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Settling in

Settling in Washington, DC

Washington has one quirk that changes everything: the city spreads over three jurisdictions, the District of Columbia, Maryland and Virginia, with three administrations, three driving licences and three sets of rental rules. The rest is a classic American move: everyone's visa, the Social Security number, health insurance, the bank account, then school and housing. Here is what we would have liked to know before arriving, checked against official sources.

Verified on 31 October 2026

Arrival and first steps

Nobody settles in the United States without a visa, and every family member has their own, attached to the working parent's. In Washington, many families arrive on a G-4 visa for international organisations or a diplomatic visa, which have their own rules.

Good to know

  • Partner and children under 21 apply for a visa derived from the working parent's (L-2 for an intra-company transfer, H-4, J-2, E-2, G-4 for the World Bank, IMF or OAS): one application per person, filed together, with the same length of stay. Source
  • The spouse's right to work depends on the visa: L-2 (and E) spouses are employment-authorised as of right, with no permit to apply for; J-2 and G-4 spouses, and some H-4 spouses, must first obtain an Employment Authorization Document (EAD, Form I-765), which takes several months. Source
  • Registration with the French consular register is free, valid 5 years and done online on service-public.fr, for you and for each child: French ID, photo under 6 months old and proof of US address under a year old (lease, utility bill, local driving licence). Source
  • The Washington consulate general covers DC, Maryland, Virginia, Delaware, Pennsylvania and West Virginia; almost every procedure is by appointment, Monday to Friday, and a minor must be accompanied by a parent. Source
  • Week 1, in order: activate the family's health insurance, apply for the Social Security number (SSN) of whoever is allowed to work, in person at a Social Security office with passport, visa and I-94 (applying is free), open the bank account, then the local driving licence and consular registration. Source
  • Visiting grandparents travel visa-free with an ESTA authorisation, applied for online before departure, for stays of up to 90 days. Source

Addresses

  • Consulat général de France à Washington, DC

    Consulate

    4101 Reservoir Road NW, Washington, DC 20007

    On the grounds of the French embassy, on the edge of Georgetown. By appointment Monday to Friday, morning and afternoon; an extreme-emergency number for French nationals and the France Consulaire helpline for general questions.

    Website Source

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Housing: neighbourhoods and renting

French families follow Rochambeau and the Metro: Bethesda and Chevy Chase in Maryland, north-west DC along the Red Line, McLean and Arlington on the Virginia side. Choosing your state also means choosing your public schools, your taxes and your rental rules.

Good to know

  • Washington Accueil lists the neighbourhoods and towns French speakers favour: in DC, Georgetown, Dupont Circle, Capitol Hill, Friendship Heights, Tenleytown, Spring Valley and Woodley Park; in Maryland, Bethesda, Chevy Chase, Rockville, Kensington and Silver Spring; in Virginia, McLean, Vienna, Oakton, Reston, Arlington and Alexandria. Source
  • The Rochambeau bus serves 127 stops across Maryland, Virginia and DC, drawn around the neighbourhoods where most families live, within about ten miles of the Bethesda campus: check the route before signing a lease. Source
  • In DC, the security deposit cannot exceed one month's rent, must be held in an interest-bearing account and is returned with interest within 45 days of moving out; the landlord must hand you the Tenant Bill of Rights with the lease, and many older buildings are rent-controlled. Source
  • In Maryland, the deposit is also capped at one month's rent and returned within 45 days; in Virginia, it can reach two months' rent and the standard lease runs 12 months. Source
  • With no US credit history, prepare a strong file: employer letter, bank statements, sometimes a guarantor or a negotiated extra deposit. Viewings move fast, application fees are the norm, and 'unfurnished' usually includes washer, dryer and fridge.
  • Before choosing between DC, Maryland and Virginia, compare what comes with the address: the local public schools, free PK3 in DC, the state income tax and the commute to the office, the embassy or Rochambeau. Source

Addresses

  • Bethesda et Chevy Chase (Maryland)

    Neighbourhood

    The French heart of the area: both Rochambeau campuses on Rockville Pike and Forest Road, the Metro Red Line, big houses with gardens and Montgomery County's well-regarded public schools. Among the highest rents.

    Source

  • Nord-ouest de DC : Friendship Heights, Tenleytown, Spring Valley, Woodley Park

    Neighbourhood

    The residential 'Upper Northwest' neighbourhoods, between Rock Creek Park and the Maryland line: Red Line to Bethesda, parks, libraries, and free PK3 in DC public schools.

    Source

  • Georgetown et Dupont Circle

    Neighbourhood

    The historic neighbourhoods a stone's throw from the French embassy, the consulate and the World Bank: townhouses, the canal and the Potomac waterfront, but little Metro in Georgetown and often small homes.

