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Brexit: I am going to or am planning to settle in France
As a British citizen, I am going or planning to live and work in France.
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Yes. As of October 1, 2021, all British nationals and their family members will be required to have a valid passport and, if they reside in France, a residence permit or, if they arrive in France, a travel document to enter France.
Find our dedicated sheet “Fact sheet : British nationals and their family members”
UK citizens and their family who have been residing in France and arrived before December 31, 2020
If you came before December 31, 2020, you will have to apply for the new residence permit provided by the Withdrawal Agreement.
This option is available for all UK citizens and their family members who lived in France or who moved to France before December 31, 2020. If you currently have an “EU/EEA/Swiss citizen” residence permit (optional), it will continue to be valid only until October 1, 2021. You will therefore also have to apply for the new residence permit provided for in the withdrawal agreement. You may apply for a “Withdrawal Agreement” residence permit corresponding to your situation as of now and in any event before July 1, 2021 via the dedicated bilingual online platform. The residence permit will be issued to you free of charge.
If you have been legally residing in France for more than 5 years, without being away from the French territory for a period superior to five consecutive years, you will be able to get a residence permit marked “Permanent Residence – Agreement on the withdrawal of the United Kingdom from the EU“, valid for 10 years.
If you have been legally residing in France for less than 5 years, you can apply for a residence permit marked “Agreement on the withdrawal of the UK from the EU“ which is valid for 5 years.
The following are concerned:
Find our dedicated sheet “Fact sheet : British nationals and their family members”
UK citizens and their family residing in France and who arrived after January 1, 2021
If you arrive in France as of January 1, 2021, you will have to apply for a long-stay visa and then a residence permit corresponding to your situation to the competent French authorities unless if you are a family member of a British national who already settled in France before December 31, 2020.
Find our dedicated sheet “Fact sheet : British nationals and their family members”
You did not have to do anything during the transition period.
Under the terms of the transition period, you could continue to undertake paid employment until December 31, 2020.
British nationals and their family members who were working in France before December 31, 2020 will not be required to obtain a work permit or to complete other formalities on January 1, 2021 in order to continue their salaried activity.
However, you will have to apply for a residence permit as of now and until July 1, 2021 under the conditions specified in the previous question on the dedicated bilingual online platform. The residence permit will be issued to you free of charge.
As of January 1,2021, your situation will depend on the residence permit obtained in accordance with your situation.
NB.: Regulated professions are subject to specific measures. |
At the end of the transition period, you will be eligible for a French residence permit.
A French residence permit authorises the holder to live and, where applicable, work in France. It also allows the holder to travel within the Schengen Area, for a maximum period of three months per semester.
If you wish to live or work in another Member State, you must contact the competent authorities in that country.
A residence permit valid for 10 years marked “Permanent Residence – Agreement on the withdrawal of the United Kingdom from the European Union” can be issued to you if :
Your family members who reside with you and work may also benefit from this permit before the five-year period of residence has expired.
If you arrive in France after January 1, 2021, you will have to apply for a residence permit corresponding to your situation.
The common rules on the acquisition of French citizenship are applicable to UK nationals.
As soon as the agreement is ratified and until December 31, 2020, you continued to be registered with the French social security system and to enjoy the rights provided for in the European regulations, under the same conditions.
If you began an activity before December 31, 2020 in France and continue to do so after January 1, 2021, you may still be covered under the social security scheme to which you were affiliated until the end of your activity, and until the end of the secondment in the event of secondment.
If you arrive on the French territory on or after January 1, 2021, you will have to be affiliated to the French social security system.
For more information, please see the CLEISS website
The regulations concerning UK employees seconded to France remained applicable under the same terms and conditions until December 31, 2020.
You could continue to be registered with the UK social security system during your secondment. You did not need to take any particular action in this respect.
Form A1 certifying your situation remained valid as stipulated therein. The document S1 “Registration for health insurance coverage” allowing you to register with the French health insurance in your place of residence remained valid and allowed you to be covered under the same conditions as an insured person under the French social security system.
If you were living in France before December 31,2020, you may remain registered with the British social security system and will continue to be entitled to healthcare for the period of your secondment under the cover of form A1.
If you are coming to France after January 1, 2021, you will have to be registered with the French social security system.
For more information, please read our dedicated page on “Social Security”, the CLEISS website or the Ameli.fr website
If you worked before December 31, 2020, your periods of employment will be taken into account when opening and calculating your pension rights in France and the United Kingdom. The social security coordination rules of the European regulations will continue to apply.
If you worked in the United Kingdom and France before December 31, 2020 and continue to work there afterwards, your periods worked in the United Kingdom and France will be taken into account for the opening and calculation of your French and British pensions. Indeed, the retirement agreement provides that social security coordination will continue to apply.
For more information, do not hesitate to visit the CLEISS website.
If you worked in France before the end of the transition period set on December 31, 2020, your periods of employment in France will be taken into account when opening and calculating your pension rights in the United Kingdom. The social security coordination rules of the European regulations will continue to apply.
If you work again in France after December 31, 2020, these periods will not be taken into account. They will be taken into account for the French retirement.
Experts talks
As a British citizen, I am going or planning to live and work in France.
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As a British citizen, I often travel to France for professional reasons, what are the consequences of Brexit?
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The French and British governments have launched general information websites on the consequences of Brexit.
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