Living in France

Residency

Visas and visasresidency

YouCheck may want to check the entry requirements for France.

AfterBefore Brexit you can still apply for a European carte de séjour at your local préfecture under the current system, although it is not compulsory. With the extension of the Article 50 period, préfectures should continue to accept applications, give and honour appointments, and issue EU cartes de séjour to UK leavesnationals. If your residency application is refused or you think it has been handled incorrectly by your préfecture, please contact British Embassy Paris.

You should include:

• information about the EU,issue
• when therethe event took place
• which préfecture (département) it relates to

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After Brexit, whether you have obtained a European carte de séjour or not, all UK nationals resident in France will need to changeobtain youra registrationnew documenttype of residence permit relevant to their situation to claim their rights. This includes UK nationals waiting for French nationality and UK nationals married to or PACsed to (in a newcivil card.partnership with) French nationals.

If the UK leaves the EU with a deal, you will have until at least June 2021 to doapply this.for the new card. The agreement on citizens’ rights will allow UK nationals to stay in their Member State of residence after the UK leaves the EU.Brexit.

If the UK leaves the EU without a deal, UK nationals living in France on the day the UK leaves the EU will be given a grace period of one year to obtain their residence card. You will have six6 months from thethis day the UK leaves the EU to apply for your card and ayou yearwill to receive it.it before the end of 12 months from exit.

During this grace period, you will retain your right of residence, and associated work and social rights. European cartes de séjour that have already been issued will also remain valid.valid However,for whetherone oryear notfollowing exit. However, whether you holdhave obtained a European carte de séjour,séjour or not, you must apply for a residence card under the new system during the first six months of the grace period.

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• UK nationals who have been living in France for five years or more
• UK nationals who have been living in France for less than five years and fall under one of the below categories:
• Salariedsalaried worker with a Contrat à Durée Indéterminée (CDI)
• Salariedsalaried worker with a Contrat à Durée Déterminée (CDD)
• Self-self- employed
• Duringduring the last year have either graduated in France or worked for at least three months and are now looking for work or creating a business.business
• Studentsstudents
• Familyfamily members of BritishUK Nationalsnationals who qualify for one of the above categories
• UK nationals who have been living in France for less than five years but do not fulfil any of the above categories.categories

Applications for a residence card will cost €119.€119 if there’s no deal. UK nationals who have lived in France for at least five years and hold a permanent carte de séjour prior to Brexit will be able to exchange their card for the new card with reduced formalities once the new system is launched.

The French Ministry of Interior have detailed this information in an ordonnance and accompanying decree. You can read their question and answers on residency (in French). We have also provided a non-official English translation below.

The French Government will shortlyin due course be updating their Q&A and will communicate details of the application process. However, in anticipation of this, you should start to gather together relevant documentsdocuments(e.g. like bank statementsstatements), and household bills, to show you have been lawfully resident in France.

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Healthcare

You shouldmust ensureregister that you are correctly registered for healthcare as a resident in France, and if necessary, for health insurance. PleaseRead read the NHS guidance on who is able to access healthcare in France, and how to register.

If you are legally resident in France, you can get a French social security card for healthcare (carte vitale). To get a French social security card, you will need to register with your local Caisse Primaire d’Assurance Maladie (CPAM). They can tell you which documents they need for your registration. Top-up insurance cover (mutuelle) also exists to cover the cost of healthcare not covered by a Carte Vitale.

EHIC cards

If you are resident in France, you should not beuse using a European Health Insurance Card (EHIC) from the UK tofor access healthcare in France.

• You

  When mayyou usetravel anfrom EHICFrance tofor access state-provided healthcare during a temporary stay in another European Economic Area (EEA) country or Switzerland.

Switzerland, you can use an EHIC to access state-provided healthcare in that country. During that short stay:
• The EHIC covers treatment that is medically necessary until your planned return home.home
• Anan EHIC is not a replacement for comprehensive travel insurance.insurance
• Forfor more information you can read our travel advice page and advice on foreign travel insurance.

