France is an attractive prospect for Britons looking to move abroad. Varied, beautiful landscapes; delicious cuisine; cheap house prices and proximity to the UK, there are many pull factors that draw expats in.
Janine Marsh is one of many Britons who has decided to swap their UK life for a life in France. Since relocating from Beckenham, London to Nord-Pas-de-Calais, France she has fallen in love with her new life. She spoke exclusively to GB News about her move to France, revealing that she has 52 pets and pays for beer at the local bar with her chickens’ eggs.
Recently, Janine spoke to GB News about rural living, admitting that she “could never live in a city again”.
And this time, the expat revealed the mistakes Britons should avoid if they are moving to France. As a self-confessed Francophile and editor of The Good Life France – a one-stop shop for all things France – Janine has provided a word of warning for anyone considering the move.
According to the expert, for a “smooth transition”, it’s important to consider visas, paperwork, language and removals.
There are lots of things Britons need to consider before making the move to France
GETTY IMAGES
Visas
Janine said: “British citizens need a visa to remain in Europe for more than 90 days out of 180 days, so if you’re moving to France, the first mistake to avoid is thinking you can leave the application until a few weeks before your move.
“You should apply at least three months before you want to go so that you have plenty of time to sort it out and deal with any requests for additional paperwork, etc.”
She warned: “Up to one in five applications fail because people have ticked the wrong box, don’t have the right type of insurance needed or apply for the wrong visa. If you do pick the wrong type of visa, you’ll have to start all over again.”
Paperwork
Janine said: “Another mistake to avoid is scrambling to get the right paperwork together to apply for almost everything from a residents card to registering for healthcare,” the expat warned Britons.
“Get a dossier of paperwork together before you go; it should include all important certificates and licences for instance (and not limited to):
- Proof of property purchase in France or rental agreement
- Birth certificate with parental affiliation
- Marriage certificate
- Driving licence
- Diplomas if you’re thinking of setting up a business
- Proof of purchase of home in France/proof of residency
- UK Bank statements for the last 12 months and proof of income.
“Have this paperwork handy so you can send paperwork off as requested and be ready to answer any questions you receive from the authorities.
“And keep a copy of everything – you may need to send originals to some administration departments.
“If you have any health issues, get copies of your file, medication etc, it will save you time down the line.
“French healthcare is excellent but they don’t have access to your records and for some people, making sure their healthcare specialist has knowledge of their health issues is really important.”
Language
While many people in France will be able to speak some English, learning the language is a must if you’re looking to relocate. You’ll make friends more easily, find it much easier to navigate your new home, and it will help massively with bureaucracy – but most importantly, now it’s a requirement of the moving process.
Janine advised Britons: “Learn the language. That’s no secret – it’s what everyone says – but when you’re trying to sort out moving to France, applying for visas, packing, sorting out selling your house, redirecting the post, dozens of things on the to-do list, often the need to learn French gets pushed down to the bottom of that long list.
“It’s not the worst thing to move here with just a little bit of French if you’re going to have time to learn when you’re here so you can get up to speed. It’s not just about making new friends and making the most of your new life in France, it really is necessary.
“The French government recently passed a law that those applying for a residence card, which you apply for when you arrive in France on a visa, will need to pass a basic language test (there are some exceptions but not that many). So don’t make the mistake of leaving this to last, especially if – like me – you’re not someone who finds learning a new language easy.”
Removals
The France expert advised: “Since Brexit, it’s been necessary to declare the value of your belongings when you bring them to France, and some items may incur customs duty.
“Don’t feel like you have to take absolutely everything with you, and try to avoid buying new furniture or appliances to take with you.
“Generally if items are over 12 months old you don’t pay duty. The rules are not straightforward so do your homework in advance to understand what’s needed – from creating an inventory to knowing values, and, where necessary, for high-value items having a receipt to prove they’re not new.
“This is a worst-case scenario and many removal companies are well used to dealing with what’s required and can help.”
LATEST DEVELOPMENTS
‘The first mistake to avoid is thinking you can leave the application until a few weeks before your move’
GETTY IMAGES
Research
When you’re moving abroad, you can never do too much research. Janine said: “Don’t get caught out by not knowing how France’s financial rules might affect you – for instance, inheritance rules.
“It’s complicated but suffice to say that in France, unlike in the UK, you won’t find it easy to leave assets to whoever you want.
“It’s essential to do your research and get good advice. But it’s not always easy to know where to start.
“One of the best resources to find out as much as you can about moving to France in advance from property searches to visas, finance, legal advice and more is The French Property Show, held twice a year in the UK. There are loads of experts on hand to answer all your questions and they have free seminars.”
