Bishop’s Move provides seamless international removals services across the world, including removals back to the UK.
With removal vehicles in Europe on a weekly basis, we can ensure your move from France to the UK is effortless wherever you are in France.
Bishop’s Move has over 170 years of removals and storage heritage in the UK, and we are one of the few British removals and storage companies that offer comprehensive European relocation services in France. So whether you are moving from Paris, Lille, Nice, or Bordeaux, we can help make your move fantastique!
Regardless of whether you’re a French citizen looking to make a home in the UK or a British National looking to return home, our team of experts has the experience to make the transition an effortless one.
We understand that the decision to move back to the UK from France is not easy. The process can be full of administrative obstacles, and you’ll need to focus on re-acclimatising to life in England. Bishop’s Move offers professional assistance in transporting your belongings, along with a wealth of other helpful international removals services to create a seamless relocation.
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Moving back to the UK from France with Bishop’s Move
Bishop’s Move has a dedicated European removals team to ensure that, wherever you move, we are there to help. With so many moving parts to an international move, you must be allowed the time to focus on settling yourself and your family in your new home. Our breadth of services is perfectly designed to curate a comprehensive and seamless removal from France to England.
Our English-speaking representative will chat through our range of European removals services, from packing and wrapping, transportation, storage, and removals insurance. Our moving survey is free of cost and provides you with an accurate quote that is tailored to your unique relocation requirements.
Our European removal teams have excellent knowledge in removals from France to the UK, so whether you are relocating your entire household contents or just a few items, we can help. Plus, we can easily advise on any paperwork or restrictions that may present themselves, depending on where you are moving from in France to the UK.
Moving from France to England: Post-Brexit Checklist
If you are planning on moving back to England from France, you should be fine to do so, provided all of your family members have British passports. However, following Brexit, family members with EU or other nationalities will need to apply for a family visa before being granted residence in the UK. This is particularly important for French nationals looking to work in the UK, since visa-free visits for EU citizens after Brexit are limited to six months and must not involve any paid work.
Other important things you’ll need to do are:
Notify and deregister from French services and local authorities.
Re-register for essential services in the UK.
Prepare an inventory of your belongings pre-move.
Check UK border restrictions for prohibited items.
Ensure your pet has a microchip, rabies vaccination, and necessary documentation.
Register for tax self-assessment upon return to the UK.
Sort out necessary transfers (schools, pension, French assets, currency).
Obtain vehicle insurance for EU-registered vehicles.
Book accommodation in the UK.
If you are a French citizen looking to move to the UK, the process will be a bit different. As the UK is no longer part of the EU, French nationals need to apply for the appropriate visa before moving. The majority of people relocating for work, study, or family reasons will need to secure their visa prior to travelling, and customs rules will apply when bringing household goods into the country.
Visa Requirements:
You are not able to move to the UK long-term without a visa (exceptions apply for short visits up to 6 months). The most common visa routes are:
Skilled Worker visa (if you have a job lined up in the UK from a UK-based employer approved by the Home Office).
Student visa (for studying at a UK university or other educational institution).
Family visa (if joining a spouse, partner or parent in the UK).
Global Talent, Start-Up or Investor visas (for entrepreneurs or professionals.
Key things to prepare for before moving to the UK as a French National:
Apply for the correct UK visa and gain approval before relocating.
Ensure your passport is valid for the duration of your stay.
Arrange accommodation and, in applicable cases, be able to provide proof of address.
Have health insurance in place until you can register with the NHS.
Prepare customs documentation for importing personal belongings, including the ToR1 form for duty/tax relief.
Check whether your French diving licence can be exchanged or if you’ll need a UK one.
Moving from France to the UK FAQs
Am I allowed to move back to the UK from France?
If you are hoping to move back to the UK, you might be worried about your rights as a British National living in France. Bishop’s Move is on hand to assist with any questions you might have about your move back to the UK from France. As a general rule, so long as you are a British National, you will be allowed to move back to the UK, though it may take a while for your rights to be established once you have relocated from France. This might affect the following areas of your life so you should ensure you have the funds to support yourself before your rights as a British citizen are fully restored.
Your pension
Your income
Healthcare
Insurance
How much does it cost to move from France to the UK?
The cost of moving from France to the UK will depend on how much you are transporting, the distance of your move and the level of service you opt for. For example, if you want full packing and unpacking services or priority transport, this will incur a higher cost.
Other factors that can affect your removals price:
Storage requirements in France or the UK throughout the moving process
Specialist handling for fragile, bulky, or unusual items
Ferry/Channel crossing charges and fuel costs
Customs paperwork and potential duties
Can I bring my pets when moving from France to the UK?
Yes, you are able to bring cats, dogs and ferrets with you from France to the UK, but they need to meet the UK’s Pet Travel Scheme (PETS) requirements. Following Brexit, the travel rules have changed, and EU pet passports issued in France are no longer considered valid for entry into the UK.
To bring a pet into the UK, they will need to have:
A microchip
A valid rabies vaccination administered a minimum of 21 days prior to travel
An AHC (Animal Health Certificate) issued by an official vet in France
Tapeworm treatment for dogs, administered 1-5 days before travel
Additional considerations:
Pets must enter the UK via an approved transport company and route
Quarantine isn’t typically required if all requirements are met and all rules are followed
Assistance dogs can travel on more routes and may have additional exemptions
Make sure to plan well in advance. Arranging an AHC can take time and can cost between €100 to €200 per pet.
Other pets, like birds and reptiles, can be brought to the UK from France, but the rules are stricter. PETS does not cover these types of animals, and therefore, additional paperwork and checks are required. Find out more on GOV.UK. You can also speak to our Pet Transportation team for more tips and guidance.
Do you require assistance or advice about moving to the UK from France? Get in touch with Bishop’s Move European department today, and you will be guaranteed a bon voyage!
MOVING TO THE UK
We offer our full range of removal services to customers looking to move to the UK, including packing, removals insurance, and transportation.
Whether you are moving to Australia or Zimbabwe, Bishop’s Move’s International shipping services can help. We also operate European relocation services on a weekly basis – so wherever in the world you are moving to or from, we can make your journey home a success.
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