Section actions
Duration: 30 to 90 minutes for first complete request; variable instruction
Cost: Request and support France Services gratuites
Possible online
Who this guide is for
Section actions
- Foreigners seeking for the first time the APL, family benefits or other assistance Caf
- Homes receiving income in France and abroad
- Persons to whom the Caf applies for residence permits, civil status certificates or reimbursement of overpayments
To be prepared in advance
Section actions
- Passports, proofs of residence and proof of residence
- Birth, marriage, divorce or custody and translation if requested
- RIB on behalf of applicant or accepted joint account
- Income and resources of each member of the household in France and abroad
- Lease, rent certificate and parts specific to the service
Step-by-step procedure
Section actions
- 1Choose the specific performance and check its conditions. A residence permit or the presence of a child does not create a universal right: status, residence, family and resources count.
- 2Start the simulation or official request on caf.fr. If you are not yet eligible, the first application usually allows you to create the space and get a number after registration.
- 3Enter the civil status exactly as in French documents and registers. Place only the requested documents, check their legibility and keep the accused.
- 4Report all persons in the household and the resources required, including foreign income, pensions, maintenance, rent and self-employment. Do not only retain the amounts transferred to France.
- 5Report change of address, family, employment, education, income or stay without delay via "Report a change". Keep the date and copy to limit overpayments.
- 6If the Caf has used an erroneous fact or ignored a piece, write via "My steps" or "Contact my Caf" specifying period, false data, correct data and supporting evidence.
- 7In the face of a debt, meet the deadline: ask for the details of the calculation, the correction or the applicable remedy. For a complex case, ask for an appointment Caf, France Services, a social worker or the mediator Caf.
Common mistakes
Section actions
- Believing that any residence permit automatically opens any service
- Excluding foreign income or income of another member of the household
- Create a new account instead of recovering the existing folder
- Report a change only by phone
- Suppose that a student outside the EU is automatically entitled to the APL: special conditions apply since the 1st July 2026
Official sources
Section actions
Important remark
Conditions vary according to benefit, nationality, stay, length of residence, family and period. The Caf decides on a complete file; this guide does not guarantee any payments.
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