I would like to wish you all you a great summer and a very nice vacation, enjoying the freedom of the moment. I will close my office on July 7th

“When I’m Sixty-Four”

When I get older, losing my hair
Many years from now
Will you still be sending me a Valentine
Birthday greetings, bottle of wine? 
If I’d been out till quarter to three
Would you lock the door? 
Will you still need me, will you still feed me
When I’m sixty-four?

You’ll be older too
And if you say the word
I could stay with you

I could be handy, mending a fuse
When your lights have gone
You can knit a sweater by the fireside
Sunday mornings go for a ride
Doing the garden, digging the weeds
Who could ask for more? 
Will you still need me, will you still feed me
When I’m sixty-four?

Every summer we can rent a cottage in the Isle of Wight
If it’s not too dear
We shall scrimp and save
Grandchildren on your knee
Vera, Chuck and Dave

Send me a postcard, drop me a line
Stating point of view
Indicate precisely what you mean to say
Yours sincerely, wasting away
Give me your answer, fill in a form
Mine forevermore
Will you still need me, will you still feed me
When I’m sixty-four? 
Ho!

Wikipedia
“When I’m Sixty-Four” is a song by the English rock band The Beatles, written by Paul McCartney (credited to Lennon-McCartney) and released on their 1967 album Sgt Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band. McCartney wrote the song when he was about 14, probably in April or May 1956, and it was one of the first songs he ever wrote.

Yesterday I turned 64.

Each of us has our own way of handling getting old. In the 1950s, turning 64 meant one had turned really old. Today many sixty-somethings are still in good shape and one could argue that the equivalent of being 64 in 1967 is now experienced at 74. The notion of aging, of being old, being young, feeling young, or feeling old, is very personal and depends on so many things. On the other hand, once you add the kind of job you do to the picture, thoughts turn to retirement, of the time when one stops working before dying. Common sense should dictate that manual workers retire earlier than people working in offices. In France, when retirement programs were linked to certain industries, that was common practice. One of the numerous reasons so many people demonstrated against the latest French retirement reform, which added two years to the age at which workers have the right to full retirement benefits, was that the measure did not differentiate among all the different situations in the labor force.

Then there are economic immigrants, whose bodies are often abused from an early age. For many, retiring at 64 means having worked for 50 years. Once they arrive in a Western country like France, they usually start out working at horrid jobs. After several years, they obtain a legal stay and can settle a tad more comfortably, but they often still work as manual laborers. The saddest thing I have seen in this regard is that many of these people worked for so long under the table, a.k.a. undeclared, that their credit with the national retirement system is insufficient for them to live on. Thus, they must continue to work, even if they are retired. This has become common enough that the media in France, the USA and other countries are covering this evolution of society.

THE OTHER IMMIGRANTS
About ten years ago, I helped a Filipina woman facing several major challenges at once. She held a carte spéciale because her employer was a diplomat in France. Her health insurance policy covered only the absolute minimum required. When I met her for the first time, she was battling breast cancer. In a matter of nine months, she obtained a private-life carte de séjour, gained access to the French public health care system, and started treatment for her cancer. For close to two years, her situation was my focal point until everything was settled and her remission from cancer confirmed.

Once she was declared to be in remission, I asked her if she could help me once a month by putting my column into HTML so it could be uploaded to my website in addition to being sent by email. Since June 30th, 2015, she has helped me do this except when she is in the Philippines or on a pilgrimage. She also works as a nanny and a cleaning lady, with seven employers scattered throughout Paris and its suburbs, and this is hard on her body. Our monthly meetings have changed the way she sees both her work, including what she does for me, and her worth. She came to be really good at this job. During the COVID curfew restrictions, her face beamed when I gave her the professional authorization to be out late, mentioning on my letterhead that computer assistant was her position.

This is the quote from the June issue that sparked some reactions which I found to be very interesting and I would like to share them.
“For what it is worth! At one point, one has to say that it was worth it. It meant going after dreams, and personal goals. In the eyes of many, it might not look like much. For them, it was not worth the effort. ‘For what it is worth, it was worth it for me.’ This is what I like to hear. Immigrants often never regain the social status or comforts that they had in their home country, but many tell me nevertheless that it was worth it. Let’s leave it at that.”

Last month, as we worked on sending out the June issue, she was quite moved when she read it.

That gave me the idea to ask her and other Filipina women to express how they feel about the statement “It was worth it.” I have always seen the Filipino motto as:
“Keep a low profile and get the job done.”

When Filipinas live away from the Philippines, whether in France, the USA or another place, they are there to work, earn money and support the rest of their family. In 2018, financial transfers from expatriates accounted for over 9.8% of the Philippines’ GDP.

Here is what my computer assistant told me about her own experience:
“Five years! My plan of staying here in France? I just wanted to try and see what life I could have here and then I planned to go back to the Philippines. Others say I am one of the luckiest people because I got a chance to come here to France, so I am giving it a try. It is not easy to be away from my family, but my income is much higher than what I earned at my job in the Philippines, so I guess it is worth it for me to stay for that time period. I didn’t know that five years could pass so fast and I got used to staying here. Many more years went by before I got sick. That time was the lowest point of my life as I was battling with my illness, trying to get my immigration status (legal papers) and was separated from my family. I kept asking myself if it was worth it to stay, given my situation, and then I met someone with the help of my employer. He guided me and helped me to cope with and overcome all my fears and problems until everything went well again in my life. Now I receive all my health benefits for free while holding nice, proper jobs at the same time. Is it worth the life that I chose? Yes, it has been WORTH IT! It is my choice to be in France; it is not just by chance.”

The hardships such women experience is mostly unknown. It is very rare for them to express how hard their life is. Even so, they almost all end up affirming, “It was worth it.” I respect and admire them for coming up with this evaluation. It is their life.

A MESSAGE FROM URSSAF REGARDING INCOME TAX DECLARATIONS
People commonly use the term “auto-entrepreneur” for working as an independent and running one’s own business. But it really just refers to a choice regarding how to pay social charges to URSSAF. There is a choice between the classic way, which is the normal way URSSAF collects money, and the “auto-entrepreneur” way, which involves a quarterly declaration and the payment of the related social charges, usually amounting to about 23%, for services related work. This side of running a business has evolved a lot in recent years. Before President Macron was elected, the classic status required two income declarations to be done: one sent to the tax office to calculate the income tax owed and one to URSSAF to calculate the social charges based on the profit made the year before, with some catching up done in the fall.

Since the spring of 2021, however, there has been only one income declaration, submitted to the tax office. That information is shared with URSSAF, which relies on it to make its calculations. When Americans think about how the Internal Revenue Service and the Social Security Administration have worked together for decades, they are often stupefied by the level of distrust that once existed between the two French administrative divisions. Mr. Macron promised during his 2017 presidential campaign to simplify and unify different entities of the administration doing the same thing. This proved true of health coverage, which was unified under the CPAM system as of January 1st, 2020. The retirement unification is still being worked on.

URSSAF recently sent a memo to everyone on its mailing list, regardless of the status the recipients have, explaining how the information from the tax office is used and how the social charges are calculated. This disturbed and worried a lot of people who think “auto-entrepreneur” is the only status that exists.

Here is a translation of the memo from URSSAF:
“Understanding the calculation of your contributions following your tax returnhttps://info.urssaf.fr/l/6521/500199940/22016/106423/294868/11f8de51

Between April and June, you declare your 2022 income on impots.gouv.fr. As soon as your declaration has been validated, the tax authorities forward it to URSSAF.

You will then receive the 2022 regularization document and the 2023 call for contributions. URSSAF has set up a dedicated website to help you understand the information contained in this letter.”

THE GENESIS OF THE FRENCH BUREAUCRACY
A client recently sent me this email:
“I really enjoy the history lessons you provide me. But overwhelmed by being at the Prefecture, I can’t remember the person who you told me was the father of French bureaucracy and taxation. I think you referred to Louis XI, but if you wouldn’t mind just pointing me in the right direction, I’ll really enjoy the research.”

My reply, “This king is rarely mentioned because he did nothing flamboyant. He did not build castles. During his entire lifetime, he acted as a statesman, building France as a unit, by defeating all his rebellious vassals and by creating a centralized structure, which later became the French administration.”

On May 1st, 1890, French unions commemorated these events by demonstrating in the streets to ask for an eight-hour workday. May 1st became a national holiday in 1948. The day is so protected by French law that any employee who is required to work that day gets three times the normal wage. Over the years, the holiday has been celebrated in various ways but it always ends with people marching down one of the large avenues or boulevards in Paris and most other cities in France.

Wikipedia
Louis XI (3 July 1423 – 30 August 1483), called “Louis the Prudent” (French: le Prudent), was King of France from 1461 to 1483. He succeeded his father, Charles VII.

Louis entered into open rebellion against his father in a short-lived revolt known as the Praguerie in 1440. The king forgave his rebellious vassals, including Louis, to whom he entrusted the management of the Dauphiné, then a province in southeastern France. …

When Charles VII died in 1461, Louis left the Burgundian court to take possession of his kingdom. His taste for intrigue and his intense diplomatic activity earned him the nicknames “the Cunning” (Middle French: le rusé) and “the Universal Spider” (Middle French: l’universelle araignée), as his enemies accused him of spinning webs of plots and conspiracies. …

Without direct foreign threats, Louis was able to eliminate his rebellious vassals, expand royal power, and strengthen the economic development of his country. He died on 30 August 1483 and was succeeded by his minor son Charles VIII. ….

Legacy
Eager to obtain information about his enemies, Louis created, from 1464, a net of postal relays all over France, which was a precursor to the modern French postal service.

Louis developed his kingdom by encouraging trade fairs and the building and maintenance of roads. Louis XI pursued the organization of the kingdom of France with the assistance of bourgeois officials. In some respects, Louis XI perfected the framework of the modern French Government which was to last until the French Revolution. Thus, Louis XI is one of the first modern kings of France who helped take it out of the Middle Ages. ….

Through wars and guile, Louis XI overcame France’s mostly independent feudal lords, and at the time of his death in the Château de Plessis-lèz-Tours, he had united France and laid the foundations of a strong monarchy. ….

Despite Louis XI’s political acumen and overall policy of Realpolitik, Niccolò Machiavelli criticized him harshly in Chapter 13 of The Prince, calling him shortsighted and imprudent for abolishing his own infantry in favor of Swiss mercenaries.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Louis_XI

OFFICE CLOSED FOR SUMMER VACATION 
The office will be closed for six weeks over the summer holidays, starting on Friday, July 7th, in the evening and reopening on the morning of Monday, August 21st. 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. Unlike in recent years, I will be in the USA from July 19th to August 3rd. Of course, Sarah or I will honor the prefecture meetings already scheduled, as well as a couple of other engagements. It is also possible that my daughter, Lucille, will handle some situations as she is getting more and more involved in my business.

I would like to remind everyone there will be no August issue.

Best regards,

QUESTION

THE QUESTION OF CUSTODY IN FRENCH DIVORCES

I have been married to a Frenchman for several years now and I recently filed for divorce in France. I want to move back to the USA with my children as quickly as possible as I have professionally and personally no future in France. We just had the first hearing and the judge decided that we all must stay as it would be best for my children if they lived in France. This is scary as heck! I am now a prisoner of France. This should be illegal.

QUESTION

SHOULD YOU RENEW YOUR CARTE DE SÉJOUR OR ASK FOR A CARTE DE RÉSIDENT?

I got a passeport talent visa in the USA and moved to France during the summer of 2019. The visa lasted one year and I got a carte de séjour as a performing musician, which was valid for four years. It will expire in June 2024, My family and I are still living here and we are doing well. As the first request demanded a lot of documents about my career, I would like to know as soon as possible what the necessary steps are to apply for a renewal.

Christmas is around the corner and my office will be open for another two weeks or so before closing for the holidays.

I would like to wish you all the usual season’s greetings. We can hope for a better year in 2023. The COVID crisis feels like it is over. I hope we all can find a way to sincerely exchange best wishes with each other. There will always be worries and dangers looming here and there. That said, I wish you all

A MERRY CHRISTMAS AND A HAPPY NEW YEAR !

Wikipedia

“Wind of Change” is a song by the West German rock band Scorpions. Recorded for their 11th studio album,Crazy World (1990), it is a power ballad composed by lead singer Klaus Meine. He wrote the lyrics after the band visited the Soviet Union at the height of Mikhail Gorbachev’s perestroika reform movement, when hostility between the communist and capitalist blocs was reduced as the Soviet Union undertook wide-scale social and economic reforms.

Released as the album’s third single on 21 January 1991, “Wind of Change” became an international hit, arriving not long before the failed coup against Gorbachev that led to the dissolution of the Soviet Union.

