First 30 Days in France: Executive Relocation Checklist

French administration works in a strict order: the visa unlocks the bank, the bank unlocks health cover, and one missed step in week one can stall everything that follows.

The first 30 days in France are when a relocating executive is busiest at work and most exposed to administrative friction. This checklist splits the month into four weeks and separates what HR should handle from what only the assignee can do, so nothing falls between the two.

Why the First 30 Days in France Matter

French procedures depend on each other. A proof of address is needed for the bank; a bank account (and its RIB, the account details sheet) is needed for salary, health reimbursements and most contracts; a social security number unlocks the carte Vitale. Getting the order right saves weeks.

Week 1: Arrival, Home and Visa

HR / mobility team

• Arrange the airport transfer and the check-in at the home, with a signed inventory (état des lieux) and meter readings.
• Provide a welcome pack: emergency numbers, nearest pharmacy and doctor, transport, building access.

Assignee

• Validate the long-stay visa (VLS-TS) online. This must be done within three months of arrival, and it requires a tax paid by electronic stamp (timbre fiscal); for most employee and Talent visas, that tax has been €300 since 1 May 2026. Without validation, the visa no longer counts as a residence permit.
• Keep the validation certificate: it is needed for the bank, health cover and, later, the driving licence exchange.

For a high-profile arrival, see our note on CDG and Orly VIP meet and greet.

Week 2: Bank Account and Phone

HR / mobility team

• Issue an employer certificate (attestation d'employeur) with start date, role and salary.
• Make sure the assignee has a usable proof of address: the lease, a recent rent receipt or, if needed, a host certificate.

Assignee

• Open a French bank account and obtain the RIB. See our step-by-step guide to opening a bank account in France.
• Get a French mobile number (+33). Many French online services send verification codes by SMS.

Week 3: Health Cover

HR / mobility team

• Enrol the assignee and family in the company's complementary health plan (mutuelle), which private employers must offer.
• Schedule the mandatory occupational health visit (visite d'information et de prévention).

Assignee

• Apply to the CPAM (the local health insurance office) with form S1106, a passport, the visa validation, a birth certificate showing both parents' names (with a translation if required), the employment contract, a proof of address and the RIB.
• Declare a primary care doctor (médecin traitant) once registered: without one, reimbursements are much lower.

Full details are in our French carte Vitale guide.

Week 4: Transport, School and Driving

HR / mobility team

• Reimburse 50% of the public transport pass, as French law requires for employees who use public transport to commute.
• Check whether the assignee's driving licence can be exchanged, and diarise the deadline.

Assignee

• Follow up school registration and canteen enrolment.
• If the licence is from outside the EU, plan the exchange: it must be requested within one year of the visa validation. See our guide to exchanging a foreign driver's licence.

The 30-Day Plan at a Glance

Week

HR / mobility

Pre-Departure Checklist

• Full birth certificate with both parents' names, for each family member
• Marriage certificate if the spouse is relocating
• Translations by a sworn translator where required
• Driving licence plus a recent driving record from the issuing authority
• School records for the children
• Lease or housing confirmation for the first proof of address

Common Mistakes in the First Month

Waiting too long to validate the visa. Three months sounds generous, but the validation certificate is needed for other steps. Do it in the first days.

Arriving without a full birth certificate. The CPAM file cannot move without one, and ordering it from abroad can take weeks.

Using a hotel or holiday rental as an address. Banks and administrations want a residential proof of address. A lease from day one avoids a circular wait.

Keeping only a foreign phone number. Security codes for banks and public services often go by SMS to French numbers.

Forgetting the driving licence clock. The one-year deadline starts with the visa validation, not with the day the assignee buys a car.

Who Does What: a Simple Split

The fastest relocations share the work clearly. HR and the mobility partner prepare documents, book appointments and chase follow-ups. The assignee signs, attends and validates what only they can do. Writing that split down on day one avoids the most common delay of all: each side assuming the other has done it.

What to Track After Day 30

Some steps take longer than a month. Plan to follow up on:

• the permanent social security number and the carte Vitale;
• the driving licence exchange, if eligible;
• school integration and any language support;
• the first French payslip, to check withholding tax and benefits.

How Le Mendèlle Helps

Le Mendèlle handles corporate housing and administrative onboarding (health cover, driving licence, tax return) through a single point of contact, so the assignee's first month is spent on the job. See also why settling-in services are the missing link in global mobility.

FAQ

Sources: France-Visas – Long-stay visa · Ameli – Form S1106