# Anyone from UK now living in France advice please



## Chesterlady

Trying to find out 100% info on the following if anyone can answer would really appreciate it. Could anyone tell me how you source a doctor's surgery to register with ?
How does the health care system work ? Can people moving to France access it after a certain period ? Or is private health insurance required ? 
In a few years I will be eligible for UK state pension, can I claim it if am living in France or do I lose it ? Or am I eligible for French pension if am a resident ? 
When is it best to open a French bank account ? I believe when buying property it's preferred you have a French bank account ? 
If anyone can recommend a good publication that covers everything, I'd need to know I'd appreciate the feedback.
Thank you 😊


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## BackinFrance

The only way to be eligible for a French pension is to have contributed via work in France.

You have asked a great many questions and I do not believe that there is a single publication that covers them all and is up to date post Brexit, however I understand that the UK government website addresses many of the issues involved in moving to France. That might be a good starting point for you.


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## Veronica

Your UK pension will be paid to you in France. Once you are a pensioner you apply for an S1 from the UK which entitles you to get a Carte Vitale (health card)which covers 70% of your health costs. For the remaining 30% you take out a mutuelle(insurance). If you have any serious long term illness it is covered 100% by the Carte Vitale


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## Bevdeforges

Since the onset of Brexit in 2021, UK nationals are pretty much subject to most of the same rules and procedures as those who have come to live in France from outside the EU. (There may be a few variations based on the Withdrawal Agreement, but many of those terms and conditions applied only until the end of 2020.)

In general terms, in order to move to France on a more or less permanent basis, you will need to first obtain a long-stay visa. So your first stop should be the website of the French Embassy in the UK, which can answer some questions and direct you to detail information about the types of visas for France and what those requirements are. Visas - France in the United Kingdom - La France au Royaume-Uni Depending on what kind of visa you are eligible for, you may be required to take out a private health cover policy for your initial visa term (usually the first year).

You won't lose your UK pension if you are living in France, and you may very well be able to apply for it (when the time comes) online. 

Opening a French bank account will probably be necessary in order to rent or buy a place to live and will certainly be necessary to sign up for the various utilities for your new home. Although you'll read many reports of difficulties encountered in setting up a French account when you're new here, consider that things may well go smoother if you have a regular source of income (like a pension) that you can point to as being regularly deposited in your French account. In fact, you'll need to be able to show adequate financial resources to get a long-stay visa.

After 3 months of residence here in France, you'll be eligible to request coverage by the national system (CPAM) - which is where your "financial resources" may again come into play. Until you are drawing your pension, you'll be required to contribute to the system based on a percentage of your annual income (i.e. "financial resouces"). Just be aware that, as Veronica says, you'll probably need (and want) a complementary "mutuelle" policy, which reimburses you for what the Sécu doesn't (up to specific limits). For this you should plan on paying a monthly fee - anywhere from about 50 € on upward, depending on the level and types of coverage you need and want and your age.


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## Tricky Dicky

As a holder of an S1 does that also cover my wife who isn’t of pension age yet?


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## Crabtree

Chesterlady-In respect of the French health system forget entirely any NHS type thoughts 
The french system is generally a pay at point of delivery and you are then partially refunded by the state to the tune of 70% and your top up insurance covers most of the rest if you decide to have one.The only exceptions are chronic conditions eg diabetes when the state covers everything and if your top up covers hospital treatment they normally pay the hospital direct.As a result you have a bit more "freedom to choose" although this is limited in certain specialisms due to poor work force planning and geography ie some rural areas are medical "deserts"
In order to access the french health system you have to be resident in France for 3 months and then make your application to your local branch of CPAM or on line You can then nominate your medecin traitant ie GP(they can do this at the surgery) but there is no reason why you cannot go to any medical practitioner prior to getting your CV as in effect they are "independent" 
This website gives you lots of OFFICIAL info about all sorts of things Accueil Particuliers | service-public.fr
Be wary of books magazines etc giving you advice as they can be out of date or of poor quality Far better to ask on a forum like this where everyone has been there done it got the T shirt etc and will give quality advice 
Finally if you are not the holder of an EU passport or the spouse of an EU citizen then you will need a visa,. This will entail proving minimum income of about €1600 per month and having health insurance cover





Do you need a visa ? | France-Visas.gouv.fr


Try our visa wizard and check in a few clicks if you need a visa to come to France



france-visas.gouv.fr


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## Crabtree

Tricky Dicky The only people who can give a definite answer are the UK overseas health care team on 0044 (0)191 218 1999 Have both your NI numbers ready assuming of course your S1 originates from the UK


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## EuroTrash

Tricky Dicky said:


> As a holder of an S1 does that also cover my wife who isn’t of pension age yet?


Not unless your wife's name is included on it. You would have to apply but normally they will agree to include a spouse on an S1 if the spouse is your dependent i.e. does not have an earned income of their own and is not eligible for an S1 of their own.
But as Crabbers says you need to ask the overseas health care team because it is their decision.


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