Going to make the move to France.

[butear]

Hi all
We are going to move to France – March 2010. We have the home had a year to renovate familiarise with the taxes and started to learn French – use of cds. The neighbours have adjusted to having us around and we continue to enjoy our time there. The forum has proved excellent. Reading others threads I have a rough idea as to what needs doing, however, I would be grateful for further advice on the following.
1. Do we need a carte de sejour – both are uk citizens.
2. We plan to take a car – approx 10 years old, Renault, how long before we need to transfer over to france plates. Is it a smooth process?
3. Have a dog – passport and ready to travel. Advice on vets in France, insurance needed?
4. Taxes –income from uk, (not working) – through rental – are we subject to France taxes ?
5. type of Health insurance needed – currently have E111.
6. Language – continued learning, is it possible to become fluent?

A lot there, links to web sites would be useful to, i.e. peoples recommendations. Look forward to any feedback. Many Thanks Sam

[Bevdeforges]

Originally Posted by butear

Hi all
1. Do we need a carte de sejour – both are uk citizens.
2. We plan to take a car – approx 10 years old, Renault, how long before we need to transfer over to france plates. Is it a smooth process?
3. Have a dog – passport and ready to travel. Advice on vets in France, insurance needed?
4. Taxes –income from uk, (not working) – through rental – are we subject to France taxes ?
5. type of Health insurance needed – currently have E111.
6. Language – continued learning, is it possible to become fluent?

1. They won't give you one if you're both UK citizens. One less bureaucratic hassle to worry about!

2. If it's a right hand drive I'd reconsider - but the process should go reasonably smoothly. Technically you need to start the process of getting your registration changed over once you have "declared" France to be your place of residence. I can't find any reference to a fixed time limit, but I'd get on it within the first month or so once you consider yourselves "moved."

3. The passport is the key thing. I know insurance is available, but no one I know here seems to have it. (I don't for my cats.) The vet bills I've had are quite reasonable - annual shots seem to run about 60€ per animal.

4. As a French resident, you're subject to French taxes and you must declare your worldwide income. There is a separate form for declaring income (including pensions) from outside France, and the various tax treaty terms are applied as appropriate so you won't be doubly taxed. You may want to look into getting some tax software, which will allow you to estimate what (if any) taxes you owe so you can decide whether you agree with the tax assessor's bill when it comes.

5. Evidently you are covered for a couple years, then you're assured coverage on the national plan once you hit retirement age. (Someone from the UK will have to expand on this a bit.) You'll probably want to look into a mutuelle to pick up the part the French national plan doesn't cover.

6. You'll only really become fluent by having to use the language. You feel like a real fumble-tongue for the longest time, but one day you realize that you actually can manage reasonably well. On the phone is the worst - but you certainly can avoid the telemarketers by simply saying "no speekie the langue" and then hanging up.

A really good site for looking up official odds and ends is SERVICE PUBLIC - Particuliers It's mostly in French, but it's good practice for you. (And on the web you can always look up words you don't know.)
Cheers,
Bev

[parsnips]

Hi,
Bev has covered most points. Re health cover, it depends on your age. If you have been working in the UK you may be entitled to an E106 which will pay for the same cover as a french national (which is not 100%) for a year or two. Your E111 (or EHIC as it is called now) will not be valid once you cease to be UK resident.
Once you are not covered by E106(or if you are not entitled to one) , until one of you starts to receive a UK state retirement pension (OAP) which entitles you to cover at the UK's expense, you will have to obtain full private health insurance. ( Have a look at the website of Exclusive Health for an idea of costs).
If you get a job or start a business in France you would ,of course, get cover under the state system.

[butear]

Originally Posted by parsnips

Hi,
Bev has covered most points. Re health cover, it depends on your age. If you have been working in the UK you may be entitled to an E106 which will pay for the same cover as a french national (which is not 100%) for a year or two. Your E111 (or EHIC as it is called now) will not be valid once you cease to be UK resident.
Once you are not covered by E106(or if you are not entitled to one) , until one of you starts to receive a UK state retirement pension (OAP) which entitles you to cover at the UK's expense, you will have to obtain full private health insurance. ( Have a look at the website of Exclusive Health for an idea of costs).
If you get a job or start a business in France you would ,of course, get cover under the state system.

Hi
thanks for the info, much appreciated, great link, am digesting and will act on it. mmediate question - A definition of "resident in France" i.e is it after 6 months or 12 months in France without returning to uk, or is it that one has to decalre residency with officials. ?
Sam

[Bevdeforges]

You're considered "resident" once you come to France "with the intent of staying for the long term." (French law is full of vague stuff like this.)

