How to become a France

How to become a France No matter which French visa you arrived on, there may come a moment when you realise it will expire in a few months and you don’t want to leave. Perhaps you just came over on a 6 month short stay visa for an extended holiday. Or maybe you opted for a 12 month long stay visa to see if you like the lifestyle. Either way, it has all gone too quickly. You’ve fallen in love with France and want to make it your permanent home, but you’re not sure how to go about it. That’s where we can help French Connections HCB was set up a few years ago to help people from around the world to navigate the administrative complexities in moving to France. Since then, we’ve helped thousands of people move and settle permanently over here. And of course, the first step in achieving that is to apply for a residency permit. Let’s start with the good news If you are here on a 12 month long stay visa, you’ll be able to apply from France without leaving the country. You just need to start the residency application process two months before your visa is due to expire. If you are here on a short stay 6 month visa, you will need to leave France and apply for a 12 month long stay visa to allow you to come back. Once here, you will be eligible to apply for residency before that 12 month visa expires. Is it difficult to apply? Applying for residency is quite a long process but almost always successful if you meet the necessary criteria and produce the correct documents. If you don’t have the time or confidence do it yourself, we offer a Residency Application service that takes care of the entire process start to finish. This is how it works Firstly, we’ll invite you to talk to our friendly relocation specialist, Diana. She will discuss your current status with you to make sure that all the requirements are met before you start your application. We’ll then ask you to provide the documents required by the French administration. Some have to be the original, so it is always a good idea to make a copy before handing them over. Your originals will be returned to you by the French administration at the moment of your interview, which is the last step in the process and much less scary than it sounds! Typically, you will need to provide: • Your passport • Proof of French residency, such as a recent utility bill that is less than three months old • A copy of your Private Health Insurance / Social Security Number/ S1 • Proof that you have sufficient funds to support yourself Once we have everything we need, we will then apply online on your behalf, upload the documents and track your application as it progresses through the administrative system. 102 | The Good Life France

esident in Once your dossier has been accepted you will be invited to an appointment at your local Prefecture. Here you’ll be asked to provide your fingerprints electronically, plus 3 passport-style ID photos and any additional information they need. After that there is nothing more to do. You will receive your residency permit in the post a couple of weeks later, unless you are invited to collect it in person from the prefecture. How long does it all take? From start to finish, the residency application process can take several months so don’t worry if it drags on. This is completely normal! The next steps If you’d like to find out more or talk about how we can help, simply book your FREE initial consultation with relocation specialist Diana via our website frenchconnectionshcb.com Alternatively, you can reach her at diana@frenchconnectionshcb.com We look forward to talking to you about becoming a permanent French resident! The French Connections HCB Team NEW FRENCH PERSONAL ASSISTANT SUBSCRIPTION SERVICE If you need on-going support having already moved to France, our monthly subscription service could be just what you need. Moving to France, made easy Relocating to a new country can be frustrating and sometimes stressful, especially in a different language For just 89€ per month, it will save you time and limit frustration while you enjoy your life in France. Contact us today for more information. BUT DON’T WORRY French Connections HCB is your one-stop administration partner in France. HOUSE PURCHASES • RESIDENCY DOCUMENTATION • VEHICLE REGISTRATION PROCESSING • DRIVING LICENCE EXCHANGE • BUSINESS CONSULTANCY FINANCIAL ADVICE SERVICES • PROPERTY DEVELOPMENT ADMINISTRATION ...and a whole host of other support services. TO FIND OUT MORE ABOUT HOW WE CAN HELP OR TO BOOK A FREE 15 MINUTE CONSULTATION, GO TO FRENCHCONNECTIONSHCB.COM OR SCAN THE QR CODE info@frenchconnectionshcb.com +33 1 85 65 74 98 frenchconnectionshcb.com The Good Life France | 103