I worked with Richard Hammond when I moved to France in July. He and his staff are very knowledgeable, professional, and responsive. I loved working with him and would recommend his services ten times over.
It is NOT 180 days in one year. Its is 90 days in 180. It is very important that you choose the right visa in order to renew in France otherwise you can get into some trouble.
We are in the middle of moving to France. We have visited France several times. We came across yourself and Jay when planning our honeymoon tour of the country, including Paris. We used both of your channels in the run up to plan . We carried on watching to relive memories. Through conversations , watching your, and Jay's, videos We decided to research moving. We ended up finding our forever home in the Charente and in the process of moving. We totally agree in using a specialist. We found a fantastic specialist. Once she had us ready, we flew through the process. We received our visas in a week as our files were perfect. Thank you for being part of our journey
I may never move to France, but I love, LOVE, how informative and straight-forward this video is. Learn something new every day. Great video, as always! Hope to see Les Frenchies in February!!
Your experience will vary greatly from region to region, and from town to city to countryside. You have to ask yourself the questions about priorités like climate/weather, proximity to sea, mountains, transportation, healthcare services….do you prefer big city living or a smaller town life. I’d recommend travelling and visiting many places, staying for longer periods of time to get a realistic feeling about daily life in a specific place.
For Canadians, we can visit for 90 days maximum twice a year for a total of 180 days without visa. But not 180 days straight. I decided to get a Schengen zone French long stay visa for 1 year as a retired Canadian. That Visa is renewable 4 months prior to the first one elapsing to remain in France for the following year if you wish. At that point you can apply for a Carte de Séjour.
Did you have to provide proof of income, accommodation and private health insurance for your 12 month visa? I'm interested in retiring in France. Thank you!
Yes, it’s the same for the US. 90 days in a 180 day period. I’ve done the Schengen zone French long-stay visa twice. It was a fairly straightforward process, but I did have to show I had enough money in the bank to cover my stay, obtain traveler’s insurance, and state that I wouldn’t try and obtain work in France. I didn’t renew it, though (I’m an English prof and took my long stays while on sabbatical). Hopefully when I retire.
US citizens can't stay 6 months in a row in France, like any other 3rd country citizens. US passport holders do not need a visa if their stay in France does not exceed 90 days in any 180-day period. So after 90 days you have to leave France and Schengen area and wait 3 months before coming back. Don't mislead the viewers
There was a confusing misstatement at one point in the video. However, it was also correctly stated that one CAN extend the 90 days up to one year. Don’t know if urls post here or not. But searching for extending French tourist visa will readily take you to the official French government website where you can confirm this and find more information.
Thanks for putting this video together. Lots of additional content to dig into. Always enjoy your videos -- wife and I are visiting Paris this coming week. Her first time and I haven't been in more than 35 years. Can't wait.
OMG you had all my French channel of American You Tube creatives All in one excellently curated episode! You covered all the bases those like moi who wants to join you all in France sooooon! You guys are awesome! Antoine and Colleen, Merci Beaucoup!❤
Thank you so much for this video!!! I love France but never thought about moving here. Now, I have 20 years to think about retirement. You brought up good points about legal and renting and potentially feeling isolated if you don't have a background or don't speak the language. Definitely something to think about.
This is one of your best videos. I watch a lot of UA-cam about Paris and France and I loved seeing other hosts on your show. The best things about this video are how you covered so many topics and the availability of the longer interview videos. This is an A+ project for you guys. Thank you. As an aside, apartments in Paris are crazy expensive these days. I bought a place there years ago and I could not even think about doing that now.
I have to say you folks are amazing, in the information that you offer, the details that you are aware of, as complex as it is. It looks like you coming up on 300,000 subscribers which are well earned. Unfortunately my Maman died 20 months ago and then my Papa died in June in Paris and I decided that living in Paris again without my family is not attractive. But to visit every so often YES.
I have figured out a way to rent AirBNBs for two months at a time in France - so four months a year - without having to worry about rental contracts. I pay extra for health insurance, obviously. (Allianz has been good - it’s $480 annually.) Also, interestingly, my Paris AirBNB host requires that I pay $15 for “apartment rental insurance” (to cover damage to the apartment). It’s fairly easy to pay for that online before my arrival; the host tells you how to do that. What I like about using AirBNB for a couple months at a time is that the utilities are all inclusive - plus, long-term renters get between 30 and 50% off the regular rental rate, depending on what time of the year you’re there. It’s a win-win.
Americans and Canadians can visit France without a Visa for 90 days every 180 days of a rolling calendar. In order to stay longer, you have to apply for a LTV for 12 months. The "subject matter" expert was not entirely correct with his information.
Love Jay Swanson. I am a long time follower and almost was able to meet up with him in person. I tried enticing him with a jar of salsa from the US. It didn’t work 😂
Greetings from a fellow American in Southern Burgundy. I love your videos! But, there are a few things in this video that are not quite right. 1) Americans can only stay 90 out of every 180 days in France without a visa (not 180 days like the video says). 2) There is no such thing as a specific retirement visa. Retirees are issued a VLS-TS - a long term non-work tourist visa). 3) You do not/can not renew a visa. After one year you must apply for your Titre de Sejour. (or let the visa lapse later apply for a new visa). If you ever want to do a video on Southern Burgundy - the beautiful Charolais-Brionnais region and the nearby Maconnais, I'd be happy to show you around! Keep up the good work!
Nice introduction to the basic realities of moving to France. For we retirees..it's not so much financial..it is health insurance protection..getting old has the obvious side affect of illness and disease. Unfortunately in America it is expensive and dysfunctional..but we shouldn't expect another country to correct our American deficiencies and take care of us. Ironically, France is probably the best option for us!
Very informative. You can stay in the Schengen zone 90 days out of every 180. I believe Jay should stated you would need to spend 3 months in London before returning in his example, not 180 days. Also, I think what Jay says is a bit misleading regarding a 12 month renewable visa. The 12 month renewable visa comes with strict requirements like proof of accommodations and income for instance.
There are some aparthotels. Very roomie and comfortable that provides full equipped kitchen . They are zre very new opened early 2024. Priced very reasonably
We're currently in Montpellier after moving from New Orleans. Our visa were approved a couple of months ago. We're retired. It's a hassle finding available housing. We're just doing Airbnb for now. Might go to Lyon if Montpellier doesn't work out.
