I have my visa. What next?

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Once you receive your VLS-TS Visiteur visa (Visa de Long-séjour valant Tître de Séjour aka Long-stay renewable visitor visa), here is the order of things you need to do in France:

1. Get an appt to validate your visa with the OFII. You must validate within 3 months at https://administration-etrangers-en-france.interieur.gouv.fr/particuliers/#/
   The date of validation is also the start of your 1-year of driving with a US Driver’s License. (See item 3 below.) Every prefecture has its own OFII office. Google “OFII” and your prefecture name or click on this link: https://www.ofii.fr/en/ou-nous-trouver/  You’ll need to learn to read and navigate government websites so you know what papers to bring, where to go, what forms to complete, what instructions to follow. This is the easiest of all bureaucratic steps in your new adventure! Consider it a warm-up act in learning about your new life in France.
2. At the same time, open a bank account.Some banks are easier than others for Americans to open an account (Crédit Agricole, LCI). Have a French-speaking friend accompany you, because it’s rude to expect the French to speak English. Crédit Agricole has a “Britline” that has english-speaking employees, because they have a large number of British clients. You will need papers that prove your French address, which is why I recommend you find a host/landlord that is willing to help you with the process. In fact, before you reserve a lodging, make it a condition : If they won’t help you, find another place to stay. Because yes, it’s that hard for Americans to open a French bank account. The host/landlord will help by providing your proof of address. And you’ll need to stay at that address for at least a month, because it can take 3 weeks to open the account and obtain your Carte Bleue.
3. Once you have a fixed address where you will be living for a year, start the Driver’s License process. You may drive for ONLY 1 YEAR on a US license. The clock starts on the day you validate your visa at the OFII office. Get moving. Do not delay. After that one year, your insurance may decline to cover you, even if they continue to take your premium payments. If you do not have a license from an exchangeable state, you will need to start studying and take the French written test and French driving test… BEFORE THE END OF THE 1 YEAR. The French written test is given in French only. Yes, read that last line again. Just because you’ve been driving all your life in the US does not mean you are a safe or knowledgeable driver in France. The most difficult differences for US drivers in France are understanding the International signs (symbols– no words), the Right-of-Way,  traffic circles, and speed limits.
4. After 3 months of stable residence in France (no trips to other countries), you can apply for the Carte Vitale. You will need a French bank account to apply. Here’s a link that explains the Carte Vitale: https://en.selectra.info/moving-to-france/health/carte-vitale.  Here’s the link for applying. It’s in French, but if you can set Google Chrome to translate the entire page: https://www.ameli.fr/
5. If you spend > 183 days/year in French, you are legally required to file French tax forms, even if you owe nothing to France.  You will need obtain a French “numéro fiscale” (tax ID number). You can obtain this at your local tax office. Here’s a link to get you started:  https://www.welcometofrance.com/en/useful-contacts               
   If you purchase property in France, you will pay “taxe foncière” (don’t worry, it’s waaaay cheaper than California real estate taxes). You may also pay “taxe d’habitation” if it’s your secondary residence. The taxe d’habitation is being phased out if you are a renter in a primary residence.  
6. Every French département has its own prefecture, and that’s where you go to renew your residency papers (Carte de Séjour/CdS). You will renew your CdS every year for 5 years. Go to your prefecture website for specific instructions on renewal, because every prefecture can be slightly different. In Nice (Alpes-Maritimes), you apply online three months before your visa/CdS expires at https://administration-etrangers-en-france.interieur.gouv.fr/particuliers/#/. But remember– it’s different in every prefecture, so look it up. After 5 years of residency in France, you are eligible for a 10-yr CdS (No more annual renewals! YAY). However, the 10-yr CdS has its own requirements (e.g. language testing requirements if you’re < 65, and proof that you filed French tax forms).

It seems like a lot, but the first year is the hardest. Your second year will seem like a breeze!