So...I want to move to France

[Squiggy]

Paris to be exact. Went there on honeymoon, fell in love with everything...yada yada yada. Where do I start? I've seen that finding a job isn't really an issue (relatively), it's getting the work permit.

So, are there any other members in here who have moved from the US to France?

 

[Finn]

No idea.

I've been to Paris, Brittany, and the French countryside. It's a beautiful country. I only wish I got to see the South of France. Perhaps one day. Good luck.

 

[Deckerd]

You could always just try applying for a work permit.

 

[Shaytan]

fell in love with everything...yada yada yada.

I fell in love with Paris again each time I'm in Paris by night. There is nothing I can do against it.

Actually, the biggest problem is to find somewhere to live, somewhere affordable.
And this "somewhere" doesn't always has the glamour you'd imagine

 

[Squiggy]

fell in love with everything...yada yada yada.

I fell in love with Paris again each time I'm in Paris by night. There is nothing I can do against it.

Actually, the biggest problem is to find somewhere to live, somewhere affordable.
And this "somewhere" doesn't always has the glamour you'd imagine

Oh, I think I'm being fairly realistic regarding housing in Paris. The prices are about the same as they are in DC...which is to say - ridiculous.

 

[Shaytan]

Do you want to rent or to buy ?Because if you want to rent, the problem is not only the price, the requirements are very extravagant !

 

[Roger Wilco]

lol, that sounds a bit rash, but good for you.

No idea what the procedure is in France, but it's possible you need a job promise before applying for the work permit (or your future employer has to apply for you), and you probably have to earn a certain amount of money and/or have qualifications that are needed.

 

[Squiggy]

That's how I'm understanding it. You need a job for the permit, but getting a job for a non-EU citizen can be difficult.

With the other costs of moving, I doubt me and the newly minted Mrs. Squiggy would be in a position to buy. I'd imagine renting for a couple of years. What's involved?

 

[Shaytan]

With the other costs of moving, I doubt me and the newly minted Mrs. Squiggy would be in a position to buy. I'd imagine renting for a couple of years. What's involved?

You need to earn 3 to 4 times the cost of your monthly rent and you need someone who earn as much to be your "garant" (don't know the word in English. It's someone who will pay for you if you can't).

 

[Squiggy]

"Garant" would be a co-signer here in the US. Does the garant need to be a French citizen? And the income qualification is the same as the US.

And regarding the "rashness", perhaps. We're doing our research and are still in the zygotal stages of this, but there are obviously many things that have to align for this to happen. I'm not packing my clothes or anything...we're a couple of years away from doing this...if we do it at all.

 

[Shaytan]

No idea. I'm sure that you can find that somewhere on the net, there must be something about expats somewhere.

You also need to know that the incomes in France are lower than the incomes in the US.

 

[stoneroses]

I want to move to Germany to be with my kids

 

[CorporalClegg]

You also need to know that the incomes in France are lower than the incomes in the US.

But he wouldn't have to worry about getting sick.

I think it's a great idea, Squiggy!

If the culture shock isn't an issue for you, then it could really be a rewarding experience even if you eventually move back to the States.

If there are viable job options for you, I don't see why you should give it a go--assuming it's what you and Mrs. Squiggy really want.

Obviously, you should do all the research first, but you seem to know that. It could just turn out to be a side effect of your honeymoon high.

Still, can't say I'm not a little envious. There are several places in Europe I'd love to move to.

 

[Count Zero]

I, for one, would welcome our new toady overlord.

 

[CorporalClegg]

I, for one, would welcome our new toady overlord.

Actually, I think this would make him a frog.

 

[Shaytan]

You also need to know that the incomes in France are lower than the incomes in the US.

But he wouldn't have to worry about getting sick.

True

After rereading my previous posts, I may have sound a little discouraging without meaning it.
I really think that the key will be to find a good job, after that, it's going to be easy. With luck, the job can be in a company that will help to rent a place.

 

[Deckerd]

You could maybe ask the Americans in the UK how they got work permits. I think the process is broadly similar across Europe. A lot of people get academic work permits first of all, which are easier to get, provided a university wants to employ you.

 

[Roger Wilco]

UK might be not be exactly the same because it's not Schengen. Also as far as I know immigration proceedings for people from outside the EU aren't unified in the EU. But it could be helpful anyway of course.

 

[Mary Ann]

I, for one, would welcome our new toady overlord.

Actually, I think this would make him a frog.

Best of luck with it all, Squiggs. I took the easy way out and moved to England on my Dutch passport, so can't give any tips whatsoever. Out of curiosity, how good is your French?

 

[MacLeod]

UK might be not be exactly the same because it's not Schengen. Also as far as I know immigration proceedings for people from outside the EU aren't unified in the EU. But it could be helpful anyway of course.

It's upto the individual members of the EU to determine how they handle non-EU immigrants. As for Schengen, that deals with internal border countrols between the Schengen countries. So with an American passport once you are in the Schengen area you can move freely, however as Roger pointed out the UK is not part of the Schengen agreement and as such to move between the UK and the Schengen countries no doubt the same border rules would apply if you went from America to France, instead of Britain to France.