How to Move to France from the US in 2026

A Practical Roadmap for Americans Ready to Do This Properly

Every year, Americans decide they’re ready for something different. Slower pace. Better food. Functional healthcare. A shift in rhythm.

Moving to France is absolutely possible. Americans relocate to France every day. But it is not spontaneous. It is procedural. It is not romantic paperwork. It is a structured process with rules, timelines, and documentation requirements. If you approach it casually, it will push back.

I’ve walked through the entire process myself — the paperwork, the visa appointments, the housing hunt, the first 90 days of confusion — and eventually put the full roadmap into one place so others don’t have to guess their way through it.

If you approach it prepared, it works. This guide walks through the actual steps, in order.

1. Choose the Right Visa

You cannot simply move to France because you want to. Americans can stay in France for 90 days as tourists. Anything longer requires a long-stay visa.

Most people considering relocation fall into one of these categories:

  • VLS-TS Visitor Visa (often called the “retirement visa”)

  • Talent or Professional Visas

  • Student Visas

  • Family reunification

The VLS-TS Visitor Visa is the most common path for Americans who have income from outside France and do not intend to work for a French employer.

When we moved, this was our route. It is straightforward, but it requires proof of financial independence and private health coverage.

Choosing the correct visa is the foundation. Everything else depends on it.

→ Read the full Visa Guide

2. Apply Through France-Visas and TLS

Once you know your visa category, the process runs through:

  1. France-Visas online application

  2. Document upload

  3. Appointment at a TLS contact center

  4. Biometrics

  5. Waiting

The appointment is not complicated. But it is procedural. They are not there to advise you. They are there to verify your file.

This is where many Americans get sloppy. The difference between smooth approval and delay is often one missing document or improperly formatted proof.

Bring more than you think you need.

→ See the document checklist and appointment breakdown

3. Secure Schengen-Compliant Health Insurance

Before approval, you must show proof of health insurance that meets Schengen requirements. This must meet French minimum coverage standards.

For most people, an emergency-only policy for the first year is sufficient. You can transition into the French healthcare system after arrival.

Year one is about meeting requirements cleanly — not building the perfect long-term plan.

→ Explore Health Insurance Options

4. Demonstrate Financial Stability

France wants to know you can support yourself. This means showing consistent income or sufficient savings.

Exact thresholds can vary, but you should be prepared to demonstrate:

  • Regular income streams

  • Bank statements

  • Retirement income, dividends, or remote earnings

This is not about wealth. It is about independence. France does not want you arriving without a plan.

→ Full Financial Documentation Guide

5. Secure Housing

Before your visa appointment, you must show a French address.

This can be:

  • A long-term rental

  • A property purchase

  • A temporary lease agreement

Many Americans underestimate how difficult it can be to secure housing remotely. Regional differences are significant. Paris is not the Loire Valley. Provence is not Brittany. Pricing, availability, and lifestyle vary dramatically.

If you are unsure, spend time exploring before committing. We lived in ten different regions before deciding.

That exploration mattered.

→ Guide to Choosing Where to Live

6. Arrive and Validate Your Visa

After arrival in France, you must validate your VLS-TS visa online within three months. This step is often overlooked.

You will pay a tax stamp and receive confirmation of validation. Only after this process is complete are you legally settled under your visa status.

→ First 90 Days Checklist

7. Set Up Your Life in France

Opening a bank account.
Setting up utilities.
Registering for healthcare.
Adjusting to a different pace.

This is where expectations meet reality. France moves at its own speed. Patience is not optional.

What Most People Underestimate

The paperwork is manageable. The emotional adjustment is harder. You are not just changing addresses. You are changing systems, language, pace, and daily friction tolerance.

Some days feel cinematic. Some days feel absurd. Both are normal. Preparation reduces stress. Structure creates confidence.

If You’re Serious About Moving to France

This section gives you the structure. But structure alone isn’t enough. You can get through the paperwork. We all have.

What trips most Americans up isn’t the idea of moving. It’s the sequencing. The small documentation mistakes. The timing gaps between insurance, banking, housing, and healthcare. The first-year surprises no one talks about.

The emotional adjustment is harder. Moving countries is not just logistics. It is identity shift, rhythm change, and tolerance for friction. Some days will feel extraordinary. Some days will feel absurd.

Both are normal.

That’s why I wrote Get Frenched.

It’s the complete, field-tested roadmap — documents, timelines, financial thresholds, insurance decisions, housing realities, and the cultural adjustments that come after the honeymoon fades.

If you’re going to do this, do it properly.

Start with the book.

[Start with Get Frenched]