Everyone dreams about owning their own little pied-à-terre overseas. Whether it be a holiday home or a permanent move across the Channel, here’s everything you need to know to make the journey a little smoother.
How to Move to France from the UK with Active Languages
Buying process
Things work slightly differently to in the UK when it comes to property purchases. First, when you make an offer, you have to submit a formal offer in writing known as the offre d’achat. Then you choose a notary or notaire to take care of all the searches and contracts on your behalf. Next, you sign a compromis de vente (a preliminary contract detailing the sale price, terms, completion date etc.) which includes the results of any surveys in the DDT. The compromis de vente is followed by a 10-day cooling off period when you can pull out without having to pay any penalties before you pay a 10% deposit. Last but not least, you sign the final acte de vente, pay the balance and get your keys. The whole process takes about 3-4 months.
House surveys
If you buy a property in France and a local firm conducts the survey, it will probably be written in French, meaning it would be worth having it translated into English by a professional translator before you commit. A professional translation could save you a lot of money and upset if you or ChatGPT misinterpret any of the issues raised in the survey, such as neglected roofs, flood plains, water tables, faulty sewage, asbestos etc.
A professional translation would give you the information you need to either pull out of the purchase before you sign the compromis de vente and are locked in, or negotiate the price to keep some money to one side for repairs or upgrades. With DDT property surveys ranging from 20 to 50 pages, you can receive a professional translation within the 10-day cooling off period if you contact Active Languages Translation Agency right away, giving you time to take in all the information and make an informed decision. Find out more HERE.
Legal documents
If you own property in France, you may well decide to make a will in France to cover your assets. If you choose to do so, your notaire will ask for certified translations of legal documents such as your birth certificate. Certified translations are slightly different to standard translations in that only sworn translators can carry them out and they must provide a statement of truth which bears their signature and official stamp. In the eyes of the law, certified translations are the only accepted versions of the original documents.
Active Languages works with sworn translators to provide translations of documents such as birth certificates, marriage certificates, death certificates and driving licences. Here’s what happens: email us the document and provide an address for us to send the translation to (usually the law firm or notaire’s office), our sworn translator completes the translation with a statement of truth and stamp, then our sworn translator posts a hard copy of the stamped translation to the address of your choice using recorded delivery. Certified translation is slightly more expensive than traditional translation but legal bodies won’t recognise anything else. You can read more about it HERE.
French residency
France’s immigration system is based on visa categories like work, family, study, or visitor status. Property ownership isn’t one of them, meaning that buying a residential property in France does not qualify you for any residency permit.
If you want to apply for a residency permit or French citizenship, the French government requires you to take the examen civique, which you can read all about HERE. ACCORD Paris is an exam centre for the examen civique and provides French language courses to ensure you pass the test with flying colours. A French course in France is a great way to get to grips with the language and immerse yourself in the culture before your big move across the Channel. You can find out all about our study abroad options HERE.
How to Move to France from the UK with Active Languages
Moving house is stressful at the best of times, never mind moving abroad to a country where they don’t speak your language and the process is different to your home country. If you have any questions or need any support, please feel free to contact us at Active Languages on info@activelanguages.co.uk.
Bon courage!
