https://feeds.thelocal.com/ Read the latest news and views from France in English en-us news@thelocal.com (TheLocal) webmaster@thelocal.com (TheLocal) TheLocal RSS Feed It's been an on-again, off-again plan, but from May 2026 a fee will be applied to anyone who needs to swap their foreign driving licence for a French one. https://www.thelocal.fr/20260423/france-to-impose-fees-for-driving-licence-exchange Thu, 23 Apr 2026 11:36:52 +0200 france-to-impose-fees-for-driving-licence-exchange Changes to the rules on EU Pet Passports have a particular impact on pet-loving second-home owners in France - here's what the regulations mean for them. https://www.thelocal.fr/20260424/what-do-new-eu-pet-passport-rules-mean-for-second-home-owners-in-france Fri, 24 Apr 2026 16:03:47 +0200 what-do-new-eu-pet-passport-rules-mean-for-second-home-owners-in-france Roughly 45,000 Brits in France will need to renew their post-Brexit residency cards this year, but exactly how to do this varies depending on where you live. Here's the préfecture-by-préfecture breakdown of the process. https://www.thelocal.fr/20251006/prefecture-how-each-area-of-france-will-deal-with-brexit-card-renewals Mon, 06 Oct 2025 14:17:58 +0200 prefecture-how-each-area-of-france-will-deal-with-brexit-card-renewals The EU has moved to tighten rules on pet passports, closing a loophole that has been used by many British second-home owners since Brexit. https://www.thelocal.fr/20260422/eu-tightens-rules-for-brits-travelling-to-europe-with-pets Wed, 22 Apr 2026 09:29:35 +0200 eu-tightens-rules-for-brits-travelling-to-europe-with-pets You've done everything right; sent in the application to renew your French residency permit in good time, supplied all the required documents, waited patiently for the préfecture to deal with your request. And then your card expires while you're still waiting - what should you do? https://www.thelocal.fr/20260416/what-to-do-if-your-carte-de-sejour-expires-while-youre-waiting-for-a-renewal Thu, 16 Apr 2026 16:24:03 +0200 what-to-do-if-your-carte-de-sejour-expires-while-youre-waiting-for-a-renewal The UK's new rules on compulsory British passports for dual nationals - including children born to Brits abroad - continue to cause confusion and stress. One dad told The Local how he has been forced to cancel a trip to the UK to see relatives. https://www.thelocal.fr/20260409/e500-down-the-drain-brit-in-france-has-to-cancel-trip-over-uk-dual-national-rules Thu, 09 Apr 2026 09:38:38 +0200 e500-down-the-drain-brit-in-france-has-to-cancel-trip-over-uk-dual-national-rules Children born overseas to a British citizen are, in most cases, entitled to a UK passport, and due to the UK's new ETA system they are required to have a British passport if they want to travel to the UK. Here's how to apply. https://www.thelocal.fr/20240503/how-do-you-get-a-british-passport-for-a-baby-born-in-france Fri, 03 May 2024 16:06:47 +0200 how-do-you-get-a-british-passport-for-a-baby-born-in-france It's not uncommon for people who move countries to have assets and income in more than one place - so what does this mean for your tax residency status in France? Here's what the rules say. https://www.thelocal.fr/20220825/explained-the-rules-on-tax-residency-in-france Thu, 25 Aug 2022 16:33:30 +0200 explained-the-rules-on-tax-residency-in-france The French health authority has announced the relaxation of certain criteria around who can donate blood, but those who spent time in the UK during the BSE crisis are still banned. https://www.thelocal.fr/20260325/france-relaxes-criteria-for-blood-donors-but-brits-are-still-banned Wed, 25 Mar 2026 10:58:37 +0100 france-relaxes-criteria-for-blood-donors-but-brits-are-still-banned Roughly 45,000 Brits living in France will this year be facing the task of renewing their post-Brexit carte de séjour - if you are one of those, here's how to go about