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Settling in

Settling in New York

New York has to be earned in the first weeks: one visa per person, an apartment snapped up within hours, a Social Security number reserved for whoever works, and health insurance to choose before the first cold. Here is the order of steps we would have liked to know before arriving, checked against official sources and the city's French-language media.

Verified on 31 October 2026

Arrival and first steps

Every family member arrives with their own visa, attached to the working parent's. The French consulate general on Fifth Avenue, opposite Central Park, becomes your town hall and prefecture; registration is done online.

Good to know

  • The spouse and unmarried children under 21 of an L-1 transferee get L-2 status for the same period; since 30 January 2022, an L-2S spouse is authorised to work by virtue of their status alone, without a separate work permit. Source
  • The spouse of an H-1B worker receives an H-4 visa that does not allow work by default: they may only apply for employment authorisation (Form I-765) if the H-1B holder has an approved I-140 immigrant petition or an extension beyond six years, and must wait for approval before starting. Source
  • At each entry, customs records an electronic I-94 that sets each family member's authorised stay: download everyone's on arrival, it is requested for the Social Security number, the driving licence and sometimes school. Source
  • Registration with the French consular register is free, valid 5 years and done online on service-public.fr: French ID, recent photo and proof of US residence under a year old (state licence or ID, utility bill, lease, home insurance contract). A reminder arrives three months before expiry. Source
  • The New York consulate covers New York, New Jersey and Connecticut as well as Bermuda; it receives by appointment only, Monday to Friday 9:00 to 13:00 and 14:00 to 16:00, and the France Consulaire line answers general questions other than visas. Source
  • Week 1, in order: I-94 records, Social Security appointment for whoever is working, bank account, mobile plan, choice of the employer's health insurance plan, enrolling the children at the zoned school, then the French consular register.
  • Visiting grandparents travel visa-free for up to 90 days with an ESTA authorisation, applied for online before departure and carrying a fee, babies included. Source

Addresses

  • Consulat général de France à New York

    Consulate

    934 Fifth Avenue, New York, NY 10021

    On the Upper East Side, opposite Central Park, between 74th and 75th Streets. All procedures by appointment; subway 6 (77th Street) or buses M1 to M4. Accueil New York holds its drop-in sessions here twice a month.

    Website Source

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Housing: neighbourhoods and renting

French families follow the schools: the Upper East Side around the Lycée Français, Carroll Gardens and its neighbours in Brooklyn around the free dual language programmes, Larchmont and Hoboken for houses. The market is one of the tightest in the country and you need a complete file before the first viewing.

Good to know

  • New York's rental vacancy rate was 1.41% in 2023, one of the lowest ever measured since the city survey began in 1965: good apartments go within hours and viewings are often held in groups. Source
  • Landlords generally ask for an annual income of 40 to 50 times the monthly rent; without a US credit history, you need a US-based guarantor earning 80 to 100 times the rent, or a paid guarantor company (Insurent, TheGuarantors, Leap). The lease runs one year and the security deposit is most often one month's rent. Source
  • Since 11 June 2025, the FARE Act bars landlords from passing on to tenants the fee of a broker the tenant did not hire; listings must show all fees and the landlord must hand over a written, itemised list before signing. Complaints go to the Department of Consumer and Worker Protection or 311. Source
  • The security deposit is normally one month's rent; in buildings of six or more units it must be held in an interest-bearing New York bank account, with the tenant told in writing of the bank and the amount. Inspect and photograph the apartment with the landlord before moving in. Source
  • File to prepare before searching: US pay stubs or offer letter, passport and visa, bank statements. Classic pitfalls: an offer too good to be true asking for money before any viewing, an early departure that leaves the remaining rent payable by you, and 'utilities included' to check line by line (water, heating, sometimes electricity). Source
  • In public schools, placement depends on your address (zoned school) and the free French dual language programmes exist in only a few schools: choosing the neighbourhood often means choosing the school. Family Welcome Centers help newcomers enrol a child, by appointment, Monday to Friday. Source

Addresses

  • Upper East Side

    Neighbourhood

    The historic French quarter: the Lycée Français de New York on 75th Street, the consulate on Fifth Avenue, Central Park as your garden and the Museum Mile museums. Apartments are often small for the price, but everything is walkable.

    Source

  • Upper West Side

    Neighbourhood

    Between Central Park and Riverside Park, the natural history museum around the corner, and public schools with French teaching supported by EFNY (PS 84, Lafayette Academy). Very family-oriented, slightly cheaper than the east side.