Sorry, Antoine and Jay, but you are both wrong. You can stay in France without a visa for 90 days out of 180, and this is a rolling 180 days. This is the same rule for US citizens and Australian, and also UK citizens now since Brexit. And you can apply for a 1 year Long Stay Visa, of which there are two types of- one is renewable and one is NOT. The renewable LSV can be renewed in France, there is no need to return to your home country to renew this visa type, and it is advisable to begin the renewal process at least three months before the visa expires. If you have the renewable visa, you will also be required to attend a medical appointment when you arrive in France, after registering your arrival with the OFII and paying for a tax stamp.
As someone who has been thinking about retiring to France eventually, it's kind of amazing to see many of the channels I watch come together in one video. Thank you! Especially for including the longer interview videos. Since I'm 10-15 years or so away from retirement, my hope is to move to France for 1 year and see if it is indeed the right thing for my wife and I. But figuring out the employment circumstances that would allow that seems to be the most challenging part (I'm a software engineer so can potentially work remotely). Also we have young kids, so Baguette Bound has been helpful with those questions. Thank you again!
Y"all are absolutely terrific! I liked in Paris for four years in my twenties; I'm toying with the idea of moving back at least part-time. Your videos help immensely. Thanks for doing what you do!
Those apartments were all far too big... I'm looking at 50m2 max. Very beautiful though. I am planning on coming to Nice in the next year or so and this has been very helpful. Merci!
Sorry, not clear -- Do I understand this correctly?: If one gets 3000 dollars in SSI/month, then the top rent would need to be $1000/month? (Of course one would pay in Euro equivalent) Or do I understand this incorrectly??? Again, or if for example, I rented an apartment for $3000/month -- then is it correct that I need to prove that I have a $9000/month income somehow? [Thank you; love & appreciate the work, pragmatic specifics, smarts, and 'joie de vivre' that goes into producing Les Frenchies!]
@@LesFrenchiesTravel Thanks for the rapid clarifying response -- Merci beaucoup! Just a few more related questions - suppose that two people who are not married could combine - like prove that they have 6000/mon in demonstrateable income together.....then would that be a co-signing for a 2000/month rent? Or in the unmarried status, would you likely be turned down? How about if one offers to pay rent ahead....for like 6 months? Is the problem finding rentals for 6 vs. 12 months? Thanks!
Which leaves me wondering how some expats live in France. Only the top .0001 percent of retirees would have this much monthly income. Am I to believe that France is only for wealthy retirees or very high income earners?
Step-by-step guide? LOL! I'm applying for a visa next year and so have been seriously gathering visa info for about 6 months. Remember - Lots of people are trying to make a living as YTers, and may also actually want to help, but are not immigration, communications, or even project coordination experts, so buyer beware!! And even if they are sharing their one experience, though it may be factually correct and helpful, your experience may be different. Even the true French immigration experts acknowledge this, as noted below, because the many different consulate decisionmakers (and later, the prefecture decisionmakers) have great discretion. The visa names and types they noted at the beginning are incorrect / don't exist. And when she says you can stay up to 90 days without any visa, that is also incorrect. If you're from the US, you must have a not-about-to-expire passport. Check the French and US embassy websites for the passport expiration dates required for different visas. An acceptable passport is where your short-term visa stamp will be stamped when you enter France, and is what gives you the right to visit the France / EU Schengen Zone for up to 90 days. There is no such thing as a French "retirement visa", nor a "remote work" visa! For people who identify as retired / independently wealthy; and or as a remote worker, you should probably go for the easiest to apply for: "VLS-TS Long-Stay Visa" - "Visitor" type - this is NOT a work visa. If you are actually retired, and will, or are able to live off savings / income / assets already owned, this visa is for you. For “remote workers”, French visa types were invented before there were many digital nomads in existence, so apparently us digital nomads CAN also use the visitor visa, AS LONG AS: we have no French customers, are not selling our work products in France, do not have a French employer, and are not taking a potential job in France from a French job-seeker (got this from several actual French immigration lawyers). This visa application requires you to sign an affidavit that you will not work or try to work in France. Go to the official French visa website to learn what the actual visa types are and what they are named. And if you're serious, read everything and watch every video you can find about the applications and peoples' experiences, also remembering that YTers who have one experience have a very small sample size. Yes it may be helpful but not comprehensive of all visa types and all consulate decisionmakers... You need to spend tons of hours of triangulating the info you'll need to be successful at acquiring the visa type you need, and throwing out the garbage that are either incorrect, or are not considered as conventionally acceptable by most consulate decisionmakers. If you don't already know this then you haven't watched enough recent YT videos by people whose applications were denied! I recommend checking out the "FrenchEntrée" and "Fab Expat" YT channels and websites. And even these, which I've found to be the best, can be confusing, and sometimes actually good advice from experienced experts isn't a guarantee because consulate decisionmakers have discretionary powers, so for example, one may allow a 1-3 month Airbnb rental as acceptable as a French address, another may deny that and require a formal French 1 year rental lease. Re: Jay Swanson's experience - I don't consider it typical, so I don't know why they used him as a resource. Oh right, because YTers seek crossovers with other YTers to get more subs. But I believe he has said he got in-country on a (rare) volunteer visa, and or maybe he got a student visa too?, and has since then been able to continue to live in Paris, essentially because a nice French lady gave him a tiny apt to live in for almost free, and despite that he was unemployed, a condition 99.99% of us are not lucky enough to stumble into. Jay's comments about the 1 year tourist visa is also INCORRECT OMG!!! NO!! Don't "just get here" LOL! OMFG. And Les Frenchies’ reiteration "so you can get a 1 year visa and it's super easy to get". LOLOLOL Nope! And Les Frenchies’ comment "so basically anyone can come here and stay for 6 months without a visa" ... NO! The passport-stamped visitor visa (that requires no application) is for 90 days. PERIODT. Then you have to leave the entire Schengen Zone EU, not just France. And also corrected - the rule, not just in France but in the entire Schengen Zone EU is 90 out of 180 days, so yes that can add up to 180 days max per year, but not 180 consecutive days. 90 days in then requires 90 days out before you can return. Another correction: You cannot even apply for the 1 year visitor visa except from your home country. Sure, it makes sense to make sure you know enough to know you really want to live in France for a year or more, so yes you should already have that experience, or get it. And you have to obtain a place to live, either by renting or buying, so you