If you are looking to retire to France from the UK, unless you hold a European passport, you will now need to apply for a Long Stay Visa (which is also called French Residency).
If you arrive in France from 2023 onwards (on a long stay visitor visa) and you decide that you want to live permanently in France, then you are still able to apply for French Residency. We use the term French Residency to cover anybody looking to live in France for 6 months or more.
British arrivals must have an income equivalent to the French minimum wage, which on January 1, 2023, amounted to €1,709 (£1,486) per month, or €20,511 per year. The national minimum wage, or “smic”, in France falls to €16,236 per year after social insurance charges are deducted.
As of the 1st of January 2021, UK citizens will need a Long Stay visa if staying in France or in a French Oversea territory for more than 90 days whatever the purpose of stay (work, studies, ICT, Au Pairing, passport talent, visitor, family reunification, family members of French nationals, etc.).
If you do not have a pension but intend to live off savings then you need to demonstrate that you have enough in your bank account to cover €1,353 for every month of your visa. So to cover the daily living requirement to have a one-year visa that would be €16, 236.
Getting Residency in France
You can buy a property in France without being a citizen however you'll need to get a Visa to live in the country and then go through the process of applying for permanent residency.
For a permanent retirement there you will require a Long Stay Visa (Visa de Long Séjour). You must apply before you move to France, via the French Consulate in London. There are various types of long stay visa. Most retirees opt for a Visa de Long Séjour valant Titre de Séjour – Visiteur (VLS-Visiteur).
Retirement visas. If you are looking to retire to France from the UK, unless you hold a European passport, you will now need to apply for a Long Stay Visa (which is also called French Residency). Thankfully, the French have made the process quite straightforward.
Permanent residence and citizenship
British citizens who have been living in France for five continuous years on a renewable carte de séjour can apply for a 10-year renewable permanent residence permit (carte de resident). You will need to meet certain criteria to qualify for a carte de resident.
UK nationals are still welcome to invest in property in France without the need to get any additional permissions. If you are considering purchasing a second home in the country, you will be able to freely move between the UK and France for up to ninety days without the need to apply for a visa.
You should apply for a long-term visa in your country from the French consulate and you will be granted a “carte de séjour visiteur”. You'll need to prove that you are financially able to live in France – a pension statement will suffice, bank statements showing savings etc.
Overall consumer prices (including rent) are 6.01% lower in France than in the UK. Consumer prices (excluding rent) are 1.13% lower in France than in the UK. Rent prices are 20.29% lower in France than in the UK.
No figures are provided by the French Consulate service of what level of savings can be taken into account, but it is likely to be at least 5 times the annual minimum income requirement (so €1,219 per month x 12 months x 5 years = €79,740).
If you have family ties to the country, you can apply for a Parent Visa, Age Dependent Resident Visa, Remaining Relative Visa, or a Carer Relative Visa. If none of these apply to you, you can look into the Retirement Visa Pathway, which sets out the eligibility criteria for achieving permanent residency.
Here are the 2022 thresholds:
Single-parent family with two children: €3,003. Couple with two children: €3,744. Retired person living alone: €1,836. Retired couple: €2,540.
Pensions are not exempt from taxation in France, however, so you must declare them and pay taxes. You may be able to apply for tax relief for some state pensions in order to pay your taxes in France.
A UK national must hold a long-stay visa if they intent to live in France or a French Overseas territory for longer than 90 days (whether for work, study, visitor, or family purposes)
Many people who move to France do so without being able to speak any French. Although it might be acceptable for certain professions, most expats will find that their having more fun as they pick up the language. Generally, people develop their language skills out of necessity.
Why Might People Choose to Move to France? France allures expats of all ages and backgrounds due to its fantastic quality of life. In HSBC's 2021 Expat Explorer survey, France ranked ninth place for quality of life out of a possible 46 countries. The UK came in a lowly 44th place, followed by Turkey and Bermuda.
Pension income from UK funds is generally taxable only in France, after a 10% deduction (maximum €4,123 per couple), at the scale rates of income tax. These currently range from 11% for income over €10,778 to 45% for income over €168,994.
What happens to my State Pension if I move abroad? As long as you've paid enough National Insurance, you can claim your State Pension while living abroad. The main difference is that if the State Pension increases, you may not benefit from the extra amount if you're living in certain countries.
Estimates of the number of British citizens living in France vary from 170,000 to 400,000. Besides Paris, many British expatriates tend to be concentrated in the regions of southern France, Brittany, and recently the island of Corsica. Dordogne has a large British immigrant community.
Besides Nice, Cannes, Port Grimaud and St Tropez are all charming retirement destinations and attract the rich and famous of France and the rest of Europe every year. Provence is another one of the best places to retire in France.
Benefits Of Retiring In France
Retiring in France means you'll never be bored. France has arguably the world's best health care, and if you qualify for French Social Security, the cost is minimal. The infrastructure is among the best in the world and less expensive than in many U.S. cities.
PARIS — French President Emmanuel Macron's unpopular plan to raise France's retirement age from 62 to 64 was enacted into law Saturday, the day after the country's constitutional body approved the change.