    Source

  • Capitol Hill

    Neighbourhood

    The village around the Capitol: brick rowhouses, Eastern Market, parks and neighbourhood public schools; popular with families working downtown.

    Source

  • Rockville, Kensington et Silver Spring (Maryland)

    Neighbourhood

    More space on a tighter budget, still on the Red Line and in Montgomery County schools; the French bookshop Bonjour Books is in Kensington.

    Source

  • McLean, Vienna, Oakton et Reston (Virginie)

    Neighbourhood

    Fairfax County's leafy suburbs: big houses, well-regarded public schools, the Metro Silver Line and Great Falls next door; plan on a car and check the Rochambeau bus route.

    Source

  • Arlington et Alexandria (Virginie)

    Neighbourhood

    Just across the Potomac: direct Metro into town, newer buildings and house-lined streets, Old Town Alexandria for walks; a more affordable alternative to DC, with Virginia taxes.

    Source

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Phone and insurance

A prepaid eSIM gets you going on arrival, a contract plan will come with a credit history. On insurance, two are unavoidable: the car and, in DC, health.

Good to know

  • For the phone, an eSIM or a prepaid card activates in minutes; a contract plan goes through a credit check, which you cannot pass yet. Multi-line family plans quickly become better value.
  • Car insurance is compulsory to register and keep a vehicle in DC, and a lapse in cover brings growing fines and the suspension of the registration; Maryland and Virginia have the same requirement. Source
  • In DC, every resident must hold health coverage, month by month, or face a tax penalty (in force since tax year 2019); in practice nobody lives in the United States without insurance, usually the employer's, otherwise through the state marketplace. Source
  • Tenant's renters insurance is not a legal requirement but many landlords require it in the lease; it covers your belongings and family liability, topped up if you wish with an umbrella policy.

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Banking and money

The account opens quickly at a branch, credit builds slowly. Day to day everything is paid by card, and between individuals by Zelle or Venmo; the region's banks cover the District, Maryland and Virginia.

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

  • Bank of America

    Bank

    Large national bank, with branches in the District, Maryland and Virginia.

    Website Source

  • Capital One

    Bank

    Bank headquartered in Tysons, Virginia; branches and cafés across the region.

    Website Source

  • Chase

    Bank

    Large national bank, with branches in Washington and the suburbs.

    Website Source

  • PNC

    Bank

    Regional bank with a strong presence in Washington and Maryland.

    Website Source

  • Truist

    Bank

    South-eastern regional bank, with many branches in Virginia and Maryland.

    Website Source

  • Wells Fargo

    Bank

    Large national bank, with branches in the District and the suburbs.

    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

Washington has two IKEA stores, in College Park (Maryland) and Woodbridge (Virginia), best reached by car. Target, Costco and the region's supermarkets do the rest, and departing families sell a lot of their belongings.

Addresses

  • IKEA College Park

    Furniture and home

    10100 Baltimore Avenue, College Park (Maryland)

    The Maryland-side store, convenient from Bethesda, Chevy Chase and the north-east of the city.

    Website Source

  • IKEA Woodbridge

    Furniture and home

    2900 Potomac Mills Circle, Woodbridge (Virginie)

    The Virginia-side store, south of the region, next to Potomac Mills mall.

    Website Source

  • Target

    Supermarket

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

    Website Source

  • Costco

    Supermarket

    Membership warehouses in the District, Maryland and Virginia, for buying in bulk.

    Website Source

  • Giant Food

    Supermarket

    Washington-area supermarket chain, with pickup and delivery.

    Website Source

  • Harris Teeter

    Supermarket

    Supermarkets in the District, Virginia and Maryland.

    Website Source

  • Whole Foods Market

    Supermarket

    Organic supermarkets with imported products, several stores in the District and suburbs.

    Website Source

  • Tysons Corner Center

    Shopping mall

    1961 Chain Bridge Road, Tysons (Virginie)

    Large Northern Virginia mall, served by the Metro Silver Line.

    Website Source

  • Westfield Montgomery

    Shopping mall

    7101 Democracy Boulevard, Bethesda (Maryland)

    Bethesda mall, close to neighbourhoods where many French families live.

    Website Source

  • Fashion Centre at Pentagon City

    Shopping mall

    1100 S Hayes Street, Arlington (Virginie)

    Indoor Arlington mall, connected to Pentagon City Metro station.

    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

    Washington 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

WMATA's Metro links DC, Maryland and Virginia, and everything is paid with the SmarTrip card or a phone. Toddlers ride free, and so do DC schoolchildren. Beyond the Red Line, a car quickly becomes necessary again, and the licence depends on your state.