could use a 90 day max trip to do that if you don't want to enter a lease via internet / sight unseen. But that is also going to cost you several thousands of $. Jay's comment that you have to leave France to go home to renew it (after 1 year) is INCORRECT OMG. NO! The only reason you have to leave is if you applied for the wrong visa in the first place - those people have to go home and re-do it the right way. If you have successfully obtained the "VLS-TS Long-Stay Visa" for visitors (or biz visa), you validate your visa (online) once you arrive in country, you do a few more official steps steps like go to a Dr. appt. to make sure you don’t have TB, get signed up for the French public health care plan, file your tax return, get your driver's license switched over (if from certain states), and then in month 9 (or so) you apply to the prefecture renew your visa / residence permit, and you continue to do so annually. And that's why they demand a permanent address that isn't just a hotel, because all of that bureaucratic activity will occur to that address and determine which prefecture you'll use going forward. Yes you must file a French Tax return every year, and declare all your income even from other countries, they use this to determine your share owed, for the national health system, which you will be a beneficiary of after 3 months. No, France won't tax your income earned in another country where you are a citizen and already pay taxes on, but you still must DECLARE all your income to the French Govt. To get even the "simplest" type of 1 year visa, first, it's a visitor visa, with which you cannot work, which Jay didn't mention. And to get it, you must apply from your home country, yet prove you already have a permanent address in France, with a year lease - this is before you even apply for the visa. Also, you must prove you have savings of at least equal to the French minimum wage for 1 year, that is per person. Also, you must pre-purchase a 1 year French health insurance plan with specific requirements, again, before you even apply for the visa. And all of that evidence, and all other required docs, must also be translated into French by an officially-approved translator. The Visa application process then requires you to make an appointment (online) and travel (in person) to not one of 10 consulates (in the US), but to one of its vendor’s (VFS Global) locations (again, only 10 of them, in large cities) to turn in the hard copies, in person, of all that's required, then you get a decision in 1-5 weeks usually, and they return your passport, which you also had to leave with them while applying, and if approved, the visa will be stamped in the passport before it is mailed back to you. That visa application in-person trip, if you live far from a major city where they are located, could cost you $1,000-$2,000 on its own. And if your visa is not approved, and if/when you figure out why and how to fix it, you have to re-apply (French visa website), and re-do the in-person VFS Global appt. And that's just for starters, and just for the simplest visa type. If you're going to apply for a business visa it is much more work, none of which is detailed on the French visa website. There's a lot more to figure out, gather, disclose, translate, plan for, before you even get to the application step. That's why people might want to pay for immigration services / lawyers, but do you have an extra $5,000 sitting around? And a few of the most well-known YT immigration consultants have been ripped by reviews by people that hired them recently, so buyer beware, make sure you understand if you are buying any actual guarantees of anything, what timelines, promises of timeliness you are contractually being promised, and what the refund policies are if mistakes were made by them and those mistakes caused a denial or delay. Re: renting / buying - again beware and do your homework on what to expect in France. The system is completely different than in the US, which they barely touched on, and there’s no MLS, so you have a lot more work to do just locating places available. Don’t be caught unprepared by the large fees and taxes. There are agent fees, the notaire’s fees, to name a few, that may or may not be included in the asking price, and taxes, to budget for.
Totally comprehensive and totally correct! May I add that additional requirements for the 'business' visa include submitting a business plan to prove financial viability and if you're proposing a gites-type business, there's every chance you'll be rejected. One other aspect that hasn't been touched upon is your language skills. Hopefully @arborealscout4252 can confirm/deny that all business visa/carte de séjour holders - except Inactifs(?) - will be required to take/pass French language tests equivalent to B1 CEFR. This language requirement may also apply to Inactif visa holders at some point.
Love your videos so much! I do have one issue though with Jay Swanson's advice though. As an American living in Paris and married to a French citizen, I need to reject his advice to just come over and the visa stuff will work its self out. That is absolutely not how it works. You need to take care of the process from the US. There is 100% no way you can come on vacation and then just stay in France and get the visa you need. That's not happening so my advice is to use one of these immigration lawyers before even showing up in France, if the plan is to relocate. Cheers!
Jay Swanson needs to learn about the Schengen zone rules. 90 out of 180 days (or three months out of every six) is the rule. His example of going to the UK for six months is overkill when three months on and off would be sufficient.
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I can’t reveal too much here, but I’m learning from a really great person named ‘Sophia E Haney’. She’s been in the industry for over two decades and knows a thing or two. I highly recommend checking her out online.
This is a really informative video, that covers a lot! Nicely done! I've been doing research slowly for years and this is a great resource to keep on hand to reference. Big thanks again!
HELP! I have talked to two different Immigrations Lawyer firms and both said I can work remotely for an American company as long as I am not conducting business with anyone in France.I would like to retire in France and I have SS and a pension so I qualify for the extended stay visa but I want to continue to work remotely, so is this possible?
I'm in the same situation, except self-employed, but contract with only American companies thus far. I understand the same as you, that if your work is truly remote and not competing with any employers or jobseekers in France, and you further comply with all rules, this is allowed, because when they say "work in France", they actually mean "work for a French employer or work for French customers". Please see my loong comment on this video for what I've found and resources...
Wow! That’s ins if the most comprehensive videos I’ve seen about moving abroad and can certainly be used for other countries. Certainly if you can afford to move then it’s best to use professionals. And I’m going to look into Fractional Ownership!
Bonjour, am considering moving to France next year and have subscribed and watched many of your youtube videos. We have visited Paris many times but considering retirement (looking at Marseille, Nice, Lyon). Question: do you have a video on transporting pets (in our case two Golden Retrievers) and the finding of rentals that allow dogs. Thanks again for your videos.
NO - Americans CANNOT just stay six months, unbroken. The 'Schengen Rule' for Americans is max 90 out of any 180 days. So 90 days in, 90 days out, then another 90 days permitted in Schengen. This is assuming that you are not requesting any specific visa that enables you to remain in the country [or Schengen] for longer than 90 days.
