Retiring to Southern France
Nov 20th, 2015, 11:46 PM
#61
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There is no such thing, as far as I know, as a "retirement visa." If you are married to an EU citizen, you will be able to bypass a few of the usual long-term visa issues, but you'll still need to get a carte de séjour, and it will probably take you months, mountains of paperwork, and many trips to the préfecture.
1. Are you referring to purchasing a mutuelle? There are hundreds of options you need to examine before settling on one that's appropriate for you. Once you've selected a GP and received your carte vitale (and that can take months, too), you can consult the GP or whoever is going to provide you with housing/auto/liability insurance. To get your carte vitale, you will have to pass a medical exam, which depending on which socio-médico is in your préfet may be minimal or not. There is no discrimination regarding receiving SS benefits. Not sure what you mean by that. To get your carte vitale and your carte de séjour you will have to disclose any and all income from any source for the last 1-2 years. You will also have to comply with FATCA.
Sorry, can't answer the other questions as I'm not in the area you're looking at.
Best of luck.
1. Are you referring to purchasing a mutuelle? There are hundreds of options you need to examine before settling on one that's appropriate for you. Once you've selected a GP and received your carte vitale (and that can take months, too), you can consult the GP or whoever is going to provide you with housing/auto/liability insurance. To get your carte vitale, you will have to pass a medical exam, which depending on which socio-médico is in your préfet may be minimal or not. There is no discrimination regarding receiving SS benefits. Not sure what you mean by that. To get your carte vitale and your carte de séjour you will have to disclose any and all income from any source for the last 1-2 years. You will also have to comply with FATCA.
Sorry, can't answer the other questions as I'm not in the area you're looking at.
Best of luck.
Nov 21st, 2015, 12:44 AM
#62
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Try the below links for answers to many of your questions.
https://www.frenchentree.com/living-...r-americans-2/
www.angloinfo.com
https://www.frenchentree.com/living-...r-americans-2/
www.angloinfo.com
Nov 21st, 2015, 12:59 AM
#63
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Where do you live now? If not in the Netherlands then you husband will not receive a full Dutch AOW state pension. He will only receive the portion of it accrued from the age of 16 that he lived in the Netherlands, unless e is working for a Dutch company and paying Dutch taxes etc. Depending on his date of birth he may not get anything until he is at least 67 too.
Many company pensions in the Netherlands have also adjusted their payout date to meet the new retirement age here.
International school are private and often very expensive.If you are intending to settle permanently in France why not just send your son to a local French school where he can make friends with local kids his own age must faster.. Even at 14 he will pick up the language really fast.
I suggest you actually go and look at the areas you are thinking of moving to, preferably in winter, when the weather is not so good, and it is quiet. Look at house prices, talk to agents about availability etc. They can also help you to some extent with finding a house near a good school.
Many company pensions in the Netherlands have also adjusted their payout date to meet the new retirement age here.
International school are private and often very expensive.If you are intending to settle permanently in France why not just send your son to a local French school where he can make friends with local kids his own age must faster.. Even at 14 he will pick up the language really fast.
I suggest you actually go and look at the areas you are thinking of moving to, preferably in winter, when the weather is not so good, and it is quiet. Look at house prices, talk to agents about availability etc. They can also help you to some extent with finding a house near a good school.
Nov 21st, 2015, 02:11 AM
#65
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Do you live in the EU at the moment, and do you have a long stay Schengen visa? If not, then that is your first priority. Even being married to a Dutch person, the process is not easy.
You will need to consult an immigration lawyer and a French tax expert - these are complicated issues. You'll have to file a US tax return as well as a French one.
There is an international school in Mougins, as well as a bilingual French/English school, I think. Your son will be able to enroll regardless of his nationality. You just need to be able to pay the steep bills. You'll need a car there.
You will need to consult an immigration lawyer and a French tax expert - these are complicated issues. You'll have to file a US tax return as well as a French one.
There is an international school in Mougins, as well as a bilingual French/English school, I think. Your son will be able to enroll regardless of his nationality. You just need to be able to pay the steep bills. You'll need a car there.
Nov 21st, 2015, 03:08 AM
#66
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As long as you can find an insurance company that offers coverage that works in France, will accept your pre-existing conditions and will insure you for the minimum amount required by the French authorities (including repatriation in the event of death) - you don't have to worry about anything else health-related except for passing a very brief medical exam (eye chart, glucose check, chest X-Ray, chat with the doctor) at the Immigration Office after you arrive in France. I joined AARO, which gave me a link to MSH International.
If you require regular pain management or other regular treatment, you should look for proximity to a large hospital that can provide this for you. Many areas have suffered cutbacks, including hospital and clinic closures. I would do a lot more research on this, if this is important to you.
I'm retired, my yearly visa is marked "visitor" and under occupation, I'm listed as "retired". That may be where the confusion lies.
