Moving to and From France With Suddath
Moving to France
Relocating your life is an exciting journey, whether you’re drawn to Paris, Lyon, Marseille or a charming French regional city. International moves demand expertise in both U.S. and European regulations, and choosing the right moving company makes all the difference.
Suddath brings over a century of international relocation experience to make moving to or from France stress-free. We have specialized knowledge of French customs procedures and a proven track record for American families and professionals moving to France from the USA, UK and beyond. We also support customers moving from France to another country.
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100+ YEARS
international experience
16,000
international moves each year
FULLY VETTED
moving crew and drivers
4.7/5
international review rating
6X WINNER
international mover of the year
Our International Moving Services to and From France
Moving your household between the U.S. and France requires meticulous planning and execution. Our team designs customized solutions that address every aspect of your relocation, from initial packing to final placement in your new French home.
- Customs clearance and documentation: The transfer of residence relief — transfert de résidence — allows duty-free and VAT-free import of household goods when you meet specific requirements. Our specialists prepare all necessary documentation, including detailed inventories and declarations. This ensures your shipment qualifies for customs exemptions and clears smoothly through French ports.
- White-glove packing and shipping: International shipments require specific packing methods to withstand ocean transit. We use professional-grade materials and proven techniques to safeguard furniture, fragile items, electronics and personal belongings.
- Complete door-to-door coordination: Your move begins at your current residence and ends with delivery and placement at your new French address. Our dedicated coordinator manages every step with supportive guidance, keeping you informed as your shipment progresses through our modern tracking systems.
- Vehicle and specialty item shipping: We arrange secure transport for automobiles, motorcycles and other items. Vehicle import rules include specific documentation, and our team assists with compliance verification and duty assessments.
- Flexible storage options: Need time between your arrival and delivery? Our secure warehouse facilities offer short-term and extended storage with temperature control for sensitive items.
- Support for pets and family needs: International pet transport involves health certificates, microchipping and carrier compliance. Our network includes pet transport professionals experienced in the necessary health documentation and entry protocols.
What to Know About Documents, Visas and Timing
Whether you are moving to France from the UK or the USA, French customs requires a detailed, signed inventory listing all items by description and value. To qualify for transfer of residence relief, you must demonstrate that you've lived outside of the EU for at least 12 consecutive months and owned your household goods for at least six months before relocating. You'll also need proof of your new French residence and must agree not to sell imported items for 12 months after entry. Our team prepares all documentation and guides you through the attestation sur l'honneur process.
American citizens planning to live in France beyond 90 days must obtain an appropriate long-stay visa before departure. Common categories include work visas, talent passports for skilled professionals, retirement visas and family reunification. The visa process typically takes several months, so we recommend coordinating your shipping timeline with your visa approval.
Preparing these details early can help reduce avoidable delays once your shipment is ready to depart.
Why Choose Suddath for Your Move
Navigating French customs regulations requires specialized expertise that goes beyond standard moving services. When selecting a moving company for a relocation from the U.S. to France, partnering with experienced professionals is essential. France's customs procedures, particularly the transfert de residence exemption, demand precise documentation and compliance with strict residency and ownership conditions.
Suddath's European network includes established partnerships throughout France. Our coordinators understand the complexities of each country's systems, eliminating confusion and preventing costly delays. Since 1919, we've refined our international moving processes, earning six International Mover of the Year awards that validate our commitment to superior service.
Corporate clients benefit from our dedicated employee relocation programs. Suddath knows the necessary steps for transferring staff into or out of French operations, with streamlined processes that meet HR requirements.
Personalized Support for Your France Move
Every move to or from France comes with different timelines, documentation needs and destination details. Suddath takes the time to understand your inventory, schedule and special requirements before building a plan around your relocation. Your relocation receives personalized attention from a single coordinator who understands your specific needs. Your coordinator can explain French customs expectations, provide realistic timing guidance and keep you informed as your shipment moves through each stage.
ADDITIONAL INTERNATIONAL MOVING SERVICES
Document Preparation
We logically and transparently assist with international document preparation, beginning before your overseas move even starts when a representative of Suddath determines your belongings’ accurate weight and volume through a professional survey.
Shipping Options
From land to sea and air, Suddath provides multiple-modal international shipping services, carefully chosen to meet your specific needs and expectations. We’ll consider the volume and weight of your shipments when designing your relocation plan; options available to you at origin and destination locations (one of which will be France); and associated costs.
Inventory Preparation for Customs
Destination point custom regulation compliance is a vital component of overseas moves, and our knowledgeable, detail-minded representatives diligently ensure compliance. The result? We address all issues of importance, which helps to prevent delays and other inconveniences along with any unnecessary costs.
Packing, Unpacking, and Debris Removal
Custom crates, individually constructed by our experts, will protect your delicate possessions along with other unique belongings. They’ll ensure proper sizing, even for irregularly shaped items, through careful attention to measurements.
International Moving Resources
Moving to/from France FAQs
When moving to France or from the country, numerous factors can have an impact on the costs. They include the following:
• Your household’s size, which will have an affect on the volume and weight of what goods need packed and transported
• Your move’s mileage; the distance from the United States to France, as just one example, is around 5,000 miles
• Chosen shipping modes: air, sea/ocean, and by land in an optimal combination for your relocation
• Factors that are unique to your overseas relocation
Connect with our international movers to get a transparent quote for moving to France.
