Expat Exchange
Free MembershipSign In

France Expat Forum

American lady wants to get French residency

New Topic Newest First
NYCity
  2/24/2014 23:49 EST

Hi everyone , does anyone know how i can get French residency in order to qualify for health insurance ? I am in my 50 's , on SSDI , limited income but i would love to retire to France .
Thanks for any suggestion !

iracathey
  2/25/2014 09:34 EST

Hi,
My wife and I are applying for a long term visa at the French embassy in DC next week. We've been looking into the matter for quite some time. I have to tell you that your prospects are not good. The French discourage residency for anyone that they would view as becoming a burden on their public system. If your income is solely from SSDI, I don't believe that you will get a long stay visa, much less a carte de sejour (the equivalent of a green card that you apply for in France AFTER you get the visa) or public health care. We can talk more if you'd like, but getting into the French system for early retiree, non French tax paying, non EU citizens seems, from my investigations, to be a losing battle.
Ira

French Riviera House Hunting - FRHFrench Riviera House Hunting - FRH
Connect

We are the best possible negotiator to help our expatriate clients to safely, efficiently and effectively find the right property in the right place in the French Riviera. Whether buying or renting, French Riviera House Hunting's objective is to find the best place for you, making sure that there are no hidden problems in the acquisition or renting process!

Click connect to have our partner contact you via e-mail and/or phone.

French Riviera House Hunting - FRHFrench Riviera House Hunting - FRH

We are the best possible negotiator to help our expatriate clients to safely, efficiently and effectively find the right property in the right place in the French Riviera. Whether buying or renting, French Riviera House Hunting's objective is to find the best place for you, making sure that there are no hidden problems in the acquisition or renting process!
Connect

Click connect to have our partner contact you via e-mail and/or phone.

NYCity
  2/25/2014 19:37 EST

Thanks so much for taking the time to reply . What i forgot to mention is that i have dual cirizenship , American and Romanian which as you know is part of EU . I have the photo ID card like any Romanian Citizen . Do you think that you improve my chances ? I tried researching the net on this topic and i could not find anything relevant .
Best regards !

iracathey
  2/25/2014 21:44 EST

Now you are outside of my area of expertise. But from what I've been reading, my guess is that if you want to get on the French system as a Romanian, you would have to show that you are on the Romanian healthcare system. Just being Romanian wouldn't be enough. My best guess, and certainly not official.

NYCity
  2/26/2014 09:08 EST

Yes , it is true . I can do that . Thanks again !
Kind regards !

hubertandsusan
  3/20/2014 13:24 EST

Why not just rent 5.5 months of the year in France? Then do the same in Florida the rest of the cold part of the year? Renting is very cheap, and you can visit neighboring countries by train.

French Riviera House Hunting - FRH
French Riviera House Hunting - FRH

French Riviera House Hunting helps you find the perfect home in the French Riviera.
Learn More

French Riviera House Hunting - FRHFrench Riviera House Hunting - FRH

French Riviera House Hunting helps you find the perfect home in the French Riviera.
Learn More

Living in France GuideLiving in France Guide

Guide to Living in France covering expat life, local culture, finding a home, diversity and more.

France Forum France Forum
Join our France forum to meet other expats and talk about living in France.

Contribute to France Network Contribute
Help other expats and newcomers by answering questions about the challenges and adventures of living in France.

Best Places to Live in France Best Places to Live in France

If you're thinking about living in France, here are the 15 Best Places to Live in France in 2023.

Healthcare in FranceHealthcare in France

Expats often ask if health insurance is free in France or if you need health insurance to go to France. Here is basic information about the French healthcare system.

Cost of Living in FranceCost of Living in France

Expats offer insight into the cost of living in France.

Moving to FranceMoving to France Guide

Expats all over the world dream of someday making France their next destination. As with other countries, there is a lot of planning involved, and a lot of decisions to be made.

Real Estate in FranceReal Estate in France

Real estate listings in popular cities and towns in France.

Pros Cons of Living in FrancePros & Cons of Living in France

Take off your rose-colored glasses and learn what expats have to say about the biggest challenges and the greatest rewards of living in France.

Retiring in FranceRetiring in France

Advice for people retiring in France.

10 Tips for Living in France10 Tips for Living in France

If you've recently arrived in France, here are 10 tips for digital nomads living in France.

French Riviera House Hunting - FRH
French Riviera House Hunting - FRH

French Riviera House Hunting helps you find the perfect home in the French Riviera.
Learn More

French Riviera House Hunting - FRHFrench Riviera House Hunting - FRH

French Riviera House Hunting helps you find the perfect home in the French Riviera.
Learn More

Contribute to France Network Contribute
Help others in France by answering questions about the challenges and adventures of living in France.

Universal Tax Professionals
Universal Tax Professionals

Copyright 1997-2024 Burlingame Interactive, Inc.

Privacy Policy Legal