I'm so thankful for you Janice, I've learned so much since discovering you 2 weeks ago. I'm 52 and have started researching now for buying a small property in the south of France between 2025 and 2030. I go to France on my own for a week once a year - it's not easy but my dream just keeps on growing, esp since discovering you and all the invaluable info you share. Thank you very much. Kind regards, Helen x
Good for you! I have friends, the man is a watercolor artist and he has been going to France every year for about a month and staying with friends and painting. Finally two years ago he and his sweetheart bought a house there. They won't be there year-round but the dream has come true. Go and get yours!
as much as I love Paris, i have decided to move to North Carolina next year and visit Paris regularly. Life is very different when you have a Grandchild. Janice, take care of those knees!!!!
You have such great common sense information. I like how you stay fluid in situations, accepting the changes as they come. I have no doubt you'll be back in France and when you do get back to France, on those hot days without air conditioning, I'm told a damp bath towel laid across yourself, while sitting or laying in front of a fan is just like air conditioning, that's a little something to remember for you to use. I will be praying for it all to work out, which I'm sure it will. Thanks for the inspiring videos, and for showing us how to keep living!
Wishing you the best of luck with sorting all this out! So complicated but if your heart is in France you’ll find a way! It took a lot of perseverance and courage to get to where you are now and you have earned my admiration! Love from California! 💕🌸🙏🏼
Oh, my Janice! What a process and so much to learn and know!!! Not sure good thoughts will do much good, but I'm praying for you. Also for sweet little Buster! 🙏💕
I have been following your story for a while, Janice. So I am wishing you well as you go through the process again. I hope that they grant you residency.
As a US French citizen I can tell you that when you reapply after your first year in France you will receive a 4 year visa and apply for French health insurance.
Thanks for this video. As you're probably aware, I have also been thoroughly researching the topic of acquiring a long stay visa for my husband and I to retire in France in 1 1/2 yrs Everything I have read, says that even if WE are retiring in France, and don't want to return to the USA each year to renew, we will only be able to get a 1 year "temporary" long stay visas for the first few years. And then, in our case, we'll be able to renew each1 year temp visa, every year until year 5 when we can make application for a permanent long stay visa or at 10 years if we want to apply for citizenship. I recently read somewhere that we may be able to get a 3 year long stay visa either the first time or when we go to renew it after 1 year, and then we won't have to renew it for 3 years and then only once (on the next renewal we can apply for the permanent residence card, like our US "green card") I am looking forward to hearing how you make out when you come back to the USA to make sure you get the visa you can renew in Fontanbleau. As I have discovered (and you found out the hard way), it's all about ticking that right box on the application for the particular long stay visa that applies to retiring in France. I am following a forum on Facebook, called "Applying for a French CdS (Carte de Séjour) and/or visa". It seems to be a great resource for making sure you get your questions answered in advance and can help make sure they apply for the correct long stay visa. Here's a link to that forum for you and any of your followers who may be starting on their own path facebook.com/groups/248686685795058/ Also, I found a link someone posted for an English speaking email address at the French Embassy, that will answer questions on filing a long stay visa application And the person who originally posted it (I have to find it for you and your viewers) said she had used it several times when working on her application and received very prompt responses to each question she asked. So if there's no phone number you can call and get an English speaker, this is just as good. I will see if I can find that email address and do a follow up here. Also, this website has some good info too. www.welcometofrance.com/
Thank you for being so thorough and answering my question about acupuncture and holistic medicine. I’m sending you good vibes regarding your residency and all the paperwork. I wish you the best!
Rent in Paris is similar to California SF. Even a bit cheaper. A nice decent one bedroom in the silicon valley is somewhere from 3k to 4k. A nice studio at least 1800/,,month
Janice, you are delightful. I'm so glad I discovered your channel. I will be visiting often. Be well. Thank you for all the details about relocating to France. Looking forward to all your videos.
Just 2 thoughts. When I applied for my VLS-TS, I also included a letter describing why I wanted to live and retire in France. It is not mandatory, but had read that it may be helpful. My bff google translate assisted me with the French. I wrote it in English also. Second thought, have your photos taken before you leave France. They will be the correct size. Use a Photomaton booth or a photographer. I live in Bordeaux and the photographer was €15 well spent. Bon courage!
Thank you for this video on retiring to France, I've been watching other videos on moving to France, but these are younger people who will also be working. I hope that your visa issues get resolved, at least you don't have to worry about needing to find a job in France to support yourself! 🙂
You’ve provided a great deal of useful information. I don’t know if I would ever want to become a resident of France but if I did, as a Canadian, I’d do the first year in St. Pierre-Miquelon so it would just be a ferry ride or two to Newfoundland if I had to go back to Canada to get permissions sort out. Not quite the same as living in Paris, but I would be in France.
I love the architecture in Paris. We have such high sky scrapers and the height of their buildings are not so high. I love the view from the Eiffel 🗼 Tower! I love how your pets are so precious 💞 to you as mine are to me. I have two rescue 🐶🐕 dogs❤❤ 🐾🐾
That was so splendid ! All very helpful and clear. I love France too. About twenty years ago we bought a little house in the Limousin. We spend as much time as we can there. One horrid snag, one time, was when we tried to fly from New York to Paris. We had planned to go to Madeira and fly back from there. Because we ostensibly only had one way tickets they insisted (I hate New York!) that we intended to stay in France. It was late in the evening and we had two absolute yahoos from the Port Authority who refused to allow us on the plane. We said they could phone family, employers etc to ascertain that we were returning within a month. No go. We were stranded, late at night in the airport, the homeless were already settling down for the night. Our family back in Texas (with the internet and charged phones!) found us a hotel and Delta got us the last two seats back to Texas next day. It was a horrid experience .We make sure that we travel to and from the Schengen area, but not returning from another country outside the area. We try not to travel from New York now and make sure we have a return ticket. We lost a lot of money because two nasty men wielded some power over us. They pretended to telephone France (really ! they were not the type who could cope with calling France or the language), they were simply enjoying being nasty. It was not an America airline so be aware of that as well. Our hotels , rail fares and the air fares were all forfeit. I am still angry about it. Their reasoning was that we were intending to stay for six months or a year and then our passports would be out of date. (One can only stay for three months in France so their reasoning was wonky !). Do note that although your passport is meant to be valid to the end date on it, in fact, the last six months is not considered valid!
Hello Janice I have just discovered your channel..wow how brave of you to move to paris and during the pandemic too,hope to watch some more of your videos
Good, insightful and informative video. Of note for those thinking of coming here long term, further outside of Paris and the rent goes way down. Our village, with all amenities, you could easily spend half of what you are mentioning. A very very nice 1 bedroom 2 floor apartment, with little garden next door to us is 495 euros. The best prices and good places are offered by the Mairie (Town Hall). If you are moving or wish to move into a village, it is worth visiting the Mairie and seeing what they have.
Quick tip... If you're feeling the heat take a thin shawl drench it with water and put it over your shoulders. It's especially good if you're sitting in front of the fan. Wonderful video with very useful advice. Is there a way to find out the Irish insurance company? Thank you for your advice ✨💕🤗
You should have been given a Tourist Visa, which can be renewed each year for 5 years, after which you can apply for permanent residency. I believe you can renew this visa in France, so that you don't have to return to the US. I was given a renewable tourist visa in 2018, but because I didn't certify it within 3 months, it expired. I don't regret this, because I couldn't speak French then. When I can speak fluent French, I'll reapply for a visa and move to Toulouse. Your channel is the first I've found by a senior citizen (like myself), so you made my day.
Unfortunately, moving to France is not so easy. Your visa needs to be sorted BEFORE you leave the US, and there's a slew of paperwork and supporting document that need to be provided. Simply going there as a tourist and then hoping you'll figure it all out while you're there won't work. Part of the process all involves filling in questionnaires and application forms, a letter of explanation as to what you intend to do in France, letters promising that you won’t work in France (not even working remotely for an employer back in the US), proof that you can support yourself in France, proof of earnings, proof of medical insurance, proof of accommodation in France, among other things. Opening a bank account as an American there can be a bit of a horror as well, thanks to Draconian US tax laws. Once you do manage to open a bank account, you might be required to deposit a certain amount of money to demonstrate that you have the "means" to support yourself. I wish you all the best.
