Moving to France from another country can be a challenge, but add into the equation a move from a non-EU country and it can be a truly daunting prospect when it comes to the administration and paperwork that is required to make the transition.
There are so many aspects to think about when moving to France. You’ll need a visa, and there are several types you can apply for depending on your project. You’ll need to apply for a residency card – at the right time. Get a bank account. Set up an account in the tax system – it doesn’t matter if you’re not working, you still need to do this. You’ll need to apply for health care coverage. You might need to apply for childcare benefits. You may need to exchange your driving licence. If you are thinking of a business, you may need support with its creation and getting your declarations made in a timely manner, or you may even wish to register your car. You might need to attend a meeting with one of more local authorities, namely the prefecture for your residency cards and the tax office.
It can take months of applications, filling in forms, sending repeated documents and possibly interviews. And yes, it’s totally worth it but a helping hand can make the whole process easier, less stressful, and quicker to complete. LBS in France is one of the best hand holder companies with lots of experience and services to help you every step of the way to make your move to France smooth, seamless and to enhance the speed you transition.
Created in 2012 by British expat Tracy Leonetti, LBS in France helps with all aspects of moving to France. They can help with specific requirements from reviewing and your project via a one-on-one consultation to give you clarity on your whole relocation project and answer those important questions. They can manage your initial visa application to ensure you can get into France, health care, business, and residency card renewal applications and even attend important prefecture meetings with you. LBS in France are aware that everyone has a different need and budget for their relocation. Some people want a little bit of help, some people want a lot of help, and some want a full-service relocation service for their first year in France from help with finding and buying their property to help with enrolling the kids in school.
This is why in 2015 LBS in France set up the Serenity Club following feedback from clients who wanted support on a more regular basis. With different levels of support, monthly membership of the Serenity Club takes away the pain and frustration of paperwork in France, helps you get settled, and helps you with all aspects of the move including business training, management and VAT and tax assistance for those in enrolled in her Serenity Entrepreneur Club.
Visas & residency renewals
If you want to stay more than 90 days out of 180 days in France (and you’re from outside the EU), you’ll need a visa. If you want to move to France (non-EU), you’ll need a visa. And there are more than a dozen different types of visa from short-stay to long stay, visas for retirees, student, small business owners, and more. It’s critical to apply for the correct visa and essential to ensure the right paperwork is filed with the application, and the forms are filled in 100% error-free. Only after the visa is granted and you’ve spent time in France can you apply for a residency card. And you may need to renew it regularly. LBS in France offer a checking service, a compilation service, or a completion service for peace of mind. As Tracy Leonetti says, ‘when you invest so much of your time, money and energy into your move to France, you want to get the paperwork right the first time’.
Healthcare & Carte Vitale
You need to apply for the Carte Vitale to access state health care. The time taken from application to receipt can vary from department to department, even from town to town – six months is considered an excellent rate good result, but it can take a lot longer, especially if you don’t complete the paperwork correctly. Backlogs in dealing with the files are common. English language documents may need to be officially translated into French and having someone follow up for status reports and chase up for replies, really makes a difference. You may also be required to attend a phone, or in-person, interview and if you don’t speak great French, it can cause further delays. LBS in France offer several levels of service to help you get your healthcare sorted as quickly and smoothly as possible. More importantly they follow through right until receipt of your carte vitale.
Business creation & management
It’s relatively simply to operate a small business in France, whether you’re a one man/woman band, running a gite or B&B, shop, or service. Setting up does require a bit of patience, and it’s hard to know all the steps required as they all seem to run on different systems, managed by different authorities. The first hurdle is to choose the right code for what sort of business you are – there are literally hundreds of codes. You may need a permit. You might need to prove your qualifications or to pass a test. You’ll need to set up to pay monthly or quarterly social contributions in one system, annual social contributions in another system, tax in another system – and the required filing date varies in France according to where you’re based.
Sometimes there are glitches, payments aren’t taken, fines can be issued (usually for late payment), and you may need to provide more paperwork. When you’re trying to start a new business, or focussed on running your business, having someone to help you with the paperwork, fill in the forms, remind you what needs doing and when, and making you aware of any help you might be entitled to, can make a huge difference to your stress levels and your business’s success. LBS in France are experts when it comes to supporting small businesses and can help with all aspects – from choosing a code to filling in tax statements.
If you’d like help with your move to France contact LBS in France, they offer a free 15 minute assessment consultation, at: lbsinfrance.com or reach out to tracy@lbsinfrance.com
