Beyond the Horizon: Pursuing the American Dream in France

A Case Study

At LBS, we’ve spent years helping clients from all over the world make their dream life in France a reality. Each nationality brings unique challenges, but one story that stands out is that of David and Marie. Over an 18-month journey, we guided them through a series of complex steps: obtaining business visas, renting an apartment, finding their forever home, setting up a business, renewing visas, and even managing business paperwork. It was a lot, yes—but for the LBS team, it’s all in a year’s work.

David and Marie always envisioned France as their final destination.

In 2023, they decided it was time to turn that vision into reality. But the road was full of hurdles: What if they couldn’t get their visas? Where should they even start? Through a recommendation, they found LBS, and we’re proud to have played a key role in helping them achieve their dream of living their best life in France.  Here is their story in steps….

Laying the Foundation: Planning and Support

We began, as with all our clients, with a Residency & Relocation Planning Meeting, an in-depth consultation to fully understand their needs and craft a tailored timeline. Shortly after, David and Marie joined our Prestige service, committing to a year-long partnership for their relocation.

David & Marie’s feedback ‘Our experience with LBS has been hugely positive and I cannot imagine attempting to move to France without their assistance. The stories of French bureaucracy are not exaggerated, and France consistently rates as one of the most difficult countries to move to in the EU’.

Challenge 1: Securing Visas

David needed a profession libérale visa to start his business, which required an extensive file, including a business and financial plan. Meanwhile, for Marie, we applied for a long-stay visitor visa. With nearly 100 pages of paperwork to prepare and no margin for error, precision was key. We worked tirelessly with David and Marie, ensuring every document was correct and submitted promptly.

The result? It took us 3 months to get the visas through, working extremely closely with our clients to consolidate the file and ensure success.

David and Marie’s feedback ‘First, when one is applying to get a Visa for France the paperwork is complex and having any of the forms filled out incorrectly or missing a form will introduce a considerable amount of delay. Our package for two people was nearly 100 pages of paperwork and I cannot imagine assembling all of the disparate documents, some of which need to be submitted in French, without their assistance. Further, online sources and particularly the French Government guides are exceptionally vague on some questions and working with a team with years of experience was a great help.

Challenge 2: Finding Rental Accommodation

Visas require a French address, and securing a rental is notoriously tricky—especially in a competitive market. We partnered with local agents to find a suitable apartment overlooking the river, close to local amenities, and negotiated a successful rental agreement. Alongside this, we helped with critical tasks like arranging insurance, setting up a bank account, and securing a rental car for their arrival.

David & Marie’s feedback Once you arrive in France you will face a series of challenges. For instance, one cannot rent an apartment without a utility bill and, of course, one cannot get a utility bill without having an apartment. We were able to rent an apartment, on fairly short notice, thanks to LBS. Local French people were amazed that we were able to achieve this feat as it can be difficult for even French people to rent apartments. Bank accounts are also often quite difficult to open and many foreigners with whom we have spoken found it quite difficult. LBS arranged a meeting with a local branch of a national French bank and everything went smoothly.

So, success, we got David and Marie into France, visas in hand and we had their rental accommodation. Time for a breather, no not at all. Next steps validation of their visas to trigger the immigration process, get their OFFI meetings in place and of course start the buying process to find their forever home.  We also had a business to create for David!!  So, whilst David & Marie were very busy dealing with their settling in, meeting the locals we were moving forward with the search and making their business project a reality.

David & Marie’s feedback:  We also relied on LBS to help us with buying a house as we were unfamiliar with French real estate laws and customs. Again, without their assistance and guidance the process would have been much more stressful and, likely, unsuccessful. Considering the costs of making a mistake in France’s complex real estate system, it gave us great peace of mind to have them helping us. 

Challenge 3: Buying Their Forever Home

Once settled, it was time to find their dream home. At LBS, we work exclusively in our clients’ best interests at heart, collaborating with trusted partners to secure the perfect property.