I don’t know did I give you the impression that I came here is a tourist. I didn’t I had all my paperwork done they are the ones that gave me a temporary visa.
The more money a person has when moving to a foreign Country can insure or ruin your plans. It is preferable to have at least $100,00.00 or more. The more money you have the better will be your chances.
It’s not just the tax laws, Sarboxansley, the bill about money laundering is the problem. If living outside the USA banks could be on the hook in a big way. I read an article that a French national who was born in the US couldn’t open a bank account in France even though his family left when he was three years old. He couldn’t open a bank account in France as he was American by being born there and the banks didn’t want the exposure
@@philthefarrier9469 This has nothing to do with Sarbanes Oxley, which applies to corporations, not individuals. It has everything to do with FATCA, which is applicable to US citizens living abroad, and has created numerous headaches for us. The experience of that French national you cited is all too common. I know people who were born overseas to American parents, never set foot in or lived in the US, and they are still considered US persons by the IRS, and obliged to report their "foreign bank accounts" and file US taxes. FATCA has turned foreign banks into tax-collecting arms of the IRS, and they are obliged to report accounts of US persons. That is why many banks have jettisoned their US citizen customers because they don't want to be bothered with reporting requirements. The ONLY way this madness stops is when one renounces their US citizenship. Of course, a second citizenship is needed before that can happen.
@@richardmcleod1930 This is true, though if one is moving abroad and already has secured gainful employment in their destination country, then the amount of money they bring is not critical. But every bit helps. However, if one is a student or retiree, then yes, it's of paramount importance because the government wants to see what means someone has to support themselves. But I don't believe money is the issue here, but more a matter of the vicissitudes of French bureaucracy.
I am moving to Provence next month from the States and got my visa a week ago. I am retired and applied for a tourist visa. It came with a piece of paper that said I had to register within three months via the website they provided me. It welcomed me saying I'd been issued a long stay visa serving as a residence permit. I will need to provide a valid email address, my visa info, my home address in France and a credit card to pay an online fee for my residence permit. It states if I do not do this, I will no longer be considered a legal resident of France. Once that is done you have to apply from France, on line , 3 months before the visa expires for a renewal. Did you ever register before the 3 month mark? You are very brave indeed!
Thank you, Janice!!! This is very helpful. It seems that we will need to apply in Seattle. It's good to know that each consulate responds differently. And I have read that Spain is similar. Thanks again! Beautiful video! Thank you. We are visiting Europe after helping a new school open in Lviv. Slava Ukraine! We're in Krakow, also amazing. We will stay in Tallinn for February, hopefully longer after my Digital Nomad Visa application interview on Feb 1st...
One important thing to know about French administration: it is VERY exacting. They will usually ask you for things you won't need, and demand stuff that was not on the list of papers to get. It's good to be VERY prepared and show humility and good will. Hopefully that's enough to get your papers. However, there are times when it becomes too difficult, at which point begging/asking the government working for help is likely to be the way you will get things accomplished. Suddenly, the person will stop demanding always more papers from you and will say: "ok, let me see what I can do", and they will usually unlock the situation at that point and that's will be that. I'm not surprised you didn't get a longer visa. It's the same in the US. You'll never get a long term visa the first time around (unless you petition because of a marriage or something official like that). Otherwise, they'll let you be in the country for a while. Then with "good behavior" (so to speak) and paperwork showing that you can support yourself (and the papers you talked about), you can apply for a longer visa. Best of luck with it 🙂 Happy you like Toulouse (my hometown). Too many beautiful places in France to recommend one over the other. Considering climate change in the coming years, you probably want to stay above the Bordeaux-Lyon line. Happy home hunting!
Well these are wonderful words to live by guarantee you. Yes I want to live near the northern part of France because I love the colder weather. But I hope to go I am so so hoping to go in February or March to Lourdes
There are plenty of freestanding aircos and you can have an airco installed. Here in the a bit cooler but in summer oppresively hot Netherlands many people from richtopoortorich have airco mostly on solar as well. Nothing nothing special tbh.😊
I know I just don’t know if I wanna spend the money on it. I just had everything redone in my house and I need a lot more things that I need air conditioner but will wait and see how hot it gets
Strasbourg was the city that stole my heart... I felt like it was a mini Paris in some respects... it has the Art, architecture, and street music... wonderful museums, food in the streets and YES it also has so many shops and gardens the waterway is so picture perfect! Take a day trip there some time, I think you would love it!
@@JaniceInFrance Animals vary as to how much they may miss a owner, but generally they definitely prefer being near those caring for them especially if they are older and ill.
Janice , This was perfect you respond to all my questions that I wrote in another video comment’s section. Please ignore it. I just subscribed and I didn’t see previous videos. I am like you living in Us and senior and thinking to retire in Europe,Yet French consult is very clear about minimum monetary requirements. Yet as you said is flexibility and Who knows. I wish you easy visa approval 🙏😇😇😇 You look like a nice french lady . Hope you get a sweet and kind consular 🙏 I still don’t know why is issue with your SS check? Maybe is in another video is it? Good luck 🍀🍀🍀🙏😇😇😇
Yes it is in another video but just in case I didn’t reply to you about that it’s just they have made a mistake and now they’re trying to repair it hopefully.
Janice, when it comes to paperwork, I feel you. I trust that all goes well and you will be blessed with the good fortune to get back into France to live your best life. I am taking a chance to share with you that I have found relief from knee pains by practicing yoga, targeting my knees. My yoga instructor is a young man residing in Italy, and twice a week I have a personal one hour yoga session via Skype and it has helped to strengthen my knees that I no longer feel any more knee pains. It was very important for me to find relief for my knees for I live in a two levels townhouse with 26 stairs that I climb all day. And if that wasn’t bad, I have another 30 stairs to climb to put out the garbage. I am now embracing the stairs climbing as extra exercises, no more pain in my knees. You may want to consider some exercises to strengthen your knees for maintaining your balance specifically to avoid falls. I have tried acupuncture and it didn’t make a difference. My Yoga instructor was once my ballroom dance instructor and he is very easy on the eyes🤣
@@JaniceInFrance Stairs can be very dangerous especially for older persons. It is better to live in a one level house without stairs especially if we are older. I know as I have had some severe falls on my stairs, once breaking a rib and puncturing a lung. Luckily I moved out, even though I loved the beauty of the stairs, they are just too dangerous for older people.
Very helpful, Janice. My wife Cindy has MS, so we avoid, heat, stairs, and congested living spaces. I imagine that when we return to Oregon in July/August, we will prepare our NLV application appointment for Oct/Nov. I'll be 67, Cindy 66. Thanks again!!
Thank you for this wonderful video. Very informative and helpful. Wishing you all the best and going to pray for a positive outcome. I would love to know how the social security situation works out.
Janice, I don’t know if you want to drive when you come back to France. But I wonder if you y have thought of living in a state with license reciprocity with France, so you don’t need to spend about $2000 for driving school and then have to take the difficult French test ? Not all states have this agreement, but Florida is one that does. This way you can create an advantage out of your temporary exile!
I think the amount of money you need is based on the French minimum wage. Which is $11 something. They don’t look at savings accounts, trust funds or investments. (Because it’s not regular and you could spend it all and become a financial burden.)
Laws have change but my parents came in 2003 to France with visa long séjour and once in France they apply for a titre de séjour visiteur which renews every year unless you spoked French and they didn't. Once this titre de séjour visiteur they were up for the French social security health benefits and they got it. Never cost me a penny. Also as I was French already they came as a family reunification which was flowless. That is my experience but know will be different than most. The US is hell with their Fatca/Fincen rules!!!
What size apartment and number of bedrooms do you have for what you are paying for your apartment? Does it have a kitchen with the kinds of appliances we are used to in US? Does it have a washer/dryer?