    Source

  • Flatiron, Gramercy et Midtown East

    Neighbourhood

    The École (bilingual, nursery to grade 8) on 22nd Street, Kennedy International School on 43rd and the United Nations school by the East River: handy for families where both parents work in Midtown.

    Source

  • Tribeca et Battery Park City

    Neighbourhood

    Lower Manhattan for families: Hudson River esplanades, Hudson River Park playgrounds, well-regarded public schools (PS 234 offers French with EFNY). High rents, newer buildings with amenities.

    Source

  • Carroll Gardens, Cobble Hill et Boerum Hill

    Neighbourhood

    The favourite neighbourhood of French families in Brooklyn: PS 58, the first public school in the city to open a French-English dual language programme in 2007, the International School of Brooklyn, Carroll Park, brownstones and the F and G trains to Manhattan.

    Source

  • Park Slope et Clinton Hill

    Neighbourhood

    Park Slope borders Prospect Park, with highly rated public schools (PS 321 teaches French with EFNY) and real family life; Clinton Hill, more affordable, hosts the French programme at PS 20.

    Source

  • Greenpoint et Williamsburg

    Neighbourhood

    The PS 110 dual language programme is fifteen years old and draws French, Belgian, Swiss and Québécois families; Domino Park and the East River ferry for outings, a young, creative vibe.

    Source

  • Larchmont, Mamaroneck et New Rochelle (Westchester)

    Neighbourhood

    Three or four-bedroom houses, greenery and the shore, the Metro-North train to Grand Central, and the French-American School of New York with its Larchmont and Mamaroneck campuses: a strong French community has settled here.

    Source

  • Hoboken (New Jersey)

    Neighbourhood

    Across the Hudson, about ten minutes from Manhattan by PATH train or ferry: tree-lined streets, parks, skyline views, a gentler cost of living and the Tessa International School, an accredited French track from nursery to grade 5.

    Source

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Phone and insurance

A prepaid eSIM gets you going from the airport, a contract plan will come with a credit history. On insurance, the car's is compulsory, the home's is often required by the landlord, and health insurance is indispensable even though no law forces you.

Good to know

  • For the phone, an eSIM or prepaid SIM activates in minutes with a passport; the big carriers' contract plans often ask for a Social Security number and a credit check, which you do not have yet.
  • Registering a car in New York State requires liability insurance from a New York insurer, kept in force as long as the plates are valid; the legal minimums are set by the DMV and an out-of-state policy is not accepted. Source
  • Renters insurance is not required by law but most landlords require it in the lease; it covers your belongings and your liability, while the building's insurance remains the landlord's.
  • There is no longer a federal tax penalty for lacking health insurance for plan years after 2018, but without cover every visit or ER trip is billed at full price: take the employer's family plan from day one, or go through the state marketplace. Source

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Banking and money

The bank account opens at a branch in the first week with a passport. Day to day everything is paid by card, and between individuals by Zelle or Venmo; credit, for its part, builds over several months.

Good to know

  • To open an account, the bank asks for a Social Security number (SSN) or an ITIN, and ID: a passport works. Many banks open accounts for non-citizens with a foreign passport; go to a branch with your passport, visa and a US address, as online sign-up usually requires an SSN. Source
  • You arrive without a US credit history, and your credit score will matter for a loan and sometimes for a lease. A credit card paid off every month, often a secured one at first, builds it within a few months. Source
  • Until the local account is open, your French bank card works in most shops. Wise also offers a multi-currency account and card in the United States, according to its US page. Source
  • Day to day, people mostly pay by card, credit or debit, often contactless or by phone; cash is still used by a large majority of Americans, so keep a few notes. Source
  • Between individuals (babysitter, club fees, splitting a bill), people send money with Zelle, built into the app of over 2,400 banks (the separate Zelle app closed in 2025), or with Venmo. Zelle's own advice: only send money to people you know and trust, as a payment to a stranger is hard to get back. Source
  • For a transfer between France and the United States, the provider (bank or transfer service) must tell you the fees, the exchange rate and the amount that will arrive before you pay; you have 30 minutes to cancel at no cost. For school fees or the security deposit, follow the payment instructions given by the school or landlord. Source
  • Keep your French account, but tell your bank before leaving: it must become a non-resident account, and because of the US FATCA law some French banks refuse or close the accounts of French people living in the United States. If refused, the right to an account lets you ask the Banque de France to designate a bank. Source

Addresses

  • Chase

    Bank

    Large national bank, with many branches and ATMs across the five boroughs.

    Website Source

  • Bank of America

    Bank

    Large national bank, with branches in Manhattan and the other boroughs.

