🇫🇷 France: visas, tax & cost of living

Visiting

Visa-free for up to 90 days. Travel on a passport valid for your whole stay, with a return or onward ticket and proof you can support yourself.

Passport validity: Valid at least 3 months beyond planned departure from the Schengen area; issued within the last 10 years; at least one to two blank pages.

Heads-up: The EU Entry/Exit System (EES) started on 12 October 2025 and has been fully operational since 10 April 2026: it replaces passport stamps by recording the fingerprints and a facial image of non-EU short-stay travellers. ETIAS, the EUR 20 travel authorisation for visa-exempt visitors, is not operating yet; the EU says it will announce the start date several months before launch.

At the border: Border may ask for proof of accommodation, a return or onward ticket, travel insurance (Schengen visa requires at least 30,000 euros cover), and bank statements showing sufficient funds.

Working remotely

No dedicated nomad visa; the usual route is a standard residence permit.

Tax and residency

Article 4 B of the tax code (CGI) makes you resident if any one of these applies: your home (foyer) or your principal place of stay is in France; you carry on a professional activity in France, employed or self-employed, unless it is only ancillary; or the centre of your economic interests is in France. The tax administration treats the principal-stay test as met after more than six months in France in a given year, which is not a flat 183-day count. The impatriate regime (article 155 B) is only for employees, and company officers taxed like employees, who take up a job with a business established in France, so freelancers and remote workers for a foreign employer do not qualify. (estimate)

The UK decides residence with its Statutory Residence Test (days in the UK plus your ties). As a non-resident you are usually taxed only on UK income; where one exists, a double-tax treaty with the destination decides who taxes what.

Double-tax treaty: yes, in force since 2009

Practical

Currency: EUR. Cost of living: high.

Healthcare: If you work in France you are covered by the public health system (PUMa) straight away; if you do not work, your rights open only after three months of stable, lawful residence, and they stay open while you live in France at least six months a year. Short-stay visitors rely on travel insurance unless they hold a UK GHIC for state care.

Healthcare agreement: UK GHIC gives medically necessary state healthcare on short visits.

Driving: A licence from outside the EU/EEA (a US or Indian one, for example) is valid in France for one year from the date you take up normal residence, after which it must be exchanged, and to be exchanged it must be written in French or come with an official translation. A UK licence issued before 2021 stays recognised while it is valid, so it is fine for short trips. Visitors from outside the EU should carry an International Driving Permit.

Visiting

Visa-free for up to 90 days. Travel on a passport valid for your whole stay, with a return or onward ticket and proof you can support yourself.

Passport validity: Valid at least 3 months beyond planned departure from the Schengen area; issued within the last 10 years; at least one to two blank pages.

Heads-up: The EU Entry/Exit System (EES) started on 12 October 2025 and has been fully operational since 10 April 2026: it replaces passport stamps by recording the fingerprints and a facial image of non-EU short-stay travellers. ETIAS, the EUR 20 travel authorisation for visa-exempt visitors, is not operating yet; the EU says it will announce the start date several months before launch.

At the border: Border may ask for proof of accommodation, a return or onward ticket, travel insurance (Schengen visa requires at least 30,000 euros cover), and bank statements showing sufficient funds.

Working remotely

No dedicated nomad visa; the usual route is a standard residence permit.

Tax and residency

Article 4 B of the tax code (CGI) makes you resident if any one of these applies: your home (foyer) or your principal place of stay is in France; you carry on a professional activity in France, employed or self-employed, unless it is only ancillary; or the centre of your economic interests is in France. The tax administration treats the principal-stay test as met after more than six months in France in a given year, which is not a flat 183-day count. The impatriate regime (article 155 B) is only for employees, and company officers taxed like employees, who take up a job with a business established in France, so freelancers and remote workers for a foreign employer do not qualify. (estimate)

The US taxes its citizens on worldwide income wherever you live, so you keep filing US returns abroad. The Foreign Earned Income Exclusion and the foreign tax credit are what stop you being taxed twice.