Follow the Moskva
Down to Gorky Park
Listening to the wind of change
An August summer night
Soldiers passing by
Listening to the wind of change
The world is closing in
Did you ever think
That we could be so close, like brothers
The future’s in the air
Can feel it everywhere
Blowing with the wind of change
Take me to the magic of the moment
On a glory night
Where the children of tomorrow dream away
In the wind of change
Walking down the street
Distant memories
Are buried in the past, forever
I follow the Moskva
Down to Gorky Park
Listening to the wind of change
Take me to the magic of the moment
On a glory night
Where the children of tomorrow share their dreams
With you and me
Take me to the magic of the moment
On a glory night
Where the children of tomorrow dream away
In the wind of change
The wind of change
Blows straight into the face of time
Like a storm wind that will ring the freedom bell
For peace of mind
Let your balalaika sing
What my guitar wants to say
Take me to the magic of the moment
On a glory night
Where the children of tomorrow share their dreams
With you and me
Take me to the magic of the moment
On a glory night
Where the children of tomorrow dream away
In the wind of change

I get teary just about every time I listen to this song. I am not a real fan of the band, but this song is so loaded with major world events that I find it very moving. It is the “We Shall Overcome” of Eastern Europe and the fall of the USSR. All of the band’s members came from Hanover, a city not far from the former Iron Curtain.

As the end of 2022 nears, I can feel strong winds of change on so many levels. They could make our lives rockier in the short term but we can all hope for a better outcome. As far as I am concerned, the coming year, 2023, brings a new adventure in my life: the rental project starting a couple of days after New Year’s Day. I feel ready for it, after months of preparation. I am deeply touched that my daughter, Lucille, came up with the acronym SHIP for this project. In doing so, she transformed a boring Parisian rental into a sailing vessel ready for high-sea adventures, a tall ship catching the wind of change.

THE MIDTERM AND THE ISSUE OF THE MARGIN OF ERROR 
A client of mine sent me this email the day I sent out the November issue.
Dear Jean,
You are the BEST!
Your analysis always makes one think and reflect, at least within a margin of error of +/- 3%.
Keep up the good work.
Best,

I closely followed the results of the US midterm elections. Before the elections, countless polls were done, with widely differing results. As I stated in the November issue, the real professional pollsters admitted that they lacked the tools to accurately measure the coming vote. Many major elections were won by a razor-thin margin. In some cases, days passed and no definitive results were announced. How many times have we heard “within the margin of error?” I almost wanted to use this as the title of the December issue. Here is what I would have based it on (from Wikipedia):

“Margin for Error is a 1943 American drama film directed by Otto Preminger. The screenplay by Lillie Hayward and Samuel Fuller is based on the 1939 play of the same title by Clare Boothe Luce.

Plot
When police officer Moe Finkelstein (Milton Berle) and his colleague Officer Salomon are ordered to serve as bodyguards to German consul Karl Baumer (Otto Preminger) by the mayor of New York City, Finkelstein turns in his badge, convinced he has to quit the service because the man is a Nazi. Capt. Mulrooney, who appointed them to this job, tells Moe that although the mayor personally is opposed to Adolf Hitler and his regime, the mayor is responsible for the safety of everybody, and he believes that through this assignment Finkelstein can show them the difference between their system and the Nazi one.

Moe quickly discovers Baumer is in trouble with Berlin for having squandered money intended to finance sabotage. His secretary, Baron Max von Alvenstor (Carl Esmond), has become disenchanted with his boss and refuses to delay the delivery of a damaging financial report to Berlin. Baumer’s Czechoslovak wife, Sophia, confesses to Moe that she loathes her husband and married him only to secure her father’s release from prison. Also at odds with Baumer is Otto Horst, who has been ordered to procure false identification cards for German saboteurs assigned to blow up an American port at the end of a radio broadcast delivered by Hitler.”

I’ll let everybody draw their own conclusions and maybe draw parallels between this plot, a work of fiction, and some real or alleged events of recent times.

ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS AND A LACK OF WORKERS 
The more I reflect on this issue the more I see how deep the difference is between France and the USA regarding what is called illegal immigration. It always starts with crossing the border illegally or overstaying a visa or type of immigration status. Many argue – and with some merit, regarding certain immigrants – that such a situation should not prevent those with some right to claim to stay in the country from procuring a ruling from the local authorities or a court. As a professional in this field, as well as a French citizen, I can attest to how differently the issue is addressed by the USA and France.

In the USA, virtually the only the people who can enter without a visa and end up staying legally are those obtaining refugee status. In France, for the last 25 years, several legislative provisions have defined the conditions under which an illegal immigrant can obtain permission to legally stay with a carte de séjour, by applying to the local prefecture. It does not even take a court ruling to obtain it. To put it somewhat provocatively, an illegal immigrant can risk being arrested, detained and ordered deported by the French police one day, and on the next day walk out of the Paris prefecture de police with a document guaranteeing the right to stay in France. My June 2018 column, called THE DREAMER!, goes into this further. Here is the first section:

“CAN WRONG BECOME RIGHT? – DACA VS FRENCH POLICY
I would like to describe the history and provisions of French policy regarding how undocumented aliens can become legal residents of France. This is by no means an attempt to take sides regarding the US policy known as deferred action for childhood arrivals (DACA) or what the rights of the ‘Dreamers’ should be. I just want to bring the French perspective to an issue all Western countries have: ‘What do you do with undocumented aliens who are already in the country?’

The authorities’ official and first answer is: ‘Deport them to their country of citizenship.’ This is the first thing to do because they have no right to be there. But we all know that there are many more who stay than are actually deported. Therefore, sooner or later another question arises, ‘Are there situations in which giving them legal status makes more sense than deporting them?’ In several countries, the answer is linked to the length of stay in the country.” 

I would remind my readers that legislation issued in 1997, called the circulaire Chevènement, resulted in 140,000 requests submitted right away, of which over half were approved. The regulation currently in effect, the circulaire Manuel Valls, was issued on November 28th, 2012, after the election of President Hollande, to address the situation under President Sarkozy. It allows undocumented aliens holding a job to get permission to stay legally after being in France three or five or seven years, depending on their work situation.

To take a situation that is similar in both countries: The COVID pandemic led to a shortage of workers willing to take some of the lowest-paying jobs. The solution drastically differs. In France, the current government, which is fairly conservative, is looking into loosening therégularisation requirements. Its position is that since low-wage positions are hard to fill and thus employers hire undocumented aliens who are willing to take them, making it easier for such workers to stay legally would help the businesses avoid prosecution. From a legal standpoint, this is insane: The government wants to protect businesses that break the law by hiring illegal immigrants because people who could legally take those jobs, including French people, do not want them. The alternative? Offer better wages and working conditions, which is basically what is happening in the USA.

In France, many conservative voters are against easier régularisation. They want the government to deport immigrants who are not in France legally, many of whom entered France by illegally crossing the French border. Hence the government is going against its electorate, but it must think the political risk is minuscule. After 25 years, the prefectures handle régularisation. procedures efficiently, and adding several more will not be a problem. The difference between the French and American approaches could not be more striking.

www.lemonde.fr/societe/article/2022/06/29/sans-eux-je-ferme-boutique-de-paris-au-pays-basque-des-patrons-plaident-pour-la-regularisation-des-travailleurs-sans-papiers_6132439_3224.html

www.lesechos.fr/economie-france/social/immigration-comment-le-gouvernement-veut-faciliter-la-regularisation-des-salaries-sans-papier-1875216

CAN A FOREIGNER’S VALID IMMIGRATION DOCUMENT, SUCH AS ACARTE DE RESIDENT OR CARTE DE SÉJOUR, BE TAKEN AWAY?
In recent months I have been contacted by several panicked clients who were convinced that their immigration card would be immediately taken away because they were no longer in compliance with the initial requirements.

The legal basis for this understanding makes sense, to a degree, and reveals a deep misunderstanding of the way the prefecture works. All the clients concerned held four-year cards with several months or even years before the expiration date. A common profile is that of a foreigner holding the status of travailleur hautement qualifié (carte bleue européenne) who is going to obtain private-life status. First and most obviously, only the prefecture and a court can rule on whether a carte de séjour is still valid. Even if it is not, does the foreigner have a claim on a different status? Here are the reasonable scenarios:

1 – The prefecture does nothing and the foreigner applies for a different status when the carte de séjour expires. As long as the file meets the requirements of the new status, there is never a problem. The logic is that the applicant defines which immigration status is being sought. That means it needs to be stated very clearly.

2 – For a variety of reasons, the prefecture may act on the fact that the person no longer qualifies for the old status and gives them an appointment. At the appointment, the foreigner brings a file proving that they qualify for something else, e.g., private-life status. In this case, the change of status occurs earlier, but there is still no problem.

3 – The foreigner does not qualify yet for a different status but is notified about an appointment, which then feels like a summons. Perhaps the person has been laid off and is receiving French unemployment benefits. On this basis alone – being unemployed and indemnified – the prefecture acknowledges that the person still has the right to work as an employee and thus the right to live in France, and the related carte de séjour will be issued.

I hope these three scenarios are sufficient to prove that foreigners’ fears in such cases are grounded in a major misunderstanding.

On the other hand, it is true that a residence permit can be taken away, for reasons that vary according to the type of permit. The person is then obliged to leave France, which often means being deported.

Here are some of the situations in which this might happen: 
– You are married to a French national and the relationship ended within four years of your marriage (unless the two of you had one or more children, in whose care and education you have been involved since their birth, or your spouse died or committed domestic violence). 
– In the context of family reunification, your relationship with your spouse was broken off within three years of the issuance of the card (except in the case of death or conjugal violence with a final sentence). 
– You are found to be living in a state of polygamy in France. 
– You are convicted of committing an act or acts of violence against a child under age 15, such as mutilation or violence resulting in permanent disability, or you were an accomplice to such acts. 
– You illegally employed a foreign worker. 
– You did not go to the prefecture appointments to verify that you still meet the conditions for the issuance of your residency card. 
– You have been deported or banned from French territory (interdiction du territoire français).
– You are found to be a threat to public order.

These situations can be considered felonies and taking away the right to live in France makes some sense.

Source: https://www.service-public.fr/particuliers/vosdroits/F11892

THE SURVIVAL HOME IN PARIS (SHIP) OPENS ON FEBRUARY 1st, 2023
The basic renovations are being done even as I prepare to send out this issue. They ran late, based on the initial schedule, but were early enough to have everything ready on time. The furniture, appliances and internet connection have been ordered and will be delivered during December. My daughter, Lucille, came up with the acronym SHIP for this project.

The first tenant is part of our inner circle and will be there long enough to test the place and give us an evaluation.

I already know I will not have much vacation after I close my office. Booking will be done through an extension of my website, which should be up and running early enough in December to get the first rental booked for February 1st. Payment will be accepted by wire transfer, PayPal and credit card. The monthly rent is 1,200€. The extension of my website will have pictures of the studio and its furniture and appliances so people know in advance what is available. There is a safe in the studio that the guests can use. There will also be some basic information about the neighborhood. Furthermore, there will be two walk-throughs at the beginning and the end of the rental. They each cost 150€, and the initial one includes a one-hour session with my assistant, Sarah, for advice and guidance to help with the stay, in addition to viewing the studio, its appliances and other things. I am focusing on practical things like public transport; the studio is served by several metro and bus lines and the RER A.

THE PARIS PREFECTURE HAS MOVED MANY APPOINTMENTS OUT OF THE CITÉ OFFICE
Presumably as a continuation of efforts to reduce the number of people entering the Paris prefecture headquarters on the Île de la Cité, fewer types of immigration status are now being reviewed at this office.

There have always been three branches of the prefecture dealing with specific types of immigration status. The location for student status has been moved around a lot over the years. Until recently it was located in a Cité Universitaire building on the southern outskirts of Paris. It is now handled in the Cité building.

The other two handled private life and renewal of the carte de résident. One is in northern Paris near the Barbès-Rochechouart metro station at 6 rue du Delta, 75009 Paris. The other is at 191 rue de Charenton, 75012 Paris, on the north side of the Gare de Lyon; the closest metro stop is Dugommier.

These places are much smaller than the Cité building but have managed to handle the large increase in work quite well. The renewal of employee (salarié) and self-employed (profession libérale and artisan-commerçant) status have now moved to them.

The same procedures apply as at the Cité: Do not come more than 15 minutes before the appointment time because you will not get in. Only people with an appointment can enter. The reception desk issues a number after confirming that the file is complete.

HEALTH COVERAGE IS ONCE AGAIN A STICKY POINT WHEN RENEWING IMMIGRATION STATUS
This is another problem stemming from the fact that many more files are being submitted online. Statements issued by the CPAM work well, as they are in French and show all the information needed. But many people still have private health insurance. If the company issues a statement in French about the policy, it is almost always fine if it gives the minimum information needed, such as the full name of the insured, the duration of the policy (beginning and end dates, linked to premium payments), a summary of the coverage and the name of the company and type of policy.

Recently my clients have increasingly had problems with health coverage issued by an American organization linked to their retirement. When we met with a civil servant at the prefecture, we could point out the obvious link between the retirement and health coverage statements. Also, the civil servants had become less and less inclined to demand that the documents be translated.