@@LesFrenchiesTravel I was just in Paris and I love it there . I met many people who live outside Paris and they are a train ride away from the city 😍🥰
@@LesFrenchiesTravel I was just in Paris and I love it there . I met many people who live outside Paris and they are a train ride away from the city 😍🥰
4 дні тому
I have been waiting for this video. 😊 It is excellent as always, and what fun it was to be a small part of it. Merci, Antoine and Colleen. ❤
The most informative program I have seen. Love you guys❤. Did you rent while your possessions were still in the US? Or did you find a rental and move in with your possessions?
BTW that 90 out of 180 that Americans get is not a Schengen visa - it’s a Schengen visa *waiver*. There are multiple countries whose citizens are allowed to stay/travel in Schengen under the visa waiver. There are others (like the Philippines) that require an actual Schengen visa (or a French visa) if you’re from there.
Well, learn something new every day. There’s a 1949 bilateral agreement that allows Americans to ask at the préfecture for an extra 90 days (provided you apply before your 90 days is up). Beyond the 1949 law, there is even a provision that allows you to extend the Schengen visa itself (or visa waiver, technically, for Americans) in specific situations (illness, work, certain personal reasons).
there was an asian female youtuber that was living in nyc and moved to france last year and she said it was her dream to move there. but this year, she returned back from france and now is living in nyc. i tried to ask her why she moved back...but she didn't give any response. maybe she experience bad experience as an asian female living in paris?
Man I wish us Aussies had some relevant content creators over there. We have been so close to pulling the trigger but the logistics seem insurmountable…
Thank you for this! As I plan my imminent move to France, this vlog will be a valuable resource! I'm curious about what would happen (visa-wise) if one retires there on a standard visa, buys a home and then decides to run a BnB or gite?
Go see how Jay Swanson lives, on his channel... Many people live in one room studios, many so small that the bed has to be built on 7 foot stilts, so they can increase floor space. Some don't even have running water or a private bathroom, they share one down the hall, with others who live on the same top floor (these were often originally maids' quarters)
Yikes! Fact check. The copious misinformation in just the first few minutes could really lead you astray. 180 days in a year but only 90 at a time. Also you apply for a long stay renewable tourist visa (VLS-TS) if you’re not going to work in France and you want to renew annually within France. The French website has a visa wizard to help you get the right visa.
Great, informative content about moving to France. --The title is a little misleading referencing 'Europe'. This is entirely about moving to France & doesn't include other EU countries.
I worked with Richard Hammond when I moved to France in July. He and his staff are very knowledgeable, professional, and responsive. I loved working with him and would recommend his services ten times over.
That's awesome, thank you for sharing
Care to share the name of his company? Would be much appreciated. 😊
Which service was it for?
It is NOT 180 days in one year. Its is 90 days in 180. It is very important that you choose the right visa in order to renew in France otherwise you can get into some trouble.
Thank you! Your comment confirms what I had read and thought I understood.
We are in the middle of moving to France. We have visited France several times. We came across yourself and Jay when planning our honeymoon tour of the country, including Paris. We used both of your channels in the run up to plan . We carried on watching to relive memories.
Through conversations , watching your, and Jay's, videos We decided to research moving. We ended up finding our forever home in the Charente and in the process of moving.
We totally agree in using a specialist. We found a fantastic specialist. Once she had us ready, we flew through the process. We received our visas in a week as our files were perfect.
Thank you for being part of our journey
You are very welcome. Bienvenue en France 🇫🇷🥂
Fantastic story. Which specialist did you use?
You won't have any reply. It's a movie and advertising, it's not a real thing
@Hippy2021 aye rite
I may never move to France, but I love, LOVE, how informative and straight-forward this video is. Learn something new every day. Great video, as always! Hope to see Les Frenchies in February!!
Glad you enjoyed it!
Stay where you are at. Don't dream s place you don't know.
French want to move out, outsiders dream in
@@Hippy2021I'm French and want to stay in France like a lot of French even if politicaly it's compicated
Your experience will vary greatly from region to region, and from town to city to countryside. You have to ask yourself the questions about priorités like climate/weather, proximity to sea, mountains, transportation, healthcare services….do you prefer big city living or a smaller town life. I’d recommend travelling and visiting many places, staying for longer periods of time to get a realistic feeling about daily life in a specific place.
For Canadians, we can visit for 90 days maximum twice a year for a total of 180 days without visa. But not 180 days straight. I decided to get a Schengen zone French long stay visa for 1 year as a retired Canadian. That Visa is renewable 4 months prior to the first one elapsing to remain in France for the following year if you wish. At that point you can apply for a Carte de Séjour.
It's same for US citizens in fact. Here they don't give good advises
Did you have to provide proof of income, accommodation and private health insurance for your 12 month visa? I'm interested in retiring in France. Thank you!
Yes, it’s the same for the US. 90 days in a 180 day period. I’ve done the Schengen zone French long-stay visa twice. It was a fairly straightforward process, but I did have to show I had enough money in the bank to cover my stay, obtain traveler’s insurance, and state that I wouldn’t try and obtain work in France. I didn’t renew it, though (I’m an English prof and took my long stays while on sabbatical). Hopefully when I retire.
@@jackbaldwin3649yes, there’s a list of things you have to submit.
@@tjp7342 Thank you! So, you did not have to show proof of accommodation?
US citizens can't stay 6 months in a row in France, like any other 3rd country citizens. US passport holders do not need a visa if their stay in France does not exceed 90 days in any 180-day period. So after 90 days you have to leave France and Schengen area and wait 3 months before coming back. Don't mislead the viewers
bless your heart
There was a confusing misstatement at one point in the video. However, it was also correctly stated that one CAN extend the 90 days up to one year.
Don’t know if urls post here or not. But searching for extending French tourist visa will readily take you to the official French government website where you can confirm this and find more information.
Go away, you are wrong...
Non-EU nationals can visit the Schengen area for up to 90 days in any 180-day period.
Your first guest was implying you could stay 180 days.
An Australian here in France right now.
We can get a Schengen Visa on arrival. So that is 90 days out of 180 days.
In province , not far from paris , you have a recent house 3 beds/2 baths + garden for 250 k / 300 k euros easily. Paris is really expensive.
Thanks for putting this video together. Lots of additional content to dig into. Always enjoy your videos -- wife and I are visiting Paris this coming week. Her first time and I haven't been in more than 35 years. Can't wait.
