Tag: moving abroad
Remote Work on a French Visitor Visa: Rules, Risks, and Reality
Introduction: Why This Question Comes Up So Often One of the most hotly debated questions amongst expats in France is whether the VLS-TS Visitor visa allows remote work in France. Legally, the Visitor visa does not authorize any professional activity. Despite that, enforcement and approvals in practice have created confusion. The confusion starts with the…
One Year Later: What Life in France Is Really Like
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January marks our one-year anniversary of moving to France. It’s been a whirlwind year with plenty of ups and downs, but we’re finally feeling settled now that we’ve moved to Annecy from Nice. The first six months of living here were definitely the hardest. Culture shock subtly manifested in all sorts of ways for us.…
How to Retire to France from the US: Visas, Healthcare, Taxes & Cost of Living
Thinking about retiring to France from the US? You’re not alone. It’s possible for Americans to retire to France, but the process is more structured than many expect. This guide explains exactly how US citizens retire in France, including the visa you’ll need, income requirements, healthcare access, taxes, and realistic monthly budgets. It’s written specifically…
Cost of Living in France (2025): What It Really Cost Us to Move and Live Here
2025 was an expensive year for us. Not only did we move from the US to France, but we also moved within France. We arrived at the Nice airport in mid January with only four suitcases, having sold everything we owned. I’d love to say we lived like minimalist monks for the last year, using…
From Sunshine to Lakeside Living: Why We Chose Annecy over the French Riviera
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The Côte d’Azur had everything we were looking for in life. Beautiful beaches, stunning mountains, and year-round sunny weather. Plus all the amenities of a European city we couldn’t find in the US: walkability, public transit, and gorgeous historic architecture. When we visited for two months, it seemed like a dream destination. However, things changed…
Charge Them More! France’s 2026 Plan to Raise Visa Fees
Update: these fees are going into effect starting in May 2026. Read our article about all of the updates here. Immigrants are once again the solution to all of France’s budget woes. The recent idea to charge Americans more for healthcare may have fallen a bit short of closing the €23 billion budget deficit, so…
The Great Driver’s License Exchange: Swapping American for French
Driving is an integral part of American culture. Everyone does it every day for everything. Need milk and eggs from the store a block away? Drive there. Want to spend 40 hours in a car traveling across the country? Totally reasonable. Enjoying the scenery of the great outdoors? It looks better through the windshield. While…
Moving within France – How to move across the country and survive
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Moving in France is almost like it was in the US. Rent a truck bigger than any vehicle you’ve ever driven before, cram it full of everything you own, reflect on how you’ve managed to accumulate so much stuff, then drag it up a bunch of stairs to your brand new place. However, France adds…
Is the VLS-TS Visitor Visa a Path to French Citizenship?
Years ago, the path from visa holder to French citizen was straightforward and attainable. Living in France for 5 years, speaking French at a B1 level, and knowing some of the country’s history was all it took to qualify and likely obtain citizenship. In 2025, things are changing rapidly, and not for the better. With…
