Staying Longer: Visas, Retiring & Remote Work

Overview: the 90-day line

As an American, you can visit France without a visa for up to 90 days in any rolling 180-day period. That limit covers the whole Schengen area, so days in Italy, Spain or Germany count too. To stay longer, you need a long-stay visa issued by a French consulate in the US before you leave. You can't arrive as a tourist and switch to a long-stay status from inside France, except in narrow cases such as marriage to a French citizen.

Most Americans who move to France use one of five routes: the visitor visa (retirees and people with independent income), a work visa sponsored by a French employer, a Talent card (skilled professionals, founders, investors, artists), a student visa, or family-based residence (a French spouse or EU-citizen partner). This page walks through each, then covers what happens after you land: healthcare, taxes, banking, housing and driving. For short-stay entry rules, including the EU's new Entry/Exit System, see Passports & entry.

The long-stay visitor visa

The visitor visa (visa de long séjour valant titre de séjour, or VLS-TS, marked "visiteur") is the standard route for retirees, people living off savings or investments, and anyone who wants a year in France without working there. It's valid for up to one year and acts as your residence permit for that year. After that, you renew it in France as a one-year residence card (carte de séjour temporaire "visiteur"), year after year.

Requirements

• Enough money to live on. French rules set the floor at the net minimum wage. Since the June 1, 2026 increase, that's about €1,478 (about $1,655) a month, or about €17,735 (about $19,860) a year, per person. Pension statements, investment income and bank or brokerage statements all count. Consulates often expect more, especially for couples, and large savings can make up for lower income.
• Health insurance for your entire stay. A private international policy that covers hospitalization, medical care and repatriation in France, with no long waiting periods. Many applicants buy a 12-month expat policy. Medicare does not count.
• A sworn statement that you won't work in France. You sign a handwritten declaration promising not to take any professional activity in France.
• Proof of where you'll live. A lease, a property deed or a letter from a host (attestation d'hébergement). Some consulates accept a short-term booking for the first weeks.
• A cover letter explaining why you want to live in France, plus passport, photos and, for couples, a marriage certificate.

How to apply from the US

1. Fill in the online application on France-Visas, the official visa portal. Select a long stay, the "visitor" purpose, and print the application and checklist.
2. Book an appointment at VFS Global, France's visa contractor in the US, at the center serving your state of residence. You must apply in your own consular jurisdiction, in person, with biometrics (fingerprints and photo).
3. Apply no earlier than three months before departure. Allow at least four to six weeks; spring and summer are busiest. You pay the visa fee plus a VFS service fee.
4. Bring originals and copies of everything on the checklist. Missing documents are the top reason for delays or refusals.
5. Collect your passport with the visa sticker, by courier or in person. Check every detail, including the dates and the words "visiteur" and "VLS-TS".

After you arrive: validate within three months

Within three months of arriving, you must validate your VLS-TS online on the Interior Ministry's foreigners' portal (ANEF) and pay a tax with an electronic tax stamp. Until you do, your visa doesn't count as a residence permit, and you can lose the right to leave and come back into the Schengen area. Do it in the first week. You'll enter your arrival date, French address and visa number, then download the confirmation. Some categories are then contacted by the French immigration office, OFII, for a medical visit.

Renewing into a residence card

1. Apply on ANEF between four months and two months before your VLS-TS expires. Late applications cost an extra €180 (about $200) and leave you in limbo.
2. Show you still meet the conditions: resources, health insurance (or French public coverage by then) and a French address. You'll also sign a commitment to respect the principles of the French Republic.
3. Pay the fee in electronic tax stamps (timbres fiscaux): €250–350 (about $280–390) depending on whether it's treated as a first card or a renewal.
4. Wait. ANEF issues a temporary certificate while the prefecture processes your file. Waits vary from a few weeks to several months by département. If the prefecture doesn't answer within four months, the law treats that as a refusal, which you can appeal.

The visitor card is only ever issued for one year at a time; there's no multi-year visitor card. After five years of continuous legal residence, you can apply for a 10-year resident card (carte de résident), which since January 2026 requires French at B1 level and a civic exam unless you're 65 or older. The details are in the language section below.

Remote workers and digital nomads

As of October 2026, France has no digital nomad visa. Spain, Portugal, Italy and Greece do, which is why many remote workers choose them. In June 2026 the Interior Ministry clarified its position: remote work with no link to France (no French clients, employer or services delivered in France) can be compatible with a visitor permit, while work tied to France needs a work visa. Consulates still apply this unevenly. In France, your realistic options are these:

Talent, work and other visas

Talent card (formerly "Passeport Talent")

The 2024 immigration law renamed the Passeport Talent the carte de séjour "talent". It's a multi-year card of up to four years, and spouses and children get a "talent-famille" card that lets the spouse work. The main categories, with 2026 thresholds in gross annual salary:

The card costs €350 (about $390) in tax stamps when issued. Talent holders aren't required to sign France's republican integration contract, which also means the new A2 language requirement for multi-year cards doesn't apply to them.