Now, with the online procedure, it is clear that people are not putting the two together, and the American entity may be unwilling to issue a different statement for the prefecture. Also, the prefecture now systematically asks that the documents be translated. Reminder: The applicant must comply with this requirement within 30 days or the file will be closed. To avoid serious stress and aggravation, make sure you pay close attention to your health insurance policy when you renew online.

OFFICE CLOSED FOR CHRISTMAS
The office will close for three weeks over the Christmas holidays, starting on Friday, December 16th in the evening and re-opening on the morning of Monday, January 9th. 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.

QUESTION

WHAT IS “FRENCH CLIENTELE” WHEN ASKING FOR BUSINESS IMMIGRATION STATUS?

I am an American and I have been wanting to move to France for several years now. I am now ready to create my business in France in the tourism industry. I will be taking care of mostly American tourists visiting Paris. The consulate/VFS demands that I submit proof of my potential clients. It is a deal breaker because I don’t have any, they will be tourists! I feel confident that I will find several once I launch my business after I have moved to France. Since I can only start once I get the right visa and then move to France, I cannot have any clients yet! Do you have any suggestions for this situation? This is an awful Catch-22. It feels like a mission impossible.

QUESTION

CHANGING IMMIGRATION STATUS FROM VISITEUR TO SOMETHING ELSE

I am an American currently living in France with my family on a VLS-TS Visitors visa that will expire in Dec 2022. My husband is in the process of renewing his visa, but I received a job offer and the post is being advertised on the government site. We however need to determine whether I first need to renew my visa to receive a carte de séjour/titre de séjour before we can apply for a work permit. Or whether we (the employer) must apply directly for a work permit on the government website even though my visa will expire mid-Dec. I do not have a lot of time to figure this all out and I don’t want to make a mistake that will later affect my application.

Oh, oh, oh
Day in, day out
Sidewalk sleepers turn about
Day by day, the work gets done
Day by day, another war goes on

Tell me, where are we going? 
Oh oh, what’s the future showin’? 
Oh, where are we headed? 
With all that’s goin’ on, where are we gettin’?

Day in, day out
A little boy and girl are goin’ out
Day by day, baby’s babies are born
Day by day, people say, “Right on”

Tell me, where are we going’? 
Oh oh, what’s the future showin’? 
Oh, where are we headed? 
With all that’s goin’ on where are we gettin’?

All we need
All we need
All we need
All we need
All we need, oh

Day in, day out
It gets better, the people shout
Day by day flames get higher
Lives and pains, yeah, they fuel the fire

Oh, where are we going? 
Oh oh, what’s the future showin’? 
Where are we headed? 
With all that’s goin’ on, where are we gettin’?

Oh oh oh, oh oh oh (Where are we going?) 
Oh oh oh, oh oh oh (Where are we going?) 
Oh oh oh, oh oh oh (Where are we going?) 
With all that’s goin’ on, where are we headin’? 
Day by day, baby (Where are we going?) 
By day (Where are we going?) 
Oh oh oh, oh oh oh (Where are we going?) 
Oh oh oh, oh oh oh
(Where are we going?) 
(Where are we going?) 
(Where are we going?) 
Ooh, hoo-hoo-hoo (Where are we going?) 
Oh oh oh, da-da-da-da (Where are we going?) 
(Where are we going?)

Wikipedia
Where Are We Going?” is a song by the American singer-songwriter Marvin Gaye, recorded in around 1972 for an album Gaye decided not to release. It first came out in a jazz-funk version by Donald Byrd in 1973. Gaye’s own recording was finally released in 2014.

In both France and the USA, many wonder where the country is going. Forecasting the direction either country will take and what will happen even in the near term is becoming increasingly difficult. The accumulated unknowns include the uncertainty of election results and passage of laws, government decisions and so on. There was a time when things felt a lot more predictable, giving a sense of security to people about what to expect so they could make plans.

At the same time, people need to go on with their lives. But beyond day-to-day life, people need predictability to make decisions. It might be about the choice of a career: to take just one example, is it wise to choose obstetrics and gynecology as a medical specialty in the USA today? Or is it a good idea to buy a home with interest rates so high? I could go on and on: all the normal decisions throughout one’s life demand a certain level of predictability. When it is impossible to know what the laws and rules will be six months from now if there is a change of majority in Congress, how can people make decisions? Whatever the election results are, the electoral decision could end up being catastrophic and bring complete ruin to millions of people.

What strikes me most about this is that in the USA, France and probably many other countries, discussing the merits of this or that policy rarely includes their effect on people. I am not talking about the talking points that politicians use but sound technical analysis. I remember a long time ago on French TV an economist detailing data about a massive layoff by a major corporation. There were X number of people committing suicide, getting divorced, becoming homeless, and so on. The same type of analysis could be done on the failure of Texas’s electricity grid, a high inflation rate for five years or more, a sharp increase in health insurance premiums – again, I could go on and on.

During the single term of French President Nicolas Sarkozy, from May 2007 to May 2012, it seemed as though immigration law in France changed weekly –an exaggeration, but it happened so often that it was impossible to put together plans regarding an immigration status that needed several years to be fully implemented. At the time, I controversially stated that I would rather have a harsh law that would last at least a decade than more favorable legislation that was modified every year to change the conditions and requirements for various types of status. It was my way of emphasizing the need for predictability to make long-term decisions.

Going back to this month’s title, “WHERE ARE WE GOING?”, many people in the USA do not know what to expect regarding the coming elections, which may have considerable consequences for people’s lives.

MIDTERM ELECTIONS IN THE USA 
The elections are mentioned all the time in the media. One day it is lengthy analyses about the Democrats winning because of Supreme Court decisions or the January 6th committee. The next day, they come up with the Republicans winning because of high inflation and low ratings of President Joe Biden. In all these comments, they mention polling to illustrate their statements.

There was a time when polling was close to the outcome and therefore reliable. People always want to know the outcome before it happens. In recent years, however, professional pollsters have gotten it wrong, big time. It has reached the point where they were ridiculous.

For a lot of complex reasons, the polls show many elections as being quite close, whether they are for the Senate or state level races. Whether this ends up being true or not, it enables pollsters to avoid predicting who the winner will be, noting that the results are within the margin of error. In the end this is probably the only thing they can be criticized for if the results are more striking. This gives the false impression that the polling is more accurate this time. When pollsters refuse to predict anything because the polls are too close and too uncertain, it illustrates the profound divisiveness of society as well as the importance of new topics that could motivate so-called single-issue voters.

As a Frenchman, I have always been baffled by the existence of single-issue voters. French election campaigns systematically involve a program with numerous political promises of things that will supposedly be done. French voters are supposed to weigh those policies as a unit and decide according to their preferences. Sadly, it has been a long time since I have been able to vote that way, being forced to choose in a black-and-white way.

In a week or so we will see the outcome of the US midterm elections. Then we will see what happens after the results are official and how people react to them.

THE GAS STRIKE IN FRANCE – DO YOU REMEMBER 1974?
France has recently been crippled by a gas strike, which had major consequences in parts of the country. In Paris, I saw long lines of cars waiting to get to gas stations. Many were so long that it disturbed the traffic, blocking the right lane. Instead of explaining why these workers went on strike, I would like to remind my readers that some people are old enough to have lived through a similar situation. The 1973 oil crisis took place long before the outbreak of the Yom Kippur war (October 6th to 25th, 1973), and OPEC had already doubled its prices between January and September 1973. The conflict was the pretext for an oil embargo, which lasted until March 1974, and for a spectacular surge in crude prices imposed by OPEC. Even without the war, crude oil prices would have risen five-fold by mid-1974. The price of oil went from $2.90 a barrel to $11.65 a barrel. In most Western countries, there were long lines at gas stations. It was then a purely political decision, exactly as it is today. For me, it is amazing that the animosity between two men, in this case Mr. Mohammed ben Salmane and President Joe Biden, can have worldly consequences of that magnitude. This always existed in the past, when kings, emperors and other leaders were foes. Until recently, we thought we were past that. We are not.

AARO QUOTED MY COMMENTS FROM SEPTEMBER 2022 ISSUE ABOUT THE NEW BANKING REGULATIONS
Throughout my career, I have tried to give basic useful information almost everybody needs at one time or another. Banking in France is critical for several reasons.

1 – French law drastically limits cash payments by setting the maximum that can be paid in cash at 1,000€. It also gives a growing list of transactions that cannot be paid in cash, such as employees’ salaries. This means use of bank payments is always increasing.

2 – French businesses receiving cash payments must deposit them in a bank account to be accounted for when there is an audit. For many, this discourages accepting cash payments.

3 – The prefecture usually checks foreigners’ French accounts when reviewing an immigration request. That is why the recent decree forcing French banks to make it easier to open an account is useful for foreigners.

The decree helps people who encounter difficulties in opening an account for the first time. It can also be quite complicated to open a new one when a bank gives a client only 30 days to close an account.

This information should be widely shared in the expat community because the prefecture, among others, will not accept the excuse that one did not know about this regulation.

I thank AARO for publishing the information.

https://mailchi.mp/e99cdc2fbcf7/aaro-news-views-october-23-2022?e=156804d5e5

“A SURVIVAL HOME IN PARIS” PROJECT IS BECOMING A REALITY: GRAND OPENING ON JANUARY 1st 2023
The basic renovations should be done by November 15th. The furniture has been ordered and should be delivered in early December. Then we will order the appliances and have them delivered, but the delay is much shorter. So I already know I will not have much vacation when I close my office. Booking will be done through an extension of my website, which should be up and running early enough in December to get the first rental booked for January 1st. Payment will be accepted by wire transfer, PayPal and credit card. This extension of my website will have pictures of the studio and its furniture and appliances so people know in advance what is available. There is a safe in the studio, that the guests can use. There will also be some basic information about the neighborhood. Furthermore the two walk-throughs cost 150€ each and the initial one includes a one-hour session with my assistant, Sarah, for advice and guidance to help with the stay in addition to showing the studio, its appliances, and other things. I am focusing on practical things like public transport; the studio is served by several metro and bus lines, and the RER A.

I ordered the furniture with a single renter in mind but for a couple can also be comfortable. The business model I have in mind is to offer a practical and reliable place for people who need to be in Paris for a long stay: The guidelines state a minimum of two months and a maximum of six. I can think of several types of tenants such as someone who has secured a long-stay visa or is submitting a request for one, as well as someone who is testing living in France and staying within the 90-day Schengen regulation. After 25 years of offering “A Survival Kit for Paris,” now that the renovations are done my project of a “A Survival Home in Paris” makes more and more sense as an extension of my services.

The monthly rent is 1,200€, all included – internet access, utilities, etc. The first month’s rent is due when the reservation is completed, along with a month’s security deposit, making the initial payment total 2,400€.

THE AGENCE NATIONALE DES TITRES SECURISÉS FINES LATE CARTE DE SÉJOUR RENEWALS
The following email, which I have translated into English, was sent to one of my readers by the Agence Nationale des Titres Sécurisés, A.N.T.S.

“We understand that you would like to know the status of your application for a residence permit. After checking your file in the computer system, we see that your application has been processed by your prefecture. The production of your residence permit will be launched in the next few days. You will be contacted by your prefecture when it is available.

“In the meantime, a certificate of favorable decision is available on your ANEF account. Thanks to this document, and your previous residence permit, you can exercise your rights while waiting for the new residence permit.

“By law, you must submit your application starting on the third month before the end of your residence permit’s validity. If your application is not submitted within this deadline (e.g., during the last two months of validity), an additional fee of 180€ will be charged. You can renew your residence permit online up to nine months after its expiration date without having to pay an additional fee! After this period, you must contact your local prefecture.

“We hope we have answered your expectations and thank you for your patience.”

What was supposed to be a simplification of immigration procedures with the prefecture ends up being a maze for users and only helps the people working at the prefecture. Here is how I would describe the current situation.

The prefecture is in charge of physically delivering the carte de séjour and still handles some procedures on its own. The tendency is that it does less and less as other platforms take over reviewing uploaded requests.

ANEF (Agence National des Étrangers en France, https://administration-etrangers-en-france.interieur.gouv.fr/particuliers) is where the vast majority of requests for renewal or change of immigration status are handled. For identification on its website, one uses the foreign ID number, officially called the AGDREF number. The foreigner has an account and, once logged in, can submit a request. Lately, the system has been asking users to change their password if it has not been used for several months.

Démarches Simplifiées (https://www.demarches-simplifiees.fr) is the other site dedicated to what are supposed to be “easy applications.” I have used it mostly for EU citizens’ spouses who want a carte de séjour. According to the site, the most common applications handled there are those related to:
Driver’s license
Shipping
Registration of a catering business
Professional cards of drivers for ride-hailing services (e.g. Uber) 
Foreigners residing in France
Medals of honor

The Agence Nationale des Titres Sécurisés, A.N.T.S., (the titres sécurisés) deals with the vehicle registration certificate (the former carte grise), electronic and biometric passports, the national identity card, the electronic identity card, the electronic residence permit, the biometric visa and other identification and travel documents.

In my experience using these sites, for the public it is like going through a maze just to figure out which website has the procedure one needs. It is even more difficult when the procedure needed is not identified by one of the descriptions or icons found on the site.