All of your tax info and bank statements are required, the agents can ask questions about any of your assets, and you must meet or exceed the minimum income which is stated on the list of paperwork you will be asked to provide. Make sure your dossier includes all of the information that is listed on the official government website. Your tax attorney should explain the new FATCA laws to you in detail, including how much money you may hold in French accounts.
You'll need to establish a French bank account before you arrive. Do some research to find banks in your area which will do business with foreigners.
You will need a physical address in France. If you'll be renting, you will need a letter of attestation from your landlord, stating the duration of your contract and financial information. This will be included with your visa application.
As far as your last question goes - nobody is safe from the normal ills of modern society. Drugs are in every high school. Homelessness is universal. Until somebody rebuilds Utopia, and you have the chance to move there, you might just have to accept being lucky enough to move to the South of France. I would probably rule out Marseille, though...
If you require regular pain management or other regular treatment, you should look for proximity to a large hospital that can provide this for you. Many areas have suffered cutbacks, including hospital and clinic closures. I would do a lot more research on this, if this is important to you.
I'm retired, my yearly visa is marked "visitor" and under occupation, I'm listed as "retired". That may be where the confusion lies.
All of your tax info and bank statements are required, the agents can ask questions about any of your assets, and you must meet or exceed the minimum income which is stated on the list of paperwork you will be asked to provide. Make sure your dossier includes all of the information that is listed on the official government website. Your tax attorney should explain the new FATCA laws to you in detail, including how much money you may hold in French accounts.
You'll need to establish a French bank account before you arrive. Do some research to find banks in your area which will do business with foreigners.
You will need a physical address in France. If you'll be renting, you will need a letter of attestation from your landlord, stating the duration of your contract and financial information. This will be included with your visa application.
As far as your last question goes - nobody is safe from the normal ills of modern society. Drugs are in every high school. Homelessness is universal. Until somebody rebuilds Utopia, and you have the chance to move there, you might just have to accept being lucky enough to move to the South of France. I would probably rule out Marseille, though...
Nov 21st, 2015, 05:21 AM
#67
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As I understand it, your husband, as a retiree or still working (ie- exercising his Treaty Rights) can live anywhere in the EU and you can go with him. Technically, you do not need a visa to do that, but whatever the French equivalent of our Residence Card is will significantly ease the way.
If you work (and it will be hard to find work) you will not need insurance. The State provides health care. If you are under retirement age (and I think you must be mid 40s) and not working, you will need insurance. If you are over retirement age, you won't. Again, the state provides.
There are International Schools in the South West in Bordeau, Pau and a Montessori in Grenade.
I'm not massively fond of St Gaudens myself, but it has nice stuff round about it. Nothing awful about it. Just saying....
Your son will have open access to the state school system, and, as stated above, some of them have International sections. Not sure where he's been to school so far, but thee French state schools can be enormous, and they are a bit.... old-fashioned.
If you work (and it will be hard to find work) you will not need insurance. The State provides health care. If you are under retirement age (and I think you must be mid 40s) and not working, you will need insurance. If you are over retirement age, you won't. Again, the state provides.
There are International Schools in the South West in Bordeau, Pau and a Montessori in Grenade.
I'm not massively fond of St Gaudens myself, but it has nice stuff round about it. Nothing awful about it. Just saying....
Your son will have open access to the state school system, and, as stated above, some of them have International sections. Not sure where he's been to school so far, but thee French state schools can be enormous, and they are a bit.... old-fashioned.
Nov 21st, 2015, 02:46 PM
#69
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I don't think the OP intends to work as she says she is getting SSDI benefits from the US government, which means she is disabled and cannot work. Unfortunately she could get Medicare in the US, but that won't be available abroad for health insurance, and preexisting conditions etc wouldn't be an issue, and the cost is very reasonable. The hospital part is even free in the US.
I don't know all these legal issue but I do know skateparks tend to be in cities, not small towns. Here's a website of all of them in Languedoc-Roussillon. http://www.skateparks-france.fr/region-13.html
I don't know all these legal issue but I do know skateparks tend to be in cities, not small towns. Here's a website of all of them in Languedoc-Roussillon. http://www.skateparks-france.fr/region-13.html
Nov 22nd, 2015, 07:16 AM
#71
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Started to read this thread from end to end before realising it was started in 2009 - and I guess we will never know whether the poster ended up in France and where, as his posts stop soon after.
Nov 25th, 2015, 01:41 PM
#72
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Ah, Shelia, ships that pass in the night.... After 6 1/2 great years in France, we moved back to the States about 10 days ago.
We were often in St. Gaudens, it was only 15-20 minutes from our village. I had a great French teacher at Afidel, a small formation for French and business training.
Am missing France but this was the right move for us, we're in Vero Beach, FL. Weather is glorious now, but ask me again in May-June!
We were often in St. Gaudens, it was only 15-20 minutes from our village. I had a great French teacher at Afidel, a small formation for French and business training.
Am missing France but this was the right move for us, we're in Vero Beach, FL. Weather is glorious now, but ask me again in May-June!
