Moving to France: prepare your home, family and belongings.

Start with where you are moving from

Your nationality affects residence; the belongings' origin affects customs. Ordinary goods already in EU free circulation differ from an import from Great Britain, the USA or South America. Check Northern Ireland and overseas territories separately, and name both endpoints in your enquiry.

Official guidance: French customs: transferring your main home · EU customs and VAT territory boundaries

Check residence before fixing your moving date

For metropolitan France, a stay beyond 90 days normally needs a long-stay visa unless your nationality or status exempts you. EU, EEA and Swiss nationals are among those covered by exemptions. Work, study, family and visitor routes have different conditions. Use France-Visas for your situation and follow any validation or residence formalities after arrival. Buying a home or being allowed to visit does not itself settle your right to live or work there.

Official guidance: French long-stay visa guidance

Moving from outside the EU: household-goods relief

French relief for a main-home transfer generally requires at least 12 months living outside the EU and qualifying belongings used privately for at least six months. Import is normally within 12 months of the residence transfer, with restrictions on selling, lending or hiring out relieved goods for 12 months after entry. New purchases, alcohol, tobacco and furnishings for a second home need separate attention. Check all conditions with customs before assuming the shipment will be tax-free.

Official guidance: French customs: transferring your main home

Prepare the French customs file

French customs lists a detailed, valued, dated and signed inventory in two copies, the personal-goods declaration and evidence of your former and new main home. If importing in stages, the first inventory must cover everything for which relief is requested. Agree who checks and submits the file. Number boxes to match the inventory and keep travel documents with you.

Official guidance: French customs: transferring your main home

Arrange school enquiries alongside the house search

For a public primary school, start with the mairie, then complete registration with the school. The official checklist includes identity, address and vaccination evidence. For a child entering secondary education from abroad, the education authority may arrange an assessment, including through CASNAV, before placement. Ask about school reports, language support, available places and the intended start date. Keep the receiving authority informed while the home address is being confirmed.

Official guidance: French primary-school registration · Secondary school after arriving from abroad

A city apartment and a village house

For an apartment, describe the floor, lift dimensions and the space available to unload. At a village or countryside home, check the approach, gates, turning space and distance to the door. Ask the property contact about delivery-time restrictions. Measure doorways before deciding to ship large furniture, and share photographs where access is difficult.

Choose packing around the belongings

List furniture first, then estimate boxes of smaller belongings. Mark fragile pieces, items needing dismantling and anything you would like us to assess for particular care. An inventory and photographs help us understand the load. Agree what packing, handling and placement are included in the proposal.

• Large items, useful dimensions and approximate box quantities.
• Fragile belongings and the packing help you would like.
• Access details at collection and the French delivery property.

Keep travel, keys and delivery dates separate

Record when the old property must be cleared, when you travel and when someone can receive the belongings in France. Explain any gap before you have keys. Ask how changes will be handled and which collection, transport, document and delivery charges are included. Keep essentials for the first days outside the shipment.

Moving out of France instead?

Tell us the receiving country, town and collection arrangements in France. A UK return or a move elsewhere has its own immigration and import requirements. Use the enquiry to describe the actual direction, belongings and dates so that the route and service can be assessed.