The reviews by civil servants are done in a narrow-minded way. And often the platforms require more information or better explanations, which usually means submitting more documents, but when it is not possible to send anything else, it becomes difficult to comply with their requests.

Some of the procedures use what I call “prefecture logic” rather than what I consider common sense. For example, once I had some serious issues with this situation. The carte de séjour « vie privée & familiale » is issued to the spouse of a “passeport talent” holder. So the normal and logical way would be to follow the path of the private life procedure. However, this is not the case as the procedure is done through the“passeport talent” one because it is linked to that status.

OFFICE CLOSED FOR CHRISTMAS
The office will close for three weeks over the Christmas holidays, starting on Friday, December 16th in the evening and re-opening on the morning of Monday, January 9th. 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

BEING PACSED WITH A FRENCH CITIZEN AND UNABLE TO PROVE COHABITATION

I am American and I have been in a relationship for seven years with a French citizen. I have been working in France for the same employer since November 2018 and I am currently holding the blue card as a carte de séjour, valid until 05/27/2025. I would like to quit my job and stay in France with my partner. We have lived uninterruptedly in France since November 2018. When I first lived in his apartment, I was afraid so I refused to have anything like the utilities or the internet account in my name. Of course, my pay slips and my bank statements mention this address. We have been PACSed since November 6th, 2020. We lived with his parents for most of 2021 waiting for our house to be finished. Because we bought jointly, everything is in both names. Is it possible to obtain a private life carte de séjour knowing that we do not have many months properly documented?

QUESTION

HOW TO RENEW VISITEUR IMMIGRATION STATUS ONLINE

I am a US citizen who has been living in Paris for the better part of this year on a one year tourist visa. As the visa is set to expire at the end of January, I’ve been trying to figure out what my options are to renew this visa and stay in France, but it’s very confusing to navigate the various processes. Can you explain how to do it?

I’ve been sittin’ back quietly
Watchin’ as my spirit fades
As all of my attempts to do rightly
Get treated like some kind of terrorist raids
Maybe I ask too much from you
Well I ain’t gettin’ too much in return
I’m doin’ my best to love you baby
But the wheels are beginning to turn
When you’re cut down to the bone
You bleed, but it heals. 
You hurt, still you must carry on
‘Cause the wheels are turnin’, the feeling’s burnin’
The thrill’s returnin’
My soul is yearnin’, my heart is churnin’
The wheels are turnin’ again
Maybe I’m actin’ irrational
Hope I don’t hurt your heart
This whole problem is only geographical
I just need some kind of new start
And if I can’t get inspired ’round here
I’m going out to the world and learn
There’s action in my soul tonight
I feel the wheels are beginning to turn
When you’re cut down to the bone
You bleed but it heals
You hurt still you must carry on
‘Cause the wheels are turnin’, the feeling’s burnin’
The thrill’s returnin’
My soul is yearnin’, my heart is churnin’
The wheels are turnin’ again
I remember the last time I got on one of these rolls
I learned all about the tolls that it takes
I get something in my mind, it begins to unfold
I get out in the cold, I can’t do what I’m told
I get out of control, I can’t hold on to the brakes
When you’re cut down to the bone
You bleed but it heals
You hurt, still you must carry on
‘Cause the wheels are turnin’, the feeling’s burnin’
The thrill’s returnin’
My soul is yearnin’, my heart is churnin’
The wheels are turnin’ again

Wikipedia
Wheels Are Turnin’ is the eleventh studio album by REO Speedwagon, released in November 1984. It is their second best-selling album. I like the band without being a true fan, especially their live album You Get What You Play For, released as a double-LP in 1977. I bought it in 1981 on the Notre Dame Campus in the USA when I was traveling during my summer vacation while attending law school in France. I very rarely saw their albums in Europe.

So my question could be:
What is changing?
If I had the time, I would share some of the interesting developments I have been following. So the campaigns for the Mid-term elections are mentioned ad nauseam in the media. I read of the sharp increase in the numbers of women registering to vote, and am intrigued by the possible influence of these votes on the final results of the elections.

The other topic which has been monopolizing airtime to an equal degree is the war in Ukraine. Even though I am always interested in studying the accounts of actual battlefield combat, I try to stay abreast of what can be learned more accurately from the Russian diaspora in nearby countries to better understand what is happening with the Russian people. This could determine the outcome of this war more than the military successes and defeats of the Russian Army on the ground. I am constantly reminded that on February 15th, 1989, the Soviet Red Army left Afghanistan because Russian mothers and wives of those soldiers rebelled.

So are the wheels turning, or is history repeating itself?

ABOUT THESE LAST WEEKS
During the first part of August, I managed to have plans set up, and I scheduled things, thinking they were realistic. I learned of a death in the family on August 22nd just before it was time to re-open the office. That initial week was cut short to attend the funeral, which complicated starting the month of September. At the same time, my assistant Sarah traveled away from France to visit her family for several weeks. This left the office physically closed even though we were trying to work remotely as best we could. A Covid scare kept me home for a few days, disrupting my schedule once again. As a result I made serving my clients my utmost priority, which resulted in my not having the time to draft as comprehensive an issue as usual. About half of the topics I have chosen will appear in the November issue. This column is probably the shortest one in a decade for these reasons. Also, the renovations of the studio A SURVIVAL HOME IN PARIS were no longer a priority.

MY WEBSITE IS RECEIVING A COMPLETE MAKEOVER
I started this discussion with my webmaster last June as my website design had become obsolete. He started working on it at the end of August. There have been some occasional problems with the current site. Since my email addresses and everything else have remained linked to the www.jeantaquet.com URL address, I have had some feedback that there were emails that did not reach me. The new site should be finished by the end of November and will include pages for the rental of A SURVIVAL HOME IN PARIS.

PROGRESS TO REPEAL THE WINDFALL ELIMINATION PROVISION
I believe that this is such critical information that I wanted to share it with my readership. Indeed I have received several requests to help clients with this when it is totally outside the realm of my professional expertise.

The entire text can be found on this page:
https://www.democratsabroad.org/repeal_wep

Democrats Abroad are encouraged by the advancement of the Social Security Fairness Act which would repeal the Windfall Elimination Provision (WEP). The WEP has unfairly and disproportionately impacted Americans abroad, particularly seniors who paid into Social Security and deserve to receive a fair amount in retirement. Some beneficiaries only learn of the WEP after they have retired, and the reduced benefits substantially affect their financial standing in later years.

You can find out more information about what Democrats Abroad are doing and how you can help repeal the WEP via these resources: Write and call your Members of Congress to ask them to help repeal the WEP:https://www.democratsabroad.org/contact_your_congressional_representative_about_the_repealing_of_wep

Click here to sign up for the Seniors Caucus mailing list to stay in the loop on repealing the WEP: 
https://www.democratsabroad.org/gsc

Read the WEP FAQ: https://www.democratsabroad.org/wep_faq

Volunteer for the Seniors Caucus to help us repeal the WEP sooner: https://www.democratsabroad.org/gsc-volunteer

THE SECONDARY HEALTH INSURANCE POLICY CALLED LA MUTUELLE
A lot of changes have occurred regarding this matter. The last major piece of legislation forced employers to make sure that employees are covered with a policy. This is a great improvement as it enables the vast part of the population to be fully covered without deductibles and co-payments. At least, that is the theory. Real life is somewhat more complicated. Since these policies are normally issued by the private sector, there are huge differences between the various policies that are available. Also, the number of policies offered to the public is enormous, so much so that it is almost impossible to evaluate them all and even to identify all available policies!

So there are two common situations where one truly needs to check and compare those policies.

1 – When the new employee already has coverage and therefore can choose between the current one and the one offered by the employer. This is quite common since it is possible to be covered by the spouse’s employer’s policy.

2 – When the person is an independent professional and does not have access to a policy through a spouse or a partner.

A pitfall to avoid is not studying how the coverage is calculated. There are two very different ways to calculate the coverage of the proposed policy.

1 – One method is to establish a ratio of what is paid for by the basic system, i.e. “Assurance Maladie”.Ratios can be as high as 300% and even 400%. This means that the policy reimburses three and even four times the amount the public system pays. This looks wonderful but it is a trap – those ratios almost always apply to dental and optical costs, where the initial coverage can be 10% or about. Let me illustrate. New glasses cost 2,000€. The initial coverage is 100€. Therefore, the best coverage, 400%, pays you 400€. So the total amount reimbursed is 500€, and there is a 1,500€ co-payment. This policy does not cover much in this case.

2 – The other method is to establish a ratio of the actual cost that you are paying. This is often 50% or 60%. These figures do not look appealing at all. This said, look at the previous example: 2,000€x60%= 1,200€ and then you add the 100€. The total covered is 1,300€. It is not great but it is better by far than the previous one, which initially looked so good! This article from Le Monde goes deeper into such types of details.

https://www.lemonde.fr/argent/article/2022/08/04/comment-choisir-son-assurance-sante_6137101_1657007.html?xtor=EPR-32280629-[a-la-une]-20220804-[zone_edito_2_titre_12]&M_BT=49712429677091

THE OTHER WAY TO GET EPHOTOS DONE
In the November 2021 issue, I published the following comment on this topic:
“Furthermore, the visiteur immigration status also has its own procedure, going through this website:
https://administration-etrangers-en-france.interieur.gouv.fr/particuliers/#/espace-personnel/connexion-inscription.

There are several glitches, however: the system requires the applicant to create an account with an email address and password. It often happens that this kind of thing is done on the spur of the moment, but going through the procedure necessary to recover your password gets quite complicated, should you ever have the misfortune to forget it! Having experienced this with a few clients, I advise you to make sure you make a note of this information. The website also requires an ephoto, a new kind of passport picture. The photo comes with an ID Nº that goes into the uploaded file. One can have this ephoto taken in most “Photomatons”, the self-service photo booths found in public places including many metro stations in Paris. This means that the applicant must be physically present in France to get this done… a complication for many people. The only benefit of the site is that you can submit all the documents needed. We will see if this simplifies the meeting at the prefecture to confirm the request.”

I have plenty of things to say about this procedure for renewing the carte de séjour online. In short, if the documents are not exactly what they expect, the applicant must go through several rounds of submitting the new set of documents (i.e., often the same ones!) with a cover letter explaining the situation. It seems that no one in the prefecture even reads this letter when the documents are submitted the second and maybe the third time, too. It is extremely frustrating to me, because it has become close to impossible to have a request approved on the first try.

I would also like to comment on this November 2021 statement:
“This means that the applicant must be physically in France to get this done.”

I have recently found some websites where interested parties can have photos that were taken with a camera or a smartphone turned into ephotos.

Passport Photo Online 
Rather than going to a professional photographer or photo booth, which can be more expensive and time-consuming, you can also choose our Passport Photo Online photo editing option. A quick and easy-to-use service that allows you to take your passport photo at home and send it to us for editing to get a professional result ready for your ID applications. You will then be able to choose the perfect photo that we will send back to you following the requirements of a passport photo by email (digital format) for a total of 5,95€ or directly by mail (printing) with our premium service at 9,95€.

https://stores.photomaton.fr/fr/france-FR/paris/results?filters=titre_sejour&postalCode=75001

THE FINALIZATION OF THE “A SURVIVAL HOME IN PARIS” PROJECT WILL COME … EVENTUALLY
Based on the situation as of September 30th, ideally the renovations should be completed in October, but in the worst-case scenario, the process could drag on into November. Unfortunately, I have no definitive information concerning what will happen in October.

I remind my readers of the kind of project I have in mind. The studio should ideally serve as temporary, comfortable lodging for someone who has either secured a long-stay visa or is submitting a request for one. It could also be for someone who wants to “test drive” living in France while within the 90-day Schengen regulation before taking the plunge – or not – of buying or renting somewhere on a longer-term basis. If there is one good piece of news about this project, it is that I am already getting requests to rent the place on a weekly basis. Thanks to these inquiries, I have discovered a couple more client profiles that could benefit from it. First, there are those who are stuck with the Airbnb type of rental and cannot get out of this type of rental contracts. They are concerned that a couple of weeks’ rental contract will not be sufficient for the prefecture to issue a carte de séjour. Also, there are those who rent five to six months at a time and are stuck with either renting long-term and leaving their place empty for about half the year, or having to find a new place each trip. After 25 years of offering “A Survival Kit for Paris,” I will soon be able to propose “A Survival Home in Paris” to those who need it, as an extension of my services.

OFFICE CLOSED FOR CHRISTMAS
The office will close for three weeks over the Christmas holidays, starting on Friday, December 16th in the evening and re-opening on the morning of Monday, January 9th. 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.

QUESTION

FRENCH FISCAL RESIDENCE AND THE 183-DAY RULE

“We are Americans and we found this quote: “According to article 413 of CGI, you are a fiscal resident if you have a French visa; hence you will have to declare from the date you arrived in France through December 31st of that year covering your worldwide income, which includes your French and American ones!”
What do you think of this answer? I believe that this is grossly incorrect. We have held a French visa for the last two years but stayed less than 183 days. I am asking because according to this quote, we have to declare. Can you explain.