Awesome! Thank you!
OMG you had all my French channel of American You Tube creatives All in one excellently curated episode! You covered all the bases those like moi who wants to join you all in France sooooon! You guys are awesome! Antoine and Colleen, Merci Beaucoup!❤
Wow, thank you!
Thank you so much for this video!!! I love France but never thought about moving here. Now, I have 20 years to think about retirement. You brought up good points about legal and renting and potentially feeling isolated if you don't have a background or don't speak the language. Definitely something to think about.
This is one of your best videos. I watch a lot of UA-cam about Paris and France and I loved seeing other hosts on your show. The best things about this video are how you covered so many topics and the availability of the longer interview videos. This is an A+ project for you guys. Thank you. As an aside, apartments in Paris are crazy expensive these days. I bought a place there years ago and I could not even think about doing that now.
Wow, thank you!
I have to say you folks are amazing, in the information that you offer, the details that you are aware of, as complex as it is. It looks like you coming up on 300,000 subscribers which are well earned. Unfortunately my Maman died 20 months ago and then my Papa died in June in Paris and I decided that living in Paris again without my family is not attractive. But to visit every so often YES.
Awesome resource, well done! Love the Jay Swanson cross over event :)
Colleen! A friend of mine, Alta, says she's a friend of yours! Small world. -- Sally (My daughter and I love your videos)
I have figured out a way to rent AirBNBs for two months at a time in France - so four months a year - without having to worry about rental contracts. I pay extra for health insurance, obviously. (Allianz has been good - it’s $480 annually.) Also, interestingly, my Paris AirBNB host requires that I pay $15 for “apartment rental insurance” (to cover damage to the apartment). It’s fairly easy to pay for that online before my arrival; the host tells you how to do that. What I like about using AirBNB for a couple months at a time is that the utilities are all inclusive - plus, long-term renters get between 30 and 50% off the regular rental rate, depending on what time of the year you’re there. It’s a win-win.
Americans and Canadians can visit France without a Visa for 90 days every 180 days of a rolling calendar. In order to stay longer, you have to apply for a LTV for 12 months. The "subject matter" expert was not entirely correct with his information.
yes correct and he clearly said that he wasn't an immigration attorney either. In any case, you are right about the 90 days
Love Jay Swanson. I am a long time follower and almost was able to meet up with him in person. I tried enticing him with a jar of salsa from the US. It didn’t work 😂
Very cool!
Greetings from a fellow American in Southern Burgundy. I love your videos! But, there are a few things in this video that are not quite right. 1) Americans can only stay 90 out of every 180 days in France without a visa (not 180 days like the video says). 2) There is no such thing as a specific retirement visa. Retirees are issued a VLS-TS - a long term non-work tourist visa). 3) You do not/can not renew a visa. After one year you must apply for your Titre de Sejour. (or let the visa lapse later apply for a new visa). If you ever want to do a video on Southern Burgundy - the beautiful Charolais-Brionnais region and the nearby Maconnais, I'd be happy to show you around! Keep up the good work!
Loved the tour of Carcassonne & Toulouse. Food looks incredible! We are looking to relocate betw Narbonne to Montpelier.
Very informative video. Great resource if I decide to move to France.
Glad it was helpful!
Nice introduction to the basic realities of moving to France. For we retirees..it's not so much financial..it is health insurance protection..getting old has the obvious side affect of illness and disease. Unfortunately in America it is expensive and dysfunctional..but we shouldn't expect another country to correct our American deficiencies and take care of us. Ironically, France is probably the best option for us!
Thank you. Health care in France is no match
Very informative. You can stay in the Schengen zone 90 days out of every 180. I believe Jay should stated you would need to spend 3 months in London before returning in his example, not 180 days. Also, I think what Jay says is a bit misleading regarding a 12 month renewable visa. The 12 month renewable visa comes with strict requirements like proof of accommodations and income for instance.
There are some aparthotels. Very roomie and comfortable that provides full equipped kitchen . They are zre very new opened early 2024. Priced very reasonably
Thank you so much for this very informative video. I am wanting to live overseas at some point in my life, even if it is just for a a few months.
You can do it!
Brilliant video. I will be following up for my move from Australia in 2026. Stuart
So much valuable information. Thanks you so much for all your work!!
Magnifique information culturelle du jour
Wow! Great information. Thank you so much. Amen
You are so welcome
We're currently in Montpellier after moving from New Orleans. Our visa were approved a couple of months ago. We're retired. It's a hassle finding available housing. We're just doing Airbnb for now. Might go to Lyon if Montpellier doesn't work out.
Thank you, Merci, Gracias, Danke schön, Grazie! One of the MOST valuable videos I have ever seen!
Sorry, Antoine and Jay, but you are both wrong. You can stay in France without a visa for 90 days out of 180, and this is a rolling 180 days. This is the same rule for US citizens and Australian, and also UK citizens now since Brexit. And you can apply for a 1 year Long Stay Visa, of which there are two types of- one is renewable and one is NOT. The renewable LSV can be renewed in France, there is no need to return to your home country to renew this visa type, and it is advisable to begin the renewal process at least three months before the visa expires. If you have the renewable visa, you will also be required to attend a medical appointment when you arrive in France, after registering your arrival with the OFII and paying for a tax stamp.
Very informative video
Glad you think so!
Bonjour!
Bonjour!!
Amazing analysis.
Thank you!
As someone who has been thinking about retiring to France eventually, it's kind of amazing to see many of the channels I watch come together in one video. Thank you! Especially for including the longer interview videos.
Since I'm 10-15 years or so away from retirement, my hope is to move to France for 1 year and see if it is indeed the right thing for my wife and I. But figuring out the employment circumstances that would allow that seems to be the most challenging part (I'm a software engineer so can potentially work remotely).
Also we have young kids, so Baguette Bound has been helpful with those questions.
Thank you again!
Such an informative video!
thank you
Y"all are absolutely terrific! I liked in Paris for four years in my twenties; I'm toying with the idea of moving back at least part-time. Your videos help immensely. Thanks for doing what you do!
you are very welcome
Please make a video on new version of Notre Dame Cathedral.
Highly informative and eye opening!! Thank you 😊❤
You are so welcome!
This was Fantastic information!