In France, real estate agents work only for the seller and there is no multiple listing service to help you in your search, so buyers are left to do most of that work themselves.  In addition, it is not common for real estate agents to share commissions, so you must go to each agent directly.  Luckily, David and Marie had a good idea of what their dream home should be like, which greatly helped the process and allowed our property expert to efficiently sort through the options and focus in on the best properties in locations that we knew would meet their hopes. Throughout the search, we advised them on the process and gave clarity on each step. We accompanied them through the visits, deciding upon an offer price, the negotiations, review of the diagnostic reports, and throughout the notarial process.  With our hand chosen English speaking Notaires, we made sure David & Marie understood all the legalities and documents (of which there are many!!)  As with any legal process there are the inevitable delays and curve balls, but we were with them step by step, either face to face or on the phone to make sure that David & Marie’s interests were protected – so effectively, we work for you, the buyers, and no one else!.   

David & Marie’s feedback : As we are in rural France, many people do not speak English and having help with the language was vital. Negotiating with government officials, car dealers, utility providers, and so forth just would not have been possible for us without both French and a deep understanding of French culture. 

So, we of course also of course transferred their utilities from their rental accommodation to their new house, got their gardener set up on CESU and dealt with some day-to-day problems that you might need local specialists for. So yes, over the phone support was given as needed.  Never fear LBS is near!

Challenge 4: Navigating Healthcare

French healthcare affiliation is notoriously slow and fraught with complications. We submitted their CPAM applications early to avoid delays. Despite both files being dealt with at the same time, Marie’s file got misplaced by the system, we persisted, resubmitting documents as needed. In the end, they received their cartes vitals and we set up their healthcare accounts on Ameli website. We helped get their first medical appointments in place and ensure affiliation with a local GP, very important for a reimbursement perspective in France.

Challenge 5: Starting a Business

Getting David’s business created and transferring the address to the new home address.  The timing was important as we wanted to ensure we had all the URSSAF documents, INSEE documents and an active business ready for the renewal process that was soon to be raising its head.  We dealt with his small business creation and set up all of the online accounts needed for the management of his business (CFE, URSSAF…taxes). We continue to work on the business documents, declarations with URSSAF as part of the serenity entrepreneur club.

Challenge 6: Exchanging Driving Licenses

In France, exchanging your foreign driving license is possible, but it must be done within the first year of your visa. However, this option is only available if your state of origin has an exchange agreement with France. Unfortunately for David and Marie, their state did not qualify. This meant they needed to pass the French driving test—a daunting task but one they approached with determination and guidance.

Challenges 7, 8 & 9: Preparing for Visa Renewals

By the nine-month mark, it was time to tackle the renewal process for both David’s liberal independent visa and Marie’s visitor visa. Renewals require meticulous preparation, and we ensured that every detail was addressed:

  • Confirming their healthcare affiliation was in place, a crucial step for renewal eligibility.
  • Compiling all necessary documents for David’s business, including up-to-date URSSAF and tax filings.
  • Setting up their personal tax accounts in preparation for their first declarations in France.

Both visas renewed and David was given a 4 year business visa, so you can imagine he is as happy as are we.
With careful planning and proactive communication, we ensured that everything was completed smoothly and on time.

 

Success Story: Living the French Dream

For David and Marie, the journey to making France their home was not without its challenges. Even with expert guidance, navigating a new country brings its share of hurdles. But what truly makes a difference is having the right team to support you—and being ready to adapt along the way.

David and Marie were a joy to work with. They listened attentively to our advice, asked insightful questions, and wholeheartedly embraced the process of integration. From learning the intricacies of French culture to forming connections with local suppliers and neighbors, they approached every step with openness and positivity.

Rather than being frustrated by cultural differences, they chose to embrace them, turning challenges into opportunities for growth. Having visited their stunning new home, I can confidently say they are living their French dream—and will continue to do so for years to come.

It has been an absolute pleasure to support them on this journey.

Final note from David & Marie :
Finally, the whole LBS team was a pleasure to work with. We really felt like we had friends who were trying to help us succeed and enjoy the process of moving to a new country. For us, working with LBS was absolutely the best decision we made once we had decided to move to France. And for all of the challenges, France is definitely worth it.

 

So, can the American Dream be found in France?
For David and Marie, the answer is a resounding yes.
And if you’re ready to make your dream life in France a reality, LBS is here to help.

Reach out to us today for an assessment call and take the first step towards your new adventure.

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