Well, I’m a gonna raise a fuss, I’m gonna raise a holler
About workin’ all summer just to try an’ earn a dollar
Everytime I call my baby, to try to get a date
My boss says, no dice, son, you gotta work late
Sometimes I wonder what I’m gonna do
‘Cause there ain’t no cure for the summertime blues
Well, my mom an papa told me, son, you gotta make some money
If you want to use the car to go ridin’ next sunday
Well I didn’t go to work, told the boss I was sick
Now you can’t use the car ’cause you didn’t work a lick
Sometimes I wonder what I’m gonna do
‘Cause there ain’t no cure for the summertime blues
Ow
I’m gonna take two weeks, gonna have a vacation
I’m gonna take my problem to the United Nation
Well I called my congressman and he said quote
“I’d like to help you son, but you’re too young to vote”
Sometimes I wonder what I’m gonna do
‘Cause there ain’t no cure for the summertime blues
Well, I’m a gonna raise a fuss, I’m gonna raise a holler
About workin’ all summer just to try an’ earn a dollar
Sometimes I wonder what I’m gonna do
‘Cause there ain’t no cure for the summertime blues
Yeah, sometimes I wonder what I’m gonna do
‘Cause there ain’t no cure for the summertime blues
No, there ain’t no cure for the summertime blues

The song “Summertime Blues” was recorded by the American rock and rockabilly artist Eddie Cochran and written by Cochran and his manager, Jerry Capehart. It was released in August 1958, originally as a single B-side..

Out of all the weeks I was supposed to be on vacation, I was away from Paris only during the last one. I saw and heard about calamities occurring in the USA, France and pretty much all over Europe this summer. My awareness of these tribulations made me choose this song. While my office was closed, I also had to deal with some hardships of my own.

Instead of information about how many people spent time in seashore resorts and how warm the sea was, this year we heard about wildfires all over France, and in many parts of Europe, as well as in areas generally not affected in the USA and Canada. We also heard about deaths from flooding and storms, as well as serious droughts. And this is just the news about the climate! The rest of the news, regardless of the topics, has been pretty gloomy, and one needs to scrutinize the media to find good news that inspires cautious optimism.

THE TAIWAN CRISIS
In my November 2021 issue, titled “Cloudy,” I described my longtime interest in the modern history of Taiwan. As often happens with old civilizations, to understand what is happening today one needs to go back several centuries, and I have researched Taiwanese history from the 17th century up to the present. With some Far East nations, exploring history for several thousand years is necessary to decipher current situations, and I almost never see such an in-depth perspective in either the French or American media reporting about the current situation in Taiwan. Suddenly everyone has discovered the conflict that exists in the China Sea, yet the origins of the impasse began in 1949 when General Chiang Kai-Shek and his armies and followers found refuge on the island known as Formosa. Tensions were high in August 2022, with the media talking about war being imminent. But I doubt armed conflict will break out any time soon. The hope that journalists covering this situation will go back to 1996, the year of the first-ever direct and de facto democratic presidential election in Taiwan, is perhaps not very realistic in today’s environment, but should diligent journalists cover those events, people today would be better informed and take sensationalist journalism with a grain of salt. Nevertheless, I believe that Nancy Pelosi is well acquainted with the history of Taiwan in the past 26 years, and probably even longer, as she was militant about the Tiananmen Square protests held in Beijing, which occurred in 1989.

THE FINALIZATION OF THE “A SURVIVAL HOME IN PARIS” PROJECT 
The closing on the property on August 11th almost did not occur, as few of the parties concerned were in town except our family. Based on the situation as of August 31st, it would be quite optimistic to envision the first guest moving in on November 1st. The renovation should be completed in September but the delivery of the furniture is going to take about two months and, as my regular readers know, whatever is done in August does not count, as the factories are closed. I will use my Facebook account and the October issue to keep people informed about the exact date when everything will be ready.

I remind my readers of the kind of project I have in mind. The studio should ideally serve as temporary but comfortable lodging for someone who has either secured a long-stay visa or is submitting a request for one. It could also be for someone who wants to “test drive” living in France while on a 90-day Schengen regulation before taking the plunge – or not – to buy or rent somewhere on a more long-term basis. After 25 years of offering “A Survival Kit for Paris,” I will soon be able to propose “A Survival Home in Paris” to those who need it, as an extension of my services.

These are the guidelines to accommodate this project:

Rentals will be for a minimum of two months, maximum of six months. This is meant to be the first step toward settling in Paris, or for people who have a serious interest regarding France.

The monthly rent is 1,200€, all included (internet access, utilities and so on), with payment for the duration of the rental period due when the reservation is made.

The security deposit of the same amount, 1,200€, is added to the rent payment.

This is a no-smoking, no-pet place.

My website should soon have a section dedicated to the apartment so that reservations and payment can be done online.

Given the size of the studio – 329 square feet (30 square meters) – and the way it is set up, it is ideal for a single person. It might be considered a tad too small for a couple by American standards: there is just one room, which includes the kitchen, and only the bathroom is separate.

The two walk-throughs cost 150€ each and the initial one includes as such a one-hour session with my assistant, Sarah, for advice and guidance to help with the stay aside from showing the studio, its appliances, and other things.

While this rental business is totally separate from my consulting business, I expect many of the guests will have been my clients earlier, so the two lines of service can coexist.

EU INFORMATION FOR VISITORS: ETIAS AND STAYING AFTER PERMISSION EXPIRES
I discovered two breakthroughs have come from the EU administration.

ETIAS
What I believe to be the more important of the two concerns the planned European Travel Information and Authorization System (ETIAS).

Currently citizens of 63 countries that are not in the European Union (EU) can enter the EU’s Schengen area without a visa. The USA is one of these countries.

ETIAS will be a completely electronic system that allows and keeps track of visitors from these countries. It resembles the Electronic System for Travel Authorization (ESTA), which serves a similar purpose in the USA.

The legal process to create ETIAS started in 2016. The system is expected to be fully operational in May 2023, but not mandatory until the following November. Currently there is still some uncertainty regarding the timing of its implementation. 

ETIAS will make a detailed security check of each applicant to determine whether they are allowed to enter a Schengen country. This procedure applies to those who do not need a visa for travel of up to 90 days in the EU. ETIAS will gather, keep track of and update information to make sure they are not a security threat. It will also monitor precisely who is overstaying the 90-day limit inside the Schengen area.

People who are applying for or renewing an immigration status do not need to request ETIAS.

www.schengenvisainfo.com/etias

Staying after a visa or other permission has expired
I am often asked about this second issue. My answer has always been that at the end of the immigration right documented by a visa, carte de séjour or other document, the illegal stay starts. At the same time, especially in France, there is a certain tolerance for stays beyond that date. The European Commission has issued a statement that recognized this right to overstay the expiration date of an immigration status at the EU level, which I have been calling “tolerance”.

Here is the statement given by Dimitris Avramopoulos, then EU Commissioner for Migration, Home Affairs and Citizenship. on behalf of the Commission on March 13th, 2015, to an EU Parliament question:

“The Commission confirms its reply of 16 December 2014 on the same issue (E-007775/2014). Consecutive stays beyond 90 days in a Member State (such as a continuous stay without interruption right after the expiry of a long‐term residence permit) are not regulated by the Schengen acquis.

“According to Article 5(1a) of the Schengen Borders Code, the periods of stay authorized under a residence permit or a long-stay visa shall not be taken into account in the calculation of the duration of short-stay on the territory of the Schengen Member States (when assessing the compliance with the 90 days in any 180-day rule provided by the EU/Schengen acquis). This provision thus allows visa-free third-country nationals (such as US citizens) legally to remain in the Schengen area and visit the other Schengen Member States than the one that issued the residence permit; they can start ‘consuming’ their 90 days visa-free ‘tourist’-stay without leaving and re-entering the Schengen area.

“However, this provision does not allow for a continuous, uninterrupted stay in the Member State that issued the residence permit. As already stated, that would require a successful application for the prolongation/extension of stay from the Member State that issued the permit, which is obviously to be arranged before the expiry of the permit. Finally, it is to be noted that the EU/Schengen acquis does not prevent the Member States from prolonging the stay (extending the validity of the permit) for less than 90 days. The overall duration of stay matters, when, as is the case in the example discussed here, this is more than 90 days, national law applies.”

www.europarl.europa.eu/doceo/document/E-8-2015-000886-ASW_EN.html

The parliamentary question, reference E-007775/2014, to which the first paragraph refers, was as follows:

“In the Commission’s view, is it possible for a third‐country national residing in an EU Member State based on a long‐term residence permit to then, once that permit has expired, remain without interruption in that same Member State based on the rules on staying in the Schengen Area — i.e., 90 days out of 180 days? If not, would it be necessary for that foreign national to leave the Member State of residence as soon as possible and then re‐enter since the relevant provisions connect the right to remain on the territory with the ‘arrival’ in that territory?

“This question mainly concerns third‐country nationals (i.e., non-European) for whom compulsory EU visa programs are in place.”

THE RIGHT TO OPEN A FRENCH BANK ACCOUNT IS NOW EASIER TO ENFORCE
As of June 13th, 2022, people who apply for a bank account and do not receive a reply within 15 days of their application can turn immediately to the Banque de France, which will designate a bank close to the applicant’s home. This procedure is open to any person residing in France or other EU country, any French person residing abroad and certain applicants who are not allowed to use a bank.

A decree published on March 13th, 2022, in the Journal Officiel simplified the procedure for people who do not have a deposit account and cannot obtain one from the institutions they have applied to. The objective is to modify the deadlines in the procedures concerning the right to an account and improve follow-up.

A person without an account who has not received a response from the bank contacted within 15 days may refer the matter to the Banque de France by providing proof of their application in the form of an acknowledgment of receipt of the registered letter sent to the banking establishment or a receipt for hand delivery of the request.

The implicit refusal system that came into force on June 13th, 2022 replaced the certificate of refusal to open an account that the bank concerned had to produce. It was sometimes difficult or even impossible to obtain this certificate. Now one only has to refer the matter to the Banque de France to assert one’s right to an account.

Within one working day of the referral, the Banque de France designates a bank near the applicant’s home or other place of their choice. Within three days of this designation, the bank chosen must provide the customer with the documents required to open an account.

The designated institution is not obliged to open an account, but it must inform the Banque de France of the reason for any refusal. It must also inform the Banque de France if it subsequently terminates the account management agreement opened under this process.

The designated bank must provide the following basic services:

• – opening, maintaining and closing the account,
• – issuing bank identity statements on request called RIB, which has the IBAN of the account,
• – effecting direct debit of bank transfers,
• – sending a monthly statement of transactions on the account,
• – carrying out cash operations,
• – providing checkbooks and bank transfers,
• – carrying out cash deposits and withdrawals at the counter or ATMs,
• – making payments by direct debit, interbank payment orders or bank transfers,
• – providing a means of remote consultation of the account balance,
• – furnishing a bank card and authorizing its use,
• – providing two bank check forms per month or an equivalent means of payment offering the same service..

Established by article 58 of the law of January 24th, 1984, on the activity and control of credit institutions, the right to a bank account is open to any individual or legal entity residing in France, to any individual requesting an account for non-business purposes and residing in another EU country and to any French person residing abroad. Applicants who are banned from banking, registered in the file of personal credit incidents or the central checks file, or in an overdraft situation may also exercise this right.

www.service-public.fr/particuliers/actualites/A15560

MY FEES ARE INCREASING ON SEPTEMBER 1st, 2022
1st meeting/1st work: 350 euros for 2 hours 
Extra per hour: 150 euros 
Handling mail in my office: 50 euros per month 
Handling mail at my home: 60 euros per month 
Surcharge for out-of-office meetings: 80 euros, assuming less than 30 minutes’ transportation 
Surcharge for meetings and phone calls at the client’s request after 7PM weekdays, all weekend, on national French holidays and during vacations: 30%.

QUESTION

MOVING BELONGINGS TO FRANCE AND FRENCH CUSTOMS REGULATIONS

After completing my two-year master’s at the University of Rennes next month, the university has helped us obtain a two-year extension to our passport-talent visas from the prefecture.
Now that my immigration situation is under control, my wife and I would finally like to move our household possessions to France – they have been in storage in the United States since I started living in France.
We have started working with an international moving company who will handle processing the container through French customs, but they need us to provide an Attestation de non-cession and to get a Certificate of Change of Residence from the French Consulate, if I understand correctly.
We need to explain to the consulate/customs authorities that, even though we have been physically in France longer than 12 months already, it has not been our résidence normale as defined by Les franchises douanières et fiscales de droit commun à l’importation, which states that La fréquentation d’une université ou d’une école n’implique pas le transfert de la résidence normale.
This said, we understand that the French consulate via the process of requesting a Certificate of Change of Residence should deny us such documents, based on the fact that I am holding a passeport talent visa. I also studied the document issued by French customs called Les franchises douanières et fiscales de droit commun à l’importation.
We have avis d’impots and have paid the taxes d’habitation for each of the three years during which I had passeport talent immigration status. Based on my research, these French fiscal documents would be refused by the French consulate as part of processing my Certificate of Change of Residence.Please let us know if you can provide that type of assistance, or if you need more information.

