Americans in France: Visas for second-home owners and customs rules for wine and cheese
From the visa situation for second home owners to tax reminders (for both countries) and whether or not you can take some of that delicious French cheese back to the US with you, here's our latest newsletter for Americans who either lives in France, visit frequently or plan to move here some day.
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.
Hello,
We've received some questions from readers about whether France will eventually bring in a visa for second-home owners. This curiosity is likely due to the fact that recently French Senator Corinne Imbert, of the centre-right Les Républicains party, submitted an amendment to the new Immigration Law, which would bring in a new visa for second-home owners who live outside the EU. It would be a a five-year visa that would allow visits of up to six months at a time.
Unfortunately, this is far from being a done deal - we will have to wait until at least September for the first reading of the bill, and it is going to be a contentious one, so it is very hard to predict what the law will look like after debates and whether or not lawmakers will scrap this amendment. For now, the best course of action would be to follow the 90-day rule, or consider other visa options, like the short or long-stay visitor visa. Sadly - there are no loopholes.
Americans living in France should remember that the final date for filing US income taxes is June 15th. When you go to file your American taxes, there are two ways to avoid double taxation, via foreign income exclusion or the foreign tax credit. There are some pros and cons to both options, depending on your income level and whether or not you want to show taxable income in the United States.
As for your French taxes, if you live in départements 55-96 then you have a few more days (until June 8th). Everyone else should have already filed their tax declaration online. If you have not already, here is how to do so, and if you are wondering whether you are considered a tax resident of France, here is our guide.
Onto the fun stuff. Whether you live in France and are planning a trip back to the States this summer, or vice versa, you can start planning which of your favourite wines and cheeses you'll want to take back to the US with you. Provided you follow a few rules, this is entirely possible. Though, hopefully your preferred fromage is a hard cheese, rather than a soft or liquid one.
The Local has also put together a thorough listing of 27 French festivals and summer events worth checking out in the next few months, if you are looking for fun things to do while in l'Hexagone.
And finally - if you have any subjects you would like The Local to cover in this newsletter, or any questions, concerns, or tips related to Americans in France, don't hesitate to fill out our survey HERE.
I'll end on a piece of wisdom from a fellow American in France, Kevin K in Gournay-sur-Marne: "eat more Mexican food (or just spicy in general)". I concur, and will slip in some advice of my own: I recently discovered that the international section at many Auchan Hypermarché (the giant ones) is a great place to find canned jalapeños and black beans. If you live in the Paris region, there are a few just on the edge of the city. Enjoy your next taco Tuesday.
Note: For those who received this newsletter on June 1st, you might have noticed I wrote "a few more weeks" for the June 8th French tax declaration deadline for depts 55-96. This should have read "a few more days". Apologies for the mistake.
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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.
Hello,
We've received some questions from readers about whether France will eventually bring in a visa for second-home owners. This curiosity is likely due to the fact that recently French Senator Corinne Imbert, of the centre-right Les Républicains party, submitted an amendment to the new Immigration Law, which would bring in a new visa for second-home owners who live outside the EU. It would be a a five-year visa that would allow visits of up to six months at a time.
Unfortunately, this is far from being a done deal - we will have to wait until at least September for the first reading of the bill, and it is going to be a contentious one, so it is very hard to predict what the law will look like after debates and whether or not lawmakers will scrap this amendment. For now, the best course of action would be to follow the 90-day rule, or consider other visa options, like the short or long-stay visitor visa. Sadly - there are no loopholes.
Americans living in France should remember that the final date for filing US income taxes is June 15th. When you go to file your American taxes, there are two ways to avoid double taxation, via foreign income exclusion or the foreign tax credit. There are some pros and cons to both options, depending on your income level and whether or not you want to show taxable income in the United States.
As for your French taxes, if you live in départements 55-96 then you have a few more days (until June 8th). Everyone else should have already filed their tax declaration online. If you have not already, here is how to do so, and if you are wondering whether you are considered a tax resident of France, here is our guide.
Onto the fun stuff. Whether you live in France and are planning a trip back to the States this summer, or vice versa, you can start planning which of your favourite wines and cheeses you'll want to take back to the US with you. Provided you follow a few rules, this is entirely possible. Though, hopefully your preferred fromage is a hard cheese, rather than a soft or liquid one.
The Local has also put together a thorough listing of 27 French festivals and summer events worth checking out in the next few months, if you are looking for fun things to do while in l'Hexagone.
And finally - if you have any subjects you would like The Local to cover in this newsletter, or any questions, concerns, or tips related to Americans in France, don't hesitate to fill out our survey HERE.
I'll end on a piece of wisdom from a fellow American in France, Kevin K in Gournay-sur-Marne: "eat more Mexican food (or just spicy in general)". I concur, and will slip in some advice of my own: I recently discovered that the international section at many Auchan Hypermarché (the giant ones) is a great place to find canned jalapeños and black beans. If you live in the Paris region, there are a few just on the edge of the city. Enjoy your next taco Tuesday.
Note: For those who received this newsletter on June 1st, you might have noticed I wrote "a few more weeks" for the June 8th French tax declaration deadline for depts 55-96. This should have read "a few more days". Apologies for the mistake.
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