Read news from:
Austria
SHARE
COPY LINK

AMERICANS IN FRANCE

Americans in France: The new ‘values’ contract and acing the French driver’s test

From a new requirement to 'respect the values of the republic' to opening joint bank accounts and surviving the long, expensive process of getting a French driver's licence, here's our latest newsletter for Americans who either live in France, visit frequently or plan to move here some day.

Published: 24 July 2024 15:33 CEST
Americans in France: The new 'values' contract and acing the French driver's test
A Marianne bust, a national symbol of the French Republic, is pictured in Paris, on January 31, 2022. (Photo by Ludovic MARIN / AFP)

Welcome to The Local’s “Americans in France” monthly newsletter for members, featuring all the news and practical information you need as an American resident, visitor or second-home owner in France. You can sign up to receive it directly to your inbox before we publish it online via the link below. 

Dear Americans in France,

Last week, the French government published a decree bringing into effect the new requirement to sign a ‘contract respecting the values of the republic’ when applying for a French residency card.

This additional document will be a requirement for most Americans looking to make France their home long-term. In truth, signing the contract is a relatively small and quick administrative requirement that will be done when making an application for either a new residency card or to renew one. We’ve put together a guide on how to do so. 

Nevertheless, you are agreeing to a set of values that France deems important – here’s what you are signing up for.

Bureaucratic challenges are something that Americans in France have to get used to when living here. One consistently tricky area is opening a bank account. Unfortunately, Americans looking to open joint bank accounts with their French spouses or partners can also run into issues, thanks to FATCA reporting requirements.

You should be aware that there are two types of joint accounts in France with very different rules. The main difference is related to whether or not account-holders need permission from others to spend or receive money, and whether the account will be frozen by the bank following the death of one of the account holders.

In each edition of this newsletter, I like to take a moment to respond to specific questions from readers. As always, we have our ongoing ‘Americans in France’ survey open. You can let us know if there are any topics you would like to see covered, and you can also give helpful tips (the ones you wish you had known beforehand) for other Americans looking to move to France.

One of our readers, Steph Dixon in Paris, asked us how to get a French drivers licence affordably: “For those living in Paris, can one take the drivers test outside Paris to have less crowds, for example?”

The answer is yes, you can take your test in a different département. As the process is notoriously long, expensive, and painful, we’ve put together some tips to get a French driver’s licence as painlessly as possible.

Another reader who has been in France for over 20 years, but wished to remain anonymous on the survey offered some helpful advice: “Don’t be loud, remember to say bonjour, and do not shy away from asking for help! We’ve all been there.”

They also added: “Maybe this is too obvious, but if you want to live and work here, and don’t have EU nationality or a talent passport, it will be difficult to get a CDI [a long-term work contract]. I have spoken to a surprising number of Americans who don’t realise they have no automatic right to work here.”

This is an important point. Finding work in France as a foreigner can be difficult, especially if you do not have a strong grasp on the French language or the equivalent French credentials. 

Before you start looking for apartments or sending out applications, you will want to be realistic about your options for moving in the first place – in particular with regards to visas and work permits.

And finally, you might have heard rumours about an old but never-repealed treaty between France and the USA that allows Americans an extra three-month stay in France without requiring a visa.

It sounds almost too good to be true, but the agreement does exist. It goes back to 1949, and it is a bilateral travel agreement between France and the US. The only trouble is that it is not exactly valid anymore.

Of course feel free to get in touch or leave a comment. You can reach me at [email protected]

** Conspicuously, I’ve left out updates on the Paris 2024 Olympic Games, but we have lots of coverage on this – click HERE for the latest.

The American expat pressure group SEAT (Stop Extraterritorial American Taxation) is conducting a new survey on the impact of US taxation and banking policies on expats and is looking for Americans living in France to take part. You can read more about the survey here.

Member comments

Log in here to leave a comment.
Become a Member to leave a comment.

AMERICANS IN FRANCE

Americans in France: Tax fairness, credit scores, and medal-winning healthcare

From a campaign for tax fairness to the role of credit cards in France and the surprises French people encounter in the US, here's our latest newsletter for Americans who either live in France, visit frequently or plan to move here some day.

Published: 26 August 2024 15:06 CEST
Americans in France: Tax fairness, credit scores, and medal-winning healthcare

Welcome to The Local’s “Americans in France” monthly newsletter for members, featuring all the news and practical information you need as an American resident, visitor or second-home owner in France. You can sign up to receive it directly to your inbox before we publish it online via the link below. 

Dear Americans in France,

There are a few longstanding stereotypes about French people (and Parisians specifically). One is a tendency toward grumpiness and complaining. I cannot deny this categorically, but I will say that in the past few weeks, the mood has been brighter in the City of Light, thanks to the Olympics and Paralympics.

I managed to attend a few Olympic events –  luckily I did not see any France v USA face-offs in person, when we were head-to-head in basketball, I opted to split my allegiances, supprting the US women’s team and the French men’s team – and now we have the Paralympics, using the same stunning Paris venues that you may have seen on TV during the Olympics.

I enjoyed seeing US athletes like Ilona Maher going viral for their videos during the Games. I especially enjoyed the videos by rugby player Ariana Ramsey, who was dazzled by the accessibility of free healthcare in Paris. 

It’s not technically accurate to say that the athletes benefited from the French public healthcare system, since the clinic at the Athlete’s Village is funded by the Olympics organising committee but, as an American, I remember being shocked by the quality and affordability of French healthcare. Apparently it’s a big reason people move here too.

Americans have plenty of culture shocks when they move to France, but I recently stumbled upon the website French Morning, the leading news site for French people living in America (it’s basically The Local in reverse). They outlined some of the biggest surprises French people encounter in the United States.

As you’d expect the Frenchies miss their fresh pastries, bread and cheese, but many were confused by the concept of a credit score.

You might say this surprise goes both ways – Americans might expect that the high credit score they’ve spent years accruing would open doors in France, but in reality French society operates without credit scores and (largely) without credit cards.

If you have any other questions about surprises you might encounter when moving to France, or any general questions or comments, please take a moment to fill out our ongoing ‘Americans in France’ survey.

You can let us know if there are any topics you would like to see covered, and you can also give helpful tips (the ones you wish you had known beforehand) for other Americans looking to move to France.

I’d also like to highlight another survey – the White House Office of Public Engagement has shared a questionnaire in hopes of hearing from Americans living abroad about issues such as taxation and voting. You can take the short survey by clicking this LINK.

For many Americans abroad, taxation will be the most important issue to address with the US government. You may also be curious to read a recent article written by the head of the campaign group ‘Tax Faireness for Americans Abroad’, Brandon Mitchener, on why the system needs to change.

And on the topic of American politics – the US presidential election is not too far away. Don’t forget to request your absentee ballot!

As usual, I like to conclude with the advice of a fellow American in France. Here is a tip from Kevin Phillips in Nice: “Leave your expectations behind, adapt as best you can, embrace the French way.”

Of course feel free to get in touch or leave a comment. You can reach me at [email protected]

SHOW COMMENTS