QUESTION

EMPLOYEE IMMIGRATION STATUS

I am looking for some advice regarding my immigration status. I moved from the USA a couple of years ago with an employee/salarié visa. I am currently holding a carte de séjour salarié I got last year. I have still the same employer who sponsored me in the first place. I now have a CDI, and I am renewing to receive a four-year carte de séjour salarié. I would like advice regarding changing employers once this new carte de séjour salarié has been issued.

I would like to wish you all you a great summer and a very nice vacation, enjoying the freedom of the moment.
I will close my office on July 8th

So close, no matter how far
Couldn’t be much more from the heart
Forever trusting who we are
And nothing else matters
Never opened myself this way
Life is ours, we live it our way
All these words, I don’t just say
And nothing else matters
Trust I seek and I find in you
Every day for us something new
Open mind for a different view
And nothing else matters
Never cared for what they do
Never cared for what they know
But I know
So close, no matter how far
It couldn’t be much more from the heart
Forever trusting who we are
And nothing else matters
Never cared for what they do
Never cared for what they know
But I know
I never opened myself this way
Life is ours, we live it our way
All these words, I don’t just say
And nothing else matters
Trust I seek and I find in you
Every day for us something new
Open mind for a different view
And nothing else matters
Never cared for what they say
Never cared for games they play
Never cared for what they do
Never cared for what they know
And I know, yeah, yeah
So close, no matter how far
Couldn’t be much more from the heart
Forever trusting who we are
No, nothing else matters

“Nothing Else Matters” is a song by the American heavy metal band Metallica. It was released in 1992 as the third single from their self-titled fifth studio album, Metallica.

I am not a fan of this band. This said, the members are good musicians and I understand why it is so popular. I have been thinking about a lot of things that have been happening which will have a profound impact on our life and the next generation.

Was I wrong in early June to think I could write about my projects for this summer, with sunshine and heat waves? How quickly things can change with just a decision here, an election there, a ruling here or even a hearing there. It immediately darkened my writing. As I get older – and I am writing four days before my birthday – I continue to have optimistic energy, against all odds. I have no idea what will be happening in France or in the USA when I reopen my office in late August. I just believe that I will have scheduled appointments for my clients, that the renovation will go well and that my family members and close friends will be well. I learned very early in life that there is no alternative to optimism, to having visions for the future, believing in goals and achieving them. So nothing matters more than building a better world one day at a time, with the skills I have, for my family, my friends and the community.

NEWS FROM THE USA
I was hoping to draft a summertime issue, lightweight, thinking about lazy days and nice weather. I had found a couple of interesting issues peripheral to major media coverage. Then, nearly at the deadline, so much happened. I need time to absorb, understand and comprehend what is happening. Looking at this as a French citizen living in France, even with my very best effort, makes all of this very alien to me. I hope that I will have gained some understanding and clarity regarding these issues.

THE LATEST FRENCH ELECTION IS ANOTHER EARTHQUAKE 
Once the final results of the June parliamentary election were known, we all understood that something major had happened. At the creation of the Fifth Republic and its Constitution, the goal was to always have a solid majority enabling the government to carry out its policy. In General de Gaulle’s mind, the president-elect has a majority in the parliament, and the prime minister and government have the trust and the support of the Assemblée Nationale, the French House of Representatives. This constitution worked well even during the first “cohabitation” from March 1986 to May 1988 between the liberal President François Mitterrand and the conservative Prime Minister Jacques Chirac. There was a second one from March 1993 to May 1995 between President Mitterrand and the conservative Prime Minister Édouard Balladur, and a third one from June 1997 to April 2002 between President Chirac and the liberal Prime Minister Lionel Jospin. Thus at the very least we know how it might work should President Macron choose a prime minister capable of obtaining the trust and support of the Assemblée Nationale. The reason so many are looking at these precedents is that President Macron’s party does not have a majority and all the other parties want to be the opposition. Two things are needed that nobody right now sees as happening: finding someone who can be the right prime minister in this situation and finding a way to pass legislation when the majority of the députés, or representatives, oppose the president’s policies. To make the situation worse, the next biggest coalition is clearly and proudly liberal, and coming in third is the far right.

The vast majority of EU member countries hardly ever have a straight one-party majority and so are used to forming coalitions, some of them can last for years and are stable. But for France this is unknown political territory. The country will be in search of an improbable government unless people start having meaningful political discussions and governmental negotiations.

STATELESS PEOPLE MOVED TO THE USA FROM THE USSR
A reader writes about his grandparents:
“I thoroughly enjoyed your essay below about Ellis Island, the more so because three of my grandparents passed through there (1906, 1911 and 1913) on their way to live in America. When my paternal grandfather became a US citizen in 1923, his two surviving children back in Russia were able to enter the US in 1925 without stopping at Ellis Island since they had received US citizenship by way of their father. They were carrying Nansen passports issued [to stateless people] by the League of Nations. Apropos of the times, one side was in French and the other in Russian.”

A FRENCH HIGH COURT RULES AGAINST THE 100% DIGITAL IMMIGRATION PROCEDURE
Over a year ago, I noted that the prefecture’s rapid move to digital procedures could entail significant benefits for many foreigners as long as cases are clearly defined, the information is readily available and the applicant makes no mistake filling out the form or uploading the documents. At the same, it enormously complicates everything when the situation and therefore the documents do not perfectly align with the software used by the prefecture, with the Démarches Simplifiées or with Étrangers en France websites. Since there is no way to discuss the case with the people handling the request, answers to emails are cryptic (but may give some valuation information) or do not address all the issues. Furthermore, for some regularization procedures it is impossible to get through and secure an appointment. The system seems to be intentionally designed that way.

All this explains why the Conseil d’Etat, the country’s highest administrative court, ruled against the administration, determining that it was illegal to go completely paper free for immigration procedures, especially those of the prefecture.

Here is a translation of a statement published by the immigrant support group GISTI on June 9th, 2022.

“Following litigation brought by our organizations against the dematerialization of procedures applicable to foreigners, the Conseil d’Etat confirms the illegality of online appointments imposed without alternative and rules that the digital procedures for residence permit applications, i.e., ANEF (Administration Numérique pour les Étrangers en France/Digital Administration for Foreigners in France), are illegal as currently coded: the authorities must provide an alternative solution if the digital procedures cannot be used.

“But the council validated a discounted alternative that may not be sufficient in practice in the absence of real means to receive and accompany all applications for residence permits.

“This is a victory for our organizations: a large number of the online-only procedures imposed by prefectures on foreigners for several years are illegal because they are mandatory.”

Here is the link to the actual decision on the Conseil d’Etat website:
www.conseil-etat.fr/actualites/demarches-administratives-en-ligne-le-conseil-d-etat-fixe-un-cadre-general-et-se-prononce-sur-les-demandes-de-titre-de-sejour

A FRIEND IS SELLING HER HOUSE IN NORMANDY
My former colleague at Alliage SARL is selling a single house measuring 70 square meters (754 square feet), on a plot of 4,500 m² (48,438 sq. ft.) with a garage. It is located 4 km (2.5 mi.) from Orbec (Calvados) and 6 km (3.7 mi.) from Broglie (Eure). It is 20 km (12.5 mi.) from Bernay (which has a train station connecting with Paris Saint-Lazare, 150 km/93.2 mi. away) and 25 km (15.5 mi.) from Lisieux. On the ground floor, there is a veranda opening to the garden, a kitchen/dining room with a fireplace, a bathroom, a closet, a small room and a cathedral lounge with a fireplace. Upstairs are two bedrooms and a 15 m² (162 sq. ft.) loft. Pictures and more detail are available upon request.

THE “SURVIVAL HOME IN PARIS” PROJECT FACES AUGUST IN FRANCE!
As I have mentioned in previous issues, I plan to eventually rent out the 30 m2 (almost 329 sq. ft.) studio apartment I am acquiring next to my office. We are still on track to close in mid-July, possibly after Bastille Day, July 14th. As many know, France starts falling asleep then for the summer and only reemerges at the end of August. I chose a local contractor with a small team whose shop closes during August, so the renovation will start on Monday, August 22nd! This brings to mind childhood memories of watching my father close the roughly 100-year-old woodworking shop, run by his family for four generations, by locking down the shutter for the entire month of August.

My goal for the studio was to start renting it out sometime in September. In the end, it would be optimistic if it happens on October 1st. I feel reassured about this project, as I have already received a few premature rental requests. Aside from the renovation itself, I am researching the sleeping arrangement and the light fixtures. Such a large studio is suitable for a single person or a couple. I intend to rent it by the month for between one and six months at a time. My September issue should say when I will start taking reservations.

The more I work on this project, the more I feel it is a natural continuation and extension of the services rendered by A Survival Kit for Paris. “A Survival Home in Paris” also fits well into my eventual retirement plans, by which time the rental business will have been in operation for several years, and I am hopeful that it will running smoothly.

OFFICE CLOSED FOR SUMMER VACATION
For once I can disclose this information. The office will be closed for six weeks over the summer holidays, starting on Friday, July 8th, in the evening and reopening on the morning of Monday, August 22nd. But I expect to remain in Paris, and probably in the office, since I want to have everything planned and ready when the renovation starts. I also need to put in place the team I need to run this project, even though the guest turnover will be slower than that of the standard vacation rental.

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.

MY FEES WILL INCREASE ON SEPTEMBER 1st, 2022
I continue to slowly move toward working fewer hours in the hope of having a lifestyle more compatible with my age. As I have done in the past, I am once again scheduling an increase in my fees. I expect my assistant to continue to pick up more tasks linked to the URSSAF, CPAM and other public offices procedures. She already handles most dealings with the offices who register self-employed people. 
1st meeting/1st work: 350 euros for 2 hours 
Extra per hour: 150 euros 
Handling mail in my office: 50 euros per month 
Handling mail at my home: 60 euros per month 
Surcharge for out-of-office meetings: 80 euros, assuming less than 30 minutes’ transportation 
Surcharge for meetings and phone calls at the client’s request after 7PM weekdays, all weekend, on national French holidays and during vacations: 30%.

I would like to remind everyone there will be no August issue.
Best regards,

QUESTION

THE MODERN WAY TO SEND REGISTERED LETTERS: BY EMAIL

I have owned an apartment in Paris for over 20 years. I received an email from someone called AR24 telling me that there are documents available for me if I go on their website. I first assumed that it was a phishing attempt but my syndic states that this is now the normal procedure. So I clicked on the link and was asked to register and pay a large sum of money. Does this mean to get correspondence from the syndic I have to pay? This does not make sense. It seems to me like a rip-off.

I have already used the title “Bridge over Troubled Water,” from the title song of Simon & Garfunkel’s final studio album. It appeared in my June 2011 issue. At first, I did not want to use it again as it is my policy not to use a title twice.

The album Bridge over Troubled Water was released on January 26, 1970. A bridge is a good symbol of the need to reach out, sometimes pretty far, when one lives in a foreign country, and can be seen as a link between the unfairness of the foreigner needing to do more and thus feeling discriminated against, and the help that can come from someone who unexpectedly reaches out from nowhere and keeps the foreigner out of trouble.

“Troubled water” could symbolize so many things right now. My idealistic point of view is that there should be more bridges enabling people to cross the troubled waters of our world. Normally I can highlight my hope regarding one or more topics. I praise those people who manage to be bridges and who embody the beautiful lyrics of this song.

ELLIS ISLAND AND THE SOUTHERN BORDER OF THE USA
Just over ten years ago, in the March 2012 issue titled ELLIS ISLAND, I reflected on the famous point of entry to the USA, passing by the Statue of Liberty on the way. I continue regularly to compare the French immigration procedure, with its several steps, to the procedure that existed on Ellis Island. Individuals and families ask for permission to immigrate and wait anxiously, fearing it will be refused. Once the French consulate in Washington, DC, approves the request and puts the visa in the passport, the aspiring immigrant is ready to travel to France, where the police at the airport will examine the passport and visa.

For many North Americans, it does not feel like immigration scrutiny when they pass the French border control. This step, however, corresponds to the police review on Ellis Island, which was a lot more probing. In many cases, the French visa is valid for one year and must be registered with the French administration. This registration triggers issuance of a French ID number for foreigners, and later a complete physical provided by the Office Français de l’Immigration et de l’Intégration. Recently, in the second Q/A of February 2022, I reviewed in detail this procedure by evoking the horrific anguish people had at Ellis Island where they could be denied entry because of diseases they had without ever knowing about them.

Here is what I published in 2012:

“This past summer I read the book titled “Forgotten Ellis Island: The Extraordinary Story of America’s Immigration Hospital” and very recently my wife and I watched the movie of the same title made by the book’s author, Ms. Lorie Conway, who is an independent producer and filmmaker. The book was released on October 16th, 2007, and the film on February 9th, 2009.”

