Moving to France from United Kingdom

Post-Brexit you are a third-country national again: visa, carte de séjour, the full process.

Visa required before you travelLicence rule depends on issue dateCurrency: GBP

What you get

Tell us when you arrive and we build the timeline: visa validation, carte de séjour, health cover, driving licence.

Every step of French admin explained in short, checked articles with links back to the official source.

Shops, guest houses, tradespeople and professionals from home — wherever you land in France.

Convert a GBP salary into euros and see how rent, groceries and transport compare city to city.

The deadlines that apply to you, in order, counted from the day you arrive.

3 mo
Validate your visa on ANEF
A VLS-TS visa must be validated online within three months of entering France.
3 mo
PUMA healthcare waiting period ends
After three months of residence you can usually apply for state health cover.
8–10 mo
Request your first multi-year carte de séjour
Apply on ANEF between 4 and 2 months before your visa or card expires (about months 8–10 on a one-year visa); start gathering documents earlier.
12 mo
Exchange a post-2020 UK licence
UK licences issued before 1 January 2021 stay valid until they expire (exchange when under 6 months remain, or if lost, stolen or after an offence). Licences issued from 1 January 2021 must be exchanged on ANTS within 12 months of your residence permit starting.

We only ask for what your stage actually needs.

Banking & money

What banks ask for, and what to do if you are refused.

CAF & benefits

Who can claim, and why the file takes so long.

Driving licence

The rule depends on when your licence was issued: before 2021 it is valid until it expires; from 2021 you must exchange within 12 months.

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