Paperwork
Guides to navigating French bureaucracy—visas, residency permits, official documents, declarations, and tips for managing the paperwork needed to live in France.
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The État des Lieux in France: What It Means and What to Expect
When you've found your French apartment, before you sign on the dotted line, you'll need to do an inventory of the unit. This is called the état des lieux. This is a process that is done at the beginning of…
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French Visa and Residency Terms Explained
Visa? Titre de séjour? Carte de séjour? Récéipissé? A little lost? Here's everything you need to know about French visa terminology. Because I needed to look these terms so now you don't have to!
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Your French Tax ID Number (Numéro Fiscal): What It Is and How to Get It
What is a numéro fiscal (SPI number) in France, why you need one, and how to get yours, whether you're a resident, expat, or non-resident with French income.
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Picking Up Your Carte de Séjour in France
The final step in getting my titre de séjour, picking it up from the Préfecture. Pleasantly surprised in the process especially since I had to email them after 2 months since I had no news.
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The French Dossier: What It Is and What You Need
Pulling together my research into a staple in an expat's daily life in France, the dossier . A full breakdown of what a French dossier is and what it is used for, how to maintain it and some tips and…
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Apartment Hunting in Paris: A Guide for American Expats
Apartment hunting in Paris can seem overwhelming, especially if you don't know where to start . I've compiled my own tips and tricks for venturing into this process, how to read a listing, what I found that worked (and didn't),…
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How to Exchange Your US Driver’s License for a French One
Recap of my experience submitting my application to exchange my Ohio driver's license. This is was a much-debated subject in our tiny household and decided this is something I should go ahead and do. France's driving schools are notoriously expensive…