There's no formal declaration of taking up residence in France (like there is in Germany, for example). Basically, once you move in with the intention of staying for more than half the year, you're "resident." The UK may have slightly different definitions, especially for tax purposes - which is complicated by the UK tax year being different from the French tax year.
Cheers,
Bev

[parsnips]

Originally Posted by butear

Hi
thanks for the info, much appreciated, great link, am digesting and will act on it. mmediate question - A definition of "resident in France" i.e is it after 6 months or 12 months in France without returning to uk, or is it that one has to decalre residency with officials. ?
Sam

Hi,
It's not obligatory, but it is useful, to "fix" the date you become resident in France,and get a tax refund if appropriate, by downloading Form P85 from the HMRC site and submitting it. Within reason ,you can put whatever date suits you within about six months of arrival.
For the best tax results an arrival in about August is ideal as this maximises your UK refund, and usually ensures no french tax in that year (ends 31 Dec).

[coloma gold]

Originally Posted by Bevdeforges

1. They won't give you one if you're both UK citizens. One less bureaucratic hassle to worry about!

2. If it's a right hand drive I'd reconsider - but the process should go reasonably smoothly. Technically you need to start the process of getting your registration changed over once you have "declared" France to be your place of residence. I can't find any reference to a fixed time limit, but I'd get on it within the first month or so once you consider yourselves "moved."

3. The passport is the key thing. I know insurance is available, but no one I know here seems to have it. (I don't for my cats.) The vet bills I've had are quite reasonable - annual shots seem to run about 60€ per animal.

4. As a French resident, you're subject to French taxes and you must declare your worldwide income. There is a separate form for declaring income (including pensions) from outside France, and the various tax treaty terms are applied as appropriate so you won't be doubly taxed. You may want to look into getting some tax software, which will allow you to estimate what (if any) taxes you owe so you can decide whether you agree with the tax assessor's bill when it comes.

5. Evidently you are covered for a couple years, then you're assured coverage on the national plan once you hit retirement age. (Someone from the UK will have to expand on this a bit.) You'll probably want to look into a mutuelle to pick up the part the French national plan doesn't cover.

6. You'll only really become fluent by having to use the language. You feel like a real fumble-tongue for the longest time, but one day you realize that you actually can manage reasonably well. On the phone is the worst - but you certainly can avoid the telemarketers by simply saying "no speekie the langue" and then hanging up.

A really good site for looking up official odds and ends is SERVICE PUBLIC - Particuliers It's mostly in French, but it's good practice for you. (And on the web you can always look up words you don't know.)
Cheers,
Bev

Bev.... reference your response above, [3. The passport is the key thing. ]... Passport for a dog? I didn't remember anything about this.. did I miss something or did I misinterpret the discussion?

[Bevdeforges]

Originally Posted by coloma gold

Bev.... reference your response above, [3. The passport is the key thing. ]... Passport for a dog? I didn't remember anything about this.. did I miss something or did I misinterpret the discussion?

Yes, it's the passport for the dog. Not a passport like for humans, but rather a "health passport" - I think it's called a European passport for pets. Here in France it's a "carnet de santé."

Basically it's a health record for a pet, documenting all the vaccinations and other health related stuff. It's tied to the animal's chip and thus proves that immunizations (particularly rabies, when needed) are up to date. Generally you need one to board an animal outside his home country, or to have your dog accompany you on vacations (say, to campgrounds or other facilities).
Cheers,
Bev

[butear]

Originally Posted by Bevdeforges

Yes, it's the passport for the dog. Not a passport like for humans, but rather a "health passport" - I think it's called a European passport for pets. Here in France it's a "carnet de santé."

Basically it's a health record for a pet, documenting all the vaccinations and other health related stuff. It's tied to the animal's chip and thus proves that immunizations (particularly rabies, when needed) are up to date. Generally you need one to board an animal outside his home country, or to have your dog accompany you on vacations (say, to campgrounds or other facilities).
Cheers,
Bev

Thankyou for the info.Yes the dog has yet to travel with us to France , as reading other peoples experiences of taking for a short visit - a bit of a hassle in that each visit requires the dog to be checked over by the vet prior to returning to the uk, cost implicationa against this. Just as well as our visits have entailed taking a number of items for the renovation work, the van is always full ! Back to the tax issue, I note the p85 form thanks for that I have a print off from HRMC site - very straightforward. shall possibly delay declaring residency until August, to maximise tax refund, must check out the uk tax threshold, i.e how much can we earn before paying tax. We plan to rent our home until sold - tax to pay on this income - usefil site for anyone for info - wwww.direct.gov.uken/moneyTaxandBenefits. Shall keep plugging away and let you know what happens.

[parsnips]

Hi,
Provided it's your only UK-taxable income, rent from your house is very tax-efficient as your personal allowances will usually completely cover the rent, and it is also not taxable in France.