Country guide — Europe
Expat insurance and health insurance in Belgium
In short
For a French citizen moving to Belgium, private health insurance is not required by any visa: European free movement removes any formality. However, affiliation with a Belgian health fund (or with the CAAMI) is a legal obligation from the moment residency is established, a condition for receiving reimbursements under the mandatory insurance managed by INAMI. Unlike other countries, it is up to the person themself to complete the affiliation process, not the employer. Without affiliation, there is no criminal penalty but a total absence of reimbursement: care is paid for entirely by the patient.
Key figures
- 126,452 French nationals registered with the consular register in 2025 (123,781 in 2024, +2.16%) — the 4th destination for the French community abroad, after Switzerland, the United States and the United Kingdom.
- Life expectancy 2024: 82.4 years (84.4 women, 80.3 men), with regional gaps (84.1 years Flanders, 82.1 Brussels, 80.7 Wallonia).
- Health spending: 10.8% of GDP in 2023.
Local healthcare system
Belgium has mandatory health-disability insurance run by INAMI at the federal level, but affiliation and reimbursement go through intermediary bodies: the health funds (Mutualité chrétienne, Solidaris, Partenamut) or, failing a choice, the CAAMI, a neutral public body. Affiliation is mandatory but not automatic: everyone must register themselves, with a form, proof of residence and an income declaration.
The system works on a co-payment basis: the patient generally pays upfront and is reimbursed part of the cost by the health fund. In 2025, a contracted GP consultation costs 32.84 € with a global medical record (DMG) or 26.50 € without, reimbursed at 70%; remaining co-payment ≈6 € (4 € with DMG, 1.50 € for the increased-cover rate).
Legal and visa obligations
- EU citizen: no visa required. For a stay of more than 3 months, registration with the municipality's foreigners' register (E card) is mandatory.
- Health fund affiliation: mandatory from the moment residency is established to receive reimbursements. No criminal penalty for non-compliance, but no cover is provided.
- Seconded employee: up to 24 months (extendable by exemption), stays affiliated with the French scheme via form A1, exempt from Belgian affiliation.
- Local employee / self-employed: mandatory affiliation with the ONSS (employees) or INASTI (self-employed), opening INAMI rights via the health fund.
- Student: the EHIC is enough for a temporary stay (an Erasmus-type stay), so affiliation with a Belgian health fund is then not mandatory; for a full course of study, cover valid for the entire length of stay is required and affiliation with a health fund is in practice recommended to receive reimbursements on site.
- Retiree: form S1 for affiliation with Belgian health insurance without a new contribution.
Cost of some medical procedures
Orders of magnitude from specialised sources, not official fee schedules.
| Procedure | Public sector | Private sector |
|---|---|---|
| GP consultation (with DMG) | 32.84 € (co-payment ≈4 €) | — |
| GP consultation (without DMG) | 26.50 € (co-payment ≈6 €) | — |
| Specialist consultation | 33.74 to 79.22 € depending on specialty (full contracted rate), co-payment ≈12 € | — |
| Hospital emergency visit (fees) | 25 to 75 € depending on procedure | — |
| Additional tests in emergency care | 40 to 250 € depending on procedure | — |
| Night/weekend emergency surcharge | 15 to 45 € | — |
| MRI / CT scan (outpatient) | Full INAMI rate; since 04/12/2023, no fee supplement is allowed any more for an examination carried out during the day in a hospital setting | — |
| Night of hospitalisation | Shared room: no supplement allowed, co-payment ≈7 to 47 €/day depending on the patient's situation | — |
Social security agreements with France
As Belgium is an EU member, there is no classic bilateral agreement: coordination runs through the EU regulations 883/2004 and 987/2009.
- Temporary stay: the EHIC allows care as a Belgian insured person would receive; covers neither repatriation nor planned care.
- Secondment: form A1, stay on the French scheme for up to 24 months (extendable).
- Long-term move: shift to full affiliation (health fund/CAAMI); form S1 for a retiree.
- Reimbursement of costs advanced in Belgium is possible on return to France via form S3125.
Which insurance for my profile
General matrix — does not recommend any specific product or insurer.
| Profile | Regulatory constraint | Points of attention |
|---|---|---|
| Working holiday visa | Not applicable (France-Belgium = EU free movement) | — |
| Student | EHIC for a temporary stay (Erasmus-type) | Health fund affiliation recommended for a long course of study depending on status |
| Seconded employee | Stays on the French scheme via form A1 | Health/repatriation supplementary cover useful for quick access to the private sector |
| Local employee / self-employed | ONSS/INASTI affiliation then health fund | Supplementary hospitalisation insurance common (private room, non-contracted fees) |
| Retiree (form S1) | Affiliation without a new contribution | Supplementary cover worth considering for dental, optical, private room |
Hospitals and care network
- Cliniques universitaires Saint-Luc (Brussels, UCLouvain) — leading French-speaking facility, multilingual staff, ranked in Newsweek 2023.
- Hôpital universitaire Erasme (Anderlecht, ULB) — clinical excellence and research, ranked in Newsweek 2023.
- UZ Brussel (Jette, VUB) — major teaching hospital in the Dutch-speaking part of Brussels.
Practical steps
- Before departure: notify French agencies of your departure (CPAM, CAF, France Travail, pension funds).
- Within 3 months of arrival: register with the municipality's foreigners' register (E card).
- Affiliation with a health fund or the CAAMI: a personal process with proof of residence and an income declaration.
- Seconded employee: request form A1 before departure.
- Retiree: request form S1 from your pension fund.
- Register with the roll of French nationals living abroad (Brussels consulate).
Frequently asked questions
Does a French citizen need a visa to move to Belgium?
No. As an EU citizen, a French national does not need a visa. Registration with the municipality's foreigners' register is required beyond 3 months of stay.
Is the EHIC enough for a French national settling in Belgium long-term?
No. The EHIC covers temporary stays. A long-term resident must affiliate with a Belgian health fund, or transfer their affiliation via form S1 for a retiree.
What happens if I don't affiliate with a health fund in Belgium?
No criminal penalty, but a total absence of reimbursement of medical costs: all care remains entirely at the patient's expense.
Does an employee seconded from France need to affiliate with a Belgian health fund?
No, if they hold form A1 confirming they stay on the French scheme, for a period not exceeding 24 months (extendable under conditions).
Is supplementary hospitalisation insurance necessary in Belgium?
Not mandatory, but common: it covers private room supplements and certain non-contracted fees that remain at the patient's expense beyond the basic INAMI reimbursement.
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Written by Expavy
Sources
- France Diplomatie — Belgium, Health
- INAMI — Affiliating with a health fund
- CLEISS — Secondment, regulation 883/2004
- Statbel — Life expectancy 2024
- SPF Social Security — Health spending 2023
- France Diplomatie — Global register of French nationals abroad (2025)
- INAMI — Doctors' fees, consultations and visits (2025)
- INAMI — Removal of fee supplements for CT scan and MRI since 04/12/2023
- Mutualité chrétienne — Foreign student in Belgium