The Monthly Q&A with Allison Grant Lounes allows you to ask questions and learn about how to move to France. Q&As are free and held monthly on the first Monday of every month via zoom (and the following Monday in case of a holiday).
Register for the next Q&A on November 7, 2022 here: https://yourfranceformation.mykajabi….
Submit your questions here: https://forms.gle/szjGyttsqTAtzWri9
This week’s questions include:
❓I am a USA citizen with dual citizenship (French-USA). I have just recently retired and plan on splitting my time living in France and traveling across Europe in 2023. My income is based on social security and drawing from my IRA. I plan on making Paris my base while I travel across Europe but I understand that if I reside in France over 183, I will have to pay French taxes. Can you provide insight, recommendations on what my best options are to avoid paying these taxes? Also, if I end up paying French taxes, do I also have to pay taxes in the US?
❓I understand that there are incomes necessary for different visa types. My wife would like to be an entrepreneur. She sells artwork online, not making much yet, would my retirement income factor in or does her business need to make the required income?
❓If I chose a non lucrative visa based on my retirement income is there no way to adjust status later if I wanted to freelance?
❓Is it possible to become naturalized if we come (with resources) as retirees and have never worked in France? Or is a 10 year card (after staying for 5 years) our only option to stay in France long term?
❓If we come as language students (with resources) would it be possible to become naturalized without working in France?
❓How many days do I have to move to France once I apply at VFS for a visa? (I’ve heard it’s 90 days.) And why are the amount of days important to the process of living in France?
❓Is the 183 contiguous or accumulated? Meaning, can I spend 3 months in France, leave, and then spend another 2-3 months later in the year – without having to have a visa?
❓As the date to schedule our December VFS appointment draws near… Any update on the status of your favorite website and the ability to make US appointments?
❓I want to be able to work in France at some point, but I have the means to live there initially for five years without earning income. May I go on the VLS/TS non working visa and then plan to work after five years when I apply for my 10-year residence card? I could also plan to work during the first five years and apply for the Profession Liberale visa instead, but I would rather avoid the business plan approval process and the pressure of having to earn the required income during my first five years. I have other priorities during that time. Which is the easiest to have approved and renewed?
❓How long after arriving does it typically take to get to the point where one can start working with clients? Seems like it would be easier to rent a semi-permanent place after one has started working, non?
❓Can you say something about defining one’s primary vs ancillary activities and how to avoid throwing spaghetti at the wall? E.g. a prof teaching/tutoring English & their primary academic discipline, offering test prep, editing, research & writing.
❓What marriage/divorce documents do you need for the visa application? Do you need documents for all marriages/divorces?
❓What documents do you need to cover name changes from your birth certificate to your married name?
❓What does the Fast Track to France cover?
❓What are some hidden admin fees once you get to France (carte de sejour, etc?)
❓Is it best to do a long term VISA if you’re not sure how long you’ll be in France?
❓I want to travel when I come to France – I want to live in Nice as my primary residence. My question: Do I need an apartment for three straight months or can I give them a list of the places (with apartments or hotels) that I will be traveling to? Also, during the year, can I go out of the country to Italy or to Denmark for example? I also have two tours with Road Scholar planned during the first three months I will be in France. I do not want to pay twice for a place to stay so can I just list all the places I’m going to stay – marked paid? Do birth, marriage, divorce certificates need to be translated or anything else or can they be official documents in English from the US? What needs to be translated or apostilled? Anything?
❓Do you have any general advice regarding spousal visas?
❓How does the French government track the 183 days? Is it based on the time you are renting? I plan on renting an apartment, but during that time traveling in and out of France.
❓As a French citizen, moving back to France, am I eligible for French health insurance?
❓I’m unofficially separated from my husband and he’s not coming. Is that an issue? I’m wanting eventual naturalization. What about having some of my assets in a joint account (with my daughter), is that a problem?
❓Just to clarify something you said earlier – without a visa, are we able to go to France for 3 months, come home for 3, and then go back to France for another 3 months – all in the same year? So, six months total in a single year?
❓Does it make a difference in terms of spousal visas if my wife keeps her last name or changes it to mine when we get married?
❓What health things should we take care of before moving to France?
❓I keep getting confused about the visa types. The VLS-TS visa is the primary one that you choose if you want to renew and stay permanently and then you further choose “Profession Liberale” if you want to work as a freelancer, but it’s still on the parent “visitor” visa
❓What are some good international health insurance plans for people over 65?
❓When should I make an appointment to visit the Consulate? I plan to go to France at the beginning of January.
❓What should we know about moving to France with medical issues?
❓Chronic health conditions in France are completely covered as an “affectation de longue durée”
❓What do I need to know about getting an International Driver’s License before moving to France, and what about exchanging my driver’s license?
Thinking about moving to France? If you liked this video and want to learn more about how you can pursue your own Franceformation, check out the following resources:
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💜 Check out the Profiles in Franceformation podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and anywhere you get your podcasts, or here: https://yourfranceformation.com/podcast/
💜 Learn about what you need to learn before you’re ready to move to France by downloading the Franceformation Readiness Assessment here: http://yourfranceformation.com/assess...
💜 And if you want to learn more about which French visa type is right for you and how you can make your dream of moving to France a reality, check out my book Foolproof French Visas here: http://www.yourfranceformation.com/bo... or order the paperback on Amazon.on.
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