State healthcare — S1

If you live in France and receive an exportable UK pension, contribution-based Employment Support Allowance or another exportable benefit, you may currently be entitled to state healthcare paid for by the UK. You will need to apply for a certificate of entitlement known as an S1 certificate.

YouRead can read the NHS’sNHS guidance on France.

YouIf canyou are a student, read the NHS’sNHS guidance on healthcare and studying abroad.

You should check your prescriptions are legal in France.

You can find information on mental health in France.

Healthcare after the UK leaves the EUBrexit

If thethere UKis leaves the EU with a deal, your current rights on access to healthcare in France will remain the same until 31the Decemberend 2020,of the implementation period, as long as you remain a resident in France.

If thethere’s UKno leaves the EU without a deal, your access to healthcare is likely to change. If you are a permanent or temporary resident, you should review the status of your healthcare cover.

UnderFollowing new legislation, the French government has proposedindicated that if there’s no deal, UK pension holders with an S1 that are currentlyresident entitledin toFrance S1before healthcareBrexit will continue to be entitled to healthcare for up to 2 years.years on equal terms to local healthcare users. This is while arrangements are negotiated to provide similar agreements for French citizens.

Healthcare entitlements from employment in France should not be affected.

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YouRead shouldthe read theNHS NHS’s guidance on healthcare for UK nationals in France and how it may change after the UK leaves the EUBrexit.

Working in France

YouRead should read our guidance on working in another EU country.

YouTo apply for a job you may need to provide a:

• UK police certificate
• UK equivalent of a casier judiciare
• International Child Protection Certificate (ICPC) criminal records check from the ACRO Criminal Records Office to work with children

Working in France after the UK leaves the EUBrexit

If thethere UKis leaves the EU with a deal, your right to work will stay the same until the end of the implementation period.

If thethere’s UKno leaves without a deal, UK nationals living and working in France on the day the UK leaves the EU will keep their right to work for a period of one year whilst their application for a residence card is in process (see(read residency)our residency guidance). If you are living and working in France on the day the UK leaves the EU, this residence card will allow you to keep your right to work.

IfRead the guidance on providing services after Brexit if you’re planning to start a business, provide a service, or do a job in a regulated profession after the UK leaves the EU, further guidance can be found here.Brexit.

You can look at the French government’s website on working in France after the UK leaves the EU (in French).

Money and tax

The UK has a double-taxation agreement with France to ensure people do not pay tax on the same income in both countries.

YouRead should read the guidance about: *

• tax if you leave the UK to live abroad *
• tax on your UK income if you live abroad.
• * paying income tax in France by the European Union

WeYou recommendshould you get professional advice on paying tax in France. Find an English-speaking lawyer in France.

Declaration of assets

All residents must declare any assets held outside France, including bank accounts, securities, rights, insurance, annuities and property. This declaration is separate to the annual tax return.

National Insurance

YouFind mayout beif ableyou tocan pay National Insurance while abroad in order to protect your State Pension and entitlement to other benefits and allowances.

Money and tax after theBrexit

Brexit UKwill leavesnot thechange EU

Ifexisting thedouble taxation arrangements for UK leavesnationals living in France. You should direct individual taxpayer questions about double taxation to the EUrelevant withouttax aauthority.

If there’s no deal, it may become more expensive to use your UK bank card in France.

Read more about using a bank card, insurance or other financial service in the EU.

The UK leaving the European Union will not change existing double taxation arrangements for UK nationals living in France. You should direct individual taxpayer questions about double taxation to the relevant tax authority.

Pensions

You will need to tell the UK government offices that deal with your benefits, pension and tax if you are moving or retiring abroad.

If you retire in France, you can claim:

• your UK State Pension or new UK State Pension. Please contact the International PensionsPension Centre to claim.claim
• your French pension if you worked in France, by contacting your local pensions office (Caisse d’Assurance Retraite et Santé au Travail or CARSAT) – see CLEISS and Sécurité Sociale,
• pensions from abroad, if you’ve worked in other EU countries

You can read the French government’s guidance on French social security including pensions.

