After your baby is born in France: what to do
The five days after the birth carry the only hard legal deadline in the whole process — the déclaration de naissance at the mairie. Everything else follows from the birth certificate it produces, so it is worth knowing that many maternity units have a registrar on site and will do it without you leaving the building. Checked 22 September 2026.
Declare the birth at the mairie (déclaration de naissance)
The birth is declared at the mairie of the place the baby was born. Many maternity units have a registrar on site and will do it for you — ask, because it is the easiest version of this. Checked against service-public.gouv.fr on 22 September 2026.
Paperbump schedules this within 5 days of the birth. What this step involves · service-public.gouv.fr
Put the baby on both parents' carte Vitale
The baby gets a social security number automatically once the birth is declared, and is attached automatically to the carte Vitale of whichever parent made the declaration — but only that one. Attaching them to both is worth ten minutes: it means whichever of you takes the child to the doctor can use your own card and be reimbursed normally, instead of posting a paper feuille de soins and waiting. Checked against ameli.fr on 21 September 2026.
Paperbump schedules this between 7 days and 6 weeks after the birth. What this step involves · ameli.fr
Check the CAF knows the baby has arrived
The mairie normally passes the birth to the CAF, and that is what triggers an automatic assessment of what you are entitled to — the PAJE basic allowance, the childcare supplement, family allowances. Normally. Checked against caf.fr on 22 September 2026.
Paperbump schedules this between 7 days and 8 weeks after the birth. What this step involves · caf.fr
Partner's leave (congé paternité et d'accueil de l'enfant)
Three days of birth leave from the employer, then 25 calendar days of paternity leave — 28 in all for a single birth, and more for multiples. The first part is compulsory: the three days of birth leave, plus four calendar days of paternity leave straight after them. Checked against economie.gouv.fr on 21 September 2026.
Applies to people who have a partner going through it with them and are employed (salarié). Paperbump schedules this within 6 months of the birth. What this step involves · economie.gouv.fr
Claim help with childcare costs (CMG)
The complément de libre choix du mode de garde is the CAF's contribution to what childcare costs you, whether that is an assistante maternelle, a micro-crèche or care at home. What you get depends on your income, the number of children and the type of care. Checked against caf.fr on 22 September 2026.
Paperbump schedules this between 4 weeks and 6 months after the birth. What this step involves · caf.fr
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