November 2024
Time takes a cigarette
Puts it in your mouth
You pull on your finger, then another finger
Then your cigarette
The wall-to-wall is calling
It lingers, then you forget
Oh, oh, oh, oh
You’re a rock ‘n’ roll suicide
You’re too old to lose it, too young to choose it
And the clock waits so patiently on your song
You walk past a café
But you don’t eat when you’ve lived too long
Oh, no, no, no
You’re a rock ‘n’ roll suicide
Chev brakes are snarling
As you stumble across the road
But the day breaks instead
So you hurry home
Don’t let the sun blast your shadow
Don’t let the milk float ride your mind
They’re so natural
Religiously unkind
Oh no, love! You’re not alone
You’re watching yourself, but you’re too unfair
You’ve got your head all tangled up
But if I could only make you care
Oh no, love! You’re not alone
No matter what or who you’ve been
No matter when or where you’ve seen
All the knives seem to lacerate your brain
I’ve had my share, I’ll help you with the pain
You’re not alone!
Just turn on with me and you’re not alone
Let’s turn on and be not alone (wonderful)
Gimme your hands, ’cause you’re wonderful
Gimme your hands, ’cause you’re wonderful
Oh, gimme your hands
“Rock ‘n’ Roll Suicide” is a song by the English singer-songwriter David Bowie on the album Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders from Mars,” released on June 16th, 1972.
A friend of mine committed suicide in October. It happened that he was a public figure, even though he did everything he could to avoid becoming one. As a webmaster for his employer, absolutely nothing in his life should have made him known. His employer was the satirical magazine Charlie Hebdo. He was the first victim of the January 2015 terrorist attack simply because his office was the closest to the entrance. He barely survived his wounds.
Election day in the USA is on November 5th. So much is being said by so many people about so many topics during this campaign. These last few weeks, I have had the impression that the same things are being repeated, with each campaign amplifying its core message. This is only to be expected: all candidates do it. But this time, it feels like the candidates are not talking about the same country or the same American citizens. Can a country commit suicide? Each side pretty much says that, that is what will happen if the other side wins. How can the outcome be so close that everyone talks about the margin of error, incapable of figuring out who will win?
There is always a reason to hope, a way to believe in a better future. Even though the result of an election has consequences, we all have lives to live, as well as family and friends to love. I believe in the power of loving and caring.
THE MARGIN OF ERROR: POLITICAL VS. SOCIOLOGICAL ANALYSIS OF THE ELECTION
This year, once again, there is a talk in all the media outlets about the importance of the margin of error and the swing states. For French people, having elections decided at the state level is difficult to understand. The polls identify potential voters by race, gender, age, education, socio-economic status, religion, and so on. This leads the candidates to tailor communication to micro-segments of the population. According to the polls, the election is so close that focusing on a tiny fraction of the population can change the outcome. A majority could be decided by less than 1,000 votes, making the result in some states impossible to forecast.
The two main party candidates’ visions of the future USA could not be more different. As Churchill put it, “Democracy is the worst form of government except for all those other forms that have been tried from time to time.” Even so, the result of this election could be determined by a few who do not vote on November 5th – those who do not feel like it, or who were having a great time with their friends after work, or who did not have an opinion, or who had a cold and did not want to stand in line for hours, and so on.
Intellectually, it is mind-boggling that such a radical choice is dangling by a thread, depending on people who are not that interested in this election or, of course, its outcome.
I remember the 2000 election between Al Gore and George W Bush – the agonizing hours, then days and weeks while the votes in Florida were counted and recounted. Much has been learned and improved since then; today no one has to look at a ballot to determine if there is a hole in it or not. In 2020, the procedures, equipment, and technology were so much better that the recounts were accurate two or three times in a row.
Alongside the extreme polarization of the population, a growing portion of Americans seem not to care and do not follow politics or want to be involved. They are beyond despair, believing that things cannot get better, that their lives cannot get better.
A SPECIAL FRIEND DIED LAST MONTH
On October 17th, Simon Fieschi died at the age of 40. Here is what I wrote on Facebook when I learned about his death:
“He was my client. I felt like he was my friend. We shared our stories and our projects. With his permission, I wrote about him in my column. I saw him less than a year ago at a premiere. Rest in peace. It is a tragedy in so many ways. He survived the Charlie-Hebdo terrorist attack. He has just committed suicide.”
On October 18th, the newspaper Libération reported: “Simon Fieschi lost 7 centimeters on January 7th, and the use of his legs and hands. Evacuated to the Pitié-Salpêtrière hospital, he was placed in an induced coma for a week.
