How to Move to France
Contact the French Consulate or the French Embassy in your area., Submit your visa application., Wait for your visa., Find a job.
Step-by-Step Guide
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Step 1: Contact the French Consulate or the French Embassy in your area.
You will need to request paperwork for the type of French visa that you wish to apply for.
You’ll probably want to start off by browsing the French embassy’s website so that you can ask informed questions when you talk to the embassy officials.Most countries have French embassies where you can direct your questions.
If you live in a larger country, like the United States, each region will have its own embassy.
For example, the French Embassy in Atlanta, Georgia, covers US residents from the following states:
Georgia, Alabama, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, and Tennessee.Unless you are a European Union citizen, the first step for a move to France will generally be to request a tourist visa.
This type of visa will allow you to stay in France for up to one year.
When the tourist visa expires, you will be allowed to apply for a one-year permit and renew that yearly.
After one year you will be required to pay French income taxes and will need to obtain a French driver’s license if you wish to drive.
If you are already a citizen of a country in the European Union, you don’t need a visa to move to France.
EU citizens have the right to live and work in any country in the Union. -
Step 2: Submit your visa application.
If allowed, mail the completed visa paperwork to the French Consulate closest to the city where you live.
If you aren’t allowed to submit your application by mail, you will need to make an appointment at the embassy to appear in person.Applications may include one or more passport photos, an application fee, a completed and signed visa application form, proof of health insurance, proof of financial support, any other requested documents, and your original passport.
Retain at least one personal copy of all paperwork that you fill out in connection with your move to France, as you may need to provide this as identification later. , The embassy will either notify you that you visa is ready to be picked up in person, or they may send it to you in a prepaid shipping envelope if you supplied one.Your visa will be an official sticker on one of the pages of your passport. , When you arrive in France, you’ll need to start working.
This means that you should either start looking for a job before you leave, or try to find one as soon as you arrive.
Either way, you’ll need to provide a résumé and cover letter in French to potential employers.
These have to be adapted to local standards, which can be different from your own country.Start surfing the internet to find some examples of what professional résumés look like.
Whether you want to do it yourself or ask a professional to do it for you, you can review the different options online.
If you don’t speak French, you could consider looking for a job as a tutor in your native language or as an au pair for a French family. -
Step 3: Wait for your visa.
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Step 4: Find a job.
Detailed Guide
You will need to request paperwork for the type of French visa that you wish to apply for.
You’ll probably want to start off by browsing the French embassy’s website so that you can ask informed questions when you talk to the embassy officials.Most countries have French embassies where you can direct your questions.
If you live in a larger country, like the United States, each region will have its own embassy.
For example, the French Embassy in Atlanta, Georgia, covers US residents from the following states:
Georgia, Alabama, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, and Tennessee.Unless you are a European Union citizen, the first step for a move to France will generally be to request a tourist visa.
This type of visa will allow you to stay in France for up to one year.
When the tourist visa expires, you will be allowed to apply for a one-year permit and renew that yearly.
After one year you will be required to pay French income taxes and will need to obtain a French driver’s license if you wish to drive.
If you are already a citizen of a country in the European Union, you don’t need a visa to move to France.
EU citizens have the right to live and work in any country in the Union.
If allowed, mail the completed visa paperwork to the French Consulate closest to the city where you live.
If you aren’t allowed to submit your application by mail, you will need to make an appointment at the embassy to appear in person.Applications may include one or more passport photos, an application fee, a completed and signed visa application form, proof of health insurance, proof of financial support, any other requested documents, and your original passport.
Retain at least one personal copy of all paperwork that you fill out in connection with your move to France, as you may need to provide this as identification later. , The embassy will either notify you that you visa is ready to be picked up in person, or they may send it to you in a prepaid shipping envelope if you supplied one.Your visa will be an official sticker on one of the pages of your passport. , When you arrive in France, you’ll need to start working.
This means that you should either start looking for a job before you leave, or try to find one as soon as you arrive.
Either way, you’ll need to provide a résumé and cover letter in French to potential employers.
These have to be adapted to local standards, which can be different from your own country.Start surfing the internet to find some examples of what professional résumés look like.
Whether you want to do it yourself or ask a professional to do it for you, you can review the different options online.
If you don’t speak French, you could consider looking for a job as a tutor in your native language or as an au pair for a French family.
About the Author
Amy Morgan
A passionate writer with expertise in creative arts topics. Loves sharing practical knowledge.
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