How to Move to France
So, once you've made that radical, life-changing decision to leave your home country and move to France, it's in your interests to prepare all those things - well before your scheduled take off - which will go to make your landing in a relatively alien environment (even though France is not quite Mars) as smooth as possible. The limited space I have at my disposal here doesn't allow me to go much beyond very general indications, so it's up to you to fill in all the details. There's a wealth of valuable advice and information on Internet which you can access by googling €Moving to France'. And for finer, legal points you can always ask at your nearest French Embassy or Consulate.
As far as the physical move itself is concerned, there are a number of specialized international removers who will look after all aspects of your future removal, including pre-removal inspection, packing and insurance. All you have to do is contact them on Internet: they'll be only too happy to answer your questions as well as supply you with a free quote, often within 24 hours.
It's also vital that you look into visa, residency, and work permit requirements. These depend on your nationality, the reasons for, and intended duration of your stay, and in some cases your financial means. If you're an EU or Swiss citizen, entry requirements for you and your family members couldn't be more straightforward. All you need is a valid identity card or passport. So don't forget to renew these if they're due to expire in the near future. As an EU citizen you have the right to both salaried and non-salaried work, with the exception of some Civil Service posts, or professions subject to certain regulations (i.e. doctors, lawyers). Though not obligatory, you can apply for a carte de s©jour, a residency permit, at your local Pr©fecture when you arrive. This is probably a good idea as it could be used as proof of identity. French supermarkets and small shops ask for this when you pay by cheque.
If you're a non-EU national, visa and residency requirements are more complex. For one thing you'll have to apply for either a short or long stay visa prior to setting off. This is done at your nearest French Consulate or Embassy. If you intend to do paid work you'll have to obtain temporary work authorization beforehand. They'll give you full details of the documents you'll need to produce, the procedure to follow and any other information you may require. If you intend to stay longer than the 90 day duration of your short stay visa, you'll have to apply for a carte de s©jour at the Pr©fecture (or Sous-Pr©fecture) of your place of residence.
If you're a UK national you may be taking your home-bought and registered, right-hand drive car with you, so you'll have to make sure your insurance covers driving in France. And once you've settled down it might be a good idea to take out car insurance with a French-based company. If you envisage staying more than 183 days you have just one month to register your vehicle within the French system. As this is administratively quite complex, the best solution might be to make arrangements to sell it in England, and then buy either a brand new or used, left-hand drive car in France.
You'll also have to check the validity of your foreign-issued driving licence. This depends on your nationality. If you hold an EU-member state driving licence you're not now required to exchange your licence for a French one - though you can opt to do so. For non-EU nationals the situation is, once again, more complex, and depends on whether there's a reciprocal agreement between your country and France. Whatever the case, you'll fall into one of the two following categories: either you'll have to exchange your non-French driving licence for a French one within a period ranging from three to twelve months, or you won't be able to exchange it at all - in which case you'll have to take a full French driving test and probably a medical. So make sure you know which applies to you before you leave.
Apart from your driving licence, don't forget important documents such as your birth and marriage certificate, diplomas, professional qualifications, etc. Be aware that official procedures such as applying for a driving licence or a carte de s©jour require you to have these translated into French. This must always be carried out by an officially-certified translator. To save time you might consider having this done before you set off. Also bear in mind the fact that you may be asked to supply proof of your income so that you won't become a burden on the French social benefit system. This will take the form of bank account statements and/or salary pay slips. So you need to review your accounts as well as notify your banks of your future relocation. You might also consider opening online international bank accounts, as these make it easier to transfer and manage funds between countries.
It's also important that you address insurance issues. Whatever type of insurance you already have, you'll certainly need the same in France. Among these, the most important requirement is health insurance. Be aware that if you've resided for more than three months French law requires you to have health cover. As an EU national you're eligible for cover by the S©curit© Sociale, the public health system, but you'll have to register with the CPAM (Caisse Primaire d'Assurance Maladie). Do this as soon as possible. There should be an office near to where you plan to reside. They'll tell you what to do, and all the documents you need to provide. Among other things you'll need to prove your income, as your future contributions will be based on it. And before you go, don't forget to obtain your European Health Insurance Card (EHIC) which allows you to get state health care abroad at a reduced cost, or sometimes free. It will cover any treatment you may need before you're issued with a Carte Vitale, your French health card. It also covers you for pre-existing medical conditions and for routine maternity care, as long as you're not going to France specifically to give birth. If you're not an EU national you'll have to take out private health insurance with one of the many international companies who provide this type of cover.
If you're an EU national and intend taking Fido or Tabby with you, you'll be relieved to know that you can travel freely with your cat or dog as long as it has a European pet passport. This is available from any authorized vet in your home country, and must contain details of a valid anti-rabies vaccination. Your pet will also need an identification microchip. Non-EU nationals will need to check with their nearest French Embassy or Consulate. And if you don't intend taking your pet with you, allow enough time to find it a new home.
On a more general note, it will make your adaptation that much easier if you also research such things as the geography, history, economy, political system, climate (particularly of the region you're going to) of France as well as getting some idea of the cultural differences you're likely to encounter. And if you're going as a family with school-age children it's essential you check out details of schooling and the French education system.
