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11. Moving to Paris

Paris at a Glance

Moving to Paris

The glass pyramid of the Louvre is one of the city's landmarks.

As early as the 19^th century, the arrival of the railway during the Industrial Revolution enabled unprecedented numbers of migrants from rural France to move to Paris. These days, the majority of all immigrants who come to France move to Paris, making it one of the most multi-cultural cities in Europe. The annual number of people moving to Paris remains high despite the extremely high cost of living and the difficulties in finding accommodation.

Unless you are lucky enough to get help from your company, be prepared to spend a lot of time or money (or both!) on finding a place to live when moving to Paris. We’ll provide some useful advice on renting and buying property when you move to Paris, but first things first: The next paragraphs should give you a clear idea of administrative issues to sort out before actually moving to Paris.

Moving to Paris: Visa Requirements

Nationals of EU/EEA member states, including Switzerland, do not need to apply for a visa before moving to Paris. They can travel, live and work in France without any restrictions. Everyone else needs a valid visa when they are about to move to Paris. Depending on the type of visa, applications can take two months or more to be processed: Leave plenty of time between submitting your application and moving to Paris.

Visa applications are accepted at all French embassies or consulates abroad. The latter should also be able to provide you with country-specific information on the application process and other bureaucratic matters to consider before moving to Paris. You can search for your nearest French embassy or consulate on the website of the Ministère des Affaires Étrangères et Européennes. The page also provides information in Arabic, Chinese, English, German, and Spanish.

Move to Paris: Short-Term and Long-term Visa

There are short-stay visas and long-stay visas for people planning to move to Paris. If your intended period of stay does not exceed 3 months, you need to apply for a so-called Schengen visa before moving to Paris. This visa de court séjour is valid for travel in all Schengen countries. You need to provide a valid passport and certain documents, e.g. a proof of your intention and your ability to return to your home country after the visa expires.

A long-term move to Paris necessitates a visa de long séjour. The type of long-stay visa required depends on your reason for moving to Paris. Expats moving to Paris on a work assignment or in order to take up employment need a work permit before they can be granted a visa. This autorisation de travail is usually obtained by the employer on behalf of the applicant.

It is illegal to move to Paris on a Schengen visa, start a job and then apply for a long-stay visa. A police check-up might be required before you move to Paris, and you may have to undergo a routine medical examination within two months after moving to Paris.