Employee and temporary worker visas

If a French company hires you, your employer applies online for a work authorization before you apply for the visa. Once it's approved, you apply for a VLS-TS "salarié" (for a permanent contract) or "travailleur temporaire" (fixed-term). You can start work on arrival. You validate the visa within three months and pay a €300 (about $336) tax. After the first year, a renewal can bring a four-year card, which now requires A2 French and the civic exam if you're under 65.

Student visa

US students apply through the Études en France platform run by Campus France, which handles your application to French institutions, an interview and the visa file, before your VFS appointment. Start in the autumn or winter before a September start. Key rules:

• Show resources of at least €877.50 (about $983) a month, through savings, a scholarship, or a parent's guarantee.
• Validate your student VLS-TS online within three months of arrival and pay a €100 (about $112) tax.
• Students may work part-time, up to 964 hours a year (60% of a full-time year), counted from when the visa is validated. Employers must notify the prefecture beforehand.
• Students under 28 get big discounts on trains and museums. See Students & young travelers.

Short programs under 90 days need no visa. For programs of three to six months, a temporary long-stay student visa (VLS-T) exists that doesn't require validation. Study abroad programs run by US universities usually handle much of this for you.

Au pair

Americans aged 18 to 30 can come as au pairs on a long-stay visa. The host-family agreement allows up to 25 hours a week of childcare and light housework, pocket money of at least €320 (about $358) a month plus room and board, and enrollment in French classes. The initial agreement can last up to a year, renewable once, for a maximum of two years.

Working holiday: not for Americans

France runs working holiday programs (Programme Vacances-Travail) with countries like Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Japan and South Korea, but not with the United States. Americans under 30 who want to work casually in France usually look at the au pair visa, a teaching assistant program (TAPIF, run by the French Embassy's cultural services with France Éducation international, which places English teaching assistants in French schools for about seven months) or a student visa.

Family routes

Spouses of French citizens and of EU citizens living in France have their own routes, generally with the right to work. Spouses of French citizens get a "private and family life" card, which now carries French language and civic requirements for multi-year and resident cards. Spouses of EU citizens (Irish, Italian and so on) living in France benefit from EU free-movement rules, which are simpler. If you have an Irish or Italian grandparent, look into citizenship by descent: an EU passport makes moving to France far easier.

The 2026 language and civic rules

France's January 2024 immigration law tightened integration requirements. The main changes took effect for applications filed from January 1, 2026:

• Age exemption: applicants 65 and older are exempt from both the language level and the civic exam for these residence cards.
• Accepted proof: only the TCF or TEF tests, taken in person in a single session (valid for two years), or French diplomas such as the DELF or DALF at the required level. Diplomas from foreign authorities, even francophone ones, don't count.
• Civic exam: a 40-question multiple-choice test in French on French values, institutions, history and daily life, taken at an approved center. You need 32 correct answers. A pass never expires.
• Health exemption: people with a disability or chronic condition can request accommodations or an exemption with a medical certificate.

For retirees on visitor cards, nothing changes year to year. The new rules start to matter when you apply for the 10-year card. If you're under 65 and plan to stay long term, start French classes early.

Healthcare

The public system (PUMa)

France's universal health coverage, PUMa (Protection universelle maladie), covers anyone who lives in France legally and stably. Employees and their families are covered from the start of their job. People who don't work in France, including retirees on visitor cards, become eligible three months after arriving, as long as they then live in France at least six months a year. You apply through your local health insurance office (CPAM). Students have their own simplified sign-up.

Once enrolled, you get a social security number and a green carte Vitale, which you show at every doctor, pharmacy and hospital. The state reimburses a large share of standard doctor's fees (the rate has been cut in recent budgets, so check the current figure) and a set share of medicines and hospital stays. You register a primary doctor (médecin traitant) to get full reimbursement rates.

If you don't work in France but have significant investment income, you may owe an annual contribution to the system (the cotisation subsidiaire maladie), calculated on capital income above a threshold and billed automatically. The 2026 social security budget also created a new contribution for some non-working PUMa members who pay no French social charges, with the amount still to be set by decree as of October 2026. Ask your CPAM how it applies to you.

Mutuelle (top-up insurance)

Most French residents also buy a mutuelle, a private complementary policy that pays the share the state doesn't. Premiums depend on age and coverage level. For a retiree, roughly €80–200 (about $90–225) a month is common. Employers must offer one to employees.

