certain residence permits. You are usually invited to attend the examination after validating an eligible Long-Stay Visa equivalent to a Residence Permit (VLS-TS) or, in the case of family reunification, after OFII has received the required documents. At the end of the examination, OFII issues a medical certificate that must be presented to the prefecture.
Ofii
Prefecture
