Expat Abroad · France

Living in France.

9 practical guides for Americans living in France, grouped by topic. Each one lists the official sources it is based on.

France

Arrival and immigration

Departure hall of Terminal 2E at Paris Charles de Gaulle Airport with its curved wooden ceiling

Arrival and immigration · 5 min read

Entering France on a US passport: the 90/180 rule, EES and ETIAS

What a US passport gets you at the French border: the Schengen 90 in 180 day limit, passport validity rules, the EES biometric record and ETIAS.

France

Documents and ID

Long arched walkway beneath the Pont de Bercy in Paris

Documents and ID · 5 min read

Getting a French tax number (numero fiscal) as an American

How US citizens in France get the 13-digit numero fiscal, why the first income return must go on paper, and how to open the online tax space afterwards.

The Hotel de Ville, Paris city hall, seen across its square

Documents and ID · 5 min read

Your first three months in France: validating the VLS-TS and OFII

The steps US citizens take after landing in France on a long-stay visa: online VLS-TS validation, the fee, the foreigner number, OFII calls and renewal timing.

France

Health

The American Hospital of Paris in Neuilly-sur-Seine

Health · 5 min read

How French healthcare works for Americans who move there

A guide for US citizens to French public health insurance: PUMa eligibility, the family doctor system, reimbursement rates, the 2 euro charge and top-up cover.

France

Housing

Haussmann apartment buildings on Place Saint-Michel in Paris

Housing · 5 min read

Renting a home in France: leases, deposits and notice rules

French leases for US citizens: furnished or unfurnished terms, deposit caps, notice periods, the mobility lease and what a landlord may ask for.

France

Money

The Seine and the Conciergerie in Paris at night

Money · 6 min read

Cost of living in France for Americans: the official benchmarks

Use France's own figures to budget a move: the minimum wage, visa resource floors, inflation, Paris transit passes, regulated power prices and rent caps.

The Seine and Grand Palais seen from a Paris riverbank

Money · 6 min read

Opening a French bank account as a US citizen

What French banks ask Americans for, why FATCA makes some hesitate, and how the Banque de France right-to-an-account procedure works if you are refused.

France

US taxes and admin

Pont Royal and the Musee d'Orsay on the Seine in Paris at dusk

US taxes and admin · 5 min read

US Social Security and French pensions: the US-France agreement

How the US-France totalization agreement prevents double social security taxes, which certificate you need, and how US and French credits combine for a pension.

France

Visas and residency

The Prefecture de Police building on the Ile de la Cite in Paris, with traffic and pedestrians on the street in front

Visas and residency · 7 min read

Moving to France from the US: which visa or residence route fits

How US citizens choose between France's visitor, Talent, student and employee routes, what each allows, and which ones start at a consulate in the US.