Brits Moving From USA

[mr ploppy]

Hi,

My wife and I are Brits but we've been living in the USA.  We're now moving to France to rent a property for about a year while we look for a property to buy, or not.  We won't be working, at least initially.  Can anyone tell us what we need to do on arrival?  For example, do we have to register with the tax authorities, even if we're not working?

We'll be renting property from friends.  Do we need a formal lease, and if so would it need to be anything much more than just a piece of paper signed by both parties? I'm assuming we'd need something like that as proof of address so that we can open a bank account and stuff.

Also how are we fixed as far as health insurance is concerned seeing as we'll not be working, and therefore not paying any form of social security?  Is French private health insurance mandatory? We will have continued private health insurance for a while (more than a year I think) from my ex-employer in the USA, so will that be recognised/sufficient?

Thanks for any help.

[giantpanda]

Hi!

If you have both British passports, there are nno problems, except the question of the Health Insurance.

Since you will not be able to bring an E106 ( having worked the last years in the EC), you will be required to have a equivalent ( to the French CMU )  Health Insurance.

In all cases you should have a formal lease, to avoid any problems.

See here.

[url=http://larecherche.service-public.fr/df/oxide?criteriaContent=location+meubl%E9e&Rechercher.x=0&Rechercher.y=0&Rechercher=tous&page=resultssprubs&action=launchsearch&DynRubrique=&DynCorpus=&DynDomain=SP]Location meublée[/url]

Since your friend will be getting a rent, they will have to declare the income in their next year's income tax declaration.

Since you would be French fiscal residents, you would if you came this year, have to make an income tax return , for the period ;Date of arrival till End of 2009 ( to be sent in 30.5.2009). Notwithstanding for this you do not have to preregister - The tax number is only given with a 1st declaration ( which is voluntary, compulsory).

Yours,

giantpanda

[Sunday Driver]

If you have valid EU passports then you are free to enter France and live here.  There are no current formalities on arrival.

In order to stay for more than three months, you must have a minimum income of 8,000€ pa and you'll need to submit a tax declaration in the spring following the date of your arrival.

A formal lease is normal practice here, and as you say, it offers proof of residency/address.

Unless you can obtain a UK medical 'E' form (which I suspect you won't), then if you're not working, private health insurance cover is mandatory.

 

(Edit:  post crossed with GP)

 

[mr ploppy]

Thanks for those answers, but I'm afraid I now have some more.

This is the first I've heard about the requirement to have a minimum income of 8000euros p.a. in order to stay for more than 3 months.  Surely, as British citizens, we're allowed to reside anywhere in the EU, permanently, regardless of income.  Is this rule documented somewhere?  We intend living on savings for at least a year while we look for somewhere to buy.

Could you also clarify the medical insurance question?  Is it sufficient to have private medical insurance from anywhere (in this case from the USA), or does it have to be from a French insurance provider?  In other words, if I show up at the doctor, do I merely have to prove that I have some form of medical insurance, or does it have to be French  - and if it's not, would they not treat me?

Thanks again.

[cooperlola]

Your medical insurance can be from the US, but it must cover everything including doctor's visits, medicines, etc etc.  For loads more info' please have a look at our website (below).  The link to the new regs on minimum incomes is there too but I'll try to find a direct one for you.

http://www.frenchhealthissues.eu/residence/requirements.htm

[giantpanda]

Hi!

To be understood as equivalent of the CMU, with covers basically 70% ( except operation costs at 100% ) if you take abstraction of the franchises.

Yours,

giantpanda

NB. Nobody knows really how this is controlled, and appreciated.

Has anybody any experience here?

[Sunday Driver]

A summary of the French immigration regulations including the required resource levels can be found [url=http://vosdroits.service-public.fr/particuliers/F12017.xhtml?&n=Etrangers%20en%20France&l=N8&n=Citoyens%20communautaires%20en%20France&l=N112]HERE[/url].  The minimum figure must exceed the French RMI which is a basic state welfare payment.  If you have sufficient savings to meet this requirement then you are OK.

