Moving to France from the USA
Yes, a US citizen can move to France, mainly as retirees. Build it for retirees and self-employed founders (clean Visitor Visa plus a favorable treaty); hard-gate the W-2 remote-employee case out.
- Who it is for: Retirees and self-employed founders (W-2 remote employees are gated out)
- Headline cost: From about 1,800 to 2,800 EUR per month
- The tax reality: Unusually retiree-friendly treaty; W-2 remote work is banned on the Visitor Visa.
Which route applies to you
If you keep working remotely
No clean route. W-2 remote employees of a US employer have no clean route: France banned remote work on the Visitor Visa in 2025 and enforces it at renewal. Self-employed founders can use the Profession Liberale route. If you are a salaried remote employee, look at corridors with a real digital-nomad visa instead.
If you live on a pension or investments
Served cleanly by the Long-Stay Visitor Visa (VLS-TS Visiteur).
The visa routes
- Long-Stay Visitor Visa (VLS-TS Visiteur)
- Retiree and passive-income route; income about 1,554 to 1,820 EUR per month per person, double for couples; pensions, 401k/IRA draws, investment and rental income qualify; sign a no-work attestation.
- Profession Liberale (VLS-TS)
- For self-employed founders and freelancers; income around SMIC, with a business-viability assessment and a Master's-or-5-years-experience bar.
The tax reality
The US-France treaty is one of the most expat-friendly the US has. For retirees and passive income, Article 18 gives the source country exclusive taxing rights, so US pensions, 401k/IRA distributions, and US Social Security are taxable only in the US even while a French resident, and Article 24 effectively exempts most US investment income from French income tax. For self-employed earned income, France taxes it as French-source; FEIE excludes a chunk and FTC covers the rest, but social charges are heavy and CSG/CRDS are not creditable under the treaty. The clean passive/pension corridor and the heavier self-employed corridor must be modeled separately.
What it costs
Target cities: Paris, Lyon or Montpellier.
Paris 1-bed central 1,200 to 2,000 EUR per month, comfortable life 2,500-plus; a provincial pick is comfortable from about 1,800 to 2,200 EUR.
Housing listings
SeLoger, LeBonCoin, and PAP; no MLS equivalent, so cross-portal dedup is the hard part.
Healthcare
PUMA and a Carte Vitale after 3 months of residence; inactive Visitor-Visa residents now pay a mandatory annual PUMA contribution.
Banking and admin
FATCA-gated; reliable openers are BNP Paribas, Credit Agricole, and Fortuneo; the droit au compte is the legal backstop.
The single biggest friction
The W-2 remote-employee segment is legally hazardous: France's 2025 ban on remote work under the Visitor Visa means salaried US remote employees have no clean route, and enforcement happens at renewal.
Plan the move, not just the dream
When you are ready to go from comparing to actually doing it, the Planner turns this into your true all-in budget, your real visa timeline, and steps kept current for France.
Sources
Last verified June 2026.
Take Root Abroad is a planning tool, not legal, tax, or immigration advice. Visa rules, tax law, and costs change; verify the specifics for your situation with a qualified professional before you act.