From Hollywood to Provence

[kendrickwallace]

We're a family from the US who has owned a rental property in Provence for about 12 years now. We are finally having serious discussions about moving to France full-time in the Fall. I work in the film industry, which has all but fled California. Most all of my work is outside the US, so we are finding less and less reasons for being there. Our plan is to sell our home in California and use the funds to demonstrate financial independence for our Long Stay Visa. Additionally, as my work is highly specialized I have no problems getting work visas for working in the EU, so I hope to pick up occasional movie work in London (or other parts of Europe) to maintain an income.

I look forward to learning from the collective experience on these forums!

Ken

[Sprogster]

I think you will find that most members of this and other similar French

forums are either retirees or second home owners, so there is probably limited

experience of your situation.

My understanding is that the long stay visa available for non EU citizens

wanting to live in France is mainly aimed at well off retirees and prohibits

work. Although you have special skills and might have no problem in obtaining

work in the EU, this does not necessarily translate into finding it easy

obtaining a French work visa, especially with the current dire French economic

and unemployment situation. Furthermore, I believe you have to demonstrate

there are no EU citizens equally qualified who can undertake your job.

Most non EU nationals that come to the EU to work are usually sponsored by

an existing employer who are transferring them to their European operations for

a limited period of time, or who have married an EU citizen. Although there is

a Schengen visa for visiting non EU citizen tourists to the EU member countries

party to the Schengen agreement, there is no EU wide permanent resident or

employment visa, as each individual EU country controls its own non EU

immigration policy. So a work visa for France does not enable you to work in

the UK for example. There are investor/entrepreneur permanent visas available

for non EU citizens in some EU countries, but I believe the minimum amounts required

for investment are high at a million plus.

My advice therefore is to go to a good French immigration attorney who can

advise you as to your chances of getting a permanent resident working visa for

France. Also just because you have a vacation home in France don’t limit your

search to just that country, as you might well find other EU countries more

welcoming to non EU citizens with your skills.

Last but not least investigate carefully the financially implications of

living in France, because as an American citizen you will still be liable to

pay Federal taxes in the US on any income and gains, subject to a non-resident

allowance. Although there is a double tax treaty with the USA that enables you

mitigate some elements of potential double taxation, this does not extend to

social security costs in France which by American standards are painful!