Moving to France

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moving to France

Your new life in the land of love & culture
UTS helps you with your move!

Are you planning to move from Germany to France? As a professional moving company, we will support you with your move and ensure that everything runs smoothly. Our UTS experts plan and calculate all the details of your move to France carefully and conscientiously and advise you personally on all relevant issues.

France is the largest country in the European Union in terms of area and the second largest country in the EU in terms of population. A total of around 68.3 million people live here (as of 2024).

When moving to Paris, you can expect world-famous sights such as the Louvre or the Eiffel Tower as well as numerous buildings. There are over 40,000 castles throughout the country. The country is also known for its special culture and very good cuisine, about which the French are very proud. The France métropolitaine, which translates as the French motherland, also impresses with its diverse and varied landscapes.

All this contributes to France being the country with the highest number of visitors in the world and therefore the perfect place to settle down.

If you agree with us and want to move to the land of love, we are here to help. Whether Paris or Nice, we will provide you with the right offer for your move. On this page you will find a lot of important information for your move. As a moving company UTS, we will give you helpful tips and advice on the subject of entry and import regulations, moving with animals, rental prices and so on.

Your contact person

Mr. Simon Rieb

Removals Germany & Europe

Mail Icon move@uts-germany.de
Telefon Icon +49 (0)69 2445049-32

All topics at a glance:

Time planning>>

entry requiriments>>

MOVING WITH ANIMALS AND CAR >>

Import regulations>>

healthcare system>>

culture >>

economy>>

labour market>>

RENT AND COST OF LIVING>>

FOOD PRICES >>

Request & callback service

Online tour

Our Services

Individual requirements

Individual offers

Pre-inspection

Delivery & unpacking on site

Dismantling, packing & loading

Transport by truck

Customs clearance

Storage & warehousing

Transport insurance

TIME PLANNING

Transfer times to France

Transport time to Paris: 1-2 days
Transport time to Marseille: 2-3 days
Transport time to Lyon: 1-2 day
Transport time to Toulouse: 2-3 days
Transport time to Nice: 2-3 days

Note: The times indicated are for reference only and are subject to changes in customs regulations, capacities, the current political situation, the availability of the correct documents for customs clearance and the infrastructure.

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ENTRY REQUIREMENTS

Simplified immigration

As a member of the European Union, there are of course simplified entry requirements for the EU country.

You will need a valid identity card or passport to enter the country. Unlike in Germany, there is no obligation to register. You don't have to apply for a residence permit, but you must register with the French tax authorities responsible for you. If you wish, you can apply for a "Carte de Séjour" (proof of residence) at your local Préfecture or the Sous-Préfecture of your place of residence. If you need further information, please send us an email.

The right of entry and residence is primarily granted to

Union citizens who wish to stay in France as workers, to look for work, for vocational training or to study, as well as their family members (regardless of nationality) if they accompany or join that person.
Union citizens if they are entitled to exercise a self-employed activity and their family members (irrespective of nationality) if they accompany or join that person.
Union citizens who are not gainfully employed if they have sufficient sickness insurance cover and sufficient financial resources to secure their livelihood and their family members (irrespective of nationality) if they accompany or join that person and also have sufficient sickness insurance cover and sufficient financial resources to secure their livelihood.

MOVING WITH ANIMALS

Dog, Cat & Co.

You have one or more pets and of course you don't want to move without your animal friend? Here too, the moving company UTS will take care of your pet and ensure that it arrives safely in your new home.

There are many aspects to consider when moving with animals:  What moving preparations need to be made? How far in advance should the move be planned? How will the journey be organised by plane or car?  The moving company UTS will give you the answers to these and other questions. We have summarised the most important information on moving with pets for you on our page Moving with animals

EU regulations make it very easy to move or emigrate with your pet. However, you will need to observe or apply for the following regulations when moving house:

Electronic microchip or a clearly legible tattoo made before 3 July 2011.
Vaccination against rabies
EU pet passport

For more information on moving, visit the official European Union website "Your Europe".

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MIGRATING WITH YOUR OWN CAR

Documents required when moving with a car

If you want to move or emigrate to Paris, Nice or Toulouse and take your car with you, you must register it within one month. You can register online via the website of the Agence nationale des titres sécurisés (ANTS). You will then receive the "Carte Grise" as confirmation.

To register your vehicle in the country of love, you will need the following documents to ensure a smooth process. For the move, you will need the EC Certificate of Conformity (COC), which contains the technical standards of the vehicle. In addition, you must provide proof of the German main inspection, which is not older than 6 months. Further documents are the purchase contract/invoice and the German registration papers.

VAT exemption or payment

When registering the vehicle in France, you will be asked, among other things, for the certificate of VAT exemption or payment. This confirms the exemption from paying VAT in France or confirms the payment of VAT. The French tax office responsible for businesses at your place of residence issues this certificate. In the case of a potential payment, a distinction is made between new and used cars:

New car

When purchasing a new car, the VAT must be paid within 2 weeks. In France, a car is considered new if it is less than 6 months old or has been driven less than 6000 kilometres. Otherwise, the vehicle is considered a used car.