Life certificates for UK stateState pensionsPensions

If you get a ‘life certificate’ from the UK Pension Service, you need to respond as soon as possible - your payments may be suspended if you don’t. Or you can ask your local town hall (mairie) to fill in a French life certificate (certificat de vie) (in French) instead.

Pensions after the UK leaves the EUBrexit

The UK Governmentgovernment will continue to pay UKa stateState pensionsPension to those eligible in Francethe EU after theBrexit. UK’sYour exitUK fromState thePension EU.will Ifbe theuprated UKin leavesApril the2020, EU2021 withoutand a2022 deal,if you canlive readin the EU, EEA or Switzerland.

Read our guidance on pensions if there’s no deal.

If thethere UKis leaves the EU with a deal and you work and pay social security contributions in France, you will still be able to add your UK social security contributions towards your French pension. This will happen even if you claim your pension after the end of the implementation period.

Benefits

You may still be able to claim some UK benefits like child and disability benefits if you live in France. You can:

• read our guidance on which benefits you can claim if you live, move or travel abroad
• use our tool to check which benefits you can claim while abroad and how to claim them.them

IfMany you’re abroad for more than 4 weeks, many income-related benefits such as Pension Credit and Housing Benefit cannot be paid.paid if you’re abroad for more than 4 weeks.

You can request proof of the time you’ve worked in the UK from HMRC, if you are asked for this.

French unemployment benefit

For French unemployment benefits, you should:

• check if you’re eligible on the French government’s website
• contact Pôle Emploi (in French) to claim

French disability benefit

YouContact should contact the Maison Départementale des Personnes Handicapées (MDPH) (in French) about disability allowance – there are several disability allowances so it’s best to seek advice from them before applying.

French family allowance

To apply for child allowance, family income support, single-parent allowance or housing allowance, contact the CAF (Caisse d’Allocations Familiales) if you need help applying, request an appointment with the social worker at your local town hall (mairie).

Benefits after the UK leaves the EUBrexit

The UK government will continue to pay the UK stateState pension,Pension, child benefits, and disability benefits to those eligible in the EU after the UK leaves the EU.Brexit.

If thethere UKis leaves the EU with a deal and you work and pay social security contributions in France, your UK social security contributions will be taken into account when applying for French contributions-based benefits. This will happen even if you claim contributions-based benefits after the end of the implementation period.

If thethere’s UKnot leaves the EU without a deal, the French government has proposed that they will continue to take periods of work in the UK before theBrexit UK leaves the EU into account when claiming certain French contributions-based benefits. We will update this guidance when an agreement is reached.

If thethere’s UKno leavesdeal, the EU without a deal. The French government has also said that UK nationals with less than five years’years residence who receive the Revenu de Solidarite Active (RSA) prior to the UK’s exit from the EU will be able to continue receiving the RSA benefit for a period of a year. Eligible UK nationals with more than five years’ residence will also be able to continue receiving the benefit during the grace period and beyond.

YouRead can read our guidance on benefits and pensions in a no deal scenario.

Driving in France

If you are a resident in France, you haveshould one year from your date of arrival to exchange your UK licenselicence for a French one. You can still use your French licence in the UK for short visits or exchange it for a UK licence without taking a test if you return to live in the UK.

For information on driving in France, read the guidance on:

• Drivingdriving licence exchanges and renewals (in French) or driving licence exchange and renewals (in English)
• what you need to drive abroad
• driving rules in France

ThereHowever, there are currently considerable delays in processing requests to exchange overseas driving licences for French ones. The Centre d’Expertise et de Ressources des Titres (CERT) in Nantes is responsible in most cases for exchanging driving licences. It has returned licences to some UK nationals residing in FranceFrance. andWe askedare themin todiscussion waitwith untilFrench authorities to understand the newlatest systemposition. If your driving license is inlost, placestolen afteror theclose UKto leavesexpiration, theCERT Europeanshould Union.fast track your application. However if your situation is not urgent you should consider waiting to apply to CERT to apply for a French driving licence in view of the backlog.

Bringing a UK-registered vehicle to France

Read our guidance on taking a vehicle out of the UK.

