Where to go in Arles
Use the official sites below to check the responsible service, application method and appointment requirements. Not every procedure is handled by the prefecture. Contact the association to discuss available support.
Key points in 30 seconds
- Get an address: housing, attestation d'hébergement or domiciliation.
- Validate your VLS-TS on ANEF within 3 months and keep the certificate.
- Open a bank account; if refused, get a refusal letter and contact Banque de France.
Week 1: address and visa validation
A long-stay visa equivalent to a residence permit (VLS-TS) must be validated online on ANEF within 3 months of arrival: address, entry date and a tax stamp whose amount depends on the visa. Keep the certificate you receive. You need an address: housing, an attestation d'hébergement or domiciliation through an association or CCAS.
Advice from the association
Don't leave this procedure to the last minute — come and see us.
Weeks 1–2: bank account
You need an account for salary, CAF, CPAM and rent. If a bank refuses, ask for a written refusal and apply to the Banque de France under the right to an account: it designates a bank that must open a free basic account.
Common mistake
Missing the 3-month deadline to validate the VLS-TS.
Weeks 2–4: social security number
The 15-digit social security number comes through your employer or, without a job, after 3 months of stable residence by applying to CPAM (Cerfa 15763, downloadable below) with a translated birth certificate. A temporary number often comes first, then the permanent one and the carte Vitale. Register a GP (médecin traitant) quickly.
Common mistake
Waiting for a tax number without filing a first return.
The tax number comes after your first return
The 13-digit tax number (numéro fiscal) is assigned after your first income tax return the following spring. File even without French income: CAF, social housing and the prefecture ask for it. The number then appears at the top of the avis d'impôt.
Common mistake
Not asking the bank for a written refusal.
Step by step
- 1Get an address: housing, attestation d'hébergement or domiciliation.
- 2Validate your VLS-TS on ANEF within 3 months and keep the certificate.
- 3Open a bank account; if refused, get a refusal letter and contact Banque de France.
- 4Sign the OFII contract and attend the visit if invited.
- 5Register with CPAM (employer or Cerfa 15763) and choose a GP.
- 6Create a CAF account if you may be entitled to benefits.
- 7Enrol children at school and register with France Travail if needed.
- 8File your first tax return the following spring.
Documents needed
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FAQ
What should I do first after arriving in France?
Get an address and validate your VLS-TS on ANEF, then open a bank account.
Where do I find my foreigner number (AGDREF)?
10 digits. On recent permits it is printed vertically along the right edge of the front (not the card number at top right). For a VLS-TS it is on the ANEF certificate.
How do I get a social security number?
Through your employer or by applying to CPAM (Cerfa 15763) after 3 months of residence, with a translated birth certificate.
Where do I find my tax number (numéro fiscal)?
At the top of the avis d'impôt, in the “Vos références” block: 13 digits, assigned after your first return.
The bank refuses to open an account?
Ask for a refusal letter and apply to the Banque de France (right to an account).