Moving to France Post-Brexit
Since Brexit, UK citizens are no longer EU nationals, which fundamentally changed the process for living in France. What was once as simple as showing your passport now requires proper residency applications, apostilled documents, and navigating French bureaucracy. Despite the extra paperwork, France remains hugely popular with Brits - over 150,000 UK citizens currently live there, drawn by the lifestyle, climate, and culture.
🔄 Key Changes Since Brexit
What's Different Now:
- • 90-Day Limit: UK passport holders can only stay 90 days in any 180-day period without a visa
- • Residency Permit Required: Long-term stays now need carte de séjour (residence permit)
- • More Documentation: Birth certificates, marriage certificates must be apostilled and translated
- • Work Authorization: Employment requires specific work permits or long-stay visas
- • Healthcare Changes: S1 forms for state pensioners, private insurance for others initially
- • Property Purchases: Still allowed but tax implications changed
🎯 Common Reasons for Moving
Retirement
Largest group. South of France especially popular. Need proof of income and health insurance.
Work
Skilled professionals, remote workers, entrepreneurs. Requires work permit or talent passport.
Property & Lifestyle
Second home owners now limited to 90 days unless they get residency. Many converting to full-time.
Good News: France is a Hague Convention member. UK apostilles are fully recognized, so you don't need embassy attestation like with non-Hague countries. However, France requires certified French translations for all official documents.
Carte de Séjour Requirements
The carte de séjour is your French residence permit. You'll need one if you're planning to stay longer than 90 days. The type depends on your reason for moving - work, retirement, family reunification, student, or other. Each has slightly different document requirements, but all need apostilled UK documents.
📄 Universal Document Requirements
1. Birth Certificate (Extrait d'acte de naissance)
UK Requirements:
- • Full birth certificate (not short form)
- • Must include parents' details
- • Original from GRO (£12.50, 5-7 days)
- • FCDO apostille required
- • Less than 3 months old (some prefectures)
French Translation:
- • Must use sworn translator (traducteur assermenté)
- • List available from French consulate
- • Cost: €30-60 per certificate
- • Turnaround: 5-10 working days
- • Translation stapled to apostilled original
2. Marriage Certificate (If Applicable)
Required if you're applying based on marriage to an EU/French citizen, or if your marital status is relevant to your application:
- • Full UK marriage certificate from GRO
- • FCDO apostille essential
- • Sworn French translation mandatory
- • If divorced: divorce decree also needs apostille + translation
- • Civil partnership certificates treated same as marriage
3. Proof of Residence
French authorities are strict about this. You need to prove you actually live in France:
- • Rental contract (bail) or property deed (acte de propriété)
- • Utility bills (electricity/water) in your name
- • Attestation d'hébergement if staying with someone
- • Must be recent (usually within 3 months)
- • Address must match your prefecture jurisdiction
4. Proof of Resources
You must prove you won't be a burden on French social services. Requirements vary by permit type:
Acceptable Evidence:
- • UK bank statements (last 3-6 months)
- • Pension statements
- • Employment contract in France
- • Investment income proof
- • Rental income documentation
Minimum Amounts:
- • Varies by prefecture and household size
- • Generally around SMIC (approximately €1,823/month as of January 2026)
- • Higher for family applications
- • Some accept lump sum in French account
🎯 Additional Requirements by Type
Retirees/Passive Income
- • Comprehensive health insurance
- • Proof of UK state pension or private pension
- • Bank statements showing regular income
- • No apostille needed for pension statements usually
- • S1 form from NHS if state pensioner
Workers
- • French employment contract (promesse d'embauche)
- • UK qualifications (apostilled + translated)
- • Professional licenses if applicable
- • OFII medical examination
- • Work permit or talent passport
UK Apostille for France
Getting UK documents apostilled for France is straightforward since both countries are Hague Convention members. You only need FCDO apostille - no French embassy attestation required. However, timing is important because you'll also need to arrange French translations.
