Moving to France

I loved living in France and would suggest it to anyone. At the same time, it was also nerve wrecking since it is something so new. Hopefully, if this is something you are thinking about, you can take something away that will help you on your journey and make the transition easier. I promise you, it is worth taking the leap.

1) Make sure you have a job lined up before you go because your oversees employer will be the way for you to receive your extended visa to stay there longer than 90 days. You must get this visa in the U.S. BEFORE you leave. Once you receive the letter that you are hired, you can then apply for your visa from the French Embassy. You must also have a passport before receiving your visa. For more information, go to the U.S. Department of State site: travel.state.gov

With your passport and visa, you can then enter into France. Once in France, you must apply for a carte de sejour (residency permit) within 3 months of your arrival at the "Préfecture" or "Commissariat de Police" (Police Station). Present your passport, proof of employment, and identification documents. Your employer should help you with this. For more information, please go to www.infomobil.org

Note: It is VERY difficult to find a job once you're there since the employer must first prove that they looked for Europeans and none qualified to fill the position.


2) Looking for an apartment can be a daunting task. Sometimes your employer will help you find an apartment, or have apartments for you to use. This is not often the case. If you need to find your own apartment, the best bet is to wait until you get to the city where you will live since most landlords like to meet the tenants before signing a contract. Every morning, pick up the local paper and look for the rental listings. Once you find ones that you would like to look at, begin to call immediately and set an appointment. Rental properties go very quickly, which is the reason it is very tough to find an apartment from the States.

Documents to have on hand:

It is a little more difficult to rent an apartment being a foreigner. Most landlords require proof of employment (where you are making at least 3 times the rent) and a bank account to hold the apartment. The catch 22 is...the bank usually requires proof of an address in order to open an account. You can negotiate around this by having as many as the listed documents below as you can:

• Your residence permit (VISA) and passport
• Your last tax returns (if you are dependent, then ask your parents if they would be willing to make copies of theirs- if they are the co-signers on the apartment, expect the landlord to ask for them)
• Recent pay slips (preferably the last three months) or other proof of income, such as an employment contract.
• A bank statement or your French bank account information, if you can get it.
• A letter from your parents or another guarantor. If you have friends or family who live in Europe, ask them to be your guarantor. It is much easier than having your parents who live in the US sign for you. Even better, have both options open.

Things to keep in mind:

• If you do not have a car, pay attention to where to nearest grocery store and laundry mat are since you will most likely be walking. Groceries and laundry can get heavy...
• Get all your fees up front including the loyer (rent), taxes, utilities, and any dditional fees. This way you know exactly how much you will pay each month
• Bring cash or a checkbook to let the landlord know you are serious and willing to put a down-payment to hold the apartment