Essential Items to Consider When Moving to Paris
This week My Paris Touch has listed the essential items you need to consider when moving to Paris .
Are you learning French or about to learn French?
Maybe it is because you have just moved to or are considering A move to Paris?
Congratulations, it's an awesom goal but let's be honest, living in Paris is not always glamorous and as idyllic as movies or TV shows often make us think.
In Emily in Paris, a famous Netflix series, Emily doesn't seem to have had too much troubles settling in except for the problems of cultural differences which are at the often the roots of her many faux pas, misunderstandings with her colleges – the true Parisians and of course her difficulties in learning French.
But, as many real “expatriates in Paris” point out in many press articles and on social networks, the real hurdles and difficulties of settling in France are almost non-mentioned.
Emily has no appointment at the prefecture, she has no difficulty to find an apartment and it is no mention about the struggle to get a carte vitale ! But it is a show !!
The first big obstacle - if you are not a European citizen – is to get the appropriate visa for your particular situation. Know that there are 27 different visas and it is advised to choose the right one for you to avoid unecessary delays!
My advice to you - go and visit Guiga's website, Expat in France, she offers high quality educational content geared towards helping you organize your expatriation in France. Her latest blog article on visas is a gold mine of expertise.
Once you have obtained your visa, the steps to validate your residence permit will be done once you arrive in France. Yes it can also be an obstacle as filling out French paperwork is in and is of itself an art. (France is well known for loving paperwork, remember to keep everything and make copies), arm yourself with patience and sometimes a steely reserve.
A bad reputation for administration procedures. Unfortunately, I must admit that the French administration’s poor reputation is well deserved.
Since COVID, many online services are more efficient but it is still necessary to send documents by mail and to make phone calls most probably in French to get a feedback on your file.
My advice to get ready !
I would also recommend you to read other expatriates' experiences, I follow several blogs and I would recommend Sahra's blog which has put online a guide on her adventure with the French administration whether it is for her visa, her residence permit, her carte vitale, her driver's license and her taxes
Another delicate subject, Paris is a big city and the real estate market is very tight with its specificities and complications.
I advise you to read my guide to know everything about renting an apartment in Paris.
In France, to get an apartment to rent, you have to show your credentials. Be sure that your file is complete and present all the guarantees to the landlords to reassure them as this works in your favor of winning the apartment you are looking at. Landlords are particular and are in the driver’s seat.