Yes, I have a washer in the dryer and I have a 2 1/2 size bedroom. The bedroom is a very small bedroom I use as a storage but it could be used as a twin bed room with just me here and when I have company I only need one guest room. I do not have a dishwasher because I asked my landlords, when they wanted to put one in, not to do so, because it would change the configuration in my kitchen. Look forward to giving you a fabulous tour with my new furniture in it with my new painting, etc. etc. in a couple of months
Rules can change just keep up with him that’s the only thing I can advise you to do. When I started on this journey I was looking at RUclips and all of a sudden they were giving me information in 2017 and 2018 all of a sudden I’m sitting there thinking one thing and then I go to a 2019 and it’s all together different so be careful when you watch videos that they’re up-to-date.
Thank you, Janice, for your helpful video. Mostly appreciated 🙏 My husband and I are retiring at the beginning of 2025 and planning to move to France some time in September where we have some family and friends. Will then start gathering the paperwork and apply for the VLS-TS . Any advice on which health insurance would be a great choice to purchase? 🤗
Janice, are you certain you can’t apply for a resident visa at a local prefecture office in France? If you watch International Living VISA and Residency in France, they say that you can renew at a local office in France. Your situation may be different.
@@JaniceInFrance sorry. I think they give you those VISAS on purpose to make you jump through hoops. You just stay strong. I hope to meet you some day. We aren’t quite old enough to retire. But will be over to visit France next year. We love it there so much. Good luck to you! 🙏
Love it!! So happy to find you! My mom is in her 80's. She moved to Bali last year. She had a great year, but she concluded that Bali was not for her. She had gotten rid of her home in Santa Barbara, ca and all her possessions. So now, she is coming back to me in CA, and we are planning to relocate together with my family to France next year! You have been sooo helpful. Thank you. Praying for you, and seeing you with the residency visa you desire!!
@@JaniceInFrance We are looking in the PACA region. And I most certainly will! Right now, I am listening to your coffee chat about packing as I gear up to call the airlines for my mom who is needing to do the same as she leaves Bali and returns to the states! Thank you again, for being a voice of support, especially for ladies of a certain age who could just lull themselves into a fatigued state of living a life less than they desire!! Loving your content!
To clarify, you will report your social security income to both governments but you still need to pay taxes in the US. France makes exemptions for social security and pensions.
As someone who lives permanently in France, on a permanent residence visa for almost 10 yrs... and I organised a year visa for an elderly family friend from Hong Kong in January this year so I've got a good understanding of the process. Visa is a long process and red tape/paperwork heavy. Long story short, you do need insurance for your permit/visa to be issued to you. BUT... after three months any person who has been in France for that time period - even an illegal immigrant - is entitled to apply for a Carte Vitale.
@@JaniceInFrance So does the lady I helped with an address for the year visa. She has just left today to get a renewal in Hong Kong. Regardless, any person who has been in France for over three months and can prove a residential address for that period can apply for a Carte Vitale. Thats the protocol.
@@JaniceInFrance I think you're misunderstood my post. Two different topics. 1st, my friend had exactly the same visa as you do, a temporary one which one has to re-apply for in you home country. She is 67 yrs old and retired and on a pension income. She left for Hong Kong yesterday because she will need to renew there as you have to do the same by going back to the USA. 2nd is the health care. Regardless of the visa type, even without a visa, if a person can show they've been in France for 3 months, they are entitled to apply for a Carte Vitale. It's that simple. Yes, when making an application you must have health insurance, but my friend applied for a Carte Vitale after 3 months in France, and has just received her card before she left, and it's valid for a few years. It took about 3 months of processing after application.
@@LuluBowenTarot Well I certainly was unaware of that because I have a friend Patricia who is now in the states renewing her visa she went to do the cart detail and they said that they couldn’t do it because she was only here on a temporary visa for one year. It’s strange how there’s so many different stories
Thank you again for the info. Love your positive vibe.. super inspiring🎉 Currently living in U.K. and the amount of paper work we have to do in order to go to Europe is nasty! All thanks to stupid Brexit… I love FountainBlue exquisite town and gorgeous restaurants😍
I’ve heard that expression so many times and it’s not applicable to everybody, maybe yourself. I’ve lived in other countries other than this place I was born in, Canada and I MUCH rather prefer to live in them
Love your content, but you say, 2 bedroom, but it's a three bedroom, which they don't charge for, so you could store, suitcases and othet storage items, into wardrobes, witch would make the appearance of the apartment larger, and create an extra guest bedroom, so Jennifer would feel, that she had her own private bedroom, even if she can visit only once a year .
Jennifer has her own bedroom. The second bedroom is Jennifer I had the third bedroom opened up. It’s always been here but it’s always been locked but I had it opened up so now I have three bedrooms but it is a very small bedroom. That’s why I say it’s more like a storage room. But it does have a twin size bed in it.
Hey! Fontainebleau? I stayed in Fontainebleau for a while myself. And I did pray for you to stay even before you mentioned it. I know you will get to stay. I’m hoping to apply myself.
Hi Janice, we have the same situation. I got a 1-year temporary visa, but I had to go back to the States next year and re apply for a long-term visa. Questions; Do I have to go through the same process like what i did in the 1st, wait for three months then I can re apply long term visa , or I can apply right away once I get back to the States? You mentioned that you had to go through again in your second time application, like fingerprints, passport pictures, etc.
For those 70 and over, because 70 seems to be the magic age they really hike travel health insurance, no matter how healthy you are, what is the general cost of health insurance in France that you need to have for the first year. We will have an Irish passport but that insurance is very inexpensive. If they cancel insurance, hopefully, you will be in a stable enough health condition to fly back home. Shengen insurance for travel bought in the U.S. for those who hit 70 is well over a thousand dollars a month.
Hi Janice I have spoken about this on My Channel in Italy for the Elective Visa for Italy. Because people listen to all kinds of ideas and opinions on Facebook that arent accurate. The passive income requirements for An Elective visa for retired person is between 32,000 and 50,000 and they will use their judgement on your finances, health insurance etc. Most European countries have a similar Elective visa for retirement. You cannot work ! Hoping it all works out for you
Hi Janice, I just found your channel. My husband and I plan to retire in France in a year. I thought our social security would not be impacted by moving outside of the U.S. because it is automatically deposited into our American bank account. When we open a bank account in France, then social security would make our monthly deposits to our French account. We are hoping this will not cause any glitches, as social security is our primary source of income. Any thoughts? Thank you in advance!
Janice, you mentioned getting insurance for a year for $423. Was that for the whole year or per month. The online price that Cigna Global is quoting me is over $500 a month. What am I doing wrong? Are you able to tell the company that you used?
Good Morning Janice! It’s 8 a.m. here in Indianapolis. I have a question for you. Would it be less of a hassle to get a tourist visa? I know you can only stay 9 months and then you have to come back to the U.S. for 60 days and then go back for another 9 months. Scary that the U.S. Treasury stopped your SS payments.
You should be getting your Social Security benefits regardless of where you are living in the World. SSI benefits NO, but SSA benefits YES. You are eligible for SSA benefits just as you are eligible for your Pension checks. Hope you are making money from these videos you are making. I know it is a variable amount of money, but if you do get money from the videos it should help out with you expenses while in France as such money is not a monthly benefit unless I am wrong about that. Life needs to be stable and consistent especially when we get older.
@@richardmcleod1930 Not getting my Social Security benefits has nothing to do with me living here in France. What it has to do is I was getting my late husband Social Security and they think I’m making too much money with my two pensions so they are reevaluating
@@JaniceInFrance How much money a person may have coming in from Pensions or other incomes should have nothing to do with a person's eligibility for Social Security benefits. Even if you are a Millionaire, what you put into Social Security or even what part of your husband's Social Security you may be eligible for, should never affect what benefit you may get. They can re-evaluate all they want, the Social Security Laws are very explicit about eligibility. Once you are age 65 in the United States and eligible for Social Security, you are automatically eligible for Medicare Parts A and B if you continue to live in the United States. You are not eligible if you live outside of the United States, as other countries do not accept the Medicare Plan as would be the case if you were a United States resident. Now if a person is getting what is today called Supplemental Security Income (SSI- the new term for Welfare) then there are specifics that have to be met and are subject to where a person lives (only in the United States) and how many resources (ie Bank Accounts and other such monetary resources) they may have down to chickens; hogs and livestock. The limit is $2000.00.