In terms of payment for medical treatment in France, you will need to look at the terms of your health insurance policy.  In some instances, you may be required to pay the provider at the time of treatment, then submit a claim to your insurers for reimbursement.

 

[mr ploppy]

Hi again - I'm back with more questions.

Since my last post, I've discovered that continued health insurance with my ex-employer from the USA is going to be prohibitively expensive, so I'll be looking to take out my own private health insurance.  I daresay there are details elsewhere on these forums, but could someone suggest reputable insurance companies and some idea of how much the monthly premium would be for a husband and wife, both around 50.

And on the minimum income requirement - since we're going to be "inactif" and living off savings, how do we prove that we won't be a burden on the state.  Would evidence of savings be sufficient (bank statements etc)?

And who actually is it that needs to see evidence of medical insurance, and financial resources, and for what purpose (I know it's for legal residence, but is it for some carte or other?)?

Thanks again for your help.

Oh yes, one more .... I'm correct in thinking that the "legally resident" issue only occurs after the first 3 months, so satisfying these requirements sometime in the first 3 months after arrival is OK, yes?

[Sunday Driver]

At the moment, you don't have to formally produce evidence of resources and health insurance 'up front' as it were, but you have to declare your income for tax and have your health insurance available when you require treatment.  As an 'inactive' you are assumed to have sufficient resources not to qualify for social security benefits. In practical terms, the health insurance is the important one to have in place at the start.

At the moment, EU citizens are not required to hold a carte de séjour (for which evidence of resources and health insurance is required) but recent reports suggest that some social services departments are now demanding a CdS for certain non-contributory benefits like child allowance, so there may well be an intention to re-introduce the requirement to hold a CdS for EU 'inactives'.

Long term, your goal is to acquire permanent residency status, at which time, these conditions no longer apply.  To obtain that status, you have to demonstrate that you have lived in France for five years in a stable and legal manner - and that's when the continuity of evidence may become critical.  However, we are living in times of change and it's difficult to predict what the requirements will be at any point in the future.

 

[cooperlola]

I use THESE PEOPLE.  Their policy for those who do not qualify for state healthcare ("Platine Plan") costs just under 1400€ per person per year for those between 50 and 55.  As the rules stand at present, you would need this insurance for 5 years.  As far as the company itself goes, suffice it to say that I've been in hospital for more than 3 months now and they have paid up without question or formality even though I've been moved three times now and have received thousands of euros worth of treatment.

NB This is a personal view and has no connection whatsoever with FHI which is a voluntary group with no financial backing or interests and on whose website you will find a comprehensive list of insurers and the answers to most of your questions.

[AnOther]

Off at a tangent I know but still possibly pertinent to your move.

If you intend driving in France then make sure you arrive with either:

• Valid UK licences
• Letters of entitlement from the DVLA (if you are entitled of course)
• American licences from one of the following states. 

Ohio, Pennsylvania, Arkansas, Delaware, Florida,

Illinois, Kansas, Colorado, Connecticut, Kentucky, Michigan, New

Hampshire, South Carolina or Virginia.

Only these are directly exchangeable for a French licence. All others can drive for 12 months but must then apply

to take the French driving exam.

Good luck.

[mr ploppy]

I have a valid UK licence.  It's one of the old style green paper ones, not the credit card-sized picture ones they issue now.  I presume the old paper style ones are recognised by the French, yes?  I would be looking to exchange for a French one immediately, even if not absolutely necessary, so that it's more likely to be recognised throughout the EU.

What's a letter of entitlement?

[AnOther]

Yes, the old ones are perfectly valid.

A letter of entitlement is what the DVLA will send you if lose your licence but live outside the UK as they will not put a foreign address on a replacement licence nor post it to any address outside the UK.

If you are going to exchange straightaway then no problem but for those planning to hang on to their UK licences then I always advise getting the letter as a matter of course, the reason being that if you lost your licence not only would you immediately not be able to drive in France but you would no longer have anything to exchange for a French licence either !

Prefectures will accept the letter of entitlement if applying for a licence.

Unfortunately you cannot apply for one online, you have to personally telephone DVLA and pay a £5 fee which you can do by credit card - £5 well spent IMO [;-)]