Medicare

Medicare generally doesn't cover care outside the US. If you drop Medicare Part B while living in France and re-enroll later, you can face a permanent late-enrollment penalty and a wait for coverage. Many American retirees in France keep Part B for trips home or an eventual return. Weigh the premium against the penalty with an adviser.

Taxes for Americans in France

The US taxes citizens on worldwide income wherever they live. Moving to France doesn't end your US filing obligations; it adds French ones.

US obligations

• File a US return every year. Americans abroad get an automatic extension to June 15, though interest on unpaid tax still runs from April 15.
• Foreign earned income exclusion: up to $132,900 of foreign earnings for tax year 2026, or claim foreign tax credits for French tax paid (often better in France, where taxes are higher).
• FBAR (FinCEN Form 114): if the combined balance of your foreign accounts exceeds $10,000 at any time in the year, file electronically, generally by April 15 with an automatic extension to October 15.
• FATCA Form 8938: if you live abroad, required when foreign financial assets exceed $200,000 at year-end or $300,000 at any time ($400,000 and $600,000 for married couples filing jointly).
• Avoid French investment funds. French mutual funds and many assurance-vie contracts can be treated as PFICs by the IRS, with punishing tax and reporting. Get advice before investing.

French obligations

You become a French tax resident if France is your home, your main place of stay (more than 183 days a year is one test), where you work or the center of your economic interests. French residents file an annual return in spring for the previous year, declare worldwide income and must declare every foreign bank account on form 3916, with heavy fines for missing accounts. Your first return is often filed on paper.

The US–France tax treaty

The treaty prevents most double taxation, but it's complicated. Under it, US Social Security benefits paid to a French resident are generally taxable only in the US, and US government pensions usually stay taxable in the US. Private pensions, IRA and 401(k) withdrawals, rental income and capital gains each have their own rules. Hire a cross-border accountant familiar with both systems for your first years. It saves money and stress.

France also taxes large real estate holdings through its property wealth tax (IFI), which has applied to net property worth more than €1.3 million (about $1.46 million). Its scope has been debated in recent budgets, so check the current rules.

Social Security

The Social Security Administration pays benefits to US citizens living in France with no restriction. A US–France totalization agreement assigns workers to one country's system so you don't pay social security contributions in both, and if you don't have enough US credits for a benefit, it can combine US and French credits (you need at least six US credits).

Banking

You'll need a French bank account to rent an apartment, pay utilities, get reimbursed by health insurance and receive a French salary. US credit cards work for daily spending, but French direct debits require a French IBAN. See Money for using US cards in France.

Because of FATCA, French banks have to report accounts held by US persons to the IRS, and some banks simply refuse American clients or limit the products they offer. Traditional branch banks are generally more willing than online-only banks. What helps:

• Bring your passport, visa or residence card, proof of French address (a lease or utility bill) and proof of income, plus your US Social Security number, which the bank needs for its FATCA paperwork.
• Ask expat forums and other Americans in your town which branches accept US clients. Policies vary by branch as much as by bank.
• If banks turn you down, the Banque de France's droit au compte procedure lets residents ask it to designate a bank that must open a basic account.
• Some Americans use a multi-currency account with a fintech firm as a bridge while they set up a French account. Check that it can give you a French or EU IBAN that French companies accept.

Renting a home

Rentals in big French cities, especially Paris, are competitive, and landlords choose tenants by the strength of their file (dossier). A typical dossier includes:

• Passport and visa or residence card
• Proof of income: recent pay slips, an employment contract, pension statements or bank statements (landlords usually want monthly income of about three times the rent)
• Your latest tax notice (avis d'imposition); US returns help but don't substitute well
• A guarantor (garant), usually a French resident who earns enough to cover the rent

Newcomers rarely have a French guarantor. Alternatives include Visale, a free state-backed guarantee from Action Logement, mainly for people aged 18 to 30 (including many international students) and some newly hired employees; check eligibility on visale.fr. Others use paid guarantor services or offer several months' rent upfront, which some landlords accept from foreigners.

Lease types

• Unfurnished (location vide): three-year lease, deposit capped at one month's rent.
• Furnished (location meublée): one-year lease (nine months for students), deposit capped at two months' rent. Most newcomers start here.
• Bail mobilité: a furnished lease of one to ten months with no deposit, for students, trainees and people on work assignments.

Tenants can usually leave an unfurnished lease with three months' notice (one month in high-demand areas like Paris) and a furnished lease with one month's notice. Paris, Lyon, Bordeaux, Montpellier and several other cities cap rents on new leases; listings must show the reference rent. Agency fees for tenants are legally capped.