You're just awesome, Janice! What a plethora of info! I didn't know you were a GA girl. Well obviously you got to come back and since I haven't watched your folliwup video, are you a permanent resident now with bennies?
@@JaniceInFrance thank you so much Janice! Your videos are so helpful! I’m surprised that you can’t extend your long stay visa by contacting local gov (La marie). Before your long stay visa is up. I read that on the French consulate website somewhere.
Hi Janice … I really hope it all goes smoothly for you. Did you have an appointment with social security before you left for France letting them know you were leaving?
Great info--- and those expat forums are really helpful-- thanks for mentioning. Best wishes on your future plans-- I enjoy following your adventures 😊!
Can you please provide a link to the Health Insurance in Ireland, which covers you up to 30000 Euros for $450 a year. Your help will be much appreciated.
Hi Janice! Thank you for sharing your visa process! I have a quick question: when dealing with the various offices in France, do they conduct business in French or English? Sending you positive thoughts in hopes that you will be granted residency😊
I am French and if I went to America would you talk to me in French ? No I didn’t think so , it’s the same here . Learn to speak a little France and we will definitely appreciate it.
@@hectorbrown656 As I traveled in France I was met with such kind understanding as I struggled with little knowledge of the language. It is a beautiful language I still study for my next trip.
@@KCRReads thank you for answering me , yes of course you will have met many of my compatriots who have learnt English at school and who will enjoy trying to talk to you with more or less success , as I myself have done many times with tourists . I really think that asking if in official buildings they conduct business in English is going to far . We have many people living here from différant parts of the world ,should officials learn to speak Arab, Spanish , Hungarian , Indien , italien , the list goes on and on . There are people who are licensed to translate official documents for you . Bonjour à vous de la Charente Maritime.
Janice would you mind sharing what health insurance company you used? We are getting such a variety of amounts from $1200 to $12000! A year for two of us! And the question no one seems to be able to answer is the issue of the rule of "no deductible", not allowed to have a policy with any size deductible? Did you encounter this?
@@JaniceInFrance Thanks Janice for replying so fast! We are in the beginning stages of our move to France in spring 2024. But this insurance thing has been so confusing! So many recommended Cigna and it was so expensive, it ate a big chunk of the budget! We are 59 and 61 and they quoted $12k a year prepaid with no deductible because France requires no money out of pocket from when your feet touch french soil. I did not see that anywhere in the visa requirements? Just prepaid insurance with $30k coverage, period. So do you know why your visa was deemed temporary?
@@katherron8789 No my friend and I both got the same thing she lived in California had lots of money and I lived in Georgia didn’t have lots of money it was just the luck of the draw. Please email me at Janiceinfrance@gmail.com and I will send you a copy of my insurance. I had turned 70 before I got here so my insurance is $423 for the full year. I did the same thing as you I started looking fortunately it wasn’t for two people was just for one but there’s no way I would pay that kind of money no way.
I am so sorry you are having to go through so much bureaucracy. My husband and I would love to live in France permanently, but a one year long term Visa with no guarantee of renewal hardly inspires anyone to buy a permanent residence there. Best of luck to you and I hope that France will recognize your contribution to their beautiful country and enable you to stay.
I hope so too but if I have to have another year temporary it’s OK as long as I get to live here. I never did plan on buying anything anyway because I don’t want the responsibility
Yes, Villefranche is expensive, I took a 5 week french intensive course there but have rented in several areas and never got anything near $1100. Good for you!
My first love passed away two years ago! And I hoped to be together to the end of our lives! So, leave nothing to future! Live now whatever you want!
Absolutely my husband has been gone almost 10 years this month
I'm so thankful for you Janice, I've learned so much since discovering you 2 weeks ago. I'm 52 and have started researching now for buying a small property in the south of France between 2025 and 2030. I go to France on my own for a week once a year - it's not easy but my dream just keeps on growing, esp since discovering you and all the invaluable info you share. Thank you very much. Kind regards, Helen x
Well thanks Helen
Good for you! I have friends, the man is a watercolor artist and he has been going to France every year for about a month and staying with friends and painting. Finally two years ago he and his sweetheart bought a house there. They won't be there year-round but the dream has come true. Go and get yours!
@@nancywendlandt5616 isn’t it lovely to see others have dreams that come true.
as much as I love Paris, i have decided to move to North Carolina next year and visit Paris regularly. Life is very different when you have a Grandchild.
Janice, take care of those knees!!!!
I certainly will. Thank you. Hope to see you soon in Paris.
You have such great common sense information. I like how you stay fluid in situations, accepting the changes as they come. I have no doubt you'll be back in France and when you do get back to France, on those hot days without air conditioning, I'm told a damp bath towel laid across yourself, while sitting or laying in front of a fan is just like air conditioning, that's a little something to remember for you to use. I will be praying for it all to work out, which I'm sure it will. Thanks for the inspiring videos, and for showing us how to keep living!
Wishing you the best of luck with sorting all this out! So complicated but if your heart is in France you’ll find a way! It took a lot of perseverance and courage to get to where you are now and you have earned my admiration! Love from California! 💕🌸🙏🏼
Thank you
Oh, my Janice! What a process and so much to learn and know!!! Not sure good thoughts will do much good, but I'm praying for you. Also for sweet little Buster! 🙏💕
Good thoughts and prayers always do good. lol
I have been following your story for a while, Janice. So I am wishing you well as you go through the process again. I hope that they grant you residency.
Thank you Grace
May your trip back to the U.S. be fun, and may you obtain the kind of visa you want.
Joyfully thank you!
As a US French citizen I can tell you that when you reapply after your first year in France you will receive a 4 year visa and apply for French health insurance.
Thank you
TY
That would be amazing not to have reapply annually.
Praying for you Janice! What an inspiration you are, I’m turning 27 next week and I know one day I’ll live in France
Call David attitude as long as you have that type of attitude you certainly will. Thank you for your kind words
Thanks for this video. As you're probably aware, I have also been thoroughly researching the topic of acquiring a long stay visa for my husband and I to retire in France in 1 1/2 yrs Everything I have read, says that even if WE are retiring in France, and don't want to return to the USA each year to renew, we will only be able to get a 1 year "temporary" long stay visas for the first few years. And then, in our case, we'll be able to renew each1 year temp visa, every year until year 5 when we can make application for a permanent long stay visa or at 10 years if we want to apply for citizenship. I recently read somewhere that we may be able to get a 3 year long stay visa either the first time or when we go to renew it after 1 year, and then we won't have to renew it for 3 years and then only once (on the next renewal we can apply for the permanent residence card, like our US "green card") I am looking forward to hearing how you make out when you come back to the USA to make sure you get the visa you can renew in Fontanbleau. As I have discovered (and you found out the hard way), it's all about ticking that right box on the application for the particular long stay visa that applies to retiring in France. I am following a forum on Facebook, called "Applying for a French CdS (Carte de Séjour) and/or visa". It seems to be a great resource for making sure you get your questions answered in advance and can help make sure they apply for the correct long stay visa. Here's a link to that forum for you and any of your followers who may be starting on their own path facebook.com/groups/248686685795058/ Also, I found a link someone posted for an English speaking email address at the French Embassy, that will answer questions on filing a long stay visa application And the person who originally posted it (I have to find it for you and your viewers) said she had used it several times when working on her application and received very prompt responses to each question she asked. So if there's no phone number you can call and get an English speaker, this is just as good. I will see if I can find that email address and do a follow up here. Also, this website has some good info too. www.welcometofrance.com/
Oh wow thank you thank you thank you!
This is very helpful 😍
Some of your information is very much incorrect.
Thank you for being so thorough and answering my question about acupuncture and holistic medicine. I’m sending you good vibes regarding your residency and all the paperwork. I wish you the best!