Used cars

Your used car will be exempt from French VAT because you have already paid it in Germany.

IMPORT REGULATIONS

Import regulations on entry

EU citizens may move freely within the EU area, travel freely, emigrate and move abroad. You can transport objects and goods for your private use to any country in the EU without any problems.

However, there are restrictions on some products and goods:

800 cigarettes
400 cigarillos (cigars weighing no more than 3 grams each)
200 cigars
1 kg of tobacco
10 litres of high-proof spirits
20 litres of fortified wine
90 litres of wine (of which a maximum of 60 litres of sparkling wine)
110 litres of beer
Medicines for personal use (quantity sufficient for a maximum of 3 months without prescription, beyond that with a doctor's prescription)

Which aspects you should also consider when importing and exporting goods to and from France can be found in the Country Guide France on the homepage of the IAM.

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HEALTH SYSTEM

The French Health System

The core of the health care system is similar to that in Germany. It is mainly supported by the statutory health insurance. The statutory health insurance ("Assurance maladie") is one of four pillars of the French social insurance ("Sécurité sociale"), along with family insurance, pension insurance and accident and occupational disability insurance (the latter is supported and administered by the health insurance bodies).

In contrast to Germany, insurance cannot be freely chosen. Thus, the statutory health insurance is subdivided and allocated according to profession in the following.

Régime Général: Generally applies to persons who have an employment contract and a residence in France.
Mutualité sociale agricole: This class is intended for farmers or employees in agriculture.
Caisse Nationales d'Assurance Maladie: This class is for self-employed persons.
Mutuelle des artisans: Health insurance for self-employed persons

In addition to the statutory health insurance, 95% of French people have private insurance (Couverture santé complémentaire). This is mainly due to the fact that in case of illness, only 70% of the costs incurred are covered by the state health insurance. We therefore recommend that you take out private health insurance when you move.

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FAQ

Frequently asked questions

Below we have summarised some of the most frequently asked questions for you. For more information, please do not hesitate to contact us at any time.

The German driving licence is valid throughout Europe. You can find more information here.

Engineers, skilled workers and IT specialists are particularly in demand in France. However, hotel specialists, cooks and sales staff are also in high demand.

As a member of the EU, a visa is not required to enter France.

Yes, in France, as in Germany, there is an employment office. You can get more information here.

Request & callback service

Online tour

CULTURE

French food culture

For the French, food is anything but just eating. Good quality cuisine & good manners are very important. We give you a little input into the world famous food culture of France.

Note: As is well known, the French pay attention to very good cuisine and good manners. An absolute no-go here is eating with your hands and fingers.

Eating habits

The French like to start their day with something sweet in their stomach. Of course, warm croissants and sweet jam are a must.

Lunch is more sumptuous. Normally there are always three or four courses, consisting of a starter, main course, cheese, dessert or fruit. As true food lovers, it is no wonder that the lunch break sometimes lasts two hours.

So that not too much time passes between lunch and dinner, the French also like to snack on a piece of cake in the afternoon. But not only at lunchtime, but also in the evening, the food is sumptuous. A 5-course meal is not uncommon here. The French are true epicures.

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Food culture & French specialities

The "cuisine française" enjoys an excellent reputation worldwide and inspires many other countries with its feasting. The best known is probably the baguette, which is an indispensable part of French cuisine and, in comparison to Germany, is also served as a main course. Some dishes that are rarely found abroad or in Germany are considered true delicacies there. These include frogs' legs or snails, for example.

Some of the specialities that we also know in Germany:

Bouillabaisse (fish soup)
Tarte flambée
Crème brulée
Mousse au chocolat
Crêpes

ECONOMY

The economic situation in France

The aim of the economy, similar to that of Germany, is a market economy that combines competition and social coexistence.

France has numerous and strong large companies, e.g. the AXA Group or BNP Paribas, which contribute to the economic strength. It is not for nothing that the country is the 7th largest economy in the world and, next to Germany, the most important industrial country in Europe.

The average salary is 2,916 euros gross per month.

LABOUR MARKET

Work & language skills

Working in France has a number of advantages. For example, the legal minimum wage in France is 11.65 euros per hour and the working week is limited to 35 hours. There is also all-day childcare provided by the "Creches".

The French are known for placing great value on their language and culture. Therefore, French language skills (you should have at least a basic knowledge of French) and intercultural competence are extremely important.

COST OF LIVING

Rental prices & average cost of living in France

Finding a suitable place to live abroad is not always easy. We advise you to start looking for a permanent residence before you move. Especially in big cities like Paris, the housing shortage is omnipresent and the search for a flat complicated, as demand is very high and good offers are rather rare.

(Status: 2024)