For a first base, many newcomers book a furnished short-term rental for one to three months while they search. See Where to stay.

Buying property

Foreigners can buy property in France with no restrictions. The process is run by a notaire, a public official who handles the legal work, checks title and collects taxes. It's very different from a US closing.

1. Offer (offre d'achat): a written offer, usually through an agent. Asking prices are often negotiable by a few percent outside hot markets.
2. Preliminary contract (compromis de vente or promesse de vente): signed by buyer and seller, usually with a deposit of 5–10%. It includes mandatory surveys (energy rating, asbestos, lead, termites, natural risks). The buyer then has a 10-day cooling-off period to withdraw without penalty.
3. Conditions: the contract normally includes a mortgage condition; if your loan is refused, you get your deposit back.
4. Final deed (acte authentique): signed at the notaire's office about two to three months after the preliminary contract. You can sign by power of attorney if you're in the US.

Budget for "notaire fees" (frais de notaire) of roughly 7–9% of the price for an older property and 2–3% for new construction. About 80% of that is taxes; the notaire's own pay is only about a tenth. Many départements raised the transfer tax in 2025, which pushed costs for older homes toward the top of that range. Agent fees, typically 4–8%, are often included in the advertised price; check whether a listing says FAI (fees included). French mortgages for non-residents and US persons are harder to get, and lenders often want a 20–30% down payment.

Driving and your US license

Once you're a resident, your US license is valid in France for one year from the date you became a resident (for visa holders, generally the date your residence status started). Before that year ends, you must exchange it for a French license if your state has an exchange agreement with France, or pass the French driving test if it doesn't.

• Only 18 states are on France's official reciprocity list as of May 2026: Arkansas, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Florida, Illinois, Iowa, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, New Hampshire, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Texas, Virginia and Wisconsin. For most of them, only the regular car license (category B) can be exchanged; Connecticut, Florida and Pennsylvania also cover motorcycles, and Illinois, Iowa, Michigan, New Hampshire and South Carolina cover all categories.
• California, New York, New Jersey, Washington, Georgia, North Carolina and Arizona are among the big states that are not on the list. The list changes from time to time, so check the current version from France's road safety authority and the official simulator on Service-Public before you move.
• You apply online through ANTS, within the first year, with your license, proof of residence and a certified translation. Processing can take months; ANTS gives you a receipt that lets you keep driving.
• If your state has no agreement, you'll need to take the French theory test (code de la route) and practical test, usually through a driving school. Budget €1,000–2,000 (about $1,120–2,240) and several months.

For driving rules, see Driving in France.

Cost of living and where Americans settle

France costs much less than big US coastal cities for housing, healthcare and education, and roughly the same as the US for groceries. Utilities and gas are more expensive. Here are typical figures as of autumn 2026 from crowd-sourced data, in euros:

These are crowd-sourced averages from Numbeo, updated in October 2026, and are only a rough guide. Montpellier has made public transport free for residents, so locals pay little or nothing for a pass. Paris rents are averages across many small units; a family-sized apartment in a central neighborhood costs far more. Small towns and rural areas are much cheaper, with village houses in the southwest or Brittany renting for well under €1,000 a month.

Popular places for Americans

Moving your things, pets and learning French

Shipping belongings

You can bring personal belongings duty-free under France's change-of-residence exemption if you've lived outside the EU for at least 12 months and have owned and used the items for at least six months. Ship them within 12 months of moving, and file a customs declaration listing the goods. Movers handle this for you. A shared container is cheaper than a full one, and many Americans ship only a few boxes and buy furniture in France. US appliances run on 110 volts and don't work well on French 230-volt power, so leave them behind. See Staying connected for plugs.

Importing a US car is rarely worth it: it must be approved to EU standards, and taxes and modifications add up.

Pets

Dogs and cats can come with you under the EU's pet travel rules, with a microchip, rabies vaccination and a USDA-endorsed health certificate. See Traveling with pets.

Learning French

Your life in France will be far easier, and your residence options wider, if you learn French. Options:

• Alliance Française runs classes in many US cities and throughout France, and is a good place to start before you move.
• University language centers in cities such as Paris, Lyon, Aix, Montpellier, Bordeaux and Tours offer semester-long intensive courses, which can support a student visa.
• Free resources: TV5Monde's learning site, RFI's slow-paced news bulletin in simple French, and French public radio and podcasts.
• Tests: if you need proof of level for a residence card, prepare for the TCF or TEF specifically. A DELF or DALF diploma also counts and never expires.
• Local life: town associations, choirs, sports clubs and language exchanges are how most Americans really learn. See Phrases for a start.

Planning a scouting trip before you move? Our trip planning service can set up a few weeks in the towns on your shortlist.