Glad you think so!
Those apartments were all far too big... I'm looking at 50m2 max. Very beautiful though. I am planning on coming to Nice in the next year or so and this has been very helpful. Merci!
The best french word for the last place is "tarabiscoté".
tarabiscoté comme l'as de pique 😉
Great Content
Thanks Again
Glad you enjoyed it
Sorry, not clear -- Do I understand this correctly?:
If one gets 3000 dollars in SSI/month, then the top rent would need to be $1000/month? (Of course one would pay in Euro equivalent) Or do I understand this incorrectly???
Again, or if for example, I rented an apartment for $3000/month -- then is it correct that I need to prove that I have a $9000/month income somehow?
[Thank you; love & appreciate the work, pragmatic specifics, smarts, and 'joie de vivre' that goes into producing Les Frenchies!]
yes that's correct, your total monthly income needs to be 3x your total rent amount.
@@LesFrenchiesTravel Thanks for the rapid clarifying response -- Merci beaucoup! Just a few more related
questions - suppose that two people who are not married could combine - like prove that they have 6000/mon in demonstrateable income together.....then would that be a co-signing for a 2000/month rent? Or in the unmarried status, would you likely be turned down? How about if one offers to pay rent ahead....for like 6 months? Is the problem finding rentals for 6 vs. 12 months? Thanks!
@@TravellerDM007 Great question.
Which leaves me wondering how some expats live in France. Only the top .0001 percent of retirees would have this much monthly income. Am I to believe that France is only for wealthy retirees or very high income earners?
Next to the rules, in France there are often different realities...
For Australia's, we too can just get our passport stamped but I heard from next year you need to get an esta
Step-by-step guide? LOL! I'm applying for a visa next year and so have been seriously gathering visa info for about 6 months. Remember - Lots of people are trying to make a living as YTers, and may also actually want to help, but are not immigration, communications, or even project coordination experts, so buyer beware!! And even if they are sharing their one experience, though it may be factually correct and helpful, your experience may be different. Even the true French immigration experts acknowledge this, as noted below, because the many different consulate decisionmakers (and later, the prefecture decisionmakers) have great discretion.
The visa names and types they noted at the beginning are incorrect / don't exist. And when she says you can stay up to 90 days without any visa, that is also incorrect. If you're from the US, you must have a not-about-to-expire passport. Check the French and US embassy websites for the passport expiration dates required for different visas. An acceptable passport is where your short-term visa stamp will be stamped when you enter France, and is what gives you the right to visit the France / EU Schengen Zone for up to 90 days.
There is no such thing as a French "retirement visa", nor a "remote work" visa! For people who identify as retired / independently wealthy; and or as a remote worker, you should probably go for the easiest to apply for: "VLS-TS Long-Stay Visa" - "Visitor" type - this is NOT a work visa. If you are actually retired, and will, or are able to live off savings / income / assets already owned, this visa is for you. For “remote workers”, French visa types were invented before there were many digital nomads in existence, so apparently us digital nomads CAN also use the visitor visa, AS LONG AS: we have no French customers, are not selling our work products in France, do not have a French employer, and are not taking a potential job in France from a French job-seeker (got this from several actual French immigration lawyers). This visa application requires you to sign an affidavit that you will not work or try to work in France.
Go to the official French visa website to learn what the actual visa types are and what they are named. And if you're serious, read everything and watch every video you can find about the applications and peoples' experiences, also remembering that YTers who have one experience have a very small sample size. Yes it may be helpful but not comprehensive of all visa types and all consulate decisionmakers... You need to spend tons of hours of triangulating the info you'll need to be successful at acquiring the visa type you need, and throwing out the garbage that are either incorrect, or are not considered as conventionally acceptable by most consulate decisionmakers. If you don't already know this then you haven't watched enough recent YT videos by people whose applications were denied! I recommend checking out the "FrenchEntrée" and "Fab Expat" YT channels and websites. And even these, which I've found to be the best, can be confusing, and sometimes actually good advice from experienced experts isn't a guarantee because consulate decisionmakers have discretionary powers, so for example, one may allow a 1-3 month Airbnb rental as acceptable as a French address, another may deny that and require a formal French 1 year rental lease.
Re: Jay Swanson's experience - I don't consider it typical, so I don't know why they used him as a resource. Oh right, because YTers seek crossovers with other YTers to get more subs. But I believe he has said he got in-country on a (rare) volunteer visa, and or maybe he got a student visa too?, and has since then been able to continue to live in Paris, essentially because a nice French lady gave him a tiny apt to live in for almost free, and despite that he was unemployed, a condition 99.99% of us are not lucky enough to stumble into.
Jay's comments about the 1 year tourist visa is also INCORRECT OMG!!! NO!! Don't "just get here" LOL! OMFG. And Les Frenchies’ reiteration "so you can get a 1 year visa and it's super easy to get". LOLOLOL Nope! And Les Frenchies’ comment "so basically anyone can come here and stay for 6 months without a visa" ... NO! The passport-stamped visitor visa (that requires no application) is for 90 days. PERIODT. Then you have to leave the entire Schengen Zone EU, not just France. And also corrected - the rule, not just in France but in the entire Schengen Zone EU is 90 out of 180 days, so yes that can add up to 180 days max per year, but not 180 consecutive days. 90 days in then requires 90 days out before you can return. Another correction: You cannot even apply for the 1 year visitor visa except from your home country. Sure, it makes sense to make sure you know enough to know you really want to live in France for a year or more, so yes you should already have that experience, or get it. And you have to obtain a place to live, either by renting or buying, so you could use a 90 day max trip to do that if you don't want to enter a lease via internet / sight unseen. But that is also going to cost you several thousands of $. Jay's comment that you have to leave France to go home to renew it (after 1 year) is INCORRECT OMG. NO! The only reason you have to leave is if you applied for the wrong visa in the first place - those people have to go home and re-do it the right way. If you have successfully obtained the "VLS-TS Long-Stay Visa" for visitors (or biz visa), you validate your visa (online) once you arrive in country, you do a few more official steps steps like go to a Dr. appt. to make sure you don’t have TB, get signed up for the French public health care plan, file your tax return, get your driver's license switched over (if from certain states), and then in month 9 (or so) you apply to the prefecture renew your visa / residence permit, and you continue to do so annually. And that's why they demand a permanent address that isn't just a hotel, because all of that bureaucratic activity will occur to that address and determine which prefecture you'll use going forward. Yes you must file a French Tax return every year, and declare all your income even from other countries, they use this to determine your share owed, for the national health system, which you will be a beneficiary of after 3 months. No, France won't tax your income earned in another country where you are a citizen and already pay taxes on, but you still must DECLARE all your income to the French Govt.
