Insurance
In accordance with the CERN Staff Rules and Regulations, your social insurance cover is the responsibility of your employer or of the educational institution at which you are normally enrolled.
If you do not have this kind of insurance covering you in both Switzerland and France, you are under the strict obligation to take the necessary measures to safeguard yourself against the economic consequences of illness, accidents and disability throughout your stay at CERN. This obligation also applies to any family members who may be accompanying you. In particular, kindly note that:
- as regards the economic consequences of illness and accidents, upon your arrival at CERN you have the possibility of joining CERN's mutual health insurance scheme (CHIS), at your own expense, for which purpose you are invited to contact the scheme's administrator, UNIQA;
- as regards the economic consequences of disability, you are invited to contact a competent body in your own country;
- at the time of completing the CERN arrival formalities at the latest, you will be required to supply proof of insurance for yourself and any family members accompanying you.
Visa
Given that the Organization is located on the border between France and Switzerland, we strongly recommend that you contact the relevant consulates for information on the entry conditions applicable to you in these two countries, specifying the duration and nature of your work at CERN. Where appropriate, you are invited to take the necessary steps to obtain the requisite documents, in particular Swiss and/or French visas of the multiple-entry type.
For Switzerland: make your visa application at the Swiss consulate competent for your usual place of residence, presenting the invitation letter.
For France: make your visa application at the French consulate competent for your usual place of residence as soon as you receive this letter, referring to the Note verbale sent by CERN (to be requested if needed) to the French Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the agreement sent by the latter to the aforementioned consulate in your favour, in accordance with Article XI § 2 of the Status Agreement between CERN and France on 13 September 1965, as amended on 16 June 1972.