Double-tax treaty: yes, in force since 1994

Practical

Currency: EUR. Cost of living: high.

Healthcare: If you work in France you are covered by the public health system (PUMa) straight away; if you do not work, your rights open only after three months of stable, lawful residence, and they stay open while you live in France at least six months a year. Short-stay visitors rely on travel insurance unless they hold a UK GHIC for state care.

Driving: A licence from outside the EU/EEA (a US or Indian one, for example) is valid in France for one year from the date you take up normal residence, after which it must be exchanged, and to be exchanged it must be written in French or come with an official translation. A UK licence issued before 2021 stays recognised while it is valid, so it is fine for short trips. Visitors from outside the EU should carry an International Driving Permit.

Visiting

You need a visa, arranged at a consulate before you travel. Plan ahead: gather the documents, book the appointment, and allow time for processing.

Passport validity: Valid at least 3 months beyond planned departure from the Schengen area; issued within the last 10 years; at least one to two blank pages.

Heads-up: The EU Entry/Exit System (EES) started on 12 October 2025 and has been fully operational since 10 April 2026: it replaces passport stamps by recording the fingerprints and a facial image of non-EU short-stay travellers. ETIAS, the EUR 20 travel authorisation for visa-exempt visitors, is not operating yet; the EU says it will announce the start date several months before launch.

At the border: Border may ask for proof of accommodation, a return or onward ticket, travel insurance (Schengen visa requires at least 30,000 euros cover), and bank statements showing sufficient funds.

Working remotely

No dedicated nomad visa; the usual route is a standard residence permit.

Tax and residency

Article 4 B of the tax code (CGI) makes you resident if any one of these applies: your home (foyer) or your principal place of stay is in France; you carry on a professional activity in France, employed or self-employed, unless it is only ancillary; or the centre of your economic interests is in France. The tax administration treats the principal-stay test as met after more than six months in France in a given year, which is not a flat 183-day count. The impatriate regime (article 155 B) is only for employees, and company officers taxed like employees, who take up a job with a business established in France, so freelancers and remote workers for a foreign employer do not qualify. (estimate)

India taxes residents on worldwide income; your status depends on the days you spend in India (broadly 182 or more in the year). As a non-resident (NRI) you are taxed only on Indian-source income, and the relevant double-tax treaty allocates the rest.

Double-tax treaty: yes, in force since 1994

Practical

Currency: EUR. Cost of living: high.

Healthcare: If you work in France you are covered by the public health system (PUMa) straight away; if you do not work, your rights open only after three months of stable, lawful residence, and they stay open while you live in France at least six months a year. Short-stay visitors rely on travel insurance unless they hold a UK GHIC for state care.

Driving: A licence from outside the EU/EEA (a US or Indian one, for example) is valid in France for one year from the date you take up normal residence, after which it must be exchanged, and to be exchanged it must be written in French or come with an official translation. A UK licence issued before 2021 stays recognised while it is valid, so it is fine for short trips. Visitors from outside the EU should carry an International Driving Permit.

Visiting

You have freedom of movement here: you can live, work and stay with no visa.

Passport validity: Valid at least 3 months beyond planned departure from the Schengen area; issued within the last 10 years; at least one to two blank pages.

Heads-up: The EU Entry/Exit System (EES) started on 12 October 2025 and has been fully operational since 10 April 2026: it replaces passport stamps by recording the fingerprints and a facial image of non-EU short-stay travellers. ETIAS, the EUR 20 travel authorisation for visa-exempt visitors, is not operating yet; the EU says it will announce the start date several months before launch.

At the border: Border may ask for proof of accommodation, a return or onward ticket, travel insurance (Schengen visa requires at least 30,000 euros cover), and bank statements showing sufficient funds.

Working remotely

No dedicated nomad visa; the usual route is a standard residence permit.

