My search for a certified French translator began when I decided to trade in my American driver’s license for a French permit. I am still in the middle of that process, thanks to a few mistakes I made in the … Continue reading
French Bureaucratic Adventures
Living in France as a Retiree: Part 3: Taxes and Succession
Don’t miss Part 1 and Part 2 of this series on Living in France as a Retiree France has rather rigid laws, especially when it comes to taxation and succession. They are also quite unclear. Disclaimer: I am not an … Continue reading
Living in France as a Retiree: Part 2: Health Insurance, Medical Care, and Nursing Homes
Don’t miss Part 1 of this series on Living in France as a Retiree Health Insurance When you first apply for your long-stay visa for your first year in France, you are required to prove that you have health insurance. … Continue reading
How to Renew the Passeport Talent
Bonjour tout le monde! I’m excited to share with you a brief guide to the beloved (read dreaded) passeport talent renewal process for first timers. I’m new around here, so I’ll share a bit of backstory. Initially, my passeport talent … Continue reading
Moving to France as a Retiree: The Journey (Part 2)
In Part 1, I described how I applied for a long-stay visa to France as an American retiree, without any EU citizenship or job. I hadn’t mentioned two items in the visa application process: You will be asked to write … Continue reading
URSSAF’s Summer Robbery (and Autumn Reimbursement)
Back in 2016 I wrote my very first article about French taxes. I noted that I had to send two written corrections to the Ministry of Finance by registered mail, asserting (with my French accountant gently nudging me forward) that … Continue reading
One Last Step Before Applying for Citizenship
I’ve been following forums and Facebook groups more closely in the last few years, knowing I was going to be applying for citizenship soon. There are some areas of the country that have notorious reputations for that process. Montpellier, for … Continue reading
An Expat Discussion of CSS vs Mutuelle
A note from the authors: In these articles, we (Molli — MS and Gracie — GB) have a conversation about a topic that’s familiar to both of us. In addition to providing information, our aim is to explore it from … Continue reading
How to Get a Mutuelle in France
When I first decided to start my life in France after years of being an au pair and a student, I started to hear talk of something called a mutuelle. I had already been enjoying the benefits of seriously discounted … Continue reading
How to Get a Complémentaire Santé Solidaire (CSS)
After I successfully enrolled in France’s health insurance system and got my temporary social security number or numéro provisoire, I went to see many doctors. At the beginning of the appointment, they would look at my certificate of registration and … Continue reading