HAND-HOLDING SERVICES
I offer a personalised, efficient, caring hand-holding service. Many expats feel anxious and unsettled on arriving in France and without some level of dedicated support can wonder whether they made the right decision to move in the first place.
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I can be your hand-holder, translator, interpreter or personal assistant - it all depends what you need help with - no job too small or large. Let me take the stress and hassle out of the famous French 'red tape'. I have my own first hand experience of moving from France to the UK and then back to France some 30 years later.
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While the French system is completely logical when you get to grips with it, things work quite differently here and can be extremely confusing and frustrating if it is new to you and you do not speak fluent French.
PROPERTY
Your home in France
Do you need help finding your dream French home or have you already found it? Property searches and bilingual personal assistance navigating all the paperwork, explaining the way the French property system works for expats and those wanting to purchase a holiday home in France. Dealing with French solicitors, understanding the property tax system in France.
YOUR BIG MOVE TO FRANCE
Moving to France
This can be a stressful and complicated operation but doesn't need to be. The paperwork now required to move to France can be quite overwhelming, especially since Brexit. I'll help make sure you have the right documents and submit the correct forms - on time and right first time.
REGISTERING YOUR CAR IN FRANCE
Importing, getting your car legal and registered in France. This is essential as you will have a limited window of time to get your vehicle compliant with French motoring regulations - this will involve some physical modifications to be made and having your car checked over by a government certified mechanic (Contrôle Technique/CT).
HEALTH COVER/HEALTHCARE IN FRANCE
Essential
When you move to France, you will no longer be entitled to any UK NHS healthcare cover, even when returning to the UK to visit. Unless you have specifically organised a private healthcare insurance for the first few months of your stay then you and your family will have no cover at all until your application for a Carte Vitale (CV) is successfully processed and this can take months.
CARTE DE SÉJOUR
VISA DE LONG SÉJOUR
TITRE DE SÉJOUR
'SETTLED STATUS'
VISA TO STAY LEGALLY IN FRANCE
Living legally in France
Since Brexit, the legal status of British expats settling in France is much more complicated and it is essential that you and your family have the correct paperwork as many rights and services rely on this as does your entitlement to stay in France longer than 90 days. Britain now counts as a 'third country'. This means that UK nationals now moving to France are considered in the same way as citizens from, for example, USA, Australia, or anywhere else outside the EU.
SETTING UP AS SELF-EMPLOYED IN FRANCE (AUTO-ENTREPRENEUR)
Getting set up to work in France
If you plan to set yourself up as self-employed in France, it is essential to ensure that all parts of the process are thoroughly followed - otherwise your enterprise will not be legally recognised and will have significant consequences and legal/tax implications.
BANKING IN FRANCE
French bank account (and French mobile phone)
It is essential to set up a French bank account for various reasons and without this, your legal status as a resident in France will be questionable.
It is equally important to get a French mobile phone number as many online forms and payments are not accepted without a valid French mobile number. Getting a French SIM card costs very little. It will help if you can also provide both a French fixed landline number and a home broadband contract/monthly bill with your name on it as this is recognised as proof that you actually live in France.
FRENCH UTILITIES AND SERVICES
Setting up water, electricity, gas etc
As in the UK, utilities companies will be queueing up to get you on board as a customer. But understanding the different tariffs and which ones might be most suitable for your household can be very confusing if you don't speak fluent French.