“As a result, I found out about the January 7th attack a week later, on January 14th.” It was his mother who told him when he woke up: the massacre, the hunt for the Kouachi brothers, the Hyper Cacher, the January 11th march.
“It took me several hours to understand. Then I couldn’t remember who was alive or dead. And I had an absurd sense of embarrassment; I didn’t dare ask anymore. … The physical pain is so intense that it takes up all the space.”
Below is the section of my September 2016 issue describing how I met him.
WHEN THE REALITY OF TERRORISM KNOCKS ON MY DOOR
Since the early days of 2015, terrorism has been in the news, and terrorists continue to hit targets all over the world. They struck once again in France this past July. We all read about it. The news coverage depends on where the attacks happened, how many people died or were injured, and so on. It is very sad to say, but in France, it is starting to become a fact of life; it is clear that the Bastille Day attack is unlikely to be the last one. Getting information, or maybe an excess of information, through the media for such events still does not make these attacks real or personal unless you know someone who is a victim. Then, you are faced with the evidence of what a mauled life is.
No one in my close circle of friends or my family has been a direct victim of one of these attacks. But this summer, one of the victims, a survivor who was badly hurt, came to my office and sat in front of me. Then I was faced with what terrorism does. Adding insult to injury, the couple has been sent back to the prefecture again and again for close to a year. Yes, they are also victims of the too-familiar runaround: being told that a document is always missing, that “this is insufficient information.” To add to the problem, the French spouse is dealing with a severe medical condition, does not have perfect documentation, and never mentions that the physical handicap came from being the victim of terrorism.
A beautiful soul in a broken body is my visualization of what terrorism does to people. In many ways, I feel honored that they came to me on the immigration issue. It made me feel humble at a time when I was impatient over everything that was needed to make a move and change in my professional life possible. When I compare our situations, my struggles become minuscule and should be put in perspective.
I never know who will walk through my door when a first-time client arrives. Sometimes my work takes on a different dimension. Fixing the lives of these victims is impossible; most of the time, they are left with a permanent handicap. But I can do my utmost to make sure that this couple’s administrative situation is swiftly fixed. In many ways, I feel like I owe this to them, and not just because I am paid. It feels like too little, too late.
The victims of terrorism now have a face.
RENTING A HOME IN FRANCE
Renting lodging in France is complicated because tenants are heavily protected. Therefore, landlords are always extremely suspicious. All aspiring tenants need a solid guarantor on top of earning at least three times the amount of rent, and their income must be stable enough to indicate that there should be no problem paying in the future. I have broken down below the information tenants need to provide so as to avoid the most common mistakes when looking for rental lodging.
1. Le dossier de location numérique de l’État – a government tool to prevent identity theft
DossierFacile is a free public platform, launched in 2018, that aims to make it easier and safer to compile an online rental file. Its objectives are to simplify the search process for both tenants and landlords, ensure that the information transmitted is reliable, and to protect applicants’ documents.
The service covers single people, couples, and multiple roommates. Identification is via FranceConnect for both tenants and landlords. If users have questions, they can use the online chat or consult a detailed guide. The site says it will provide an answer in less than six hours.
In the personal space, users upload all their documents. These are checked within 24 hours by an operator, who helps users to add or remove documents. When the file is complete, users receive a URL where their file is found in PDF format and protected by a watermark. They can then transmit it to the property owners in complete security. Users can delete their files at any time, keeping control of their personal data. The file is government-approved, which reassures landlords.
In the owners’ area, lessors, owners, and real estate professionals can add their properties to the rental list and receive search requests from DossierFacile applicants. Putting tenants and owners in touch with each other simplifies the process. (Based on information in French from www.dossierfacile.logement.gouv.fr)
2. Garantme – for those who need a guarantor
I am not promoting this business. For a long time, French banks served as tenants’ guarantors, putting a lien on the tenant’s savings account to secure the landlord’s right to be paid rent and compensation for any damage resulting from the tenancy. Today, it is increasingly common for landlords to buy insurance against the possibility that a tenant will not pay the rent. At the same time, the landlord requires the tenant to have a solid guarantor. Some tenants find the premiums for such policies expensive, but the cost is minimal compared to the alternative: selling part of an investment in the USA and moving the money to France to be invested in a French bank, which charges fees linked to the mutual fund the money is invested in, plus a fee to manage the lien. I have learned that one can even be approved by Garantme while living in the USA, before moving to France, and thus before choosing the property one wants to rent. https://garantme.fr/en
3 – L’état des lieux d’entrée et de sortie – inspections of the premises before and after
tenancyThe requirement of these two inspection visits is by far the most important part of any rental agreement. Theoretically, the place should be in perfect condition when you arrive, and you are expected to keep it that way. By American standards, much French housing tends to be old and poorly maintained. Theétat des lieux (state of the premises) document should describe precisely the condition of the property. One of at least three adjectives is usually used to describe the state of the property: new (neuf), normal tear and wear (usagé), and damaged (abimé). Only in the last two cases will there be an exact description. The landlord or agent will tend to describe everything as new. When you sign the document, you become responsible for all existing minor and major damage, and you will be held liable. This is the most common way that renters “legally” lose their deposit. It is worth seeking help with this. One way, albeit rather expensive, to be sure things are described correctly is to have a huissier (bailiff) draw up the description, accompanied by photos taken by this professional. In such cases, the document is a sworn official document from a representative of the French Republic. It is virtually impossible to override a constat d’huissier (bailiff’s report). The cost of this service is split by the tenant and the landlord since it is supposed to be an impartial document that protects both parties.
