FINDING ACCOMODATION IN FRANCE
FINDING ACCOMODATION IN FRANCE
Should you buy or rent? Where? For what price? You will have to answer all these questions (and many more) before moving to France.
FINDING ACCOMODATION IN FRANCE
Should you buy or rent? Where? For what price? You will have to answer all these questions (and many more) before moving to France.
LOOK FOR A PROPERTY IN FRANCE
Get the help of a real estate hunter to look for a property to rent or buy…
MOVE YOUR BELONGINGS BACK TO FRANCE!
You decide to move to France after several years of living outside the European Union…
ARRIVING IN FRANCE
There, now you are in France! But it is not over yet. Dealing quickly with the most important logistical and administrative formalities will help you keep a cool head.
PREPARE YOUR ARRIVAL IN FRANCE
Coming to France requires going through a few formalities: here is a guide to help you prepare your arrival…
Relocate easily in France with Switch’up!
On the way to back home ? Mobility involves housing, administrative formalities (visa, work permit, schooling …) and daily integration (transport, good addresses, etc.). Switch Up will be in the summer of 2017 the first mobility platform that allows you to get in touch directly with a welcomer able to welcome you in your future […]
Teach your kids English with Speaking Agency
Founded in 2009, Speaking-agency is an organization specialized in teaching languages exclusively with native speakers. For children, we offer childcare services in foreign languages (baby-speaking) as well as language courses, at home, all done by highly qualified native speakers. Our concept was awarded the European Innovative Enterprise.
BRING YOUR FAMILY WITH YOU
If you are an EU-citizen If your spouse is an European Economic Area (EEA) citizen, they can join you without a visa nor any residence permit. If they are from another country, your spouse must apply for a visa for spouses joining their partners, except if they already possess a residence permit from another EU-state. […]
BRING YOUR PET TO GERMANY
If you can’t imagine living without your furry (or scaly) friends, you’ll want to get them into Germany smoothly.
CARS AND PUBLIC TRANSPORT
Once you arrived in Germany, our bet is that you won’t spend all your time at home. You’ll move around quite a bit, whether that be to going work or to travelling within Germany or Europe. For intra-city strategies in Köln, Düsseldorf, Ruhr, Hamburg and Berlin, you can use apps like Citymapper to compare the most effective routes.
CITIZENSHIP IN GERMANY
In Germany, most foreigners can’t participate in the political life of the country – but can commit to the public good at a non-profit for instance. The icing on the cake is that if you are an EU-citizen, you can vote for municipal and European elections.
CROSS THE BORDER: TO GERMANY!
Border control is a crucial step in moving to your new country. Even if you are a law-abiding, model citizen, you must prepare for this important step. Here is some information you might find useful:
ENERGY IN GERMANY
Once you enter your new home you’ll have to sign up for electricity, unless you like cooking pasta on a campfire and bathing in frigid water during the frostbitten German winter. Here is how to deal with it. Note that the standard plugs supply 230 volts of electrical power, and fit the TYPE-F or TYPE-C plug. You may need an adaptor to use the domestic appliances you brought with you in Germany!
GET INSURANCE COVER IN GERMANY
As dull as the topic of insurance may be, its importance cannot be overstated – as an expat, it’ll be a mandatory fact of life in Germany. Here is the coverage you’ll need when living in Germany.
HAVE YOUR OFFICIAL DOCUMENTS RECOGNIZED
Coming to a new country doesn’t mean starting from scratch. The certificates and qualifications you got in your country of origin may also be valid in Germany.
HIT THE GROUND RUNNING UPON YOUR ENTRY IN GERMANY
Before entering Germany, you may have a few administrative tasks to consider. But the work is not the same for each of us! Depending on your citizenship, your entry can be very fast or a little bit slower.
HONEY, PACK YOUR BAGS!
So picture this: you just got married and, with good things coming in pairs, you land an amazing job as a Data Scientist in Munich. If you decide to use this pretext to have your booze-fuelled shotgun wedding cancelled, you can stop here. If you are in love and can’t imagine a small thing like an international move get in the way of marital bliss, let’s check some important issues you might want to consider.
INTERNET, TV & TELEPHONE IN GERMANY
Here you are. Your flat is full of cardboard boxes and your only wish is to take a picture of it and upload it on Instagram (#moving #newlife.) Damn! Still getting charged for international roaming! Alright, well, you’ll just watch the latest episode of Game of Thrones…. but you don’t have an internet connection or cable. Don’t worry, it’s all easily dealt with.
LEARN GOOD HABITS
It’s not so easy to feel at home in a foreign country. To ingratiate yourself with your neighbours, it might be a good idea to pick up some local habits and avoid some universal faux pas.
