Rowan

Moving to the UK from France: Guide

A guide for French nationals moving to the UK after Brexit, covering EU Settlement Scheme, visa routes, and the large French community in London.

Checked 2 March 20267 min readWritten by the Rowan Editorial Team
Section
Moving to the UK From...
Reading time
7 min
Last checked
2 March 2026
Source
The published Immigration Rules and GOV.UK guidance, linked throughout this guide.
Rowan does not
Look at your own case, tell you which route to choose, or say what the Home Office will decide. This guide shows the published rules and where to read them.

In short

  • Free movement ended on 31 December 2020. New French arrivals need a visa.
  • Short visits of up to 6 months need a £20 electronic travel authorisation, not a visa.
  • No tuberculosis test: France is not on the Home Office list.
  • An English language test is required for most routes.
  • French police certificate (bulletin no. 3) is free and available online.

Brexit changed the rules for French nationals. Since 1 January 2021, a French citizen moving to the UK needs a visa, chosen from the same routes as any other non-UK national. A short visit is different: France is not a visa national country, so a visit of up to 6 months needs a £20 electronic travel authorisation instead. This guide covers both.

The French Community in the UK

French citizens in the UK are concentrated in South Kensington, Fulham and Clapham in London, with smaller communities in Edinburgh, Cambridge, Oxford and Bristol. The Lycee Francais Charles de Gaulle and other French schools serve the community. The Home Office does not publish a count of French nationals resident in the UK, so this guide gives none.

Visiting Rather Than Moving

France is not on the UK's visa national list, so a French citizen does not need a visa for a visit of up to 6 months. What is needed instead is an electronic travel authorisation, which costs £20. Everyone travelling needs their own, including babies and children. It is also needed to pass through UK border control on the way to somewhere else; staying airside in the airport does not need one.

Visa Routes After Brexit

  • Skilled Worker visa. The main work route. Requires a licensed sponsor at the minimum salary of £41,700 a year, or the going rate for the occupation code if that is higher. French professionals in finance, tech, consulting, and hospitality are well represented.
  • Youth Mobility Scheme. France is not one of the countries or territories listed on the scheme, so this route is not open to French nationals.
  • Family visa. See the spouse visa guide.
  • Student visa. French students now pay international fees at UK universities. See the student visa guide.
  • Graduate route. 2 years after a UK degree, or 3 years after a PhD. For applications made on or after 1 January 2027 the 2-year period shortens to 18 months. See the Graduate route guide.

EU Settlement Scheme

French citizens who were living in the UK before 31 December 2020 could apply to the EU Settlement Scheme. A late application can still be accepted where there are reasonable grounds for missing the deadline. The scheme is not open to someone arriving now.

Document Requirements

  • Valid French passport. Carte nationale d'identite is no longer sufficient.
  • No TB test required.
  • English language test. Required for most routes. A new Skilled Worker application has needed level B2 since 8 January 2026. Tests are available in Paris, Lyon, Marseille and other cities.
  • Extrait de casier judiciaire. Bulletin no. 3, free, available online from the Casier Judiciaire National in Nantes.

What It Costs

The Home Office publishes its fees in pounds. It does not publish a euro price, and the exchange rate it applies is the rate on the day you pay, so this guide gives no euro conversion.

  • Skilled Worker visa, applying from outside the UK: £819 for 3 years or less, £1,618 for more than 3 years
  • Healthcare surcharge: £1,035 a year, or £776 a year for students, their dependants and anyone under 18
  • Student visa: £558
  • Electronic travel authorisation for a visit: £20
  • Extrait de casier judiciaire: free

GOV.UK publishes no price for an English language test; the test providers set their own. See our UK visa fees guide.

After Arrival

Path to Settlement

After 5 years on a qualifying visa, apply for settlement (indefinite leave to remain). After 12 months with settlement, apply for British citizenship. France does not prevent dual citizenship.

Next Steps

For official information, visit the GOV.UK EU Settlement Scheme page and the GOV.UK Skilled Worker visa page.

Questions and answers

Do French citizens need a visa to work in the UK after Brexit?

Yes. Since 1 January 2021, French citizens who want to move to the UK for work must apply for a visa. French citizens who were in the UK before 31 December 2020 may have EU Settlement Scheme status.

Do French citizens need a TB test?

No. France is not on the Home Office TB testing list.

Do French citizens need an English language test?

Yes. France is not on the Home Office list of majority English-speaking countries, so most routes need an approved secure English language test. For a new Skilled Worker application the level has been B2 since 8 January 2026; a first partner visa is A1.

How do I get a French police certificate?

Apply for an extrait de casier judiciaire (bulletin no. 3) from the Casier Judiciaire National in Nantes. It can be requested online from France. The Casier Judiciaire National does not publish a processing time.

This guide is general information about published immigration rules. It is not advice about an individual application under s.82 Immigration and Asylum Act 1999, and Rowan is not regulated by the Immigration Advice Authority. Immigration rules change several times a year. For advice on a particular situation, contact an adviser authorised by the Immigration Advice Authority or an immigration solicitor. Always check GOV.UK for the authoritative current rules.

All guidesFree tools