🇫🇷 Moving from the US to France: Logistics, Customs & Relocation Guide.
France applies the EU franchise de douane for déménagement: 0% duty and 0% VAT on used personal effects when you transfer your principal residence from outside the EU.
Average shipping cost
from $4,200
Door-to-door, 20ft FCL entry point
Transit timeline
4–6 weeks
Ocean freight 18–32 days to Le Havre or Marseille
Major ports of entry
Le Havre
Le Havre · Marseille · Rotterdam (inland transfer)
France customs & Transfer of Residence: step by step
Required registration: Numéro fiscal + Cerfa 10070
- 1
Prepare the Cerfa 10070 declaration
The déclaration de transfert de résidence normale lists every item with its value in euros and is filed by your clearing agent at the port of entry.
- 2
Prove 12 months of non-EU residence
Provide US lease or property records, W-2s and utility bills covering the prior year, plus your long-stay visa or titre de séjour.
- 3
Secure a French address certificate
A justificatif de domicile (lease, EDF bill or attestation d'hébergement) is required to release the shipment.
- 4
Declare wine, vehicles and inherited goods separately
Alcohol beyond personal quantities, vehicles under 6 months of ownership, and inherited estates each follow separate French customs regimes.
Import VAT avoided with relief
20%
Filed with Douanes françaises via Franchise douanière de déménagement + Cerfa 10070.
Primary visa pathways
- • Long-Stay Visa (VLS-TS)
- • Talent Passport
- • Academic & research grants
Healthcare infrastructure, academic sector, lifestyle quality.
Importing a vehicle into France
US-spec cars require Réception à titre isolé (RTI) through DREAL: amber indicators, ECE R112 headlights, rear fog lamp and a km/h cluster. Classics over 30 years old clear at 0% duty and 5.5% VAT.
Calculate landed vehicle taxesPopular expat destinations in France
| City | Profile | Cost index |
|---|---|---|
| Paris | Global careers, dense apartments — measure stairwells before booking | $$$$ |
| Lyon | Gastronomy and biotech, one hour from the Alps | $$$ |
| Bordeaux | Wine country, family friendly, direct TGV to Paris | $$ |
| Nice | Riviera lifestyle, strong Anglophone network | $$$ |