Moving to and living in France series.
Q: @les_law asked, “Is there a maximum age restriction?”
A: No, not that I am aware of. On some of the ex-pat boards I participate in, I frequently see adult children wanting to immigrate their aging parents to France. It’s absolutely possible.
If retired, the most common visa requested is a Long Stay Tourism VLS-TS visa. That “TS” part is crucial as it allows you to renew your visa from France, which essentially turns into a residency card. Without the “TS,” you must return to your home country and start over.
That being said, the renewal process for a VLS-TS visa is annual, and you’ll need to visit the prefecture every year about two months before your residency expires. The dossier you submit each time is similar to that in the states. After you have been a tax-paying resident of France for five years, you can request a 10-year CDS so you don’t have to return to the prefecture every year.
Returning to the age question, another consideration is insurance and pensions. When you submit for the visa, and after arriving in France, you must retain a private insurance policy that covers repatriation until you receive your CPAM account and French healthcare card.
Private healthcare can be costly as you age, especially if you have pre-existing healthcare conditions. You’ll consider this again when you shop for “mutuelle,” or top-up insurance, in France.
For pensions, social security, etc., as an American, I understand that there is a tax treaty between the States and France - this country does not tax them.
What visa do I have? I’m here on a work visa, Skills & Talents, which is now a 4-year CDS renewable residency.
If you enjoy topics like this, please let me know in the comments below, and feel free to ask additional questions.
VIDEO: Walk from Ile Saint-Louis to Jardin du Luxembourg & back. Shot on Fujifilm X100V with a custom recipe.
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