Huissiers wear three hats. First, they are the eyes and ears of France. As such, their duty is to be a notarized witness, which is useful when you want an official description of the state of the premises. Their second role is to be a kind of glorified mail carrier: bailiffs deliver highly official mail like court orders, subpoenas, certain letters from the landlord, etc. Their third one is as a bailiff per se, drafting the inventory of possessions and assets found on the premises and collecting money with or without a court decision.
Keep in mind that the end-of-tenancy inspection can take hours, even for a studio, and the slightest scratch, stain, hole, or crack is considered to result from something the tenant did, with the tenant being charged for its repair.
SCHEDULING THE OFII MEDICAL VISIT
In recent years, the scheduling of immigration medical visits at the French Office for Immigration and Integration (OFII) has been unreliable. After arrival in France, the delay between the registration of a VLS-TS visa and the day of the medical visit can range from two to six months. Occasionally, most of a year goes by without the visit even being scheduled.
That is less of a problem now that renewal of visiteur immigration status is done online and does not require the OFII statement of good standing. But for other immigration statuses, such as self-employed and employee, it can make the difference between getting a one-year or four-year carte de séjour and thus has a serious impact on applicants’ rights.
In the past, I sent an email to OFII’s Paris office, and eventually, they would send the appointment, usually sooner rather than later. A few weeks ago, a client told me there is now a phone number to call to get the appointment, and one can choose the day of it, which is a huge improvement. OFII number for the initial appointment: 01 40 02 96 89.
SHIP STUDIO IS AVAILABLE FOR RENTAL STARTING JANUARY 1ST, 2025
The SHIP studio is currently available to rent on January 1st. The dedicated website for this studio details everything there is to know about it and my neighborhood, which is located in the 11th district, and the link is below. It has been months since I started working on the website. I do hope the studio will be occupied most of the year 2025; the rent stays the same, 1,400€, and it includes everything.
https://www.jeantaquet.com/home-in-paris
OFFICE CLOSED FOR CHRISTMAS VACATION
The office will close for three weeks over the Christmas holidays, starting on Friday, December 13th in the evening and reopening on the morning of Monday, January 6th. As always, I will be reachable by email for emergencies and important matters. The service I offer of receiving mail for clients will continue while the office is closed. Of course, Sarah or I will honor prefecture meetings already scheduled, as well as a couple of other engagements.
Best regards,
QUESTION
DENIED SELF-EMPLOYED VISA REQUEST: NO FRENCH CLIENTELE
I have had a career as a consultant specializing in small businesses in third-world countries, mostly Africa. A while ago, I rented a place in Paris to facilitate my travels and my connexions. Indeed, most of my flights are now less than three hours, starting in Paris, and I always have direct flights. The other reason is that close to the entire African continent was colonized by either France or the UK. The International Organisation of La Francophonie was created in 1970 and is an international organization representing countries and regions where French is a customary language. So, I recently submitted a self-employed visa to the DC French consulate via a VFS office. My business plan and my description were about my years of working in these Francophone countries, often with French businesses partnering with the local businesses, earning very good money, and my network in the French administration and the lower level of government. I was flatly denied for not having a French clientele residing in France. Can you explain that?
ANSWER
I wish that there were an explanation that made sense. This refusal illustrates the narrow definition of “creating a French business for a French clientele.” It has been the case for quite a while, but your situation is a new landmark.
For a lot of reasons, some good and some bad, France and the French administration have long considered the Francophonie and the African countries that belong to it as being close to France and even having interests that were entangled with those of France – to such an extent that actions benefiting the Francophonie were automatically seen as benefiting France, whether that was true or not. There was also a feeling of superiority in France regarding the African countries that were former French colonies. But ever since the end of Jacques Chirac’s presidency on May 16th, 2007, his successors have been less and less interested in the Francophonie. Now, 17 years later, there seems to be little left of the assumption that what is good for the Francophonie is good for France and anchored in France (the Francophonie organization’s headquarters is in Paris).