Suddath will analyze your specific requirements and craft the most efficient and cost-effective plan for your specific overseas shipments. Depending upon what’s optimal for your particular scenario, our experts may use a blend of air, water, and land. We’ll negotiate the best pricing for your schedule, manage customs and document requirements, and so on.
Reach out to our international relocation experts to discuss specifics.
Our resource, Guide to Moving to France from the U.S., provides a wide range of information, including destinations where our moving company in France often relocates people: Paris, Marseille, Lyon, Bordeaux, Mont Saint-Michel, and Montpellier. Types of housing that people often choose include bastide, château, domain, fermette/ferme, hôtel particulier, longère, mas, maison à colombages, pavilion, pied-à-terre, and villa d’architecte.
Our moving to France guide contains information about documents typically needed when moving to France along with need-to-know details about visas and work permits, bank accounts, and healthcare. We share what it's like to live in the country, including its language, culture, cuisine, art, literature, and climate; transportation to get around France; moving with pets; nearby countries to visit (Andorra, Belgium, Germany, Italy, Luxembourg, Spain, and Switzerland); and more.
Beside this useful guide, with Suddath as your international moving company in France, you’ll receive expert support and guidance from your move counselor from start to finish.
When you’re moving internationally, you’ll likely have costs associated with selling a home in the United States. If you, instead, decide to rent out that house, you’ll likely have property management fees to pay. As far as the relocation itself, you’d pay the overseas moving company in France to pack and transport your household goods; if you want to store some of your belongings in the United States, there would be fees associated with that. Then, you’ll need to get your family, which could include pets, to France. So, you’ll pay for your transportation.
Once you actually arrive in France, then you’ll need to pay for housing: if buying, then you’ll make a down payment and cover your closing costs; if renting, then you’ll have lease payments, security deposits, and utility startup fees. You may need to buy a car in France if you didn’t have yours sent over, so there will be costs associated with that. Also factor in visa preparation costs for you and your family.
Numerous benefits exist when you move to France, including their outstanding education system with higher education affordable for families because of government subsidies. Their social security system is comprehensive, too, covering healthcare, unemployment benefits, and more. The French believe in maintaining a quality work-life balance with employees working a thirty-five hour work week and receiving paid holidays and five weeks of paid vacation. This includes August’s les vacances d’aout where businesses either shut down or reduce operations for a time of group vacation.
People in France also have the right to disconnect, which means that, when you’re away from your job, you’re not obligated to answer emails and otherwise engage with the office. The transportation system is great, and you can enjoy beautiful scenery, culinary arts, and cultural treasures.
There may be a higher cost of living, especially if you live in a place like Paris. Taxes are higher in France to pay for all of the benefits received and, because it’s a place that values workers’ rights, strikes can occur more often. Plus, red tape can slow down processes.
Knowing this information, you can decide if moving to France is good for your family. If you decide in the affirmative, then reach out to our overseas moving company in France for a seamless relocation.
According to Frenchly, rent prices tend to be lower in France than in the United States, especially when comparing them in major cities, while buying a home can be more expensive in France. Food costs can be significantly lower in France while their quality can be much higher! You can worry less about healthcare and education costs because of how they’re covered by the government, but you’ll pay more in taxes to reap those benefits.
If you’re moving to France or from that country, select an experienced international moving company like Suddath that has more than a century of expertise. Make sure they provide the desired services, from document preparation to customs management, like Suddath does.
Other reasons to select Suddath as your moving company in France include these; we:
• Create an optimal shipping plan
• Expertly negotiate quality pricing
• Manage the entire move without outsourcing to third parties
• Provide real-time visibility through our advanced technology
• Inform and guide your family throughout the relocation
Ensure the moving company has the appropriate accreditations and licenses (we’ll gladly share ours!). Awards are a bonus, and Suddath is a six-time International Mover of the Year Award winner through the FEM Americas Expatriate Management & Mobility Awards (EMMAs).
Please reach out for a quote from our movers in France.
As the six-time winner of the International Mover of the Year Award, which independently confirms our successes, Suddath qualifies. Granted by the Forum for Expatriate Management for a moving company’s excellence and innovation, this premier worldwide community examines the impact of the company on the expatriate community before naming the winner.
When Suddath was chosen as the winner, Walter Myers, Suddath’s President of Moving & Storage, said this: “This award directly reflects the outstanding efforts of our operations and assignee services team, who consistently deliver exceptional results for our clients’ global household goods moving program. We are extremely proud of our team’s dedication and commitment to excellence and the enthusiastic support of our loyal customers, all of which made this honor possible.”
If you’d like to work with the best moving company in France, then we encourage you to connect with us to discuss the specifics of your relocation. Vive la France!
Start Planning Your Move to or From France
Beginning your relocation to or from France requires careful planning and expert support from the right international movers. Request a personalized moving quote from our international relocation specialists. We'll discuss your moving date, inventory, visa timeline and special requirements to develop a detailed plan. Use our contact form or call us to speak with a moving expert today.