it. https://www.thelocal.fr/20251001/step-by-step-how-to-renew-the-brexit-carte-de-sejour-in-france Wed, 01 Oct 2025 12:19:40 +0200 step-by-step-how-to-renew-the-brexit-carte-de-sejour-in-france The EU's new Entry & Exit System of border control started on October 12th - but a phased introduction means that not everyone travelling to and from France is affected by the new system. https://www.thelocal.fr/20250930/ees-calendar-when-will-new-border-checks-be-enforced-between-france-and-uk Tue, 30 Sep 2025 14:37:06 +0200 ees-calendar-when-will-new-border-checks-be-enforced-between-france-and-uk If you wish to give up British citizenship - here's how to do it, how much it costs and how, in some cases, you can get it back. https://www.thelocal.fr/20260218/how-dual-nationals-can-renounce-british-citizenship Wed, 18 Feb 2026 16:34:18 +0100 how-dual-nationals-can-renounce-british-citizenship New data from the French government shows that British nationals now make up the fifth largest group of foreign residency-permit holders in France. https://www.thelocal.fr/20260127/brits-now-fifth-largest-immigrant-group-in-france Tue, 27 Jan 2026 13:51:33 +0100 brits-now-fifth-largest-immigrant-group-in-france Several airlines are adding new UK routes to their schedules in 2026, with south-west France a particular focus due to its historic popularity with Brits - here's a list of the new routes this year. https://www.thelocal.fr/20260109/new-flights-between-france-and-uk-in-2026 Fri, 09 Jan 2026 13:58:50 +0100 new-flights-between-france-and-uk-in-2026 From new rules on French language tests and civics tests to changes in travel, healthcare and museum entry prices, here's what changes for foreigners living in France in 2026. https://www.thelocal.fr/20251211/everything-that-changes-for-foreigners-in-france-in-2026 Thu, 11 Dec 2025 12:31:19 +0100 everything-that-changes-for-foreigners-in-france-in-2026 The rights organisation working on behalf of British nationals living in Europe has urged Brits to update their post-Brexit residency cards where applicable, in order to gain the benefits of permanent residency. https://www.thelocal.fr/20260106/dont-delay-brits-in-france-urged-to-upgrade-post-brexit-residency-permits Tue, 06 Jan 2026 10:56:24 +0100 dont-delay-brits-in-france-urged-to-upgrade-post-brexit-residency-permits If you're travelling to the UK from France this Christmas you might be thinking of bringing gifts of France's famously excellent cheese, pâté, charcuterie or foie gras - but a change in British import rules is still in effect. https://www.thelocal.fr/20251204/can-you-bring-french-meat-or-cheese-into-the-uk-this-christmas Thu, 04 Dec 2025 12:10:21 +0100 can-you-bring-french-meat-or-cheese-into-the-uk-this-christmas In the UK, there are various benefits available to help eligible people through the cold winter months – one of which is the winter fuel payment - and you don't have to live in the UK to benefit. https://www.thelocal.fr/20221128/can-brits-in-france-claim-the-uks-winter-fuel-payment Mon, 28 Nov 2022 13:27:51 +0100 can-brits-in-france-claim-the-uks-winter-fuel-payment Foreigners who have residency in France gain extra rights (and responsibilities) which are not open to those who simply own property here or visit regularly. Here's a look at what non-residents can and cannot access. https://www.thelocal.fr/20250602/what-you-can-and-cannot-do-as-a-non-resident-in-france Mon, 02 Jun 2025 12:42:57 +0200 what-you-can-and-cannot-do-as-a-non-resident-in-france European travellers to the UK now require an electronic ETA visa waiver, with the UK government warning that they will start barring entry to those who don't have the required waiver. UK nationals are exempt, but what about their French partners, spouses or children? https://www.thelocal.fr/20250303/will-i-need-an-eta-visa-for-my-french-spouse-or-children Mon, 03 Mar 2025 12:03:31 +0100 will-i-need-an-eta-visa-for-my-french-spouse-or-children