To get even the "simplest" type of 1 year visa, first, it's a visitor visa, with which you cannot work, which Jay didn't mention. And to get it, you must apply from your home country, yet prove you already have a permanent address in France, with a year lease - this is before you even apply for the visa. Also, you must prove you have savings of at least equal to the French minimum wage for 1 year, that is per person. Also, you must pre-purchase a 1 year French health insurance plan with specific requirements, again, before you even apply for the visa. And all of that evidence, and all other required docs, must also be translated into French by an officially-approved translator. The Visa application process then requires you to make an appointment (online) and travel (in person) to not one of 10 consulates (in the US), but to one of its vendor’s (VFS Global) locations (again, only 10 of them, in large cities) to turn in the hard copies, in person, of all that's required, then you get a decision in 1-5 weeks usually, and they return your passport, which you also had to leave with them while applying, and if approved, the visa will be stamped in the passport before it is mailed back to you. That visa application in-person trip, if you live far from a major city where they are located, could cost you $1,000-$2,000 on its own. And if your visa is not approved, and if/when you figure out why and how to fix it, you have to re-apply (French visa website), and re-do the in-person VFS Global appt. And that's just for starters, and just for the simplest visa type.
If you're going to apply for a business visa it is much more work, none of which is detailed on the French visa website. There's a lot more to figure out, gather, disclose, translate, plan for, before you even get to the application step. That's why people might want to pay for immigration services / lawyers, but do you have an extra $5,000 sitting around? And a few of the most well-known YT immigration consultants have been ripped by reviews by people that hired them recently, so buyer beware, make sure you understand if you are buying any actual guarantees of anything, what timelines, promises of timeliness you are contractually being promised, and what the refund policies are if mistakes were made by them and those mistakes caused a denial or delay.
Re: renting / buying - again beware and do your homework on what to expect in France. The system is completely different than in the US, which they barely touched on, and there’s no MLS, so you have a lot more work to do just locating places available. Don’t be caught unprepared by the large fees and taxes. There are agent fees, the notaire’s fees, to name a few, that may or may not be included in the asking price, and taxes, to budget for.
Thank you! You provided valuable and accurate information
Totally comprehensive and totally correct! May I add that additional requirements for the 'business' visa include submitting a business plan to prove financial viability and if you're proposing a gites-type business, there's every chance you'll be rejected. One other aspect that hasn't been touched upon is your language skills. Hopefully @arborealscout4252 can confirm/deny that all business visa/carte de séjour holders - except Inactifs(?) - will be required to take/pass French language tests equivalent to B1 CEFR. This language requirement may also apply to Inactif visa holders at some point.
Love your channel ❤
Thank you so much!!
Love your videos so much! I do have one issue though with Jay Swanson's advice though. As an American living in Paris and married to a French citizen, I need to reject his advice to just come over and the visa stuff will work its self out. That is absolutely not how it works. You need to take care of the process from the US. There is 100% no way you can come on vacation and then just stay in France and get the visa you need. That's not happening so my advice is to use one of these immigration lawyers before even showing up in France, if the plan is to relocate. Cheers!
Jay Swanson needs to learn about the Schengen zone rules. 90 out of 180 days (or three months out of every six) is the rule. His example of going to the UK for six months is overkill when three months on and off would be sufficient.
thank you for the clarification
Thank you for your videos.. . Crypto education is what the world needs the most right now. I don’t think that buy and hold is a valid investment strategy anymore. Not too diluted and to a degree, follow Sophia’s trading ideas and signal tips for your portfolio growth and aggressiveness. She is a woman who has not only taught me what the cryptocurrency trading world looks like but a secret to uplift my finance. Buying crypto and waiting for the price to shoot up is not the best way to invest in the market but buying and trading is. Sophia Haney’s trade signaIs does the heavy lifting, generating competitive returns for crypto traders and investors in the form of money and peace of mind. Time in the market vs. timing the market. If you keep that mentality as an investor, you will stay calm during the storm! Within some months I was making a lot more money and have continued on that same path...
I can’t reveal too much here, but I’m learning from a really great person named ‘Sophia E Haney’. She’s been in the industry for over two decades and knows a thing or two. I highly recommend checking her out online.
Use her name to quickly conduct an internet search.
SHE’S MOSTLY ON TELEGRAMS APPS WITH HER NAME.
Sophiahaney she’s verified
Well this is not my first time of seeing her name on social platform. I think she's extremely brilliant and lucrative at the same time.
Neat to see Jay! You both are my fav people to watch ❤
Wow this video is just off the chain in terms of high quality information. Just eye opening and helpful!!!
Is that last big apt near Saint-denis , which is a very bad area
yes it was
It's very disappointing. I can't give this video a thumbs up for several reasons. You really needed to fact check the information before publishing.
The apartment rental agencies are similar to Australia …
good to know
With regard to the income requirement?
Where are the links to the immigration attorneys?
Tremendous video! I’m sure it took a long time to prepare. Wonderful advice. Thank you.
Glad it was helpful!
Yay!!! This video is here!! Thank you so much! ❤
You are so welcome!
Bonjour! You guys have the best videos. I’m not moving to France, but I still watched this video. It’s always great to learn something new.
Awesome! Thank you!
Great information. Our first apartment in the Bronx was a 6 floor walk up. No elevators. Sooooo much information thanks😊
I was wondering if you would ever do a collab of some kind with Baguette Bound.
Yes, we talked about it. Probably in the Spring of 2025.
That's crazy, im about to go to Paris in 2 weeks and move in 4 months. It's definitely perfect timing for this video. Lol
Perfect!
This is a really informative video, that covers a lot! Nicely done!
I've been doing research slowly for years and this is a great resource to keep on hand to reference. Big thanks again!
Awesome, thank you!
Could you make a tube video for English people wanting to move to France?
Thank you very much. great effort guys.
