Health Insurance

Thanks for asking this question. My husband and I are also pondering this issue. The lack of information makes our transition to France more difficult. I'll look forward to what others have to say.

My names is Juliette
I work for [moderated] and generaly deal with all the English speaker's;

Hi - for Americans thinking of moving here there are visa issues, and more than just health insurance you have to satisfy the French authorities that you are financially secure * ie not a burden on th country's finances. Worth a visit to your nearest French embassy.

Are there any other people encountering visa issues within France?

https://www.axa-schengen.com/enhttps://www.amariz.fr/en/

We are getting ready to move in the next 5 months, and have spent at least 5 months trying to get the right information .  As was mentioned earlier there are many things required by the consulate before you leave, and many unexpected things you encounter once in France.  Thank goodness on a recent "scouting trip" I ran into an American couple who have just gone through this and helped us greatly.  I will try and share a few of the things I learned.
1.  Health Insurance
      The Consulate will require that you show proof of International health coverage.
       You must show them a letter from the company, not just the card.  The insurance
       has a certain amount of minimum coverage required.  If you plan on signing up for
      the Carte Vitale after 3 months, be advised that they use the last two years of your   
      income to determine your premium.  Therefore, for many like myself it  is initially
      less expensive to find a longer term coverage from a private company.  I have
      literally spent hours on this issue.  My coverage in the US (I am younger than 65) for
      what I had with my previous employer was $900.00 per month.  I contacted some
      of the larger companies providing international insurance and got it down to $500
      per month in France.  But then I called a company whose information was provided
      by my new expat friend and got it even cheaper.  So, if you are moving from the US
      to France, save yourself time, and go directly to ASFE-expat.com, or email
      [email protected], or call 011 33 1 44 20 48 77. They speak English
      and you will not find a better deal.
2.  Housing
      You must also show proof of housing.  A lease, for example.  So how do you get the
       Visa if you don't have a place already lined up?  Get a place such as an Airbnb for a
       couple of months where you will be staying after arrival while you are looking for
       a permanent place.  My knowledge is that the consulate will accept this temporary
       agreement, but again have the documentation.
        After arriving in France you are looking for a place to live, but guess what? you
       can't get a place to live without a banking account.  So that brings me to the next
        subject.
3.   Banking
       Apparently this is a very important issue for everything in France, you must have a
       FRENCH account.  This is NOT EASY.  There was a change in the banking laws recently
       that requires an extensive amount of extra paper work and disclosure from the
       French banks for US expats, and for that reason many banks wont even consider
       you if you are from the US.  Including BNP Paribas from my experience.  What also
       makes getting an account even harder is that they require and ADDRESS!  So, how
       do you get an address without a banking account, and how do you get an account
       without an address?  Oh, this has been by far the most difficult of all problems to
       solve.  Again, thanks to my new friend, I was told that you can go to HSBC.fr
       (note the .fr) and fill an application online.  Personally, I had difficulty with this,
       because the system was offline or had glitches.  I resorted to going to HSBC here
       and opening a local account, then opening a a French account from HSBC AFTER
       that account was established.  Check the minimum balances required.  HSBC
       does NOT charge for transfers from US to your HSBC French account which is
       a very big deal.
4. Misc.
       The consulate will require that you show them bank statements which prove that
        you have sufficient income to live in France without working for one year.I am
        assuming that you are looking for
        a LONG TERM VISA where you wont be working). It might also
       require a Letter of good standing from your banks. It might also require a criminal
       record report.  Every Consulate is different.
       After arriving and looking for a place to live, you must deposit funds to secure the
       "Caution Bancaire" (escrow for the landlord). It must go into an "assurance vie" a
        retirement vehicle and not a "compte d'épargne (savings account).  According
        to my friend the branch should be familiar with this, and it MIGHT be possible
        to set it up before leaving, and I will let you know as soon as I can if I was able.
        VERY IMPORTANT: If you plan on staying in France and doing any driving, you must
        get a FRENCH drivers license. Fortunately there are about 18 states in the US which
        have a reciprocal agreement, but for those that don't, you must pay $2,000. for
        the class and test, and upon failing, you must pay AGAIN until you pass.  Thank
        Goodness Florida is one that reciprocates. I know that this has been lots of info,
        but I hope that it saves some time for everyone interested in moving from the
        US to France..