Thank you Cynthia and thank you for the kind words
I truly loved your video! You are a delight to watch and listen to. Thank you for sharing your life retirering in France. Safe travels Janice!❤
You are so welcome!
Rent in Paris is similar to California SF. Even a bit cheaper. A nice decent one bedroom in the silicon valley is somewhere from 3k to 4k. A nice studio at least 1800/,,month
Janice, you are delightful. I'm so glad I discovered your channel. I will be visiting often. Be well. Thank you for all the details about relocating to France. Looking forward to all your videos.
Thank you so much!
Just 2 thoughts. When I applied for my VLS-TS, I also included a letter describing why I wanted to live and retire in France. It is not mandatory, but had read that it may be helpful. My bff google translate assisted me with the French. I wrote it in English also. Second thought, have your photos taken before you leave France. They will be the correct size. Use a Photomaton booth or a photographer. I live in Bordeaux and the photographer was €15 well spent. Bon courage!
I will certainly do it I did it last time but maybe I just didn’t make it clear enough lol
Fabulous idea to have pictures made before I leave
Thank you for this video on retiring to France, I've been watching other videos on moving to France, but these are younger people who will also be working. I hope that your visa issues get resolved, at least you don't have to worry about needing to find a job in France to support yourself! 🙂
True and thank you for your support
Praying for you Janice!!!
You’ve provided a great deal of useful information. I don’t know if I would ever want to become a resident of France but if I did, as a Canadian, I’d do the first year in St. Pierre-Miquelon so it would just be a ferry ride or two to Newfoundland if I had to go back to Canada to get permissions sort out. Not quite the same as living in Paris, but I would be in France.
I love the architecture in Paris. We have such high sky scrapers and the height of their buildings are not so high. I love the view from the Eiffel 🗼 Tower! I love how your pets are so precious 💞 to you as mine are to me. I have two rescue 🐶🐕 dogs❤❤ 🐾🐾
My cat is a rescue cat
That was so splendid ! All very helpful and clear. I love France too. About twenty years ago we bought a little house in the Limousin. We spend as much time as we can there.
One horrid snag, one time, was when we tried to fly from New York to Paris. We had planned to go to Madeira and fly back from there. Because we ostensibly only had one way tickets they insisted (I hate New York!) that we intended to stay in France.
It was late in the evening and we had two absolute yahoos from the Port Authority who refused to allow us on the plane. We said they could phone family, employers etc to ascertain that we were returning within a month. No go. We were stranded, late at night in the airport, the homeless were already settling down for the night.
Our family back in Texas (with the internet and charged phones!) found us a hotel and Delta got us the last two seats back to Texas next day.
It was a horrid experience .We make sure that we travel to and from the Schengen area, but not returning from another country outside the area. We try not to travel from New York now and make sure we have a return ticket.
We lost a lot of money because two nasty men wielded some power over us. They pretended to telephone France (really ! they were not the type who could cope with calling France or the language), they were simply enjoying being nasty. It was not an America airline so be aware of that as well. Our hotels , rail fares and the air fares were all forfeit. I am still angry about it.
Their reasoning was that we were intending to stay for six months or a year and then our passports would be out of date. (One can only stay for three months in France so their reasoning was wonky !). Do note that although your passport is meant to be valid to the end date on it, in fact, the last six months is not considered valid!
Wow, what an experience I think I would still be a little upset about that too. Thank you for the note about the passport.
Hello Janice I have just discovered your channel..wow how brave of you to move to paris and during the pandemic too,hope to watch some more of your videos
Oh, I hope you do and I hope you subscribe and I hope you get some inspiration from it. Please let me know what you think.
Good, insightful and informative video. Of note for those thinking of coming here long term, further outside of Paris and the rent goes way down. Our village, with all amenities, you could easily spend half of what you are mentioning. A very very nice 1 bedroom 2 floor apartment, with little garden next door to us is 495 euros. The best prices and good places are offered by the Mairie (Town Hall). If you are moving or wish to move into a village, it is worth visiting the Mairie and seeing what they have.
Well thank you for all that information that is great news! Do you mind emailing me and letting me know where you live?
@@JaniceInFrance Email sent.
I would love to know more about your little village :)
Which town? I had a friend who lived in Mouton also where Johnny Depp left.
Correction: Moudon not Mouton
Quick tip... If you're feeling the heat take a thin shawl drench it with water and put it over your shoulders. It's especially good if you're sitting in front of the fan. Wonderful video with very useful advice. Is there a way to find out the Irish insurance company? Thank you for your advice ✨💕🤗
PS you'll be back!
I am hoping
Thanks for your positive video. I’ll keep your process in my prayers.
thank you
You should have been given a Tourist Visa, which can be renewed each year for 5 years, after which you can apply for permanent residency. I believe you can renew this visa in France, so that you don't have to return to the US.
I was given a renewable tourist visa in 2018, but because I didn't certify it within 3 months, it expired. I don't regret this, because I couldn't speak French then. When I can speak fluent French, I'll reapply for a visa and move to Toulouse.
Your channel is the first I've found by a senior citizen (like myself), so you made my day.
Toulouse is a beautiful area
Thank you
Just started listening to you and I am watching in date order...I hope all goes well...I'd love to do this toooo!
Best of luck and thank you for following and subscribing
So glad buster is doing well xoxo 😘
He’s hanging in there
Im keeping him in my prayers we love our furry babies xo 😘
@@JaniceInFrance Animals need their owner's around them especially if they are older and ill.
@@claraborges5446 yes we do. Thank you!
VERY helpful TY Janice! Sending my most positive thoughts to you on staying in France!
Thank you
I’m wishing you the best Janice! 💕💕💕
Thank you
Unfortunately, moving to France is not so easy. Your visa needs to be sorted BEFORE you leave the US, and there's a slew of paperwork and supporting document that need to be provided. Simply going there as a tourist and then hoping you'll figure it all out while you're there won't work. Part of the process all involves filling in questionnaires and application forms, a letter of explanation as to what you intend to do in France, letters promising that you won’t work in France (not even working remotely for an employer back in the US), proof that you can support yourself in France, proof of earnings, proof of medical insurance, proof of accommodation in France, among other things. Opening a bank account as an American there can be a bit of a horror as well, thanks to Draconian US tax laws. Once you do manage to open a bank account, you might be required to deposit a certain amount of money to demonstrate that you have the "means" to support yourself. I wish you all the best.
I don’t know did I give you the impression that I came here is a tourist. I didn’t I had all my paperwork done they are the ones that gave me a temporary visa.
The more money a person has when moving to a foreign Country can insure or ruin your plans. It is preferable to have at least $100,00.00 or more.
The more money you have the better will be your chances.
It’s not just the tax laws, Sarboxansley, the bill about money laundering is the problem. If living outside the USA banks could be on the hook in a big way.
I read an article that a French national who was born in the US couldn’t open a bank account in France even though his family left when he was three years old. He couldn’t open a bank account in France as he was American by being born there and the banks didn’t want the exposure
@@philthefarrier9469 This has nothing to do with Sarbanes Oxley, which applies to corporations, not individuals. It has everything to do with FATCA, which is applicable to US citizens living abroad, and has created numerous headaches for us. The experience of that French national you cited is all too common. I know people who were born overseas to American parents, never set foot in or lived in the US, and they are still considered US persons by the IRS, and obliged to report their "foreign bank accounts" and file US taxes. FATCA has turned foreign banks into tax-collecting arms of the IRS, and they are obliged to report accounts of US persons. That is why many banks have jettisoned their US citizen customers because they don't want to be bothered with reporting requirements. The ONLY way this madness stops is when one renounces their US citizenship. Of course, a second citizenship is needed before that can happen.
@@richardmcleod1930 This is true, though if one is moving abroad and already has secured gainful employment in their destination country, then the amount of money they bring is not critical. But every bit helps. However, if one is a student or retiree, then yes, it's of paramount importance because the government wants to see what means someone has to support themselves. But I don't believe money is the issue here, but more a matter of the vicissitudes of French bureaucracy.