    Website Source

  • Citi

    Bank

    Bank founded in New York, with a dense branch network in the city.

    Website Source

  • TD Bank

    Bank

    US arm of Canada's TD group, with branches in New York and New Jersey.

    Website Source

  • Capital One

    Bank

    National bank, with branches and Capital One Cafés in New York.

    Website Source

  • Zelle

    Instant transfers between US accounts, from your bank's app; all you need is the recipient's phone number or email address.

    Website Source

  • Venmo

    Peer-to-peer payment app, linked to a US account or card, widely used to split expenses.

    Website Source

  • Revolut

    App-based payment account with a card: handy day to day and for currency exchange, but not a bank in this country.

    Website Source

  • Wise

    Multi-currency account (Wise is not a bank): receive money from France, pay with the card, exchange currencies.

    Website Source

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Getting set up

New York has an IKEA within the city, in Red Hook (Brooklyn), and two more on Long Island and in New Jersey. For the rest, Target, Costco and the supermarkets cover the essentials, and second-hand goods circulate a lot between families arriving and leaving.

Addresses

  • IKEA Brooklyn

    Furniture and home

    1 Beard Street, Red Hook, Brooklyn

    The IKEA store within the city, on the Red Hook waterfront; delivery and assembly can be booked.

    Website Source

  • IKEA Long Island

    Furniture and home

    1100 Broadway Mall, Hicksville (Long Island)

    Large suburban store, convenient for families living on Long Island.

    Website Source

  • IKEA Elizabeth

    Furniture and home

    1000 IKEA Drive, Elizabeth (New Jersey)

    Large store on the New Jersey side, convenient from Jersey City, Hoboken and by road from Westchester.

    Website Source

  • Target

    Supermarket

    Big-box stores in the city and suburbs: home linen, storage, baby gear, school supplies and groceries.

    Website Source

  • Costco

    Supermarket

    Membership warehouses (Brooklyn, Queens, Long Island, New Jersey) for buying in bulk.

    Website Source

  • Whole Foods Market

    Supermarket

    Organic supermarkets with imported products, several stores in Manhattan and Brooklyn.

    Website Source

  • Épicerie Boulud

    Shop

    Chef Daniel Boulud's counters: bread, pastries, charcuterie and French-style dishes, at One Vanderbilt and Westfield World Trade Center among others.

    Website Source

  • Westfield World Trade Center

    Shopping mall

    185 Greenwich Street, Manhattan

    Indoor mall beneath the Oculus, connected to many subway lines and the PATH.

    Website Source

  • Roosevelt Field

    Shopping mall

    630 Old Country Road, Garden City (Long Island)

    Large Long Island mall, with department stores and children's shops.

    Website Source

  • American Dream

    Shopping mall

    East Rutherford (New Jersey)

    New Jersey shopping and leisure complex, home to Nickelodeon Universe, billed as America's largest indoor theme park near NYC.

    Website Source

  • Best Buy

    Appliances

    Electronics and appliances (washer, fridge), with delivery and installation on request; adapters and converters for your French devices.

    Website Source

  • The Home Depot

    Appliances

    DIY, storage and large appliances, delivered to your home.

    Website Source

  • Craigslist

    Second-hand

    New York classifieds: furniture, bikes, baby gear. See the item before paying, in a public place.

    Website Source

  • Facebook Marketplace

    Second-hand

    The main neighbour-to-neighbour second-hand market, along with neighbourhood groups and French expat groups where departing families sell their belongings.

    Website Source

Getting around with children

The subway runs 24/7, is paid with a tap of a contactless card and carries little ones for free. Few stations have an elevator, however, and a car only becomes useful in the suburbs.

Good to know

  • A ride costs $3 on the subway and local buses; up to three children under 44 inches tall travel free with a fare-paying adult, and you pay by tapping a contactless bank card, a phone or an OMNY card on the reader. Source
  • Using the same card or phone for every ride, the OMNY weekly cap applies: once you have spent $35 in seven days on the subway and local buses, the following rides are free until the end of the period. No need to buy a pass in advance. Source
  • Stroller: most stations only have stairs, spot accessible stations (elevator) on the map and in the MTA app, and learn to fold the stroller with one hand; on the low-floor buses, the wheelchair space keeps priority. Source
  • Driving licence: only a few US states have signed an exchange agreement with France, and New York State is not one of them; without an agreement, 'you must take the local driving test'. In New York, that means a written test for the learner permit, a compulsory pre-licensing course and then the road test. Source
  • In Manhattan and most of Brooklyn, a family lives very well without a car: scarce, expensive parking, tolls, compulsory New York insurance. In Westchester, on Long Island or in New Jersey, a car becomes necessary again for school and shopping, with the train (Metro-North, LIRR, NJ Transit, PATH) serving Manhattan.
  • NYC Ferry links Manhattan, Brooklyn, Queens and the Bronx along the East River and the Hudson for a single flat fare: an outing in itself with children, strollers welcome on board. Source

Go further

Admin: Social Security, taxes and the consulate

The US Social Security number opens no health rights: it is a tax and employment identifier, reserved for those authorised to work. Taxes are filed every spring at three levels, and the consulate remains your anchor for everything French.