And finally, do all you can to brush up on that rusty school French. You'll certainly need to have a survival level when you arrive as you won't be able to rely on your English to get you by. So why don't you enroll for some French lessons right now? And to improve your understanding of the spoken language you can always tune into French radio. Oh yes, I almost forgot. Don't forget to cancel your newspaper and magazine subscriptions, and make arrangements to ensure all mail will be forwarded to your new French address.
As far as the physical move itself is concerned, there are a number of specialized international removers who will look after all aspects of your future removal, including pre-removal inspection, packing and insurance. All you have to do is contact them on Internet: they'll be only too happy to answer your questions as well as supply you with a free quote, often within 24 hours.
It's also vital that you look into visa, residency, and work permit requirements. These depend on your nationality, the reasons for, and intended duration of your stay, and in some cases your financial means. If you're an EU or Swiss citizen, entry requirements for you and your family members couldn't be more straightforward. All you need is a valid identity card or passport. So don't forget to renew these if they're due to expire in the near future. As an EU citizen you have the right to both salaried and non-salaried work, with the exception of some Civil Service posts, or professions subject to certain regulations (i.e. doctors, lawyers). Though not obligatory, you can apply for a carte de s©jour, a residency permit, at your local Pr©fecture when you arrive. This is probably a good idea as it could be used as proof of identity. French supermarkets and small shops ask for this when you pay by cheque.
If you're a non-EU national, visa and residency requirements are more complex. For one thing you'll have to apply for either a short or long stay visa prior to setting off. This is done at your nearest French Consulate or Embassy. If you intend to do paid work you'll have to obtain temporary work authorization beforehand. They'll give you full details of the documents you'll need to produce, the procedure to follow and any other information you may require. If you intend to stay longer than the 90 day duration of your short stay visa, you'll have to apply for a carte de s©jour at the Pr©fecture (or Sous-Pr©fecture) of your place of residence.
If you're a UK national you may be taking your home-bought and registered, right-hand drive car with you, so you'll have to make sure your insurance covers driving in France. And once you've settled down it might be a good idea to take out car insurance with a French-based company. If you envisage staying more than 183 days you have just one month to register your vehicle within the French system. As this is administratively quite complex, the best solution might be to make arrangements to sell it in England, and then buy either a brand new or used, left-hand drive car in France.
You'll also have to check the validity of your foreign-issued driving licence. This depends on your nationality. If you hold an EU-member state driving licence you're not now required to exchange your licence for a French one - though you can opt to do so. For non-EU nationals the situation is, once again, more complex, and depends on whether there's a reciprocal agreement between your country and France. Whatever the case, you'll fall into one of the two following categories: either you'll have to exchange your non-French driving licence for a French one within a period ranging from three to twelve months, or you won't be able to exchange it at all - in which case you'll have to take a full French driving test and probably a medical. So make sure you know which applies to you before you leave.
Apart from your driving licence, don't forget important documents such as your birth and marriage certificate, diplomas, professional qualifications, etc. Be aware that official procedures such as applying for a driving licence or a carte de s©jour require you to have these translated into French. This must always be carried out by an officially-certified translator. To save time you might consider having this done before you set off. Also bear in mind the fact that you may be asked to supply proof of your income so that you won't become a burden on the French social benefit system. This will take the form of bank account statements and/or salary pay slips. So you need to review your accounts as well as notify your banks of your future relocation. You might also consider opening online international bank accounts, as these make it easier to transfer and manage funds between countries.
It's also important that you address insurance issues. Whatever type of insurance you already have, you'll certainly need the same in France. Among these, the most important requirement is health insurance. Be aware that if you've resided for more than three months French law requires you to have health cover. As an EU national you're eligible for cover by the S©curit© Sociale, the public health system, but you'll have to register with the CPAM (Caisse Primaire d'Assurance Maladie). Do this as soon as possible. There should be an office near to where you plan to reside. They'll tell you what to do, and all the documents you need to provide. Among other things you'll need to prove your income, as your future contributions will be based on it. And before you go, don't forget to obtain your European Health Insurance Card (EHIC) which allows you to get state health care abroad at a reduced cost, or sometimes free. It will cover any treatment you may need before you're issued with a Carte Vitale, your French health card. It also covers you for pre-existing medical conditions and for routine maternity care, as long as you're not going to France specifically to give birth. If you're not an EU national you'll have to take out private health insurance with one of the many international companies who provide this type of cover.
If you're an EU national and intend taking Fido or Tabby with you, you'll be relieved to know that you can travel freely with your cat or dog as long as it has a European pet passport. This is available from any authorized vet in your home country, and must contain details of a valid anti-rabies vaccination. Your pet will also need an identification microchip. Non-EU nationals will need to check with their nearest French Embassy or Consulate. And if you don't intend taking your pet with you, allow enough time to find it a new home.
On a more general note, it will make your adaptation that much easier if you also research such things as the geography, history, economy, political system, climate (particularly of the region you're going to) of France as well as getting some idea of the cultural differences you're likely to encounter. And if you're going as a family with school-age children it's essential you check out details of schooling and the French education system.
And finally, do all you can to brush up on that rusty school French. You'll certainly need to have a survival level when you arrive as you won't be able to rely on your English to get you by. So why don't you enroll for some French lessons right now? And to improve your understanding of the spoken language you can always tune into French radio. Oh yes, I almost forgot. Don't forget to cancel your newspaper and magazine subscriptions, and make arrangements to ensure all mail will be forwarded to your new French address.
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