As part of the Welcome Desk Paris, the Cité Internationale Universitaire de Paris offers Live Facebook meetings to answer your questions, with the help of its acc&ss Paris Centre service and partner organizations of the Welcome Desk Paris. On Thursday October 10th, 2020, during a Facebook live on the Facebook page of the Cité internationale universitaire de Paris, two advisers from the Caf de Paris joined forces with the Paris-Ile-de-France access teams to answer the most common questions from the international students and researchers on the procedures related to their request for housing benefits. You can review this Live Facebook online (translations into English available)

Selection of questions asked in this Live Facebook with CAF

• How can I fill an online CAF application ?
• Do I have to work to get the CAF allowance ?
• I’m a student and I work on the side. Can I get the CAF allowance ?
• What income should I declare?
• Can I get an inspection from the CAF ?
• I was getting the CAF allowance during the academic year 2019-2020. I’m keeping the same apartment for the academic year 2020-2021. I went back to my country for summer vacation. What should I do to keep getting the CAF allowance ?
• At the beginning of the CAF application, you are asked « You are a student (except trainee, apprentice, work/study training program « en alternance ». What does it mean ?
• I still haven’t got my login and password whereas I did my CAF application last week. Is it normal ?
• I can’t upload my documents. How can I send my documents to the CAF ?
• I am a student, and I am under the « chômage partiel » measure. Should I declare it to the CAF ?
• I benefited from the exceptionnal solidarity aid. Should I declare it to the CAF ?
• I received a mail or a text message from the CAF. How can i be sure it’s not a fraud ?
• I have a hearing disability, how can i contact the CAF ?
• I can’t pay my rent. What should i do ?

What is CAF?

The Family Allowance Fund: the Family branch of Social Security

The Family Allowance Fund (CAF) is the “family” branch of Social Security. A CAF is a private law body responsible for paying individuals allowances, based on family or social criteria. The CAF also provides services to local communities and associations, to encourage them to develop services adapted to the needs of families (nurseries, leisure centers, actions to support parenthood, animation of social life, etc.). There is about one CAF in each département. The missions of the CAF concern four main fields:

• the early childhood,
• children and youth,
• housing and quality life
• solidarity and social inclusion.

CAF allowances

CAF pays a number of benefits to help families and / or people with low income, in particular:

• in the case of birth, adoption, or childcare expenses,
• for families with 2 or more children (family allowances or family supplement),
• a back-to-school allowance,
• housing benefits (APL, ALS, ALF, relocation bonus, housing improvement loan),
• assistance to the single or separated parent,
• disabled child education allowance, allowance for disabled adults,
• Integration benefits (RSA, activity bonus).

Depending on your situation, you may be entitled to certain benefits. Do not hesitate to check the pages of the CAF to learn more about your rights.