I would not give up on your project. You just need to change your focus and exclusively talk about French clients and French business partners, asserting that you are well acquainted with the French administration.
You will not be able to show much of your current business success. That is fine since the review of such a visa request does not consider your previous business, as it is assumed that it will disappear or at the very least significantly be diminished when you move to France, even if the opposite is true, and then you have to prove this is so and therefore illustrate it.
You will have to show a much lower projected billing amount that is firmly documented by existing French clients. You do not need that much, as the business plan shows projections over three years. In other words, these figures are more or less wishful thinking; they need to be credible, but there is no need to prove 100% of it. If the projections start with the first-year billing showing an estimated amount of at least 50,000€, then you already meet the requirements. In my experience, the prefecture divides these figures in half, but an annual billing of 25,000€ still means taxable income equal to the French minimum wage, about 17,000€.
In short, stop thinking about your current consulting business. Instead, work on creating what I would call an almost entirely fictional business with the help of the numerous people you know in France. Make sure it fits the administration’s strict and narrow guidelines. Ask for the visa again and you will have an excellent chance of success.
You also need to think about what the renewal will be like. The law is crystal clear. If you earn more than minimum wage, you must have your immigration status renewed. This means you need to forget about the business proposal you submitted to the DC consulate. You continue to do business as usual, except that it is now a French business because you registered it in France. Aside from the personal information and documents, the critical sections of your file for the renewal are:
1. All your French business bank account statements since you opened your account
2. All your URSSAF income declarations and the related amounts you paid
3. All the invoices and receipts you have issued that match your bank statements and the URSSAF declarations.
At that point, the prefecture will be left with only one decision: whether to issue a one-year carte de séjour because you do not have a solid French clientele, or a four-year card because your business is so successful. I have seen the prefecture being quite petty and issuing a one-year card two years in a row because it felt the business was not French enough. I am sure that, with time, you will be able to adjust your billing so that the prefecture eventually issues a four-year card, and you will then be ready to ask for a carte de resident.
QUESTION
BANKING IN FRANCE WITH THE FATCA-IRS REGULATION
I read with interest, as usual, your October newsletter. Something struck me as yet another discriminating point against Americans: ‘having money credited to the French account’.How is this even possible when it is very difficult for an American to even open a French account due to our friend FATCA? Fortunately, this is not the case. I am naturalized French, and so far, my accounts at 2 French banks have not been challenged. However, it is a known challenge for Americans moving to France.
ANSWER
I totally agree with you that there is discrimination against certain Americans. The fact of the matter is that it is the IRS that is ruthlessly discriminating against Americans living outside the USA. That is the root of the problem, which affects all Americans abroad, no matter what country they live in. Indeed, even Americans who are naturalized French citizens like you or just have another nationality and have not given up their American citizenship are also affected. The French banks are victims of this policy, and not just the Americans living in France.
The FATCA requirement that you mention is indeed the root of the problem. The IRS and hence the federal government have been threatening foreign banks with huge sanctions if they do not immediately report any new clients who are American citizens. This significantly deters many banks in France and in all other countries.
One solution is to open an account with an online bank. Most of these companies are fairly new and looking for clients, so they accept the related risk. I believe that banks such as Wise, N26, and Revolut are pretty open to American clients. Another solution is to ask a good friend or close family member for an introduction to their bank manager. The effect is mostly psychological, but it usually works, lowering the worry about accepting a new client who is American.
Also, the French administration acknowledges that French people and people living in France have accounts with European banks that are part of the SEPA European treaty. I explained this in detail in the June 2023 and April 2021 issues. That is how Belgium and German bank accounts can be considered to be French.
Do not forget that immigrants to France have all rights and obligations defined by French law. They can even ask the Banque de France (the French central bank) to force a retail bank to open an account if they are really stuck. This proves there is no discrimination against Americans in France regarding this matter.
In my opinion, this situation will stay as it is unless there is a way to force the IRS and the US government to change its policy regarding this matter. The policy applies to all Americans, even those like you who have dual nationality.
In closing, you should blame the right guilty party – the IRS.
DISCLAIMER
Please forward this message to all those who would be interested in its contents. The information contained in this newsletter is intended only as general information. I strongly urge readers to seek professional guidance concerning the legal and tax matters mentioned. This newsletter is intended as a general guide and is not to be taken as professional advice.