Tax and residency

Article 4 B of the tax code (CGI) makes you resident if any one of these applies: your home (foyer) or your principal place of stay is in France; you carry on a professional activity in France, employed or self-employed, unless it is only ancillary; or the centre of your economic interests is in France. The tax administration treats the principal-stay test as met after more than six months in France in a given year, which is not a flat 183-day count. The impatriate regime (article 155 B) is only for employees, and company officers taxed like employees, who take up a job with a business established in France, so freelancers and remote workers for a foreign employer do not qualify. (estimate)

Germany taxes residents on worldwide income; you become resident through a home available to you (Wohnsitz) or a habitual abode of more than six months. As a non-resident you are usually taxed only on German-source income, and where one exists a double-tax treaty with the destination decides who taxes what.

Double-tax treaty: yes

Practical

Currency: EUR. Cost of living: high.

Healthcare: If you work in France you are covered by the public health system (PUMa) straight away; if you do not work, your rights open only after three months of stable, lawful residence, and they stay open while you live in France at least six months a year. Short-stay visitors rely on travel insurance unless they hold a UK GHIC for state care.

Driving: A licence from outside the EU/EEA (a US or Indian one, for example) is valid in France for one year from the date you take up normal residence, after which it must be exchanged, and to be exchanged it must be written in French or come with an official translation. A UK licence issued before 2021 stays recognised while it is valid, so it is fine for short trips. Visitors from outside the EU should carry an International Driving Permit.

Visiting

You have freedom of movement here: you can live, work and stay with no visa.

Passport validity: Valid at least 3 months beyond planned departure from the Schengen area; issued within the last 10 years; at least one to two blank pages.

Heads-up: The EU Entry/Exit System (EES) started on 12 October 2025 and has been fully operational since 10 April 2026: it replaces passport stamps by recording the fingerprints and a facial image of non-EU short-stay travellers. ETIAS, the EUR 20 travel authorisation for visa-exempt visitors, is not operating yet; the EU says it will announce the start date several months before launch.

At the border: Border may ask for proof of accommodation, a return or onward ticket, travel insurance (Schengen visa requires at least 30,000 euros cover), and bank statements showing sufficient funds.

Working remotely

No dedicated nomad visa; the usual route is a standard residence permit.

Tax and residency

Article 4 B of the tax code (CGI) makes you resident if any one of these applies: your home (foyer) or your principal place of stay is in France; you carry on a professional activity in France, employed or self-employed, unless it is only ancillary; or the centre of your economic interests is in France. The tax administration treats the principal-stay test as met after more than six months in France in a given year, which is not a flat 183-day count. The impatriate regime (article 155 B) is only for employees, and company officers taxed like employees, who take up a job with a business established in France, so freelancers and remote workers for a foreign employer do not qualify. (estimate)

If Spain still counts as your tax home (roughly 183+ days in the country in a year, or your main base of life and income sits there), Spain taxes your worldwide income at IRPF rates, so what you earn abroad usually counts too. The sting is softened by double-tax treaties and a foreign-tax credit, plus the Article 7.p exemption that can shelter work done abroad up to around 60,100 euros a year, but treat every figure as an estimate and check your own case before you file.

Double-tax treaty: yes, in force since 1997

Practical

Currency: EUR. Cost of living: high.

Healthcare: If you work in France you are covered by the public health system (PUMa) straight away; if you do not work, your rights open only after three months of stable, lawful residence, and they stay open while you live in France at least six months a year. Short-stay visitors rely on travel insurance unless they hold a UK GHIC for state care.

Driving: A licence from outside the EU/EEA (a US or Indian one, for example) is valid in France for one year from the date you take up normal residence, after which it must be exchanged, and to be exchanged it must be written in French or come with an official translation. A UK licence issued before 2021 stays recognised while it is valid, so it is fine for short trips. Visitors from outside the EU should carry an International Driving Permit.

