HSBC Premier

What you need to know

About France

• Total population: 64.3 million as of January 1, 2009 (source: INSEE - the national statistics office)
• Capital: Paris
• Official language: French
• Currency: Euro
• Regions and territories: France has 96 administrative regions in Europe and four overseas regions (Guadeloupe, Martinique, Guyana and Reunion). France also has overseas territories worldwide, from the Antarctic to the Pacific islands.
• Location: France is the largest country in the European Union, extending from the North Sea to the Mediterranean. Mainland France covers 543,965 km² (source: INSEE).
• Religious and official holidays in France:

• - Catholic holidays: Easter Monday, Ascension Thursday, Pentecost Monday, Assumption, All Saints, Christmas.
  - Official holidays: New Year's Day (January 1), Labour Day (May 1), V-E Day (May 8), Bastille Day (July 14), World War I Armistice Day (November 11).

The French health system

• Social security: If you are a legal resident and are employed by a company in France, you will be entitled to full coverage under the French healthcare system (Sécurité Sociale).
• Reimbursement of medical fees: In France you will be required to pay the full bill at the time of treatment. If you are covered by the French social security system, you will be reimbursed at a later date by Assurance Maladie.

The French education system

Schooling, at an educational establishment or at home, is mandatory for all French children or foreigners aged 6 to 16 inclusive who live in France. Education in public schools and establishments is free of charge, as are schoolbooks until the last year of secondary or high school (i.e. when children are generally 14 or 15 years old). Educational freedom is a hallmark of the French system, and public schools co-exist with private schools. Parents therefore have a choice of where to send their children to school.

Documents you will need when you arrive

Here are the main documents you will need for your move to France:

• - Passport or national identity card
  - Birth certificate (with the names of both your parents)
  - Marriage licence (if you are married)
  - Salary slips
  - Proof of hiring
  - Current work contract (where applicable)
  - Healthcare booklet
  - Bank account statement
  - European or international driver's licence (where applicable)

This list is not exhaustive. The documents that you will need depend on your own situation.

Do you need a visa?

You may travel to France and live in France freely with an identity card or passport if you are a citizen of:

• The European Union,
• The European Economic Area (i.e. the European Union, as well as Norway, Liechtenstein and Iceland),
• Switzerland, Monaco or Andorra.

If you are a national of another country and you wish to live in France for more than three months, you must obtain a long-stay visa or a temporary residence visa.

Work permit

Non-EU nationals are not allowed to take up employment in France, whether temporary, paid or unpaid, unless they have obtained a work permit (autorisation de travail) before arriving in France. It is important to note that each work permit is restricted to the profession and geographical area requested.

Residence permit

Non-EU or EEA nationals should, within 8 days of arriving in France, go to the local Centre de Réception des Etrangers with their passport and visa to apply for a residence permit (carte de séjour). Unless your employer has already handled this for you, it is your responsibility to obtain this important document.

Opening your bank account

When you first arrive in France, you can access cash using your foreign bank card at local ATM machines. However, if you are moving to France to live or work, opening a French bank account is a must.

Having a bank account in France will enable you to be paid by your French employer, facilitate payment for living expenses and bills, and make mortgage repayments. Many essential services, such as gas and electricity, will require your French current account details as a financial guarantee.

Having a bank advisor who speaks English can be a great advantage when it comes to answering your specific questions.

(1) Free of charge in a "Convention Patrimoine", except access costs, not available in parts of HSBC France.