Whether you are expecting a child or are already a parent, in some circumstances you can obtain benefits, services and advice from the the Family Allowances Office (‘Caisse d’Allocations Familiales’ - CAF).
Family benefits
Among the main benefits dedicated to support families, you can find:
The early child benefit program (‘prestation d’accueil du jeune enfant’ - PAJE)
This comprises financial support in several forms, some of which depend on the household’s resources.
The birth (or adoption) grant, for instance, a single payment, helps to cover the initial expenses incurred by your child’s arrival.
Family allowance
You may be entitled to this allowance if you have at least two dependent children aged under 20 in France.
If you are already a CAF benefit recipient, payment begins automatically as soon as you declare the birth of your second child.
Find information on all the CAF benefits and services (amounts, conditions, etc.) in the CAF’s online guide to benefits (in French).
Conditions to be met
The CAF takes conditions regarding the legality of your stay as well as your resources into account in determining whether you are entitled to these allowances.
Conditions regarding your stay and residence in France
If you are not a European (EU, EEE) or Swiss national, you must hold a valid residence permit and be resident in France.
You will also have to prove that any children born abroad entered the country legally.
Good to know
Certain residence documents, such as the visa marked ‘dispense temporaire de carte de séjour’ (temporarily exempted from applying for a residence permit), do not entitle you to CAF benefits.
Conditions regarding your resources
The income taken into consideration is your income and that of your spouse, whether acquired in France or abroad.
Applying for a benefit
Applications are submitted online on the CAF website, in the section called ‘Demander une prestation’.
Applying online on the CAF website
If you are already a CAF benefits recipient, you can submit your application via your CAF account.
In Grenoble: the ‘Cité des familles’
In central Grenoble, the CAF runs a reception and resource center dedicated to parenting and families: the ‘Cité des familles’.
The center’s staff do not provide information on your applications for benefits; its purpose is to help and assist parents and their families with parenting issues.
Each month it organizes practical workshops, talks and debates on various themes, discussions and exchanges with professionals, as well as psychological, legal and relationship counselling.
> The ‘Cité des familles’ on the CAF website