What are your responsibilities as a resident of France?
Last week, we looked at
what you can and cannot do as a non-resident of France
.
This category includes tourists and short-term visitors, but also people who make frequent visits to France and in some cases own property here. Second-home owners often pay long visits to France, but stop short of becoming residents here.
Being a non-resident imposes limitations on your time in France - but becoming a resident also brings with it some responsibilities.
The difference is most stark for non-EU citizens who require a visa or residency permit in order to remain in France in the longer term, but some of the below responsibilities also apply to EU citizens who can move to France without a visa.
Tax
- this is the big one. If you are living in France then you automatically become a tax resident and are
required to complete the annual
déclaration des revenus
(income tax declaration).
In some circumstances non-residents have to compete this too depending on income, but once you are a resident in France on any kind of long-stay visa or
carte de séjour
residency permit, then France
considers you its tax resident
.
This means completing the annual income tax declaration, which involves
declaring all of your worldwide income
.
There are some aspects of this which frequently confuse foreigners - the first is that you must make the declaration even if you have no income in France (for example you are living off a pension paid in your home country). The second is that you must declare all of your worldwide income, even if it is taxed in your home country.
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In both cases the short answer to this question is the same - declaring income in France doesn't necessarily mean you will have to pay tax on it in France. If your income comes from a non-French source then it's likely that it will be taxed in the country of origin, depending on the type of income and the tax treaty between France and the country of origin.
Crucially, however, just because it is not taxable in France doesn't mean that you don't have to tell the French taxman about it - the usual practice is to declare your income and then receive tax credits for non-French income.
When it comes to work done remotely from France for clients in another country, France, in most cases, would consider that French income since it is "work done in France" -
full details here
.
Residency rules
- if you are a non-EU citizen and therefore need a visa/residency card to live in France, it is also up to you to fully understand the conditions of your residency permit, and to fulfil them.
Living in a way that is not in accordance with your residency status can see your application to renew being denied and even, in extreme cases, you being deported from France.
Common mistakes include working in France while on a non-working status or - for students -
exceeding the permitted hours of work
.
While the penalties for breaking the terms of the residency permit can be harsh, France is in fact fairly flexible if your circumstances genuinely change after arriving - for example you came on a spouse permit and
then get divorced
, or you arrive on a working visa and
then lose your job
. It is, however, up to you to make any changes necessary to ensure that you are still compliant.
It can be stressful if your old residency card runs out while you are still waiting for the préfecture to renew it - but this
does not mean that you are no longer legally resident
.
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French values
- part of the residency permit process also involves promising to adhere to 'French values'.
This doesn't mean agreeing with every decision the government makes - if that was the criteria 99 percent of French people would be deported - but it does mean giving an undertaking to respect certain core values such as democracy, freedom of expression and equality between men and women.
You can find a full explanation of exactly what you need to agree to
here
.
While the odd sexist comment won't get you kicked out of France (although it might mean you're not invited back to the feminist book club) being involved in a crime or activity that flagrantly contradicts those 'core values' can result in a renewal application being refused and you being required to leave France.
French laws
- like every country, France requires all visitors - long or short term - to respect its laws. Foreigners are dealt with by the judicial system in the same way as French citizens and if you commit a serious enough crime you could find yourself inside a French jail.
Any kind of custodial sentence is likely to see you deported on your release. Meanwhile a conviction for a lesser crime could make it hard to get your residency permit renewed.
READ ALSO
What crimes can lose you your residency rights in France?
Inheritance laws and taxes
- while tourists might get a slap on the wrist for
flying drones illegally
or being
drunk in a public place
, French laws are likely to have more of a long-term impact if you live here.
One aspect that especially affects people who buy property in the French inheritance system - French law means that you cannot disinherit your children, while the French inheritance tax structure makes it very expensive to leave property to someone who is not a spouse or a blood relative.
This can make things especially complicated for blended families, step-children who have not been formally adopted or unmarried partners - find the full guide to French inheritance
here
.
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Wealth tax
- once you have lived in France for five years you become liable for the 'wealth tax' on all of your global assets (for the first five years this specific tax applies only to your assets in France).
This is a tax on assets - especially property - and not earnings, and as such it can ensnare people who would not consider themselves as super-rich.
The threshold is €1.3 million in total - so that could include people who own a house in London or one of the more expensive cities in the US.
READ ALSO
:
What is France's 'wealth tax' and who pays it?✎
Rights
It's not all bad news, however, being a resident of France brings with it plenty of good things too - among them the right to spend unlimited amounts of time here and to eventually apply for long-term residency and perhaps French citizenship. You're also entitled to benefit from French
healthcare
and
pensions
, plus
workplace benefits
such as sick leave, maternity leave and unemployment benefits if you lose your job.
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Depending on your income there are also a wide range of grants and financial aid schemes available from
grants for home improvements
to help paying energy bills and a budget for
professional skills training
, holidays, bikes and concert tickets. Plus, France's SNCF rail network will give you an
annual discounted ticket
for your holidays.
READ ALSO
:
Bikes, gig tickets and holidays: 7 things the French government might pay for✎
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