# Customs when moving to France



## Seanee (8 mo ago)

Hi Folks,

I'm moving to France permanently next week. I'm pulling together all the paperwork needed for customs clearance and think I know what I need. I am self driving over two trips. 

My question is what should I do if I am waived through customs on one or both trips? Should I seek out customs and make a declaration or just drive on? It's likely on one trip I'll be traveling on a Sunday and there often isn't anybody about anyway. 

Let me know your thoughts. 

Thanks. 

Sean.


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## Bevdeforges (Nov 16, 2007)

Are you moving on a visa of some variety? The key thing would be to make sure you get some sort of stamp to indicate the date you first entered France "with the intention of remaining for the long term." I'm not sure how that works these days, but it was the omission that caused me no end of hassles when I arrived in France from Germany.


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## travertine (Aug 10, 2010)

Regarding the documentation for importing personal used household goods, below is the list that our shipping agent provided to us in December for goods that were shipped from Canada to France via Rotterdam. The purpose of all the documents is primarily to avoid paying import duties on your goods. The list may or may not be completely relevant to your circumstances.

1. copy - legible valid passport of all immigrating persons (picture page only)
2. copy - proof of living overseas for at least the last 12 months (example: Canadian employment contract or lease contract)
3. copy - de-registration with the Canadian authority, indicating how long you have lived outside the European Union (I HAD A LETTER FROM THE FRENCH CONSULATE IN CANADA CONFIRMING MY ABSENCE. I DIDN'T HAVE TO PROVIDE COPIES OF PASSPORT ENTRY STAMPS)
4. copy - proof of registration with the city of .........., stating that you are entering from Canada (no older than 12 months) (THIS WASN'T POSSIBLE, THERE IS NO SUCH PROCESS LOCALLY, AND WASN'T DEMANDED BY CUSTOMS)
5. copy - certificat de non-cession (_attached_)
6. copy - French health insurance card (Carte Vitale)
7. copy - proof of housing in ...... (example: lease contract)
8. copy - proof of sustainability in livelihood in France (example: employment contract or recent bank statement)
9. copy - access form, for specific details of the delivery address and your best contact details (_attached_) (NOT RELEVANT TO YOU)
10. copy - duly signed/valued inventory list
11. original - duly signed Power of Attorney (_attached_)


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## Bevdeforges (Nov 16, 2007)

Many of those documents won't be available until well after the OP has moved to France and gotten set up in their new accommodation. The fact that he will be bringing in his personal belongings himself will definitely alter the necessary documents from the list that a shipper will provide (mainly because a shipment will not arrive until many weeks or even months after the expat arrives in France).


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