Residence and citizenship in France If you are staying in France for more than three months, you will need a residence permit (carte de séjour).
Citizens from the EU, EEA, Andorra, Monaco, San Marino, Switzerland, or the Vatican won't need a residence permit to live in France. On the other hand, non-Europeans who need to live in France for more than 3 months must apply for a VLS-TS long-stay visa or a French residence permit to live in France.
Once you have bought your dream home in France If you would like to relocate to France or visit for longer than 90 days you will require a visa, which is easy to obtain once you are the owner of a French property. You may wish to apply for a Long stay visa valid for residence (VLS-TS).
For any stay in France exceeding 90 days, you are required to apply in advance for a long-stay vis. In this instance your nationality does not exempt you from requirements. Whatever the duration of your planned stay, the duration of your long-stay visa must be between three months and one year.
Non-EU citizens who want to settle permanently in the French territory must apply for and obtain a d visa (long-stay visa). France issues different types of long-stay visas that you must obtain depending on the purpose of your entry to French territory.
If you are an Australian citizen or if you have lived in Australia for more than 3 months you can apply for a French visa. Residents in Fiji and Papua New Guinea must submit their application in their country of residence.
For a permanent retirement there you will require a Long Stay Visa (Visa de Long Séjour). You must apply before you move to France, via the French Consulate in London. There are various types of long stay visa. Most retirees opt for a Visa de Long Séjour valant Titre de Séjour – Visiteur (VLS-Visiteur).
In accordance with the existing agreements, Australian citizens may enter and stay in France without any visa for a period up to 90 days.
Purchasing a property in France does not automatically grant non-EU citizens permanent residency. They must apply for a long-term visa or residence permit, fulfilling requirements such as proving sufficient financial resources and having health insurance coverage.
The Schengen law states that you can't stay in the Schengen Area for more than 90 days. If you do, you're subject to a fine and possibly deportation and being banned from re-entering the Schengen Area. How that rule is enforced, though, varies greatly from one country to another.
The minimum monthly earnings requirements has therefore increased from nothing to €1,329 net income per month for a single person and around €2,658 net income per month for a couple. For a British family moving to France with 3 children, they will now have to show a gross annual income of around €60,000.
You can either live in France on a long stay visa or you can apply for French Nationality.
Proof of sufficient financial means for the period of stay in France. You must show evidence you possess the daily money amount of 120€ if holding no proof of prepaid accommodation.
Another option is the visitor visa. This visa allows you to live in France even though you don't have a French spouse, a job or plans to study. You'll need a letter explaining how you intend to spend your time in France, proof you can support yourself without work and proof of medical insurance.
Once you have lived in France permanently for at least five years, or when your temporary residence card expires the first time, you will be eligible to apply for a permanent residence permit. By living permanently, they mean that you spend at least 183 days per year in the country.
To stay long-term, you'll have to apply for a one-year French visa, which has the option for annual renewals. Depending on your circumstances, it can take anywhere from three to ten years to obtain permanent residency. At that point, you assume nearly all of the responsibilities of a French citizen.
Yes, there are no restrictions on foreigners buying property in France.
Therefore you don't need a French bank account until just before you close on the sale - 3 to 4 months after getting an accepted offer. A French account is necessary for direct debits for electricity, telephone, interenet and home insurance at a minimum.
You should apply for a long-term visa in your country from the French consulate and you will be granted a “carte de séjour visiteur”. You'll need to prove that you are financially able to live in France – a pension statement will suffice, bank statements showing savings etc.
Australian citizens will need a visa for a long-term stay in France. The best way to relocate is through your employer or through sponsorship from a family-member who already resides in France. Barring these options, contact your embassy in France to discuss your options.
Cost of living in France is 18% cheaper than in Australia.
What happens to my State Pension if I move abroad? As long as you've paid enough National Insurance, you can claim your State Pension while living abroad. The main difference is that if the State Pension increases, you may not benefit from the extra amount if you're living in certain countries.
Moving to France can be the adventure of a lifetime. But it's also a complicated process. To become an official resident of France, you'll have to complete quite a bit of paperwork, including a long-term visa application before you depart.
Level of pensions
People having retired in France receive on average €1,509 gross pension income a month (around €1,400 net). However, it increases to €1,537 net when the widower's pension is included, an amount estimated to represent on average 62.9% of the revenue of working class people in 2020.