Visiting

You have freedom of movement here: you can live, work and stay with no visa.

Passport validity: Valid at least 3 months beyond planned departure from the Schengen area; issued within the last 10 years; at least one to two blank pages.

Heads-up: The EU Entry/Exit System (EES) started on 12 October 2025 and has been fully operational since 10 April 2026: it replaces passport stamps by recording the fingerprints and a facial image of non-EU short-stay travellers. ETIAS, the EUR 20 travel authorisation for visa-exempt visitors, is not operating yet; the EU says it will announce the start date several months before launch.

At the border: Border may ask for proof of accommodation, a return or onward ticket, travel insurance (Schengen visa requires at least 30,000 euros cover), and bank statements showing sufficient funds.

Working remotely

No dedicated nomad visa; the usual route is a standard residence permit.

Tax and residency

Article 4 B of the tax code (CGI) makes you resident if any one of these applies: your home (foyer) or your principal place of stay is in France; you carry on a professional activity in France, employed or self-employed, unless it is only ancillary; or the centre of your economic interests is in France. The tax administration treats the principal-stay test as met after more than six months in France in a given year, which is not a flat 183-day count. The impatriate regime (article 155 B) is only for employees, and company officers taxed like employees, who take up a job with a business established in France, so freelancers and remote workers for a foreign employer do not qualify. (estimate)

Italy generally treats you as a tax resident if for most of the year (roughly 183 days or more) your home, family or registration ties are here, and residents are taxed on worldwide income wherever they live. The relief is usually a foreign tax credit for tax already paid abroad, often shaped by Italy's double-taxation treaties, so the same income should not be taxed twice.

Double-tax treaty: yes, in force since 1992

Practical

Currency: EUR. Cost of living: high.

Healthcare: If you work in France you are covered by the public health system (PUMa) straight away; if you do not work, your rights open only after three months of stable, lawful residence, and they stay open while you live in France at least six months a year. Short-stay visitors rely on travel insurance unless they hold a UK GHIC for state care.

Driving: A licence from outside the EU/EEA (a US or Indian one, for example) is valid in France for one year from the date you take up normal residence, after which it must be exchanged, and to be exchanged it must be written in French or come with an official translation. A UK licence issued before 2021 stays recognised while it is valid, so it is fine for short trips. Visitors from outside the EU should carry an International Driving Permit.

Visiting

Visa-free for up to 90 days. Travel on a passport valid for your whole stay, with a return or onward ticket and proof you can support yourself.

Passport validity: Valid at least 3 months beyond planned departure from the Schengen area; issued within the last 10 years; at least one to two blank pages.

Heads-up: The EU Entry/Exit System (EES) started on 12 October 2025 and has been fully operational since 10 April 2026: it replaces passport stamps by recording the fingerprints and a facial image of non-EU short-stay travellers. ETIAS, the EUR 20 travel authorisation for visa-exempt visitors, is not operating yet; the EU says it will announce the start date several months before launch.

At the border: Border may ask for proof of accommodation, a return or onward ticket, travel insurance (Schengen visa requires at least 30,000 euros cover), and bank statements showing sufficient funds.

Working remotely

No dedicated nomad visa; the usual route is a standard residence permit.

Tax and residency

Article 4 B of the tax code (CGI) makes you resident if any one of these applies: your home (foyer) or your principal place of stay is in France; you carry on a professional activity in France, employed or self-employed, unless it is only ancillary; or the centre of your economic interests is in France. The tax administration treats the principal-stay test as met after more than six months in France in a given year, which is not a flat 183-day count. The impatriate regime (article 155 B) is only for employees, and company officers taxed like employees, who take up a job with a business established in France, so freelancers and remote workers for a foreign employer do not qualify. (estimate)

Canada taxes you on residency, not on holding the passport, so as long as the CRA still treats you as a resident (kept home, family or strong ties) you generally owe Canadian tax on your worldwide income. The relief is usually a foreign tax credit for tax you already paid abroad, often topped up by a tax treaty, though the exact amounts are only estimates until you check your own case.