HELP! I have talked to two different Immigrations Lawyer firms and both said I can work remotely for an American company as long as I am not conducting business with anyone in France.I would like to retire in France and I have SS and a pension so I qualify for the extended stay visa but I want to continue to work remotely, so is this possible?
I'm in the same situation, except self-employed, but contract with only American companies thus far. I understand the same as you, that if your work is truly remote and not competing with any employers or jobseekers in France, and you further comply with all rules, this is allowed, because when they say "work in France", they actually mean "work for a French employer or work for French customers". Please see my loong comment on this video for what I've found and resources...
Holy moly, y'all covered so much here, amazing! Thanks for including us. 😄
Dual citizenship makes it easier but not easy. FATCA is a big pain.
Wow! That’s ins if the most comprehensive videos I’ve seen about moving abroad and can certainly be used for other countries. Certainly if you can afford to move then it’s best to use professionals.
And I’m going to look into Fractional Ownership!
Glad you enjoyed it!
Incroyable! Thank you!
😁
This is the most informative video I’ve ever seen. Thank you so much for making this. Very well done.
Wow! Fantastic video, guys! Thanks for including links to the full interviews. Really, really great information. Absolutely love your channel!
Our pleasure!
Love Jay!
Jay is great!!
Bonjour and merci! This was really helpful. we had many questions that you were answering. Love your channel.
Bonjour, am considering moving to France next year and have subscribed and watched many of your youtube videos. We have visited Paris many times but considering retirement (looking at Marseille, Nice, Lyon). Question: do you have a video on transporting pets (in our case two Golden Retrievers) and the finding of rentals that allow dogs. Thanks again for your videos.
No I don't have info but the rental expert should be able to help
check "baguette bound", they have a specific video on transporting pets from USA to france. But i dont know if it will answer exactly ur questions .
Great information, thanks!! 👍😁
Glad it was helpful!
@ 👍😁
✨This is very informative!✨
Question: Can you make a video about opening a bank account in 🇫🇷?
oh boy, yes maybe but I'd need a bank to agree to let me film
@@LesFrenchiesTravel good luck with that ;-D
Thank you for this video! Alot of Great resources for me to use when I move to retire to France in a few years! :)
You are so welcome!
Thank you for all of this helpful info in one place!
NO - Americans CANNOT just stay six months, unbroken. The 'Schengen Rule' for Americans is max 90 out of any 180 days. So 90 days in, 90 days out, then another 90 days permitted in Schengen. This is assuming that you are not requesting any specific visa that enables you to remain in the country [or Schengen] for longer than 90 days.
It also helps if your partner is French 😉
it does
Thank you for this video. Very informative!
Those apts are stupidly expensive.
Paris is expensive
yes that's Paris for you. Most other cities in France are much cheaper
@@LesFrenchiesTravel I was just in Paris and I love it there . I met many people who live outside Paris and they are a train ride away from the city 😍🥰
@@LesFrenchiesTravel I was just in Paris and I love it there . I met many people who live outside Paris and they are a train ride away from the city 😍🥰
I have been waiting for this video. 😊 It is excellent as always, and what fun it was to be a small part of it. Merci, Antoine and Colleen. ❤
The most informative program I have seen. Love you guys❤. Did you rent while your possessions were still in the US? Or did you find a rental and move in with your possessions?
We brought some stuff with us and yes we're renting in France
It’s 90 days out of 180 throughout the Schengen zone. There are apps and calculators to help keep track of your days.
Confusingly, you *can* stay in the UK up to 180 days without a visa. That may be what Jay is thinking of.
BTW that 90 out of 180 that Americans get is not a Schengen visa - it’s a Schengen visa *waiver*. There are multiple countries whose citizens are allowed to stay/travel in Schengen under the visa waiver. There are others (like the Philippines) that require an actual Schengen visa (or a French visa) if you’re from there.
Well, learn something new every day. There’s a 1949 bilateral agreement that allows Americans to ask at the préfecture for an extra 90 days (provided you apply before your 90 days is up). Beyond the 1949 law, there is even a provision that allows you to extend the Schengen visa itself (or visa waiver, technically, for Americans) in specific situations (illness, work, certain personal reasons).
🥇 Very well done, comprehensive + super-informative, thank y’all! 🙌
there was an asian female youtuber that was living in nyc and moved to france last year and she said it was her dream to move there. but this year, she returned back from france and now is living in nyc. i tried to ask her why she moved back...but she didn't give any response. maybe she experience bad experience as an asian female living in paris?
Man I wish us Aussies had some relevant content creators over there. We have been so close to pulling the trigger but the logistics seem insurmountable…
it's a big adventure!!
I'm genuinely curious. How is it different for an Australian?
But what about EU citizens 🤔??
France can give you forgiveness for hardship for an overstay.
Not sure why the title says Europe when it’s only about France.
Thank you for this! As I plan my imminent move to France, this vlog will be a valuable resource! I'm curious about what would happen (visa-wise) if one retires there on a standard visa, buys a home and then decides to run a BnB or gite?
you couldn't do that on a retirement visa, which doesn't allow for you to work. You would need to talk to an immigration lawyer about that.
Makes ya wonder what is available in Paris below 500k 😉
Not much, but outside of Paris in smaller towns, you can cut the cost sometimes in half
Have to live in the suburbs.
Go see how Jay Swanson lives, on his channel... Many people live in one room studios, many so small that the bed has to be built on 7 foot stilts, so they can increase floor space. Some don't even have running water or a private bathroom, they share one down the hall, with others who live on the same top floor (these were often originally maids' quarters)
Yikes! Fact check. The copious misinformation in just the first few minutes could really lead you astray. 180 days in a year but only 90 at a time. Also you apply for a long stay renewable tourist visa (VLS-TS) if you’re not going to work in France and you want to renew annually within France. The French website has a visa wizard to help you get the right visa.
Its like here, you can spend 20k a month for a toilet kitchen in Manhattan, or you can live in a 500$ a month farmhouse in west Virginia.
Pretty much!
Great, informative content about moving to France. --The title is a little misleading referencing 'Europe'. This is entirely about moving to France & doesn't include other EU countries.
Oh Lord, always has to be one!
@@docholliday4546 Oh Lord, another person who cannot differentiate between positively framed, constructive criticism & trolling.