“I believe that I am one of the Frenchmen who most often mentions Ellis Island. There are many reasons why I am fascinated by this place in New York City.”

“I now kick myself for not visiting the place or at least taking the boat to visit the Statue of Liberty and get a good view of it, when I visited the city at the age of 20 or so. I was staying in Connecticut, taking the train into Grand Central and walking all over Manhattan, including to the southern tip. If only I had known then how important it would be to me now!”

“One obvious reason is that at one point I was an immigrant to the USA, going through the anguish of waiting for my visa, and it was just as bad when I arrived in New York City at JFK Airport with my precious visa in 1986.”

“Another reason is that I love history, which to me is the best way of understanding what is happening today. What happened at Ellis Island, for a short period (compared to the existence of the USA as a country), beautifully synthesizes what the American population was made of until Latino and African immigration started in the 1970s.”

“Another reason is that the story of the country built by those broken people, scared and full of hope at the same time, is the sum of the stories of these individuals. The book and movie both show individual stories and it is amazing how quickly I got hooked on what was happening to the people depicted.”

“Still, another reason is the policy and vision of Mr. William Williams, the commissioner of immigration from 1902 to 1913, who had a very high opinion of himself and his mission. The hospital was there to protect the American population from all the diseases of the world. He was the gatekeeper and he made sure that the doctors working there followed his instructions. At the same time, this was still a hospital and its mission was to cure these people, who were cared for by the American government even before they could contribute anything to their new country. The goal was to cure them so they could become immigrants.”

“One last comment: I learned from the book about a poor Italian immigrant who financed his law studies by working as a translator at Ellis Island, helping the newcomers. He worked there throughout law school and stated that this experience was what made him so successful afterward. He was mayor of New York for three terms, from 1934 to 1945: Fiorello Henry LaGuardia, commemorated by the airport named after him.”

“In my practice, the reason I so often refer to Ellis Island is that it beautifully illustrates the legal and administrative immigration process. As long as someone is on the boat, they are aspiring to immigrate, but nothing is certain at this point. Getting off the boat, they are met by the police and a doctor, and it is only once they pass both screening processes that they cross the line and walk into the USA, away from the island. Today in France, the police verify the validity of the visa at the airport after one gets off the plane, and later most foreigners undergo a complete physical, which now usually takes place at the Office Français de l’Immigration et de l’Intégration.”

“Maybe there are lessons to be learned from history. There was a time when the USA knew that immigration was its strength and the world knew anyone had a chance of a brighter future if they could immigrate to the USA.”

There are so many talking points thrown on each side of the aisle in the US Congress that I feel it has become something mechanical. One of them is the southern border, which seems to be mentioned pretty much regardless of the topic or piece of legislation being discussed. On occasion, when my imagination takes me to unrealistic territory, I construct a sort of Ellis Island in the middle of the desert to carry out the same job procedure as in the late 19th century. A step crazier and I imagine a smaller replica of the Statue of Liberty, with a reproduction of Emma Lazarus’s poem:

The New Colossus
Not like the brazen giant of Greek fame, 
With conquering limbs astride from land to land; 
Here at our sea-washed, sunset gates shall stand
A mighty woman with a torch, whose flame
Is the imprisoned lightning, and her name
Mother of Exiles. From her beacon-hand
Glows world-wide welcome; her mild eyes command
The air-bridged harbor that twin cities frame. 
“Keep, ancient lands, your storied pomp!” cries she
With silent lips. “Give me your tired, your poor, 
Your huddled masses yearning to breathe free, 
The wretched refuse of your teeming shore. 
Send these, the homeless, tempest-tost to me, 
I lift my lamp beside the golden door!”

I mock myself for being so unrealistic when I am done with this insane picture. The thought that sustains it has more merit. For one thing, it foregrounds the fact that the USA is a country of immigration and something has to be set up to handle, channel and vest the hopeful candidates wanting to start a new life in the USA. Ellis Island worked because it offered exactly that in an orderly fashion.

THE AMOUNT OF THE FRENCH MINIMUM WAGE GOES UP
On May 1st, the level of France’s salaire minimum interprofessionnel de croissance, better known as the SMIC or minimum wage, was raised by 2.65% to reach a monthly amount of 1,302€ net (i.e. after deducting social charges on a 35-hour workweek). As far as prefecture procedures are concerned, the yearly amount is now 15,624€.

The official communication always uses the gross amount, which is what is cited in employee contracts. The hourly amount is now 10.85€, the monthly gross is 1,645.58€ and the yearly gross is 19,746.96€.

New readers might wonder why I am talking about this when hardly any of the people I help are paid the French minimum wage. The main reason I have mentioned the SMIC in nearly all recent issues of my column is that most French immigration categories require the applicant to prove either means or income at least equal to the SMIC, or a ratio of it, especially for the passeport talent categories, which the French administration considers to be VIP statuses. Also, I see increased scrutiny by the prefecture of whether the applicant meets this benchmark for many immigration statuses. The fact that most procedures now include screening after the file is uploaded makes even it more visible.

One of my most interesting exchanges with a civil servant at the prefecture involved repeated discussion of whether the file submitted contained enough proof that the applicant earned this kind of money. First the civil servant gave us back all the invoices and bank statements, saying the URSSAF quarterly statements would be enough. Then, realizing that these documents showed a low level of sales, the civil servant expressed serious concern. I proposed putting all the 2022 invoices and bank statements back in the file, since for a few months they showed income largely exceeding the minimum. Sadly, this sort of thing is possible only when there is a meeting; the possibility of having a discussion becomes exceedingly difficult when the file is uploaded. One needs to identify the flaws in the file to find solutions. What is needed is a way to upload documents that the administration has not asked for, starting with a cover letter.

THE SHORT-TERM RENTAL INDUSTRY IN PARIS IS LOSING IN COURT
system approved the French legislation on short-term rentals in 2020, cases have been heard by the local court in large volumes and the city has won almost all the time. I doubt this kind of rental will be eradicated from Paris, as demand from the tourism industry is high and it is still possible to make good money. But the longer this battle lasts and fines are regularly increased, the more the regulations are likely to force this sector to comply with the law.

Paris’ legal battle against illegal tourist rentals is starting to pay off
Out of 500 proceedings initiated, 422 have already been adjudged, two-thirds of them in favor of the city, which recovered more than 14 million euros in fines.

The judges of the Paris judicial court call them “Airbnb hearings.” They are long afternoons when they try to sort out, in batches of 15 or 20, the 500 procedures underway between the city of Paris and owners of short-term rentals, often to tourists.

The decisions of judges Caroline Fayat and Anne-Charlotte Meignan, who have taken on this mass litigation, are beginning to constitute a body of case law that is rather favorable to the community, but not always. “I see that the fines are coming down,” Ian Brossat, deputy mayor of Paris in charge of housing, says with satisfaction. “A certain number of these premises are returning to residential use, which is our goal, in traditional rental, with a mobility lease [from one to ten months], long-term, or are put up for sale.”

…The 422 cases already adjudicated in the first instance will therefore have enabled the city of Paris, in 2021 and 2022, to collect 4.55 million euros in fines from landlords and 9.58 million euros from online platforms. A hundred or so landlord cases remain to be judged, a hundred or so are already under appeal, and the TripAdvisor and Abritel platforms, which are also under attack, are awaiting judgment by the end of June.

www.lemonde.fr/societe/article/2022/05/23/le-combat-judiciaire-de-paris-contre-les-locations-touristiques-illegales-commence-a-payer_6127245_3224.html

NOTAIRES, REMOTE MEETINGS AND ELECTRONIC SIGNATURES 
When I started my career in July 1997 the notaire was an old-fashioned man, very conservative, including in the way he spoke. Buying real estate in France meant going through a type of ceremony with decorum. I used to say, with some exaggeration, that the French this profession used needed to be translated into standard French before it could be translated into English.

Ten years later, the younger generation was slowly changing the old-fashioned way of conducting this business, especially regarding real estate transactions. In 2008, electronic signing was created and slowly implemented, after which there were no more printed documents to review. The acte authentique électronique meant the profession had found a way to officially certify and store documents, especially property titles.

Today all transactions are signed on a graphic tablet screen to create an electronic authentic act. The latest revolution came in November 2020 with decree n°2020-1422 introducing signature by remote appearance of authentic powers of attorney on electronic support. These solutions must therefore be able to offer an advanced level of electronic signature, which is essential for remote electronic signature of documents. The correlation to this technology is that it is possible and even common for the meeting to sign the presale contract, as well as the closing, to be held via Zoom. At the end of the meeting, the buyer and seller sign electronically in the notaire’s office where they are, and it is possible to have several notaire firms involved this way. The time when everybody sat around the same table is not the norm anymore.

“A SURVIVAL HOME IN PARIS” IS SLOWLY PROGRESSING 
I plan to rent out this one-room studio of almost 329 square feet (30 square meters). My goal is to rent by the month for between one and six months. The studio can serve as a place for someone who has either secured a long-stay visa or is submitting a request for one. It will be an interim place for such people to stay. It could also be for someone who is in France on a 90-day visa waiver to “test drive” whether living in France is for them. After 25 years of offering “A Survival Kit for Paris,” I will now also be able to propose “A Survival Home in Paris” for those who need it as an extension of my services.

For those who do not know, my office is located in the 11th arrondissement between Nation and Bastille. It is a real up-and-coming arrondissement, and the property is served by five metro and RER lines.

The new space will need some renovation before clients can benefit from a comfortable and enjoyable stay. Thus, I need to set aside some time to work on this project. I might give appointments a month or more later than usual because of it. I will let my readers know when I start taking reservations, which should be during August, once the renovations are well under way.

MY FEES WILL INCREASE ON SEPTEMBER 1st, 2022
I continue to slowly move toward working fewer hours in the hope of having a lifestyle more compatible with my age. As I have done in the past, I am once again scheduling an increase in my fees. I expect my assistant to continue to pick up more tasks linked to the URSSAF, CPAM and other public offices procedures. She already handles most dealings with the offices who register self-employed people. 
1st meeting/1st work: 350 euros for 2 hours 
Extra per hour: 150 euros 
Handling mail in my office: 50 euros per month 
Handling mail at my home: 60 euros per month 
Surcharge for out-of-office meetings: 80 euros, assuming less than 30 minutes’ transportation 
Surcharge for meetings and phone calls at the client’s request after 7PM weekdays, all weekend, on national French holidays and during vacations: 30%.

OFFICE CLOSED FOR SUMMER VACATION
The office will be closed for three weeks over the summer holidays, starting on Friday, July 8th, in the evening and reopening on the morning of Monday, August 22nd. 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.

re were not paying the “taxe d’habitation.”
This is not enough since owners now prefer stating that they are there a week at a time as a secondary domicile and pay the “taxe d’habitation”, which does not increase every year as the punitive vacant tax. This is a response to an increase of 43% of those residences in Paris, partially if not primary motivated by the very short-term rental industry, which existed before AirB&B but expanded considerably with it. Paris City Hall states that 107,000 apartments are secondary residence, which makes 7.5% of the global number of apartments. The city is losing its residents and losing its blue-collar businesses. An official stated:
“Taxer davantage les résidences secondaires incitera leurs propriétaires à les vendre ou à les louer à l’année, ce qui augmentera l’offre locative. Notre objectif est que ces logements bénéficient en priorité aux Parisiens.”
Heavy taxes on secondary residences should push owners to either sell or rent long term, which should increase the lodging for renters. Our goal is that the Parisians first benefit from the increase of the offer of these lodgings.
Also, and probably this should not be underestimated, the city is hoping to get an excess of 43 million euros.
En savoir plus sur http://www.lemonde.fr/argent/article/2017/01/25/a-paris-la-surtaxe-sur-les-residences-secondaires-va-passer-de-20-a-60_5068843_1657007.html#2PQtqHpTkjQjdct0.99
 
PLURIANNUELLE CARTES DE SEJOUR
I mentioned these cards already two times, since they were first introduced for the foreign students preparing a doctorate. Starting in November 2016, holders of the carte de séjour mention salarié, i.e., employee immigration status, as well as the mentioned vie privée et familiale, personal and family status, are now issued almost systematically at the time of the first renewal. I am not certain exactly how the duration of the card is decided. Based on the information I am getting, the employee carte de sejour seems to be four years when the private life is only two. There is a lot of misunderstanding regarding the nature of these cards as people often mistake them with the carte de résident, which is the equivalent to the American Green Card. The key difference here is that a carte de séjour is issued on a specific ground, and therefore it creates a lot of limits for many of them, mainly in terms of “right to work.” During a couple of years, and maybe more, people will get those long lasting cards when they are able to ask for a carte de résident a year or two later . The real issue here is that more and more people have what I call diverse careers, and not just one employee job. So specifically, a carte de séjour mention salarié holder can be prevented to launch a side consulting, or teaching yoga for several years.
I have no idea as the regulation just came about in November 2016 if it will be possible to ask for this carte de résident while the card is still valid and for a few more years. I have already been confronted with this situation several times, making what appears to be wonderful news, just the opposite, for several.
I raised another issue regarding the profession libérale, commerçant, if and when these cards could also be issued for several years. The answer “it might be possible” being put in the French context of distrust of the self-employed in general, my guess is that this is not going to happen for quite a while. As an example, the profession libérale carte de séjour holder at the Parisian prefecture will now have this request being reviewed by the office in charge of merchant and craftsman. This is not a good sign.
 
