Formalities to consider when moving to France
European Union citizens do not require a visa to come to France to live, just a passport or identity card. They also no longer need the carte de séjour residence permit.
Citizens of some other countries require both visa and carte de séjour. Residency requirements for non-EU citizens are more strict and, in some cases, a long-term visa has to be applied for at the French consulate in the country of departure.
Anothing essential document for many people is a driving licence. A valid UK or other EU licence (permis de conduire) is acceptable, provided it covers the class of vehicle you wish to drive.
In the full Moving to France helpguide, we explain:
- How to apply for a carte de séjour and visa
- Importing your possessions
- Car insurance and registrations
- Driving licences
- Business and work permits
Download the guide as a PDF now from this link
…or ask a question about this topic in the comment box below.
You say that a Driving Licence is necessary but NOBODY mentions that after six months of actually living in France, you must change your UK one for a French one, otherwise you can get a 90 euro fine….
Perhaps you can mention this.
Also, perhaps you can warn people who intend on trying to find some “part-time” work, that the notion barely exists in France and that anybody wanting to work here really needs perfect French – both spoken and written in order to hold a job down.
Thank you.
[Reply]
Any advice for changing your status? I’m from the United States and have been living in france for 3 years under a student Carte de Sejour, i have been taking french lessons at the sorbonne (certificate program). I have been working as a tour guide and a fine art photographer, i don’t have a work contract but am registered as an L’auto-entrepreneur. I am trying to use my Auto-entrepreneur status to change my student CDS (carte de sejour) into a worker CDS to work on a photography book project about Paris. Although I have heard that it is possible, I can’t see to find any information on it. and I should mention that I live in the 93 just outside of Paris.
Thanks,
-S
[Reply]
We are Australian citizens who have bought a holiday home in France last year. Although I have dual EU and Australian nationality, my partner doesn’t. We come to France 5 months each year to stay in our property which is not a problem for me but my partner can only get a 3 month visa and has to get an additional longer stay visa. This is obtained in our home town in Sydney Australia for 100 Euros for the carte de sejour. However when we get to France we have to send a form (given at the time of the sejour issue) to the office of immigration who then arrange for her to go to Bordeaux (our nrarest OFII office) 2 hrs away for an interview to validate the visa including a complete medical at a cost of an additional 400 Euros. Apparantly this has to be done every year for our stay of longer than 3 months.
We are told that this is EU regulations but we know of a number of Australians because of this problem are now purchasing homes in Italy where they can obtain an extension visa with much simpler formalities and less cost than moving to France.
Why does this procedure have to be repeated every year particularly the medical examination? Is it not possible to get this done by our doctor in Australia? rather than having to travel all the way to Bordeaux each year.
[Reply]
Moving to France editor Reply:
January 25th, 2012 at 4:45 pm
Hello,
We’d need to know more about your situation – your work and national insurance contributions, both past and present, for both of you. You say your husband will be “working abroad (not France)”. Can you be more specific? Will you be permanently resident in France and from what date?
[Reply]
Mike Reply:
February 7th, 2012 at 7:57 pm
The annual medical isn’t required, but it won’t surprise me if the consulate has told you that. Your partner have to have a medical test (primarily for TB) in order to get a carte de sejour sticker added to the visa stamp in the passport. This will all be done in a single half-day visit. Until that is done the visa is incomplete and cannot be extended. In particular you can’t travel to other Schengen countries while the visa is thus incomplete.
Having coming from Australia 18 months ago I’ve found the advice from the consulate to be patchy and sometimes out of date (especially on the above issue). Also the “requirements” vary from consulate to consulate, even from within a single country. That is to say what are “requirements” are often not what the consulate says. They will be French regulations not EU regulations in any case.
French bureaux will ask for paperwork above and beyond what is needed by France, but then you will have to get used to that everywhere once you are in France. You can’t seal any deal without sacrificing a few trees for printer paper here :-(.
[Reply]
Have you published a guide on closing a SARL business, the tax implications etc..
Also a guide to selling a property bought under an SCI ? The implications for residents in France and also non residents who are part owners of the property.
Many thanks in anticipation
Helen Anderson
[Reply]
Moving to France editor Reply:
January 11th, 2012 at 10:38 am
Hello Helen,
You’ll find a helpguide on all things SCI at this link – http://www.connexionfrance.com/expatriate-information-sheets.php (scroll down to near the bottom: “Buying Property in France – the SCI option”).
We have not done anything on closing a business yet – but I’ve logged your request and we might be able to write something on this subject shortly.
[Reply]
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