📝 Documents That Need Apostille
Always Required:
- ✓ Birth certificates
- ✓ Marriage certificates
- ✓ Divorce decrees
- ✓ Death certificates (for inheritance)
- ✓ Educational qualifications (for workers)
- ✓ Criminal record checks (some visas)
Sometimes Required:
- • Medical certificates (profession-specific)
- • Professional licenses/memberships
- • Company registration documents
- • Powers of attorney
- • Adoption certificates
- • Driving licenses (DVLA letters)
🔄 Apostille Process Steps
Order Original Certificates
Birth/marriage certificates from GRO (gov.uk), educational documents from universities. Plan 1-2 weeks for delivery. Order extras - you'll likely need multiple copies.
FCDO Apostille Application
Submit to Foreign Office. Professional apostille service handles the entire process for you. Contact us for fast, reliable service. We recommend professional service to avoid errors and delays.
Receive Apostilled Documents
Documents returned with FCDO certificate attached. Don't separate the apostille from the document! Now ready for French translation.
Arrange French Translation
Send apostilled docs to sworn French translator. They translate and certify, returning the translation attached to your apostilled original. Total time: 5-10 days, €30-80 per document.
⏰ Timeline Tip
Start the apostille process 4-6 weeks before your prefecture appointment. This allows time for document requests, apostille processing, and translation. French administration moves slowly - missing documents mean rescheduling, often months later.
French Translation Requirements
France is strict about translations. You can't just use Google Translate or ask a bilingual friend. Documents must be translated by a traducteur assermenté (sworn translator) officially recognized by French courts. The prefecture will reject anything else, no exceptions.
🔍 What Makes a Translation "Official"
Sworn Translator Requirements:
- • Translator must be officially registered with French court
- • Translation includes stamp and signature of translator
- • Translator's official number must appear on document
- • Statement certifying accuracy of translation
- • Translation physically attached to apostilled original
- • Both documents submitted together to prefecture
💰 Translation Costs & Timeline
| Document Type | Typical Cost | Turnaround |
|---|---|---|
| Birth Certificate | €30-50 | 3-5 days |
| Marriage Certificate | €35-60 | 3-5 days |
| Degree Certificate | €40-80 | 5-7 days |
| Transcript (multi-page) | €60-150 | 7-10 days |
| Police Check | €50-90 | 5-7 days |
📋 Finding a Sworn Translator
UK-Based Translators
Convenient if you're still in UK:
- • French consulate maintains list
- • Send documents by post/email
- • Often slightly more expensive
- • Easier communication in English
- • Return by tracked post
France-Based Translators
If you're already in France:
- • Check prefecture's recommended list
- • Often faster and cheaper
- • May require basic French communication
- • Can sometimes drop off in person
- • Prefecture prefers local translators
Pro Tip: Some professional apostille services in the UK offer package deals including both FCDO apostille and sworn French translation. This can save money and coordination hassle, with everything returned ready for your prefecture appointment.
Working in France
Post-Brexit, UK citizens need work authorization to be employed in France. The exact route depends on your situation - skilled worker, company transfer, starting a business, or remote working for a non-French employer.
🎯 Main Work Permit Routes
Salarié/Employee Permit
For those with a French job offer. Employer sponsors the application.
Documents needed:
- • Birth certificate (apostilled + translated)
- • UK qualifications (apostilled + translated)
- • Employment contract from French employer
- • OFII medical exam results
- • Proof of accommodation in France
Passeport Talent (Talent Passport)
For highly skilled professionals, researchers, investors, artists. Faster processing, multi-year permit.
UK documents required:
- • Advanced degree certificates (apostilled)
- • Professional qualifications and memberships
- • Employment references (last 3-5 years)
- • Birth/marriage certificates (standard)
- • Proof of salary level (Salarié Qualifié threshold: €39,582 annually as of 2026)
Auto-Entrepreneur/Self-Employed
For freelancers and small business owners. Register as auto-entrepreneur.