LEAVE HOME (FOR NOW)
Once you’ve made the decision to move to Germany, leaving isn’t just a matter of you leaving the keys on the doormat and saying “see ya!” to your landlord.
MARKET RESEARCH
Once you got your job, finding your accommodation is going to be a top priority. It’s he key to unlocking all kinds of important doors, like registration with local authorities or opening your bank account.
MASTER GERMAN
“Hallo, mein Name ist John”. Even without knowing more than this sentence, you’ll survive in Germany, thanks to the fact that many Germans have mastered the English language. Nevertheless, being able to have a basic conversation in the language of Goethe could help you adjust to life at your new work and make friends more smoothly.
MOVE
Once you’ve found your house and have prepared to leave your current home, there’s still stuff to do before and after landing in Germany. Prepare the cardboard boxes and tape; it’s time to pack your things!
OPEN YOUR BANK ACCOUNT IN GERMANY
In Germany there are three kinds of banks: private banks, like Deutsche Bank, Commerzbank or Postbank; public banks; and cooperative banks. Here are some tips you may need to deal with when opening your bank account.
REGISTER WITH LOCAL AUTHORITIES
As soon as you have found your home, you must register with the citizens’ registration office of the city you live in. See Registration with local authorities for more information.
REGISTER WITH LOCAL AUTHORITIES (ANMELDUNG)
Just like every person living in Germany (even the Germans), you and your family need to register your precise address with the authorities of the city you live in, though specific rules apply for children under 16. Ask your local Registration office for more information.
SCHOOL IS COOL
Germany has a world-class school system. Although general organizational principles are respected across the country, slight differences can exist within the different states. The majority of German pupils attend free public schools, which provide a quality education (in German).
TAKE CARE OF YOURSELF AND YOUR FAMILY
The German healthcare system is one of the oldest in world. Thus, in theory it’s very complete and efficient, but it has some particularities you should be aware of!
WE’LL GET THERE WHEN WE GET THERE, AKA LET’S GO KIDS!
Getting your kids to jump on the plane with you is the easy part. If you’ve ever moved with kids before, you’ll know in any respect the hardest part is convincing them to change. And of course, you’re going to come across some issues to deal with for them from an administrative perspective.
GET HEALTH COVERAGE IN FRANCE
When (re)entering the French territory, you will be granted access to the « Assurance maladie », the French social security.
UNDERSTAND FRENCH SOCIAL SECURITY
In France, we have our « sécu », our social security, and aren’t proud of it! When you come or come back to France, your will be eligible to receive or retrieve it. If you have been gone for a while, or if it is your first time in France, here is a little reminder of what you need to know.
BRING YOUR PETS TO FRANCE
Our pets travel with us and they too need a passport as well as to undergo some formalities depending on their country of origin. Do not wait for the last moment to check what to do, as some of those formalities can take a while.
GET THROUGH FRENCH FORMALITIES
Ah! Who doesn’t love some administrative brain-teaser? Now, we know you just want to rush head-first in this big fun party, but you will need some method to get through it. Follow our checklist and nobody will ever doubt your serenity and administration-dealing skills again.
PASS THE BORDER CONTROL WITHOUT STRESS
Depending on which country you are coming from, you might have to undergo some border control formalities. Here is how to avoid unpleasant surprises.
PREPARE TO MOVE OUT 1/2
Before preparing to move out, you might want to get some things straight
PREPARE TO MOVE OUT 2/2
Before preparing to move out, you might want to get some things straight
FIND YOUR NEW ACCOMMODATION IN PORTUGAL
Once you got your job, finding your accommodation is going to be a top priority. It’s the key to unlocking all kinds of important doors, like registration with local authorities or opening your bank account.
HIT THE GROUND RUNNING UPON YOUR ENTRY IN PORTUGAL
Before entering Portugal, you may have a few administrative tasks to consider. But the work is not the same for each of us! Depending on your citizenship, your entry can be very fast or a little bit slower.
GET THE FRENCH TAX SYSTEM RIGHT
When you come or come back to France, it is easy to feel confused about the tax regulations if you don’t know who to call for help. Here is a quick reminder of how taxes work.
UNDERSTAND SOLIDARITY TAX ON WEALTH IN FRANCE
All of the information on the special solidary tax on wealth in case of a transfer of residence to France, starting from August 6th, 2008
UNDERSTAND THE FRENCH TAX SYSTEM FOR IMPATRIATES & EXPATRIATES
Whether you come back to France or arrive here for the first time, the tax system can be a bit impressive. Here’s a quick guide of what you need to know.