Double-tax treaty: yes, in force since 1976

Practical

Currency: EUR. Cost of living: high.

Healthcare: If you work in France you are covered by the public health system (PUMa) straight away; if you do not work, your rights open only after three months of stable, lawful residence, and they stay open while you live in France at least six months a year. Short-stay visitors rely on travel insurance unless they hold a UK GHIC for state care.

Driving: A licence from outside the EU/EEA (a US or Indian one, for example) is valid in France for one year from the date you take up normal residence, after which it must be exchanged, and to be exchanged it must be written in French or come with an official translation. A UK licence issued before 2021 stays recognised while it is valid, so it is fine for short trips. Visitors from outside the EU should carry an International Driving Permit.

Working-holiday visa: yes, ages 18-35

Visiting

Visa-free for up to 90 days. Travel on a passport valid for your whole stay, with a return or onward ticket and proof you can support yourself.

Passport validity: Valid at least 3 months beyond planned departure from the Schengen area; issued within the last 10 years; at least one to two blank pages.

Heads-up: The EU Entry/Exit System (EES) started on 12 October 2025 and has been fully operational since 10 April 2026: it replaces passport stamps by recording the fingerprints and a facial image of non-EU short-stay travellers. ETIAS, the EUR 20 travel authorisation for visa-exempt visitors, is not operating yet; the EU says it will announce the start date several months before launch.

At the border: Border may ask for proof of accommodation, a return or onward ticket, travel insurance (Schengen visa requires at least 30,000 euros cover), and bank statements showing sufficient funds.

Working remotely

No dedicated nomad visa; the usual route is a standard residence permit.

Tax and residency

Article 4 B of the tax code (CGI) makes you resident if any one of these applies: your home (foyer) or your principal place of stay is in France; you carry on a professional activity in France, employed or self-employed, unless it is only ancillary; or the centre of your economic interests is in France. The tax administration treats the principal-stay test as met after more than six months in France in a given year, which is not a flat 183-day count. The impatriate regime (article 155 B) is only for employees, and company officers taxed like employees, who take up a job with a business established in France, so freelancers and remote workers for a foreign employer do not qualify. (estimate)

If you stay an Australian resident for tax purposes, Australia generally taxes your worldwide income wherever you live, with residency turned on the moment your real home and ties are here (a continuous stay of roughly 6 months can be enough). To soften double tax, you can usually claim a Foreign Income Tax Offset for tax already paid abroad, capped at the Australian tax on that income, and treaties may help too, so treat these figures as estimates and check your own case.

Double-tax treaty: yes, in force since 2009

Practical

Currency: EUR. Cost of living: high.

Healthcare: If you work in France you are covered by the public health system (PUMa) straight away; if you do not work, your rights open only after three months of stable, lawful residence, and they stay open while you live in France at least six months a year. Short-stay visitors rely on travel insurance unless they hold a UK GHIC for state care.

Driving: A licence from outside the EU/EEA (a US or Indian one, for example) is valid in France for one year from the date you take up normal residence, after which it must be exchanged, and to be exchanged it must be written in French or come with an official translation. A UK licence issued before 2021 stays recognised while it is valid, so it is fine for short trips. Visitors from outside the EU should carry an International Driving Permit.

Working-holiday visa: yes, ages 18-35

Visiting

Visa-free for up to 90 days. Travel on a passport valid for your whole stay, with a return or onward ticket and proof you can support yourself.

Passport validity: Valid at least 3 months beyond planned departure from the Schengen area; issued within the last 10 years; at least one to two blank pages.

Heads-up: The EU Entry/Exit System (EES) started on 12 October 2025 and has been fully operational since 10 April 2026: it replaces passport stamps by recording the fingerprints and a facial image of non-EU short-stay travellers. ETIAS, the EUR 20 travel authorisation for visa-exempt visitors, is not operating yet; the EU says it will announce the start date several months before launch.