This was very informative and hopefully you can come back to live in France 🇫🇷 cuz your videos are super fun to watch 😊
Thank you Monica
I am moving to Provence next month from the States and got my visa a week ago. I am retired and applied for a tourist visa. It came with a piece of paper that said I had to register within three months via the website they provided me. It welcomed me saying I'd been issued a long stay visa serving as a residence permit. I will need to provide a valid email address, my visa info, my home address in France and a credit card to pay an online fee for my residence permit. It states if I do not do this, I will no longer be considered a legal resident of France. Once that is done you have to apply from France, on line , 3 months before the visa expires for a renewal. Did you ever register before the 3 month mark? You are very brave indeed!
No because I didn’t receive the same visa as you
Thank you, Janice!!! This is very helpful. It seems that we will need to apply in Seattle. It's good to know that each consulate responds differently. And I have read that Spain is similar. Thanks again! Beautiful video! Thank you. We are visiting Europe after helping a new school open in Lviv. Slava Ukraine! We're in Krakow, also amazing. We will stay in Tallinn for February, hopefully longer after my Digital Nomad Visa application interview on Feb 1st...
Glad it was helpful!
One important thing to know about French administration: it is VERY exacting. They will usually ask you for things you won't need, and demand stuff that was not on the list of papers to get. It's good to be VERY prepared and show humility and good will. Hopefully that's enough to get your papers. However, there are times when it becomes too difficult, at which point begging/asking the government working for help is likely to be the way you will get things accomplished. Suddenly, the person will stop demanding always more papers from you and will say: "ok, let me see what I can do", and they will usually unlock the situation at that point and that's will be that.
I'm not surprised you didn't get a longer visa. It's the same in the US. You'll never get a long term visa the first time around (unless you petition because of a marriage or something official like that). Otherwise, they'll let you be in the country for a while. Then with "good behavior" (so to speak) and paperwork showing that you can support yourself (and the papers you talked about), you can apply for a longer visa. Best of luck with it 🙂
Happy you like Toulouse (my hometown). Too many beautiful places in France to recommend one over the other. Considering climate change in the coming years, you probably want to stay above the Bordeaux-Lyon line. Happy home hunting!
Well these are wonderful words to live by guarantee you. Yes I want to live near the northern part of France because I love the colder weather. But I hope to go I am so so hoping to go in February or March to Lourdes
Life is too complicated! I'm sorry you have to go through this mess. Lots of good thoughts, and prayers. God bless you, Janice. -- Teresa
Thanks Teresa
There are plenty of freestanding aircos and you can have an airco installed. Here in the a bit cooler but in summer oppresively hot Netherlands many people from richtopoortorich have airco mostly on solar as well. Nothing nothing special tbh.😊
I know I just don’t know if I wanna spend the money on it. I just had everything redone in my house and I need a lot more things that I need air conditioner but will wait and see how hot it gets
Strasbourg was the city that stole my heart... I felt like it was a mini Paris in some respects... it has the Art, architecture, and street music... wonderful museums, food in the streets and YES it also has so many shops and gardens the waterway is so picture perfect! Take a day trip there some time, I think you would love it!
Thank you I have heard the same for many many people, and I am going there for Christmas
@@JaniceInFrance Very good choice!! You will love the holidays in the city!
🙏sending prayers your way!❤
Thank you
So delightful to follow you on your journey & I hope Buster & Kitty don’t miss you too much! Good Luck on your application!
Thank you you know I miss him more than they will me
@@JaniceInFrance Animals vary as to how much they may miss a owner, but generally they definitely prefer being near those caring for them especially if they are older and ill.
Janice , This was perfect
you respond to all my questions that I wrote in another video comment’s section.
Please ignore it. I just subscribed and I didn’t see previous videos.
I am like you living in Us and senior and thinking to retire in Europe,Yet French consult is very clear about minimum monetary requirements. Yet as you said is flexibility and Who knows.
I wish you easy visa approval 🙏😇😇😇
You look like a nice french lady . Hope you get a sweet and kind consular 🙏
I still don’t know why is issue with your SS check?
Maybe is in another video
is it?
Good luck 🍀🍀🍀🙏😇😇😇
Yes it is in another video but just in case I didn’t reply to you about that it’s just they have made a mistake and now they’re trying to repair it hopefully.
I found your information very helpful. Thank you, Janice.
Janice, when it comes to paperwork, I feel you. I trust that all goes well and you will be blessed with the good fortune to get back into France to live your best life.
I am taking a chance to share with you that I have found relief from knee pains by practicing yoga, targeting my knees.
My yoga instructor is a young man residing in Italy, and twice a week I have a personal one hour yoga session via Skype and it has helped to strengthen my knees that I no longer feel any more knee pains.
It was very important for me to find relief for my knees for I live in a two levels townhouse with 26 stairs that I climb all day. And if that wasn’t bad, I have another 30 stairs to climb to put out the garbage. I am now embracing the stairs climbing as extra exercises, no more pain in my knees.
You may want to consider some exercises to strengthen your knees for maintaining your balance specifically to avoid falls. I have tried acupuncture and it didn’t make a difference.
My Yoga instructor was once my ballroom dance instructor and he is very easy on the eyes🤣
Oh my goodness that sounds wonderful!
Too many stairs
@@JaniceInFrance Stairs can be very dangerous especially for older persons. It is better to live in a one level house without stairs especially if we are older. I know as I have had some severe falls on my stairs, once breaking a rib and puncturing a lung. Luckily I moved out, even though I loved the beauty of the stairs, they are just too dangerous for older people.
Wishing you all the best! I pray 🙏 for you and Buster.
Thank you so much!
Very helpful, Janice. My wife Cindy has MS, so we avoid, heat, stairs, and congested living spaces. I imagine that when we return to Oregon in July/August, we will prepare our NLV application appointment for Oct/Nov. I'll be 67, Cindy 66. Thanks again!!
Please let me know if I can help!
@@JaniceInFranceAre you also available on email or phone? I have some questions.....
Thank you for this wonderful video. Very informative and helpful. Wishing you all the best and going to pray for a positive outcome. I would love to know how the social security situation works out.
Thank you Magda star
@@JaniceInFrance You are Very Welcome
Magdalena in Nevada.
Janice, I don’t know if you want to drive when you come back to France. But I wonder if you y have thought of living in a state with license reciprocity with France, so you don’t need to spend about $2000 for driving school and then have to take the difficult French test ?
Not all states have this agreement, but Florida is one that does.
This way you can create an advantage out of your temporary exile!
I will drive when I get back to the states because I have a drivers license still but I’m not driving here in France at all
I think the amount of money you need is based on the French minimum wage. Which is $11 something.
They don’t look at savings accounts, trust funds or investments. (Because it’s not regular and you could spend it all and become a financial burden.)
absolutely correct
Moving to France has always been my dream. I pray that you will be able to live in France permanently very soon.🥰
Thank you Mimi.
THIS video is SO helpful! Thank you Janice❤
You are so welcome!
Janice, you’re so sweet and likable! I’m sure France will give you residency! ❤❤
I’m sure they will too! I have to think positive
Always a chore! I went to the UK on a student visa. There were lots of restrictions! I had to show that I could support myself without working.
Yep
And it is the other way around for Europeans trying to live in the US
Laws have change but my parents came in 2003 to France with visa long séjour and once in France they apply for a titre de séjour visiteur which renews every year unless you spoked French and they didn't. Once this titre de séjour visiteur they were up for the French social security health benefits and they got it. Never cost me a penny. Also as I was French already they came as a family reunification which was flowless. That is my experience but know will be different than most. The US is hell with their Fatca/Fincen rules!!!
Yes that’s a long time ago. It isn’t that bad now!
It was easier then immigration laws in France have change. @@JaniceInFrance
I got a long stay visa and had to report to the OPI and had to get a physical also needed a police report and didn’t have to go back in order to stay
Yes that’s the one I’m wanting
What size apartment and number of bedrooms do you have for what you are paying for your apartment? Does it have a kitchen with the kinds of appliances we are used to in US? Does it have a washer/dryer?