YouRead should read the European Union’s guidance on car registration and taxes in France. You may be exempt from some of these taxes. If so, you will need certificates of exemption.

Please contact your local prefecture or read the French government’s guidance on driving in France with a foreign licence (in French).

Driving after the UK leaves the EUBrexit

If thethere UKis leaves the EU with a deal, driving licence rules will stay the same during the implementation period.period (until 31 December 2020).

PleaseRead read our guidance on driving in the EU after the UK leaves the EUBrexit.

If thethere’s UKno leaves the EU without a deal, and you are aalready UKresiding nationalnormally living in France on the day the UK leaves the EU, you will continue to be able to drive in France with your UK driving licenselicence under the same conditions as any resident.

UK nationals moving to France to live there after a no-deal Brexit will have a one year period to exchange their UK driving licence for a French Ministryone (read instructions above on exchanging your driving licence).

If you wish to visit France as a tourist following any no-deal Brexit, under current French proposals you will need to carry a translation of Interioryour -driving Drivinglicence. LicensesYou informationmay ENG (ODT,wish 7.26KB) to consider purchasing an international driving permit, which the French authorities accept as a translation of your UK driving licence.

Voting

You may be able to vote in some UK elections. You can:

• check if you are able to vote
• register as an overseas voter to vote

If you’re resident in France, you can vote in local municipal and European parliamentary elections.

Voting after the UK leaves the EUBrexit

Once the UK leaves the EU, UK nationals will no longer be eligible to vote in local and European elections.

The French Ministry of the Interior have a website to help UK nationals living and working in France (in French) which covers voting, or you can [read our non-official translation]voting.

French Ministry of Interior - Elections information ENG (ODT, 7.45KB)

Births, deaths and getting married

If your child is born in France, you will need to register the birth abroad.

If someone dies in France you can:

• read our guidance on what to do after someone dies abroad
• read our guidance on deaths in France

Find out how you can get married abroad.

Find out about notarial and documentary services in France

You may also need:

• an English-speaking lawyer in France
• an English-speaking translator in France

Accommodation and buying property

Read our guidance on:

• what to consider when buying a property abroad
• legal requirements and advice on buying a property in France

Pets

WhenYou the UK leaves the EU, you will still be able to travel to and from the UK with a cat, dog or ferret after Brexit, but the rules will change. You can read guidance on pet travel to Europe after the UK leaves the EU.

While the UK is still an EU Member State you’ll be able to travel with your pet to the EU under the current pet travel rules using your current EU pet passport. If you’re travelling with your pet for the first time you’llyou havemust to visit your vet to get a pet passport.

Read guidance on returning your cat, dog or ferret to the UK. For moving pet horses and other equines read guidance on exporting horses and ponies: special rules.

Emergencies

You can dial the European emergency number 112 in France, or dial:

• 17 for police
• 18 for fire brigade
• 15 for medical

Find the full list of emergency number in France.

If you have been the victim of a rape or sexual assault, you can find guidance on rape and sexual assault in France.

If you’re the victim of a crime, have been arrested, or are affected by a crisis abroad, contact the British embassy in Paris.

Returning to the UK

You should tell the French and UK authorities if you are returning to the UK permanently.

CheckYou should read our guidance on:

• access to benefits and services in the UK if there is a no deal

• bringing your taxfamily statusto willthe changeUK

• access ifto youhigher returneducation, 19+ further education and apprenticeship funding

• importing vehicles back to the UK.

• bringing your pet back to the UK

• checking your tax status after returning to the UK

You should tell your local French tax office (in French) that you are changing address and the date you will leave.

If you get a UK State Pension, you must tell the International Pension Centre. If you get a French pension, contact your pension provider.

You’ll need to tell your local social security office and benefit office you’re leaving if you’ve been getting unemployment benefit or child and housing benefit.

Read our guidance on bringing your pet to the UK and importing vehicles to the UK.

Disclaimer

This information is provided as a guide only. Definitive information should be obtained from the French authorities. The Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) is not liable for any inaccuracies in this information.