You Made it, Now What?

Arriving in France with a long-stay visa feels like the finish line. It isn’t. It’s the starting point.

The first 90 days are where paperwork, logistics, and expectations collide with daily life. If you approach this period methodically, it settles. If you drift, it compounds.

This page explains what typically happens during those first months.

1. Validate Your Visa

If you entered France on a VLS-TS visa, you must validate it online within three months of arrival. This activates your legal residency status.

You’ll submit your visa number, entry date, French address, and pay a tax stamp. Do this promptly.

This step is administrative — but it matters.

2. Secure a Permanent Address (If You Arrived at Something Temporary)

If you began with short-term housing, the first 90 days are when you’ll likely secure a longer-term rental or property.

This affects:

• Banking

• Utilities

• Insurance

• Healthcare registration

Stability makes everything else easier.

3. Open a French Bank Account

You do not technically need a French bank account immediately.

But practically, you will want one.

A local account simplifies:

• Rent payments

• Utility setup

• Insurance payments

• Residency renewals

Expect documentation requests and slower processing than in the U.S. Organization speeds things up.

4. Set Up Utilities and Local Services

Once you have stable housing, you’ll begin setting up:

• Electricity

• Internet

• Water (if applicable)

• Home insurance

Processes vary by provider and region. Patience is required.

5. Begin the Healthcare Transition Process

You are not automatically enrolled in the French healthcare system upon arrival.

Eligibility requires:

• Legal residency

• Documentation

• Processing time

Your first-year private insurance bridges this gap.

Expect paperwork and waiting periods.

6. Adjust to Administrative Pace

France operates differently. Response times may be slower. Processes are often in-person. Digital systems exist, but not universally.

This is not dysfunction. It is cultural rhythm. Impatience creates friction.

7. Emotional Adjustment

The first 90 days include:

• Excitement

• Disorientation

• Minor frustrations

• Administrative fatigue

Some days feel cinematic. Some days feel bureaucratic. Both are normal. Structure reduces stress.

What Most People Underestimate

They assume that once the visa is approved, the hard part is over. In reality, the first three months determine how smooth your first year becomes.

Small administrative delays can create unnecessary stress later. Approach this period deliberately.

If You Want the Full First-Year Playbook

This page outlines the sequence. But the timing details, document preparation, banking strategy, healthcare application structure, and common early mistakes are where most Americans get overwhelmed.

In Get Frenched, I walk through exactly how we structured our first 90 days — what we prioritized, what we delayed, and what I would do differently.

If you’re going to move here, move with a plan.

Start with the book.

[Start with Get Frenched]