What you'll need:
- • Birth certificate (apostilled + translated)
- • Business plan (in French)
- • Proof of funds/business capital
- • Professional qualifications if regulated profession
- • Private health insurance initially
Buying Property in France
Good news: UK citizens can still buy French property post-Brexit without residency. However, if you want to spend more than 90 days per year there, you'll need a residence permit, which requires the usual apostilled documents.
🏡 Documents for Property Purchase
Purchase Process (No Apostille Usually):
- • Valid UK passport (for notaire)
- • Proof of funds (bank statements)
- • Proof of address (UK or France)
- • Marriage certificate if buying jointly (certified copy OK)
- • French tax number (number fiscal) - applied for during purchase
If Converting to Primary Residence (Apostille Required):
- • Standard carte de séjour documents
- • Birth certificate (apostilled + translated)
- • Marriage certificate if applicable
- • Proof the property is your main home
- • Proof of resources for residency
Healthcare & Carte Vitale
Accessing French healthcare is one of the trickier aspects post-Brexit. The process depends on whether you're a state pensioner, worker, or neither.
💳 Getting Your Carte Vitale
State Pensioners
- • Apply for S1 form from NHS
- • S1 gives you French healthcare rights
- • Register S1 with French CPAM
- • Birth certificate (apostilled) often requested
- • Process takes 3-6 months typically
Workers
- • Automatic once employed
- • Employer handles registration
- • Birth certificate (apostilled + translated)
- • Carte vitale issued after 3 months
- • Family members included
Timeline & Costs
Realistic planning timeline for moving to France, from document preparation to receiving your carte de séjour:
📅 Complete Timeline
💰 Estimated Costs
| Item | Cost (GBP) |
|---|---|
| Birth certificate (UK) | £12.50 |
| Marriage certificate (if needed) | £12.50 |
| FCDO apostilles (2-3 docs) | Contact us |
| French translations | £60-150 |
| Photos & copies | £20 |
| Carte de séjour fee | £190-270 |
| Total Estimate | £382-747 |
Dealing with the Prefecture
The prefecture is where you'll submit your carte de séjour application. French bureaucracy has a reputation, and prefecture experiences vary wildly by location. Here's what expats wish they'd known:
⚠️ Book Appointments Early
In popular areas (Paris, Côte d'Azur), appointments can be 2-3 months out. Book as soon as you arrive in France, even if your documents aren't ready yet. You can gather documents while waiting.
📋 Bring Everything
Even if the website says you need 3 documents, bring 10. Requirements change, staff have different interpretations. Multiple copies of everything. Originals AND copies. Better over-prepared than turned away.
✅ Document Checklist Strategy
Print the prefecture's checklist from their website. Tick items off as you pack them. Staff sometimes want to see you've used their specific list. Bring the printed checklist to your appointment.
🗣️ Language Barrier
Don't assume English will be spoken. Bring a French-speaking friend if your French is basic. Some prefectures have English speakers, many don't. Google Translate isn't reliable for bureaucratic French.
Practical Tips from Expats
Real advice from British expats who've successfully navigated the French residency process:
💡 Order Extra Apostilled Documents
Birth certificates are £12.50. Get 3-4 apostilled. You'll need them for multiple processes: bank accounts, utilities, healthcare. Cheaper to do all at once than reorder later.
🏦 Open French Bank Account ASAP
Most processes need a RIB (bank details). But banks often want proof of residence. Catch-22. Some banks (Boursorama, N26) accept UK address initially. Get that sorted first.
📱 Join Expat Facebook Groups
Local British expat groups are goldmines. They know which prefecture staff are helpful, which translators are cheap, which doctors speak English. Real-time info more accurate than official sources.
⏰ Don't Wait for Perfect Timing
French bureaucracy is slow. Start document process even if your move is 6 months away. Better to have apostilled docs ready than scrambling last minute when your 90 days is expiring.
Ready for Your French Adventure?
We handle all your UK document apostilles and can connect you with sworn French translators. One-stop service for smooth French residency applications.