Yes, I have a washer in the dryer and I have a 2 1/2 size bedroom. The bedroom is a very small bedroom I use as a storage but it could be used as a twin bed room with just me here and when I have company I only need one guest room. I do not have a dishwasher because I asked my landlords, when they wanted to put one in, not to do so, because it would change the configuration in my kitchen. Look forward to giving you a fabulous tour with my new furniture in it with my new painting, etc. etc. in a couple of months
You are so delightful, as well as highly informative! This encourages me so much on my own journey to France! 😀
Eh bon chance avec votre rentree!
Rules can change just keep up with him that’s the only thing I can advise you to do. When I started on this journey I was looking at RUclips and all of a sudden they were giving me information in 2017 and 2018 all of a sudden I’m sitting there thinking one thing and then I go to a 2019 and it’s all together different so be careful when you watch videos that they’re up-to-date.
Thank you, Janice, for your helpful video. Mostly appreciated 🙏
My husband and I are retiring at the beginning of 2025 and planning to move to France some time in September where we have some family and friends. Will then start gathering the paperwork and apply for the VLS-TS .
Any advice on which health insurance would be a great choice to purchase? 🤗
Yes I do! My next video is going to have an e-book on what to do that I didn’t do! Lol hold on and I’ll let you know when it comes out.
@@JaniceInFrance Great 👍 Merci bien 🙏
Janice, are you certain you can’t apply for a resident visa at a local prefecture office in France? If you watch International Living VISA and Residency in France, they say that you can renew at a local office in France. Your situation may be different.
No I can’t .. not mine. I’ve already consulted an attorney
@@JaniceInFrance sorry. I think they give you those VISAS on purpose to make you jump through hoops. You just stay strong. I hope to meet you some day. We aren’t quite old enough to retire. But will be over to visit France next year. We love it there so much. Good luck to you! 🙏
@@maryfurman698 great let’s get together
Love it!! So happy to find you! My mom is in her 80's. She moved to Bali last year. She had a great year, but she concluded that Bali was not for her. She had gotten rid of her home in Santa Barbara, ca and all her possessions. So now, she is coming back to me in CA, and we are planning to relocate together with my family to France next year! You have been sooo helpful. Thank you. Praying for you, and seeing you with the residency visa you desire!!
Well thank you so much LSC! That’s great news about your moving to France. What part of France, and please keep me posted.
@@JaniceInFrance We are looking in the PACA region. And I most certainly will! Right now, I am listening to your coffee chat about packing as I gear up to call the airlines for my mom who is needing to do the same as she leaves Bali and returns to the states! Thank you again, for being a voice of support, especially for ladies of a certain age who could just lull themselves into a fatigued state of living a life less than they desire!! Loving your content!
@@TheLsiec thank you
To clarify, you will report your social security income to both governments but you still need to pay taxes in the US. France makes exemptions for social security and pensions.
That’s right
JANICE, YOU ARE AN INSPIRATION. THANK YOU.
Thank you again
This is so thorough, thank u
Glad it was helpful!
As someone who lives permanently in France, on a permanent residence visa for almost 10 yrs... and I organised a year visa for an elderly family friend from Hong Kong in January this year so I've got a good understanding of the process. Visa is a long process and red tape/paperwork heavy. Long story short, you do need insurance for your permit/visa to be issued to you. BUT... after three months any person who has been in France for that time period - even an illegal immigrant - is entitled to apply for a Carte Vitale.
But I don’t have a permanent visa; I have a temporary for one year only.
@@JaniceInFrance So does the lady I helped with an address for the year visa. She has just left today to get a renewal in Hong Kong. Regardless, any person who has been in France for over three months and can prove a residential address for that period can apply for a Carte Vitale. Thats the protocol.
@@LuluBowenTarot Only if you did not receive a temporary one year visa then you have to go back to the states
@@JaniceInFrance I think you're misunderstood my post. Two different topics. 1st, my friend had exactly the same visa as you do, a temporary one which one has to re-apply for in you home country. She is 67 yrs old and retired and on a pension income. She left for Hong Kong yesterday because she will need to renew there as you have to do the same by going back to the USA.
2nd is the health care. Regardless of the visa type, even without a visa, if a person can show they've been in France for 3 months, they are entitled to apply for a Carte Vitale. It's that simple. Yes, when making an application you must have health insurance, but my friend applied for a Carte Vitale after 3 months in France, and has just received her card before she left, and it's valid for a few years. It took about 3 months of processing after application.
@@LuluBowenTarot Well I certainly was unaware of that because I have a friend Patricia who is now in the states renewing her visa she went to do the cart detail and they said that they couldn’t do it because she was only here on a temporary visa for one year. It’s strange how there’s so many different stories
Cross my fingers for your wish Janice! 🙏❤️
Me too!!
Best wishes for happy travels and for technical things to go your way !
Thank you
Thank you again for the info. Love your positive vibe.. super
inspiring🎉
Currently living in U.K. and the amount of paper work we have to do in order to go to Europe is nasty!
All thanks to stupid Brexit… I love FountainBlue exquisite town and gorgeous restaurants😍
Wonderful!
Hello Janice! You must come back! You WILL come back! ❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤
I hope! ❤️
Hello. You talked about loosing your social security. Is that something we need to worry about if moving to France? Thanks
No that was just paperwork in my part
Good luck
The grass is not always greener on the other side.
I like this grass
I’ve heard that expression so many times and it’s not applicable to everybody, maybe yourself. I’ve lived in other countries other than this place I was born in, Canada and I MUCH rather prefer to live in them
Janice I’m keeping you in my prayers that all goes well for you xo 😘 and your babies xo love you 😍
Thank you Clara
Love your content, but you say, 2 bedroom, but it's a three bedroom, which they don't charge for, so you could store, suitcases and othet storage items, into wardrobes, witch would make the appearance of the apartment larger, and create an extra guest bedroom, so Jennifer would feel, that she had her own private bedroom, even if she can visit only once a year .
Jennifer has her own bedroom. The second bedroom is Jennifer I had the third bedroom opened up. It’s always been here but it’s always been locked but I had it opened up so now I have three bedrooms but it is a very small bedroom. That’s why I say it’s more like a storage room. But it does have a twin size bed in it.
Great info Janice, thank you. I believe things will go fine for you for your future adventures
Thank w I hope
Hey! Fontainebleau? I stayed in Fontainebleau for a while myself. And I did pray for you to stay even before you mentioned it. I know you will get to stay. I’m hoping to apply myself.
Let me know when you start to apply if I can help you in anyway I would love to.
@@JaniceInFrance Thank you so much. I will definitely do that.
Hi Janice, we have the same situation. I got a 1-year temporary visa, but I had to go back to the States next year and re apply for a long-term visa. Questions; Do I have to go through the same process like what i did in the 1st, wait for three months then I can re apply long term visa , or I can apply right away once I get back to the States? You mentioned that you had to go through again in your second time application, like fingerprints, passport pictures, etc.
Yes, but make sure you tell the attendant that you want to retire in France.
@@JaniceInFrance Thanks for taking the time to reply. Take care 🙂 💕
Are you from Texas? Love your bravery and class!
Yes
For those 70 and over, because 70 seems to be the magic age they really hike travel health insurance, no matter how healthy you are, what is the general cost of health insurance in France that you need to have for the first year. We will have an Irish passport but that insurance is very inexpensive. If they cancel insurance, hopefully, you will be in a stable enough health condition to fly back home. Shengen insurance for travel bought in the U.S. for those who hit 70 is well over a thousand dollars a month.
-$425 per a year
Thank you for sharing your experience and knowledge with us. I don't understand what happened with your social security. Why did you lose it?
It was a miscommunication between getting to my mailbox and me leaving. It had nothing to do with me moving to France.
Wishing you love & luck for your upcoming to & fro! Love you & your channel, your cool, calm & collected delivery is inspiring!
Thank you so much!!
Hiya! Would you recommend the Irish insurance company you used? Cheers from the UK!
Yes, I would like that information also. Please Janice let us know about that Irish Health insurance please!
Yes
Kindly give the name of insurance company in Ireland. Janice I hope everything turns out OK.
europa
Thank you for that information Janice. Very helpful.