Good to know

  • Rail fares depend on distance and time, the bus has a flat fare, and bus-to-bus transfers are free for 2 hours with SmarTrip or contactless; up to two children aged 4 and under ride free with each fare-paying adult, from age 5 a child pays full fare. Source
  • Kids Ride Free: young people aged 5 to 21 living in DC and attending a school in the District (public, charter, private or parochial) ride Metrobus and Metrorail free within DC, with a SmarTrip card issued by the school; no card, no free ride. Source
  • Pushchair: every Metro station has elevators, signposted from the street, and outages are posted online; in trains and buses the priority seats go to elderly or disabled riders, fold the buggy if the bus is full. Source
  • As a DC resident you must obtain a DC licence after 30 days of residence (visitor visas excepted): your valid French licence waives the road test but not the written knowledge test, and an official translation is required for a licence not written in English. Source
  • In Virginia, France is one of the reciprocity countries: from age 18, your licence is exchanged without knowledge or road test, after verification of the licence (form DL 7) and proof of identity, legal presence and residency. Maryland also has an exchange agreement with France for the car licence. Source
  • Rochambeau runs a paid bus network priced by zone according to distance from the campus, cheaper from the second child and free from the fourth, plus a free Park & Bus for primary pupils from three car parks near the campuses. Source

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Admin: SSN, taxes and the consulate

No social security or carte Vitale: the American Social Security number is for working and paying taxes, not for healthcare. Tax is federal and state, and the consulate remains your town hall and prefecture.

Good to know

  • The Social Security number (SSN) is only issued to people authorised to work; a spouse without work authorisation and the children get an ITIN from the IRS to appear on the tax return, and the SSN is not health coverage. Source
  • As a US tax resident you report worldwide income to the IRS, plus your state's income tax (DC, Maryland or Virginia), and you report foreign bank accounts (FBAR); the return is filed in spring for the previous calendar year, often with an accountant the first year. Source
  • A tax treaty links France and the United States; your French obligations (French-source income, property in France) are handled by the non-residents tax directorate. Source
  • The French state does not cover your healthcare or a repatriation: you need local insurance; the Caisse des Français de l'étranger (CFE) is a voluntary scheme that complements it, with a means-tested category applied for at the consulate. Source
  • What the consulate does: passports and ID cards, registration of births, consular register, means-tested school grants for Rochambeau (January to March campaign on the SCOLAIDE platform, child and parent on the register), elections and social assistance. Source
  • What it does not do: US visas (US embassy and USCIS), driving licences (your state's DMV), legal or medical advice, for which it only publishes lists of French-speaking lawyers and doctors. Source
  • 911 is for emergencies only (police, fire, ambulance); 311 answers 24/7 for city services and non-urgent requests. Source

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Budget: what costs more, what costs less

Three lines weigh heavily in Washington: housing, childcare for little ones and healthcare. On the other side, free museums, public PK3 and cheap petrol lighten the bill. No precise figures, but here are the orders of magnitude.

Good to know

  • Housing: markedly more expensive than in France, among the highest rents in the country in north-west DC, Bethesda or Arlington; you gain space further out on the Red Line or in Virginia.
  • Childcare: a full-time daycare often costs as much as rent, with waiting lists; the good news is free PK3 and PK4 in DC public schools from the year a child turns 3 (birthday before 30 September), reserved for District residents. Source
  • Health: the insurance premium is often shared with the employer, but every visit and every prescription leaves something to pay (copay, annual deductible); an ER visit quickly runs into thousands of dollars without insurance.
  • Transport: under-5s ride free, DC schoolchildren too with Kids Ride Free; petrol is far cheaper than in France, but a car adds compulsory insurance, parking and express tolls. Source
  • Culture: the Smithsonian museums and the National Zoo are free, exhibitions and parking aside; it is the opposite of France and it changes rainy weekends. Source
  • Groceries and restaurants: prices are shown before sales tax, added at the till, and a 15 to 20% tip is expected in restaurants; groceries cost more than in France, especially cheese, bread and fruit. School: public schools free, Rochambeau very expensive, see our school fees page. Source

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A place has closed, something has changed? Tell us: the mums of Washington, DC 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 Washington, DC
  2. 2 Consulat de Washington, inscription au registre
  3. 3 Washington Accueil, les quartiers privilégiés par les francophones
  4. 4 FDIC, ouvrir un compte bancaire aux États-Unis
  5. 5 IKEA États-Unis, liste des magasins
  6. 6 DC Office of the Tenant Advocate, Tenant Bill of Rights
  7. 7 Virginia DMV, échange d'un permis étranger
  8. 8 IRS, obligations fiscales des nouveaux arrivants

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