Good to know

  • The Social Security number (SSN) is requested from the Social Security Administration, in person at an office, with passport, visa, I-94 record and proof of work authorisation; it is in principle reserved for people authorised to work, so a spouse without a work permit does not get one. Source
  • A spouse or child not eligible for an SSN but who must appear on the tax return applies for an ITIN (individual taxpayer identification number) from the IRS with Form W-7, filed with the return; it is available regardless of immigration status and the decision takes about seven weeks. Source
  • The federal income tax return is due by 15 April for the previous calendar year; an automatic six-month extension exists to file, not to pay. Tax is largely withheld at source by the employer. Source
  • Residents of the five boroughs (Bronx, Brooklyn, Manhattan, Queens, Staten Island) pay, on top of New York State income tax, a city income tax filed on the same IT-201 form; a family settled in New Jersey or Connecticut is exempt from it. Source
  • A tax treaty links France and the United States to avoid double taxation; your French obligations as a non-resident fall to the non-residents tax directorate, the consulate does not handle tax matters. Source
  • What the New York consulate does: passports and ID cards, consular register, elections, means-tested social aid, AEFE school grants for French children on the register (first campaign January to March, second in October-November, filed on the SCOLAIDE platform). Civil status and nationality procedures, including registering a birth, are centralised at the Washington and Los Angeles consulates. Source
  • What it does not do: US visas (US embassy), legal advice, translations, and it covers no health or repatriation costs, 'the French State will not cover your health costs'. Its out-of-hours emergency line is reserved for extreme situations (serious accident, death, imprisonment, endangered minor); a lost passport with no imminent trip is not one. Source

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Budget: what costs more, what costs less

Three lines blow up a family budget in New York: housing, childcare for little ones and health. On the other side, free public school from age 3, free subway rides for little ones and an avalanche of free outings rebalance the bill. No precise figures, but here are the orders of magnitude.

Good to know

  • Housing: markedly more expensive, often double Paris for a comparable space, and more still in Manhattan near the French schools. The 1.41% vacancy rate measured in 2023 explains the competition between tenants and the demanding files. Source
  • Childcare for little ones: very expensive before age 3, private daycare or a nanny (often shared between two families). Relief comes with 3-K and Pre-K: all NYC children born in 2023 can apply for a free school-day 3-K seat for 2026-27, regardless of immigration status, through MySchools. Source
  • Health: the line that surprises most. The monthly premium is only part of the cost, add the annual deductible, copays and the out-of-pocket maximum, and stay in the insurer's network; a birth or a specialist visit without cover runs to thousands of dollars. Source
  • Transport: cheaper than you think. Up to three children under 44 inches travel free with you, the OMNY weekly cap works like a pass with no commitment, and a car-free family saves parking, insurance and tolls. Source
  • Culture: the IDNYC card, free for residents, opens a year of free membership at major institutions (American Museum of Natural History, Met, MoMA, Wildlife Conservation Society zoos, Brooklyn Children's Museum); the library card gives access to Culture Pass and its free entries to over a hundred venues. Source
  • Groceries and restaurants: dearer than in France, especially as sales tax is added at the till and an 18 to 20% tip is the norm in restaurants; farmers' markets and suburban big-box stores help. School: public school free from 3-K to grade 12, French and private schools very expensive, see our school fees page.

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A place has closed, something has changed? Tell us: the mums of New York will thank you.

Sources for this page

The public pages these landmarks come from. The official website always prevails.

  1. 1 Consulat général de France à New York
  2. 2 Consulat, inscription au registre des Français établis hors de France
  3. 3 USCIS, famille des salariés L-1 et conjoints H-4
  4. 4 NYC Department of Consumer and Worker Protection, loi FARE sur les honoraires d'agence
  5. 5 FDIC, ouvrir un compte bancaire aux États-Unis
  6. 6 IKEA États-Unis, liste des magasins
  7. 7 IRS, dates limites de déclaration
  8. 8 lepetitjournal.com New York, trouver un appartement

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