Moving to France from the UK: The Complete Guide for British Citizens (2026)

Brexit turned a move that needed no paperwork into one that needs a plan. If you are British and want to live in France, the order in which you do things matters more than any single step. This guide walks through that order, says who needs what, and points you to the detailed guides for each stage.

What changed since Brexit

Before 2021, a British citizen could settle in France as an EU citizen. That is no longer the case for new arrivals. Today your position depends on one date: whether you moved to France before 1 January 2021.

If you did, and you have lived there legally since, you and your family members have rights under the Withdrawal Agreement, according to the UK government’s guidance on living in France. You do not need a work permit or visa. Our guide to Withdrawal Agreement residence rights in France covers that group.

If you are moving now, you are in the same position as any other non-EU national: you need a visa or residence permit that fits your reason for moving. The detail is in British citizens and French visas after Brexit.

Visiting is not moving: the 90/180 rule

You can travel to France without a visa for tourism, to see family or friends, for business meetings, cultural or sports events, or short-term study or training. The limit, set out in the UK government’s France entry requirements, is 90 days in any 180-day period.

Three points from that page are easy to miss:

• Visits to other Schengen countries in the previous 180 days count towards your 90 days.
• Overstaying can lead to a ban from Schengen countries of up to 3 years.
• Time spent in France on a residence permit or long-stay visa does not count towards the 90-day limit.

Your passport also needs to qualify. The same page says it must have been issued less than 10 years before you arrive and must expire at least 3 months after your planned departure from the Schengen area.

Since the Entry/Exit System replaced manual passport stamping for short stays, biometric registration (fingerprints and a photo) applies to visitors, with no fee. The UK government says long-term residents of a Schengen country are exempt. For the full rules for UK visitors, including second homes and what the Entry/Exit System asks of you, see how long UK citizens can stay in France without a visa. For how to plan a house-hunting trip inside the limit, read Schengen 90/180 and scouting trips to France.

Step 1: choose your route and get the long-stay visa

To stay longer than 90 days, the UK government says you must meet the French government’s entry requirements. The route for staying is a long-stay visa or a residence permit that fits your reason for moving.

Service-public.gouv.fr, the French government’s information site, explains one common product, the long-stay visa that counts as a residence permit (VLS-TS). It is valid for 4 to 12 months and removes the need to apply for a residence card at the prefecture on arrival. Its page lists students, employees on permanent contracts, spouses of French citizens and holders of the “Talent” card among those concerned. The site’s residence permit index also lists separate visitor and retiree residence titles. Which one is yours depends on your situation, and the French authorities decide.

Your plans for work matter at this stage. The UK government notes that working in France has different requirements from simply living there, and that foreign qualifications may need recognising. See UK qualifications recognition in France.

Step 2: validate your visa or apply for your permit on arrival

The UK government’s page puts it plainly: once you arrive, you need to apply for a residence permit or validate your long-stay visa.

If you hold a VLS-TS, service-public.gouv.fr says you must validate it within 3 months of arriving in France. Validation is done online, and a tax is added to the visa fee. The page gives no amount, so check the current figure when you validate. Our step-by-step guide to validating your visa with OFII walks through the process.

Missing this deadline is the kind of mistake that is simple to avoid and slow to repair, so put the date in your diary when you land.

Step 3: sort out where you live and your money

Each of these has a guide of its own, written from the official French pages: renting in France as a British citizen covers the landlord’s file, the deposit and the Visale guarantee; buying property in France as a British buyer covers the pre-contract, the 10-day withdrawal period and the notary; and opening a French bank account as a UK citizen covers the documents, the right to an account and the declaration of UK accounts. Two more guides help with the money side: sending pounds to euros for your move and selling UK property before moving to France.

One rule applies whatever your situation: the UK government’s France page says you must declare assets held outside France, including bank accounts, securities, insurance, annuities and property. This is separate from the annual tax return, and it is a good reason to keep your UK accounts in order before you leave.

Step 4: healthcare

The UK government’s healthcare page says you must have health insurance cover to live in France, and that some residency applications require proof of cover. It advises buying private health insurance while the state registration is processed. An English-speaking broker such as Fab French Insurance (our partner) can quote a policy for that gap.

After that, you can apply for the French state system, PUMa, if you have been resident in France for at least 3 months. You are then covered on the same basis as a French citizen. If you are employed, your employer starts the registration before you begin work. The same page warns that getting a carte vitale can take 6 months or longer.

If you receive a UK State Pension or another exportable benefit, you may be eligible for an S1 form, which means the UK funds your French healthcare. Once you have it, you register it at your local CPAM office. Read the S1 form for UK pensioners and, if you are retiring, retiring to France from the UK.

You cannot use a UK-issued EHIC in France if you live and work there on a French contract.

Step 5: tax and the UK State Pension

Tax follows residence, not nationality. The French site service-public.gouv.fr says you are a tax resident in France if you meet any one of four criteria:

• your household’s habitual residence is in France;
• you stay in France at least 183 days during the year;
• your main activity is carried on there;
• your major economic interests are there.

Residents declare all income, whether of French or foreign origin. Non-residents are taxable in France only on income of French origin. The UK and France have a double taxation agreement so you do not pay tax on the same income in both countries, and tax treaties can set different rules. We explain how this works for a move in the UK-France tax treaty and HMRC. We do not give personal tax advice: your tax adviser and the tax authorities decide how the rules apply to you.

On the UK side, the government’s moving-abroad page tells you to look at the UK State Pension, at paying National Insurance to protect it, and at benefits. It also warns that many income-related benefits, such as Pension Credit and Housing Benefit, may stop if you are abroad for more than 4 weeks. See the UK State Pension in France and National Insurance when living in France.

Step 6: driving, pets and belongings

The UK government’s page on living in France says a UK licence issued before 1 January 2021 can be used until it expires, but cannot be replaced or renewed if you live in France. For a licence issued after that date, you must exchange it within 12 months of arriving. Exchanges are made online through ANTS. The full detail is in UK driving licence in France, and bringing a vehicle is covered in bringing a UK car to France.

If you are bringing a pet, French customs and the UK government publish guidance on what is needed. Our guide is taking pets from the UK to France. For furniture and boxes, see shipping your belongings from the UK to France.

Who needs what

Source: gov.uk, Living in France and gov.uk, France entry requirements (S1 row: gov.uk, healthcare in France).

Where to go next

If you are retiring, start with retiring to France from the UK. If you are moving to work, begin with the visa guide and the qualifications guide. Everyone should read the tax treaty guide before setting a leaving date. For the daily prices that official sources publish, read the cost of living in France for a British family.

FAQ

Can I live in France for six months a year without a visa?

No. Without a visa you are limited to 90 days in any 180-day period across the whole Schengen area, according to the UK government. Staying longer needs a visa or residence permit.

Do I need a visa if I moved to France before 2021?

If you moved before 1 January 2021 and have lived there legally since, you have rights under the Withdrawal Agreement and do not need a work permit or visa. The UK government says you apply to your local prefecture for a residence permit.

How long do I have to validate my long-stay visa?

For a VLS-TS, service-public.gouv.fr says within 3 months of arriving in France, online.

Can I use the NHS once I live in France?

The UK government warns you may lose entitlement to free UK medical treatment if you move abroad permanently. Check your position before you leave, and arrange suitable health insurance.

Do I have to give up British citizenship?

No. The UK government says France recognises dual citizenship with the UK, so you do not have to renounce British citizenship.