On the French website you need €120 a day without accommodation and €65 with accommodation for a full time travel visa
Yes I can’t quite figure that out
I flew first class with two dogs…from Mexico to Washington, DC…they were service animals.
That must’ve been nice
Hi Janice I have spoken about this on My Channel in Italy for the Elective Visa for Italy. Because people listen to all kinds of ideas and opinions on Facebook that arent accurate.
The passive income requirements for An Elective visa for retired person is between 32,000 and 50,000 and they will use their judgement on your finances, health insurance etc.
Most European countries have a similar Elective visa for retirement. You cannot work ! Hoping it all works out for you
You can work if you have an entrepreneur visa, and there are other visas that you can get that you can work here
@@JaniceInFrance yes but not on the retirement visa It's the same in Italy
@@relocatetoEUROPE true
Hi Janice, I just found your channel. My husband and I plan to retire in France in a year. I thought our social security would not be impacted by moving outside of the U.S. because it is automatically deposited into our American bank account. When we open a bank account in France, then social security would make our monthly deposits to our French account. We are hoping this will not cause any glitches, as social security is our primary source of income. Any thoughts? Thank you in advance!
If you would email me at Janice and france@gmail.com let’s discuss it more
Janice, you mentioned getting insurance for a year for $423. Was that for the whole year or per month. The online price that Cigna Global is quoting me is over $500 a month. What am I doing wrong? Are you able to tell the company that you used?
If you will email me I will give you the name of the company I don’t have it right now at the top of my head
Good Morning Janice! It’s 8 a.m. here in Indianapolis. I have a question for you. Would it be less of a hassle to get a tourist visa? I know you can only stay 9 months and then you have to come back to the U.S. for 60 days and then go back for another 9 months. Scary that the U.S. Treasury stopped your SS payments.
No because I need health insurance.
You should be getting your Social Security benefits regardless of where you are living in the World. SSI benefits NO, but SSA benefits YES. You are eligible for SSA benefits just as you are eligible for your Pension checks. Hope you are making money from these videos you are making.
I know it is a variable amount of money, but if you do get money from the videos it should help out with you expenses while in France as such money is not a monthly benefit unless I am wrong about that. Life needs to be stable and consistent especially when we get older.
@@richardmcleod1930 Not getting my Social Security benefits has nothing to do with me living here in France. What it has to do is I was getting my late husband Social Security and they think I’m making too much money with my two pensions so they are reevaluating
@@JaniceInFrance How much money a person may have coming in from Pensions or other incomes should have nothing to do with a person's eligibility for Social Security benefits. Even if you are a Millionaire, what you put into Social Security or even what part of your husband's Social Security you may be eligible for, should never affect what benefit you may get.
They can re-evaluate all they want, the Social Security Laws are very explicit about eligibility.
Once you are age 65 in the United States and eligible for Social Security, you are automatically eligible for Medicare Parts A and B if you continue to live in the United States.
You are not eligible if you live outside of the United States, as other countries do not accept the Medicare Plan as would be the case if you were a United States resident.
Now if a person is getting what is today called Supplemental Security Income (SSI- the new term for Welfare) then there are specifics that have to be met and are subject to where a person lives (only in the United States) and how many resources (ie Bank Accounts and other such monetary resources) they may have down to chickens; hogs and livestock. The limit is $2000.00.
I would like to know why the SS Admin did that to you.
You're just awesome, Janice! What a plethora of info! I didn't know you were a GA girl. Well obviously you got to come back and since I haven't watched your folliwup video, are you a permanent resident now with bennies?
I am!
What is the longest time that the VLS-TS Visiteur Long-Term Visa lasts for?
It’s usually for one year and then you go into the computer and pay for another year
could you do a video on daily expenses and amount you spend in a year???
Yes, as soon as my June video comes out, we will be addressing that
I just stumbled upon your channel and it’s been amazing 😻
What is the insurance from Ireland? How do I get that when I move to france?
Europa, if I’m not mistaken is the name and you just emailed them and discuss it with them or call them on the phone
@@JaniceInFrance thank you so much Janice! Your videos are so helpful! I’m surprised that you can’t extend your long stay visa by contacting local gov (La marie). Before your long stay visa is up. I read that on the French consulate website somewhere.
@@ArleneAndHakan the latest is I do have a long stay visa
Hi Janice … I really hope it all goes smoothly for you.
Did you have an appointment with social security before you left for France letting them know you were leaving?
No, it wasn't necessary. They know now that I live here because that I the only way the American Embassy could help me out.
Can you add a link for the insurance that you purchased?
I will be doing a video soon on the residency process and I will put that in there for sure
Great info--- and those expat forums are really helpful-- thanks for mentioning. Best wishes on your future plans-- I enjoy following your adventures 😊!
Thank you! Kind words are always nice to hear.
Can you please provide a link to the Health Insurance in Ireland, which covers you up to 30000 Euros for $450 a year. Your help will be much appreciated.
It is called Europa
Hi Janice! Thank you for sharing your visa process! I have a quick question: when dealing with the various offices in France, do they conduct business in French or English? Sending you positive thoughts in hopes that you will be granted residency😊
I am French and if I went to America would you talk to me in French ? No I didn’t think so , it’s the same here . Learn to speak a little France and we will definitely appreciate it.
@@hectorbrown656 As I traveled in France I was met with such kind understanding as I struggled with little knowledge of the language. It is a beautiful language I still study for my next trip.
French mostly
@@KCRReads thank you for answering me , yes of course you will have met many of my compatriots who have learnt English at school and who will enjoy trying to talk to you with more or less success , as I myself have done many times with tourists . I really think that asking if in official buildings they conduct business in English is going to far . We have many people living here from différant parts of the world ,should officials learn to speak Arab, Spanish , Hungarian , Indien , italien , the list goes on and on . There are people who are licensed to translate official documents for you . Bonjour à vous de la Charente Maritime.
@@KCRReads That’s encouraging to hear as I am currently studying French in preparation for a trip next summer😊
Janice would you mind sharing what health insurance company you used? We are getting such a variety of amounts from $1200 to $12000! A year for two of us! And the question no one seems to be able to answer is the issue of the rule of "no deductible", not allowed to have a policy with any size deductible? Did you encounter this?
Europa
Email me and I’ll send you a copy of mine.
Janiceinfrance@gmail.com
@@JaniceInFrance
Thanks Janice for replying so fast! We are in the beginning stages of our move to France in spring 2024. But this insurance thing has been so confusing! So many recommended Cigna and it was so expensive, it ate a big chunk of the budget! We are 59 and 61 and they quoted $12k a year prepaid with no deductible because France requires no money out of pocket from when your feet touch french soil. I did not see that anywhere in the visa requirements? Just prepaid insurance with $30k coverage, period. So do you know why your visa was deemed temporary?
@@katherron8789 No my friend and I both got the same thing she lived in California had lots of money and I lived in Georgia didn’t have lots of money it was just the luck of the draw. Please email me at Janiceinfrance@gmail.com and I will send you a copy of my insurance. I had turned 70 before I got here so my insurance is $423 for the full year. I did the same thing as you I started looking fortunately it wasn’t for two people was just for one but there’s no way I would pay that kind of money no way.
Wow nice rate! Thanks for Europa tip, I’ve been looking too
I am so sorry you are having to go through so much bureaucracy. My husband and I would love to live in France permanently, but a one year long term Visa with no guarantee of renewal hardly inspires anyone to buy a permanent residence there. Best of luck to you and I hope that France will recognize your contribution to their beautiful country and enable you to stay.
I hope so too but if I have to have another year temporary it’s OK as long as I get to live here. I never did plan on buying anything anyway because I don’t want the responsibility
My rent was $3500 in Villefranche sur Mer
Oh goodness too much for me
Yes, Villefranche is expensive, I took a 5 week french intensive course there but have rented in several areas and never got anything near $1100. Good for you!
I hope your social security gets straightened out and you can get a longer visa to return to 🇫🇷 France to live.
Thank you I appreciate your kind words