The French Admin questions you should start asking now regarding the right to legally reside in France
If there is one thing that native born French and newcomers making their home in France agree on — it’s how much they hate the French bureaucracy.
The amount of paperwork, waiting, misplaced dossiers, and never-received notifications are the stuff of legends. This will NOT be your favorite part of moving to France. Buckle up, cultivate patience, and console yourself with the thought that it probably isn’t you (causing all the delays and miscommunication). That being said, there are a few big frameworks best thought about early in the process. You need to decide how, if, and when to approach the administrative tasks of being a legal resident in France.
These questions will matter:
- Do you plan to work in France?
- Do you plan to stay in France more than 90 days a year and if so, how will you plan to manage the stay legally?
- Once a resident, do you plan to enroll in the French healthcare system?
- How are your project management skills (specifically keeping track of paperwork, meeting deadlines, following through on communication with government authorities? And how’s your French?
- Do you prefer having a professional do your taxes or do you do them yourself?
- Do you have legal residency in any EU country?
We will discuss these questions in our next conversation so that you have a good idea as to how best to navigate the tasks ahead. Essentially, you will likely choose between hiring a relocation expert (We can recommend reputable ones.), doing it yourself, or something in between. The questions above will help you choose the right path for your particular set of circumstances. .