Your first 90 days in France: the arrival checklist
The visa got you in — this is what turns you into a functioning resident: the registration clock, the ID number everything else depends on, and the money, healthcare, and license steps in the order they actually unlock. Each step links the official source so you can verify the current rule.
Checked against official sources · July 2026 · how we verify
The catch that burns new arrivals
Missing the 3-month VLS-TS validation window — nothing reminds you, and an unvalidated visa quietly voids legal residence, renewals and clean re-entry at the border.
The checklist, in the order it unlocks
Online validation of the VLS-TS long-stay visa with OFII (French immigration office)
Within 3 months of arrival
Done entirely online with a tax stamp of roughly €200; an unvalidated VLS-TS lapses, which complicates renewals and Schengen re-entry.
Get your Numéro fiscal (NIF/SPI, 13 digits)
Needed for the mandatory annual income declaration, the impots.gouv.fr online account, and property or local taxes.
Requested from the local Service des Impôts once resident, or generated with the first income tax return — it is not issued before arrival.
Open a bank account
Passport, visa/permit and a justificatif de domicile (proof of address) are standard; French banks are famously cautious with US persons over FATCA, so refusals happen and many bridge with Wise, Revolut or online banks.
Enrol in healthcare
After 3 months of stable residence, an application to CPAM opens PUMa coverage and eventually the carte vitale; private cover is typically required for the visa and carries new arrivals through the waiting months.
Sort your driver's license
Exchange is state-by-state: only around 18 US states have reciprocity with France, and the swap must be requested within 1 year of residency — licences from all other states mean full French theory and practical exams.
Deadlines and requirements vary by nationality, visa type, and region, and they change — this is information current as of 2026, not legal or immigration advice. Verify each step with the official source before you rely on it.
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Information only, not legal advice — we never file anything with any government. Requirements change; verify with the official source or a licensed immigration advisor before you apply.
First 90 days in France: FAQ
What do I have to do first after arriving in France?
Online validation of the VLS-TS long-stay visa with OFII (French immigration office) — Within 3 months of arrival. Done entirely online with a tax stamp of roughly €200; an unvalidated VLS-TS lapses, which complicates renewals and Schengen re-entry. Verify the current rule with the official source before you rely on it.
What is the Numéro fiscal and do I need one?
Numéro fiscal (NIF/SPI, 13 digits) is France's personal tax/ID number. Needed for the mandatory annual income declaration, the impots.gouv.fr online account, and property or local taxes. Requested from the local Service des Impôts once resident, or generated with the first income tax return — it is not issued before arrival.
Can I drive in France on a US license?
Exchange is state-by-state: only around 18 US states have reciprocity with France, and the swap must be requested within 1 year of residency — licences from all other states mean full French theory and practical exams. Rules differ by nationality and change — check the official source before the window closes.
How do I get healthcare after moving to France?
After 3 months of stable residence, an application to CPAM opens PUMa coverage and eventually the carte vitale; private cover is typically required for the visa and carries new arrivals through the waiting months. See our healthcare-systems guide for how France's system treats foreign residents.