1. Make sure the whole family can go home
To discover
Energy check: all you need to know about the aid scheme which concerns nearly 5.8 million households
Are you rich?
Discover the new
Figaro
simulator
EXCLUSIVE - Our 2021 list of countries to go to live in retirement
If your spouse or children are not European (or Swiss), they will need to apply for a visa from the London consulate, three months before the date of departure.
It is also very important to ensure that all family events that have occurred during your expatriation period (birth, marriage, divorce, etc.) have been entered in the civil status registers of the consulate.
2. Find accommodation
Finding accommodation, especially in markets like Paris or other large cities, can be complex.
If you have the possibility, do not hesitate to go through real estate agencies, some are even specialized in relocation for impatriates.
If you prefer to go directly through individuals, several sites exist, such as PAP, Leboncoin or Entreparticuliers.com.
3. Re-register with social security
If you already have a job waiting for you on your return, you can directly request the reopening of your rights from the primary health insurance fund in your place of residence.
Also, since the start of the pandemic in March 2020, the French government has removed the waiting period for French people living abroad, so you will be covered as soon as you return.
But be sure to contact Social Security as soon as possible to explain your situation.
In addition, if you have exported your unemployment rights, you will benefit from health insurance upon presentation of the European health insurance card.
4. Look for a job
Finding a job in France after years of expatriation is not always easy, especially when you have not worked for a long period or if your profile has no equivalent on the French market.
Do not hesitate to consult the services of Pôle emploi (which offers interesting tools such as the BA-BA, return of mobility) or those of Apec.
The best would be to look for a job before leaving, to avoid the pressure once back in France.
5. Apply for unemployment benefits
If it is impossible for you to find a job, there remains the option of applying for registration at Pôle emploi which will need, to take into account the periods worked in London, the U1 form which you can obtain by completing the document. CA3916.
However, to obtain your rights in France, you will need to work at least one day, in any sector of activity.
If you were receiving unemployment benefit when you left London, you can export these rights for a period of three months using the U2 form to be claimed from the Job Center in your area of residence.
6. Enroll your children in school
The enrollment of children in a school must be planned several months in advance.
Do not hesitate to get information from your future town hall or your academy rectorate.
7. Think about retirement
Despite Brexit, periods worked in England are still taken into account in the calculation of your French pension, if you were already living on British soil before December 31, 2020. At the time of departure, it is recommended to request a statement of contributions acquired through form CA3916 that you can then send to your pension fund.
8. Notify the UK tax services
You must use the P85 form to notify the UK tax authorities that you are leaving.
It will also be useful for you to claim a partial refund of your taxes, if you are eligible.
The repayment can take several months, however.
9. Report your departure to the consulate
If you are registered in the register of French people living outside France, be sure to deregister with the consulate.
Withdrawing from the consular electoral list is important, otherwise you may not be able to exercise your right to vote when you return to France.
10. Compile as many documents as possible
Once back in France, it is sometimes difficult to be able to retrieve certain supporting documents remotely. It is therefore best to remember to compile, before your departure, all the essential documents to prove your expatriation: employment contracts, pay slips ... Also ask the NHS and / or your private health insurance to send you your medical file or all information relating to your tracking in London.