At the border: Border may ask for proof of accommodation, a return or onward ticket, travel insurance (Schengen visa requires at least 30,000 euros cover), and bank statements showing sufficient funds.

Working remotely

No dedicated nomad visa; the usual route is a standard residence permit.

Tax and residency

Article 4 B of the tax code (CGI) makes you resident if any one of these applies: your home (foyer) or your principal place of stay is in France; you carry on a professional activity in France, employed or self-employed, unless it is only ancillary; or the centre of your economic interests is in France. The tax administration treats the principal-stay test as met after more than six months in France in a given year, which is not a flat 183-day count. The impatriate regime (article 155 B) is only for employees, and company officers taxed like employees, who take up a job with a business established in France, so freelancers and remote workers for a foreign employer do not qualify. (estimate)

If Brazil still counts you as tax-resident, usually triggered by a permanent visa, a temporary visa plus a job, or roughly 183 days in the country within any 12 months, the Receita Federal taxes your worldwide income, so you keep filing the annual return wherever you live. The relief is real but partial: tax paid abroad can normally be credited against what you owe in Brazil under a treaty or recognised reciprocity, so most people are not taxed twice on the same income.

Double-tax treaty: yes

Practical

Currency: EUR. Cost of living: high.

Healthcare: If you work in France you are covered by the public health system (PUMa) straight away; if you do not work, your rights open only after three months of stable, lawful residence, and they stay open while you live in France at least six months a year. Short-stay visitors rely on travel insurance unless they hold a UK GHIC for state care.

Driving: A licence from outside the EU/EEA (a US or Indian one, for example) is valid in France for one year from the date you take up normal residence, after which it must be exchanged, and to be exchanged it must be written in French or come with an official translation. A UK licence issued before 2021 stays recognised while it is valid, so it is fine for short trips. Visitors from outside the EU should carry an International Driving Permit.

Working-holiday visa: yes, ages 18-30

Visiting

Visa-free for up to 90 days. Travel on a passport valid for your whole stay, with a return or onward ticket and proof you can support yourself.

Passport validity: Valid at least 3 months beyond planned departure from the Schengen area; issued within the last 10 years; at least one to two blank pages.

Heads-up: The EU Entry/Exit System (EES) started on 12 October 2025 and has been fully operational since 10 April 2026: it replaces passport stamps by recording the fingerprints and a facial image of non-EU short-stay travellers. ETIAS, the EUR 20 travel authorisation for visa-exempt visitors, is not operating yet; the EU says it will announce the start date several months before launch.

At the border: Border may ask for proof of accommodation, a return or onward ticket, travel insurance (Schengen visa requires at least 30,000 euros cover), and bank statements showing sufficient funds.

Working remotely

No dedicated nomad visa; the usual route is a standard residence permit.

Tax and residency

Article 4 B of the tax code (CGI) makes you resident if any one of these applies: your home (foyer) or your principal place of stay is in France; you carry on a professional activity in France, employed or self-employed, unless it is only ancillary; or the centre of your economic interests is in France. The tax administration treats the principal-stay test as met after more than six months in France in a given year, which is not a flat 183-day count. The impatriate regime (article 155 B) is only for employees, and company officers taxed like employees, who take up a job with a business established in France, so freelancers and remote workers for a foreign employer do not qualify. (estimate)

Mexico taxes you on your worldwide income once you count as a tax resident, which usually means your main home or your center of life is here (very roughly, spending more than about 183 days a year can tip the balance). The good news is the SAT lets you credit foreign income tax you already paid, and Mexico's double-taxation treaties mean the same money should not normally be taxed twice.

Double-tax treaty: yes

Practical

Currency: EUR. Cost of living: high.

