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Moving Checklist
Before & after arrival
Relocation Timeline
Week-by-week what to expect
Cost of Living
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Healthcare in Turkey
Insurance, SGK, hospitals
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France to Turkey Relocation Guide 2026
Moving from France
to Turkey: Complete Guide
Everything French nationals need to know about relocating to Turkey — la convention fiscale franco-turque, Assurance Maladie, retraite, CAF, banking, and obtaining your Turkish residence permit.
Pourquoi la Turquie?
Turkey's appeal for French expats.
France and Turkey share a long cultural relationship — Turkey has a significant French-speaking community in Istanbul, a French school, and cultural institutes. For French expats, the combination of Mediterranean lifestyle, dramatic cost savings over Paris or Lyon, and a warm climate closely resembling the south of France makes Turkey increasingly attractive.
French bureaucratic exit requirements are significant: the tax implications, Sécurité Sociale, CAF, and retraite all require careful management. This guide covers each step in detail.
French advantages
- Visa-free entry to Turkey
- Direct Air France flights Istanbul–Paris
- French school (Lycée français) in Istanbul
- France-Turkey double tax treaty
- French retraite paid abroad
- Cultural and diplomatic ties
Key challenges
- French tax residency exit is complex
- Assurance Maladie ends on departure
- French banks may restrict non-residents
- CAF / social benefits all stop
- French-speaking healthcare hard to find in Turkey
- Turkish bureaucracy is unfamiliar
Avant de quitter la France
Your French departure checklist.
Complete these administrative steps before or on your departure date to avoid complications with the Impôts, Sécurité Sociale, and your retraite.
Déclaration d'expatriation
Notify your local mairie and update your situation with all French administrations. While deregistration isn't mandatory, it affects your French tax residency status and social security contributions.
Notify the Centre des Impôts
Inform your tax office (Centre des Impôts des non-résidents) of your departure date and new address. You will file a final French tax return for the year of departure. France's tax treaty with Turkey then determines your ongoing obligations.
Handle your Assurance Maladie (CPAM)
Your French health coverage (Carte Vitale) ceases upon departure. Notify your CPAM. If you have a complementary mutuell, cancel it from your departure date. Obtain Turkish private health insurance before leaving.
Notify the Caisse de Retraite
Contact your retirement pension body (CNAV, AGIRC-ARRCO, etc.) to register your overseas address. French retraite entitlements are preserved and can be paid abroad when you reach retirement age.
French banking as a non-resident
Most French banks can maintain non-resident accounts. Crédit Agricole and BNP Paribas have specific non-resident account products. You will likely need a French account for ongoing tax payments and pension receipt.
CAF and social benefits
Family benefits (CAF), housing aid (APL), and other social support end upon departure from France. Notify the CAF and any other benefiting bodies of your departure date.
Pre-departure checklist
Full checklist for French nationals.
France's social protection system is comprehensive — which means there are more bodies to notify when you leave. Handling these correctly ensures you keep your retraite rights, exit French taxation cleanly, and avoid unexpected bills.
French administrative tasks
- Update address with mairie and all French administrations
- Notify Centre des Impôts des non-résidents of departure
- Cancel Assurance Maladie / CPAM from departure date
- Notify Caisse de Retraite of overseas address
- Cancel CAF and other social benefit entitlements
- Notify French banks of non-resident status
- Arrange Turkish private health insurance
- Obtain a Turkish vergi numarası (tax number)
- Keep French bank account for ongoing tax/pension use
- Apply for Turkish e-ikamet within 90 days of arrival
Convention fiscale franco-turque
Tax questions for French expats.
Où s'installent les Français
Most popular cities for French nationals.
Istanbul
Most popular for French professionals. French school (Lycée français), Air France direct flights, significant French expat community.
Bodrum
French preference for upscale coastal lifestyle. Mediterranean feel reminiscent of the Côte d'Azur. Growing French property ownership.
Izmir
Progressive, secular atmosphere appeals to French expats. Aegean lifestyle, café culture, and a relaxed Mediterranean pace.
Cost comparison
France vs Turkey: cost of living.
Paris is one of Europe's most expensive cities. French expats in Istanbul or Bodrum typically find costs 55–65% lower — while enjoying a Mediterranean climate that closely resembles what they left behind in the south of France.
Full cost of living guideRelocating from another country?