LiveLingoQuick Answer
- Do it online first when you can. Driving licence exchanges are requested online through ANTS, and most préfectures book appointments through their own website.
- Short numbers like 3939, 3646 and 34 00 only work from French phone lines. From abroad or a foreign phone, use the long +33 numbers below.
- Health insurance has an English line: Assurance Maladie answers in English on 09 74 75 36 46 (+33 9 74 75 36 46 from abroad), weekdays 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m.
- For every other office: call with LiveLingo. You speak English, the agent hears French, and their answer comes back to you in English. The call opens with a short greeting in French explaining that it is translated.
1. Who to Call, and Which Number Works
| Service | For | From a French line | From abroad or a foreign phone | Hours |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ANTS (France Titres) | Driving licence, vehicle registration, ID and passport files | 34 00 | +33 9 70 83 07 07 | Mon to Fri, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. (licence line) |
| ANEF contact centre | Online residence permit and naturalisation applications | 0806 001 620 | Same number | Mon to Fri, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. |
| Assurance Maladie (ameli) | Health insurance, carte Vitale, reimbursements | 3646 | +33 1 84 90 36 46 | Weekdays, at least 8:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. |
| Assurance Maladie English line | The same, in English | 09 74 75 36 46 | +33 9 74 75 36 46 | Mon to Fri, 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m.; often busy |
| Impôts (tax) | Income tax, tax return, payments | 0809 401 401 | Not listed | Mon to Fri, 8:30 a.m. to 7 p.m. |
| France Travail | Job seekers, unemployment benefits | 3949 | +33 1 77 86 39 49 | Advisers during local agency hours |
| Allô Service Public | General questions on rights and procedures (no access to your file) | 3939 | +33 1 73 60 39 39 (from a landline) | Mon and Thu 8:30 a.m. to 6:15 p.m., Tue and Wed 8:30 a.m. to 1 p.m., Fri 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. |
| CAF | Family and housing benefits | 3230 | Check your CAF's page | Varies by local CAF |
Préfectures have no single national number. Most handle residence permits online through the ANEF portal and give appointments through their own website, so start there and keep the phone for questions the website can't answer. The CAF also publishes contact details per département on caf.fr.
Four-digit numbers such as 3939, 3646, 3949 and 34 00 are French short numbers. France's telecoms regulator notes that short numbers may not be reachable from outside France, which is why each service publishes a separate long number for callers abroad. Numbers starting with 09 and 0806 to 0809 are charged at the normal rate, not as premium numbers.
2. What to Have Ready Before You Call
- Your file number: numéro de dossier (ANTS, préfecture), numéro allocataire (CAF), numéro de sécurité sociale (health insurance) or numéro fiscal (tax). Agents can't help much without it.
- One sentence on what you need, for example "I applied to exchange my driving licence in March and I have no update."
- The spelling of your name as it appears on your French documents.
- Dates: when you applied, when you received a letter, your appointment date.
- An email address, so you can ask them to send the answer in writing.
3. How to Call a French Office With Live Translation
- Open LiveLingo on your iPhone or Android phone, or the Call tab of the web app on a computer.
- Verify your own phone number once with an SMS code.
- Choose French as the language the other person speaks.
- Enter the office's full number. French numbers have 9 digits after +33, so dial the long form (for example +33 9 70 83 07 07 for ANTS), not a 4-digit short number.
- When the call connects, the office hears: "Bonjour, c'est un appel traduit de [your name] via LiveLingo. Répondez après chaque traduction." (Hello, this is a translated call from [your name] via LiveLingo. Please answer after each translation.)
- Speak English and pause after each sentence. The agent hears your voice, then the French translation. Their answer comes back to you in English.
Phone menus: most of these lines start with an automated menu ("tapez 1", press 1). The menu is translated for you, and you press the number on the in-call keypad in the LiveLingo app or web app. More tips in our guide to getting through phone menus in another language.
Hold time counts. Waiting on hold uses your call minutes, so call when the line opens, when queues are shortest. Calls to France use the higher rate: up to 60 minutes a month on Pro+ ($29.99 per month), and up to 30 minutes per call. Pro includes one 3-minute trial call.
4. Tips That Make the Call Go Better
- Say a translator is on the line. The greeting does this, but repeating it ("I'm using a translator, thank you for your patience") helps. Agents are usually patient once they know.
- Read numbers slowly, in small groups. French speakers say phone numbers in pairs (09 70 83 07 07 is read as zero-nine, seventy, eighty-three, zero-seven, zero-seven). Reading your file number in pairs or single digits avoids confusion.
- Ask for it in writing. Ask the agent to confirm by email or letter, or to tell you which page of the website to use.
- Write down the agent's answer and the date of the call, in case you need to call again.
- If you get voicemail, leave your name, file number and phone number, and say each number twice. Your message is translated the same way.
5. A Few French Phrases Worth Knowing
| French | English |
|---|---|
| Bonjour, je vous appelle au sujet de mon dossier. | Hello, I'm calling about my file. |
| Mon numéro de dossier est... | My file number is... |
| Pouvez-vous répéter, s'il vous plaît ? | Could you repeat that, please? |
| Pouvez-vous me l'envoyer par e-mail ? | Could you send it to me by email? |
| J'utilise un traducteur, merci de votre patience. | I'm using a translator, thank you for your patience. |
| Merci, bonne journée. | Thank you, have a good day. |
Even with a translator on the line, opening and closing with a few words of French makes a good impression. Our guide to expat language barrier solutions covers the rest of life abroad.
6. Frequently Asked Questions
Can I call a French préfecture in English?
Préfectures generally answer in French and have no national phone number; most handle residence permits online through the ANEF portal and book appointments on their own website. To speak to an agent, call with a translated call app like LiveLingo: you speak English and the agent hears French.
Is there an English-speaking line for French health insurance?
Yes. Assurance Maladie answers in English on 09 74 75 36 46 from France or +33 9 74 75 36 46 from abroad, Monday to Friday from 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. The line is often busy, so try early.
Why can't I call 3939 or 3646 from abroad?
Four-digit numbers are French short numbers that may not be reachable from outside France. Use the long numbers instead: +33 1 73 60 39 39 for Allô Service Public (from a landline) and +33 1 84 90 36 46 for Assurance Maladie.
How do I contact ANTS about my driving licence?
Driving licence exchanges are requested online on the ANTS website. For questions, call 34 00 from France or +33 9 70 83 07 07 from abroad, Monday to Friday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., or use the ANTS contact form.
Can a translated call get through the phone menu?
Yes. The automated menu is translated for you, and you press the number on the in-call keypad in the LiveLingo app or web app.
How much does it cost to call France with LiveLingo?
Translated calls are part of Pro+ at $29.99 per month. Calls to France use the higher rate, up to 60 minutes a month, with up to 30 minutes per call. Your own phone plan isn't charged for an international call, because the app connects over the internet.
French paperwork is hard enough without a language barrier on the phone. Make the call with LiveLingo: you speak English, they hear French.