Healthcare: If you work in France you are covered by the public health system (PUMa) straight away; if you do not work, your rights open only after three months of stable, lawful residence, and they stay open while you live in France at least six months a year. Short-stay visitors rely on travel insurance unless they hold a UK GHIC for state care.

Driving: A licence from outside the EU/EEA (a US or Indian one, for example) is valid in France for one year from the date you take up normal residence, after which it must be exchanged, and to be exchanged it must be written in French or come with an official translation. A UK licence issued before 2021 stays recognised while it is valid, so it is fine for short trips. Visitors from outside the EU should carry an International Driving Permit.

Working-holiday visa: yes, ages 18-30

Visiting

You need a visa, arranged at a consulate before you travel. Plan ahead: gather the documents, book the appointment, and allow time for processing.

Passport validity: Valid at least 3 months beyond planned departure from the Schengen area; issued within the last 10 years; at least one to two blank pages.

Heads-up: The EU Entry/Exit System (EES) started on 12 October 2025 and has been fully operational since 10 April 2026: it replaces passport stamps by recording the fingerprints and a facial image of non-EU short-stay travellers. ETIAS, the EUR 20 travel authorisation for visa-exempt visitors, is not operating yet; the EU says it will announce the start date several months before launch.

At the border: Border may ask for proof of accommodation, a return or onward ticket, travel insurance (Schengen visa requires at least 30,000 euros cover), and bank statements showing sufficient funds.

Working remotely

No dedicated nomad visa; the usual route is a standard residence permit.

Tax and residency

Article 4 B of the tax code (CGI) makes you resident if any one of these applies: your home (foyer) or your principal place of stay is in France; you carry on a professional activity in France, employed or self-employed, unless it is only ancillary; or the centre of your economic interests is in France. The tax administration treats the principal-stay test as met after more than six months in France in a given year, which is not a flat 183-day count. The impatriate regime (article 155 B) is only for employees, and company officers taxed like employees, who take up a job with a business established in France, so freelancers and remote workers for a foreign employer do not qualify. (estimate)

If you stay a resident citizen, the Philippines taxes your worldwide income, but once you genuinely live and work abroad you usually count as a non-resident citizen and are taxed only on income from Philippine sources. The exact line depends on how long you are out and your ties back home, so treat these as estimates, and a foreign tax credit can offset tax already paid abroad.

Double-tax treaty: yes

Practical

Currency: EUR. Cost of living: high.

Healthcare: If you work in France you are covered by the public health system (PUMa) straight away; if you do not work, your rights open only after three months of stable, lawful residence, and they stay open while you live in France at least six months a year. Short-stay visitors rely on travel insurance unless they hold a UK GHIC for state care.

Driving: A licence from outside the EU/EEA (a US or Indian one, for example) is valid in France for one year from the date you take up normal residence, after which it must be exchanged, and to be exchanged it must be written in French or come with an official translation. A UK licence issued before 2021 stays recognised while it is valid, so it is fine for short trips. Visitors from outside the EU should carry an International Driving Permit.

Visiting

You need a visa, arranged at a consulate before you travel. Plan ahead: gather the documents, book the appointment, and allow time for processing.

Passport validity: Valid at least 3 months beyond planned departure from the Schengen area; issued within the last 10 years; at least one to two blank pages.

Heads-up: The EU Entry/Exit System (EES) started on 12 October 2025 and has been fully operational since 10 April 2026: it replaces passport stamps by recording the fingerprints and a facial image of non-EU short-stay travellers. ETIAS, the EUR 20 travel authorisation for visa-exempt visitors, is not operating yet; the EU says it will announce the start date several months before launch.

At the border: Border may ask for proof of accommodation, a return or onward ticket, travel insurance (Schengen visa requires at least 30,000 euros cover), and bank statements showing sufficient funds.

Working remotely

No dedicated nomad visa; the usual route is a standard residence permit.

