First 30 days in France
Operational first-month plan for France — registration, banking, healthcare, and housing based on tier-1 relocation data (2026-04). Not legal advice; verify deadlines on official sources linked on compare pages.
COL index 80/100 · avg rent ~$1700/mo in dataset.
Relocation capital estimate
Setup, deposit, and first-month buffer from tier-1 relocation data.
- Setup costs
- 4,000 EUR (USD equivalent)
- Deposit (est.)
- 1,500 EUR (USD equivalent)
- First month buffer
- 2,025 EUR (USD equivalent)
- Recommended capital
- 7,525 EUR (USD equivalent)
- Minimum safe savings
- 12,000 EUR (USD equivalent)
- Emergency fund
- 9,000 EUR (USD equivalent)
- Deposit estimate: 1 month(s) rent (~$1,500).
- Budget 1–2 weeks temporary housing while searching for a long-term lease.
- Mandatory health coverage ~$40/mo in month one.
- Include deposit, agency fees (often 1 month + VAT), and garant if not using Visale.
Verified relocation information
Field-level sources with confidence levels — not a generic link list.
Housing deposit rules
ALUR law: unfurnished max one month deposit; furnished max two months. Agency fees often one month plus VAT.
View source — Service-Public.fr — security deposit limits (ALUR law) →Healthcare coverage
PUMA covers residents after three months stable residence. Mutuelle top-up (~€30–60/month) common for dental and optical.
View source — Ameli.fr — French health insurance (PUMA) →Visa & residence rules
Long-stay visa validated as titre de séjour within three months of arrival. Work rights depend on visa category and prefecture processing.
View source — France-Visas — official visa portal →Registration deadline
Validate visa at prefecture within three months. Address declaration and CAF housing aid require extensive French documentation.
View source — Service-Public.fr — validating a long-stay visa →First 24 hours
Immediate priorities after landing
1.Secure temporary accommodationCritical
Book a short-stay flat or hotel with a registerable address if required for admin.
2.Save critical documents offlineCritical
Passport, visa or residence permit, employment letter, and insurance proof on phone and paper copies.
3.Get local connectivity
Purchase a prepaid SIM (Orange or SFR).
First week
Registration, banking, and healthcare
1.Start residence registrationCritical
Complete address registration within 30 days where applicable. Required for banking, tax ID, and healthcare.
2.Open or schedule bank accountCritical
Typical setup ~14 days with passport and proof of address.
3.Enroll in mandatory health coverageCritical
Mandatory insurance — budget ~$40/mo. PUMA covers residents after 3 months stable residence; mutuelle top-up ~€30–60/mo common for dental/optical.
4.Validate long-stay visaCritical
Prefecture appointment for titre de séjour within three months.
First month
Housing, documents, and stability
1.Long-term housing searchCritical
Unfurnished: max 1 month rent deposit; furnished: max 2 months. Visale free guarantee for eligible tenants under 31.
2.Gather rental documents
Complete dossier (ID, payslips, tax notice, employment contract); Visale certificate or French guarantor; RIB (bank details); Previous landlord attestation (if available).
3.Tax and payroll setup
Banking docs: Valid passport or ID, Proof of address (justificatif de domicile), Residence permit or visa, Employment contract (often requested).
4.Visale or guarantor
Prepare Visale certificate or French guarantor for Paris/Lyon rentals.
Required documents
Bank account
- Valid passport or ID
- Proof of address (justificatif de domicile)
- Residence permit or visa
- Employment contract (often requested)
Apartment rental
- Complete dossier (ID, payslips, tax notice, employment contract)
- Visale certificate or French guarantor
- RIB (bank details)
- Previous landlord attestation (if available)
Residence registration
- Passport and visa
- Proof of address
- Prefecture appointment for titre de séjour validation
Data as of 2026-04 · Last reviewed 2026-04-15