Roadmap for expats in France
A personalized roadmap of French administrative procedures, in the right order.
Understand your titre de séjour
The first step for everyone. Understand the system, identify your visa type, and find the right path for your situation.
Renew your titre de séjour
Start 2-4 months before expiry to avoid gaps in your legal status.
Register with Sécurité Sociale
Mandatory for healthcare coverage. Do it as soon as you have your titre de séjour.
Apply for family reunification
Takes 6-12 months. Start as soon as you meet the requirements (18 months residence, income, housing).
Prepare your rental dossier
You'll need adequate housing for family reunification. Your dossier must be airtight.
Deadlines change. Don't miss yours.
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Open a French bank account
You need a RIB for almost every other procedure - salary, CAF, Sécurité Sociale.
Apply for Carte Vitale
Your health insurance card - needed for automatic reimbursement at doctors and pharmacies.
Declare a médecin traitant
Without one, your reimbursement drops from 70% to 30%.
Apply for CAF housing aid
Helps cover rent, especially important with a larger family.
Get proof of address sorted
Required for almost everything - bank, prefecture, CAF. Understand your options early.
Set up Visale as your guarantor
Free government guarantor. Get it before apartment hunting - most landlords require one.
Exchange your driving licence
Must be done within 1 year of getting your titre de séjour or you lose the right.
Deadlines change. Stay ahead of them.
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