Tax and residency

Article 4 B of the tax code (CGI) makes you resident if any one of these applies: your home (foyer) or your principal place of stay is in France; you carry on a professional activity in France, employed or self-employed, unless it is only ancillary; or the centre of your economic interests is in France. The tax administration treats the principal-stay test as met after more than six months in France in a given year, which is not a flat 183-day count. The impatriate regime (article 155 B) is only for employees, and company officers taxed like employees, who take up a job with a business established in France, so freelancers and remote workers for a foreign employer do not qualify. (estimate)

If Nigeria still counts you as resident, roughly 183 or more days in the country in a year, or you keep a home, habitual abode or close family and economic ties there, you are generally taxed on your worldwide income, not just what you earn in Nigeria. There is usually a foreign tax credit, and Nigeria's tax treaties, so tax you already paid abroad can typically be set against your Nigerian bill, but treat these figures as estimates and check the current rules before you file.

Double-tax treaty: yes

Practical

Currency: EUR. Cost of living: high.

Healthcare: If you work in France you are covered by the public health system (PUMa) straight away; if you do not work, your rights open only after three months of stable, lawful residence, and they stay open while you live in France at least six months a year. Short-stay visitors rely on travel insurance unless they hold a UK GHIC for state care.

Driving: A licence from outside the EU/EEA (a US or Indian one, for example) is valid in France for one year from the date you take up normal residence, after which it must be exchanged, and to be exchanged it must be written in French or come with an official translation. A UK licence issued before 2021 stays recognised while it is valid, so it is fine for short trips. Visitors from outside the EU should carry an International Driving Permit.

Visiting

You need a visa, arranged at a consulate before you travel. Plan ahead: gather the documents, book the appointment, and allow time for processing.

Passport validity: Valid at least 3 months beyond planned departure from the Schengen area; issued within the last 10 years; at least one to two blank pages.

Heads-up: The EU Entry/Exit System (EES) started on 12 October 2025 and has been fully operational since 10 April 2026: it replaces passport stamps by recording the fingerprints and a facial image of non-EU short-stay travellers. ETIAS, the EUR 20 travel authorisation for visa-exempt visitors, is not operating yet; the EU says it will announce the start date several months before launch.

At the border: Border may ask for proof of accommodation, a return or onward ticket, travel insurance (Schengen visa requires at least 30,000 euros cover), and bank statements showing sufficient funds.

Working remotely

No dedicated nomad visa; the usual route is a standard residence permit.

Tax and residency

Article 4 B of the tax code (CGI) makes you resident if any one of these applies: your home (foyer) or your principal place of stay is in France; you carry on a professional activity in France, employed or self-employed, unless it is only ancillary; or the centre of your economic interests is in France. The tax administration treats the principal-stay test as met after more than six months in France in a given year, which is not a flat 183-day count. The impatriate regime (article 155 B) is only for employees, and company officers taxed like employees, who take up a job with a business established in France, so freelancers and remote workers for a foreign employer do not qualify. (estimate)

Vietnam treats you as a tax resident once you spend roughly 183 days there in a calendar year (or any rolling 12 months) or keep a permanent home, and residents are taxed on worldwide income at progressive rates of around 5% to 35%; there is no foreign-earned-income exclusion, but Vietnam's tax treaties and a foreign tax credit usually stop the same income being taxed twice.

Double-tax treaty: yes, in force since 1994

Practical

Currency: EUR. Cost of living: high.

Healthcare: If you work in France you are covered by the public health system (PUMa) straight away; if you do not work, your rights open only after three months of stable, lawful residence, and they stay open while you live in France at least six months a year. Short-stay visitors rely on travel insurance unless they hold a UK GHIC for state care.

Driving: A licence from outside the EU/EEA (a US or Indian one, for example) is valid in France for one year from the date you take up normal residence, after which it must be exchanged, and to be exchanged it must be written in French or come with an official translation. A UK licence issued before 2021 stays recognised while it is valid, so it is fine for short trips. Visitors from outside the EU should carry an International Driving Permit.