REDESIGNING MY WEBSITE
My website is being redesigned, mainly so as to use more recent software to update and manage it. This means there may be a couple of days when the site will not be online. I am sorry for the inconvenience, but we will do everything we can to keep this outage as short as possible. Indeed it should evolve as I am taking over the full control of the back office and being able to update it regularly now chating is possible on all the issues.
 
OFFICE CLOSED JUST BEFORE SUMMER
The office will close for less than two weeks starting on Thursday June 8th, reopening on Wednesday June 21st. 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. This time I am leaving France and email will truly be the only way to reach me then.
Best regards,

QUESTION

THE CHOICE OF A MUTUELLE (SECONDARY INSURANCE) IN FRANCE

I am British and I was born in France but I am not French. I would like to apply for naturalization. I have a carte de séjour as a British citizen till 2026 that allows me to perform any professional activity. I have been offered work teaching English conversation in person at a small private language school. I have over twenty years of teaching experience in several British universities. I was told that I need a numéro de déclaration d’activité (NDA) number and I do not know what it is nor where to get it. There are a few things I’d like to communicate further. I have a C1 level in French. I have a website linked to my teaching and editing-proofreading business. I assume I do not need to include any foreign tax forms for this request, which I gave to the prefecture. Thank you for telling me how to get it right away, this school is waiting for me.

QUESTION

SELLING EN VIAGER: THE LEGAL CONCEPT OF FRENCH OWNERSHIP

I’m a regular reader of your column and FB page. I suddenly find myself with a big problem concerning the sale of my house by viager and my mortgage. A week ago, I met with the agent, the notaire, and the buyers of my house (who live in the USA) to go over the vente. The promesse de vente was signed just before Christmas 2021 and we should have had this meeting to sign the closing three months later.
The notaire informed me that I will be required to pay off the mortgage when the sale goes through. I had planned to continue making the monthly payments to avoid the penalty for early reimbursement and to have more cash in hand when the sale closes. I called my bank and was told the same thing. Like most mortgages in France, the loan is not connected to my property and I have mortgage insurance in case of my death.
Can I be required to pay off the mortgage upon the sale? This seems wildly unfair to force me to pay a penalty when I don’t want to pay it off early. I’m not going anywhere. I’m a permanent resident of France and will live there until they carry me out.
I am very distressed by this problem as it seriously reduces the amount of money I’ll receive from the sale. Do I have any right to protest or refuse this arrangement?

The Best Is Yet to Come
Out of the tree of life, I just picked me a plum
You came along and everything started’ in to hum
Still it’s a real good bet
The best is yet to come
Best is yet to come and babe, won’t that be fine? 
You think you’ve seen the sun
But you ain’t seen it shine
A wait till the warm-up’s underway
Wait till our lips have met
And wait till you see that sunshine day
You ain’t seen nothing yet
The best is yet to come and babe, won’t it be fine? 
Best is yet to come, come the day you’re mine
Come the day you’re mine
I’m gonna teach you to fly
We’ve only tasted the wine
We’re gonna drain the cup dry
Wait till your charms are right, for these arms to surround
You think you’ve flown before, but baby you ain’t left the ground
A wait till you’re locked in my embrace
Wait till I draw you near
A wait till you see that sunshine place
Ain’t nothin’ like it here
The best is yet to come, and babe, won’t it be fine? 
The best is yet to come, come the day you’re mine
Come the day you’re mine
And you’re gonna be mine

Wikipedia
“The Best Is Yet to Come” is a 1959 song composed by Cy Coleman to lyrics by Carolyn Leigh. It is associated with Frank Sinatra, who recorded it on his 1964 album It Might as Well Be Swing accompanied by Count Basie under the direction of Quincy Jones. It was the last song Sinatra sang in public, on February 25, 1995, and the words “The Best Is Yet to Come” were etched on Sinatra’s tombstone. Although Sinatra made it popular, the song was written for and introduced by Tony Bennett.

Although it is a love song, I find the title appropriate for the times we are living through, as good news is mingled with bad. I do not see the need to specify what I consider to be the good and the bad news. I believe the vast majority of people are trying to be cautiously optimistic. They hope the good news will continue to offset the bad, even though many are experiencing serious hardships. The economy in both the USA and France includes rising inflation but also low unemployment.

Many see the reelection of the French president, Emmanuel Macron, as having averted a serious risk, since the far-right candidate did not win the presidential election. Yet it is going to take more than that to make French people feel safe and reassured.

On a much lighter note, we can count on nice weather coming soon, and many of us are planning pleasant moments during the summer.

THE FRENCH PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION 
I wrote this just a few minutes after the French media announced President Macron’s reelection. The polls had indicated he would probably win. Still, the accuracy of polls can be questioned, especially when they are trying to measure a new situation. It would be a mistake to think that this was just a rerun of the last French presidential election, in which the same candidates ran. The first and most significant difference was that this time there were two strong appeals to voters. One was “Tout sauf Le Pen” i.e., vote for anyone except Ms. Marine Le Pen to prevent France from electing a far-right president. The other similarly opposed President Macron, “Tout sauf Macron.” This was new; such a thing was unheard of in modern French history. Of course, the second round of the presidential election is always particularly contentious, as it is a true duel. In that sense, it resembles the American presidential election. But there is a lot of hatred of President Macron, and the wave of strong anger many French people feel against his policies involves a significant part of the French electorate. These people were ready to vote for anyone, including a far-right candidate, and they did.

Hence there was serious concern about how close the vote would be. French politics would shift considerably if there were just one percentage point between the candidates with a result like 50.5% for President Macron and 49.5% for Ms. Marine Le Pen. The definitive victory of President Macron (58,60%) over Ms. Marine Le Pen (41,40%), indicates a possible continuation of French political life as we know it. This said, winning with such a significant margin says nothing about whether President Macron will continue governing the same way he did during his first term.

One issue many commentators mentioned concerned Jean-Luc Mélenchon, who came a close third in the first round. He is usually described as an extreme leftist by French standards, which makes him too liberal to fit in the American political spectrum. Under normal circumstances, most of his votes would have gone to President Macron in the second round. But polls showed his supporters were split into three groups. One-third was expected to vote for President Macron, one-third was expected to vote for Ms. Marine Le Pen, and one-third was expected to refuse to vote in the second round. It now appears that this projection was pretty accurate. It is hard to believe that such a thing could have happened. It shows two things. First and foremost, in my view, is how incredibly strong the call “Tout sauf Macron” was. Also, Ms. Marine Le Pen has become a highly skilled politician with a lot of experience. She has worked for years to give the appearance of a moderately conservative politician and make her political party seem to fit into the normal French political spectrum. The extent that she succeeded would have been impossible for her father, Mr. Jean-Marie Le Pen, whose political career was anchored on his far-right views.

As I said in my previous issue, this election takes France into uncharted territory. Now there is a possibility that President Macron will not achieve a stable majority in the elections for the National Assembly. This next big test for France takes place in June. The election of députés to the Assemblée Nationale, the equivalent of the US House of Representatives, will again be in two rounds.

“A SURVIVAL HOME IN PARIS” IS SLOWLY PROGRESSING
The purchase procedure for the apartment project I described in my last issue got under way on April 13th when my wife, Paula, and I signed the preliminary sale contract, the promesse de vente. The closing should occur three months later. After that, the renovations should take about one month. Even though the summer months, and especially August, are not full vacation months the way they used to be, this is not problematic as I assume the place will not be ready to be rented until sometime in September. Right now, I am finalizing the estimate and hoping there will be as few last-minute crises as possible. I am also looking at furniture and appliances, as they are also important to an enjoyable stay for guests.

I plan to rent out this one-room studio of almost 329 square feet (30 square meters). My goal is to rent by the month for between one and six months. Clients sometimes ask to use my address, which they need to give to the consulate and later the prefecture while hopping from one weekly rental to the next before finding a more stable place and settling down with a longer-term lease. This truly unpleasant experience can be avoided now that I have an address in Paris where the person can go straight from the airport. The studio can serve as a place for someone who has either secured a long-stay visa or is submitting a request for one. It will be an interim place for such people to stay. It could also be for someone who is in France on a 90-day visa waiver to “test drive” whether living in France is for them. After 25 years of offering “A Survival Kit for Paris,” I will now also be able to propose “A Survival Home in Paris” for those who need it as an extension of my services.

For those who do not know, my office is located in the 11th arrondissement between Nation and Bastille. It is a real up-and-coming arrondissement, and the property is served by five metro and RER lines.

The new space will need some renovation before clients can benefit from a comfortable and enjoyable stay. Thus I need to set aside some time to work on this project. I might give appointments a month or more later than usual because of it. I will let my readers know when I start taking reservations, which should be during August, once the renovations are well under way.

RENTING BELOW MARKET PRICE TO GET A SUBSTANTIAL TAX CREDIT
In many of the world’s cities, rental housing is too expensive for many people. This is one reason the city of Paris has been losing population for years. Among several policies to address the problem, one of the better known is rent control, which took effect in Paris on July 1st, 2019. Now the national government has launched a program that, instead of punishing landlords for setting rent too high, offers a tax credit to those willing to rent below the market rate. I am not sure how successful this policy is going to be, as it may be too complex to be efficient. Here is how the administration explains it:

Loc’Avantages came into effect on February 28th, 2022. Property owners willing to set the rent lower than what is usual in a given municipality sign a six-year agreement with the National Housing Agency (ANAH) and in exchange they receive a tax reduction on the rent collected, ranging from 15% to 65%.

All housing, new or old, is eligible for Loc’Avantages, regardless of when it was purchased. Unfurnished property must be rented for a minimum of six years to a tenant with limited resources who is establishing his or her main residence. The owner may choose to apply a discount of 15%, 30%, or 45% to the local market rent. The lower the rent, the greater the tax reduction on the rent received.

www.lemonde.fr/argent/article/2022/03/04/comment-fonctionne-le-nouveau-dispositif-qui-permet-de-louer-moins-cher-et-de-beneficier-d-une-reduction-d-impots_6116076_1657007.html

URSSAF IS BLOCKING BUSINESS REGISTRATIONS BECAUSE OF THE CARTE DE SEJOUR
French law requires that foreigners must wait to register their business with URSSAF provided they hold an immigration status that allows this registration. Oddly enough, for many years it was possible to register the creation of a business with URSSAF without having the proper immigration right to do so. This happened only when the business was registered online rather than in person, and I assumed that the URSSAF employees in charge of reviewing these business applications neglected to thoroughly check the cartes de séjour. As long as the ID of the applicant was valid, the registration went through. It is important to note that applicants with completed business registrations needed only one appointment afterwards at the prefecture, during which both the applicant’s project and the URSSAF registration were checked…and generally such applications were approved! To my dismay, personnel at the prefecture were pushing the applicants to carry on with this illegal procedure, apparently in an effort to avoid the necessity of scheduling a second appointment. Several times I asked different civil servants working at the prefecture where thesecarte de séjour requests based on business registrations were handled if it was now established policy to accept an illegal registration with the wrong carte de séjour. The responses I received were affirmative.

I saw a change in January 2022 with the URSSAF online registration procedure. It was no longer possible to complete registration with the wrong carte de séjour. I first tried to register a business online for someone holding a “visiteur” carte de séjour. More recently, I tried with an applicant holding a student visa. In both cases, we were unable to complete the registration. I conclude that the government is now systematically blocking requests made with the wrong carte de séjour. It is going to be very interesting to see how the prefecture is going to handle this change. I will keep my readers updated about this.

THE PREFECTURE’S REQUIREMENT FOR RESOURCES EQUIVALENT TO FRENCH MINIMUM WAGE
On various forums and media targeting the expat community, I see a lot of confusion about a financial requirement that is applied to mostcartes de séjour issued. Applicants must nearly always prove that they earn or at least possess resources equivalent to the French minimum wage (salaire minimum de croissance, or SMIC). For some sub-categories of “passeport talent” cartes de séjour, the requirement is even higher, but always referred to as a ratio of the SMIC. I copied the quote below from the website of a small rural prefecture and translated it. One thing that might surprise many readers is that foreign clergy hold “visiteur” cartes de séjour. The French administration does not consider foreigners holding a religious position to be employed in France. Note that the administration does not differentiate among religions.

“Your total resources must be at least equal to 1.231€ a month. The benefits and allowances that are not taken into account in the calculation of resources are the following: the Revenu de Solidarité Active, theAllocation de Solidarité Spécifique, and the Allocation Temporaire d’Attente.” 

These are subsidies similar to welfare in the USA, which is why they are not included in the evaluation of whether the foreigner has the means to stay in France.

“The applicant must choose as the source of resources ‘Other support (religious function)’ if they are:
– a foreign national who is a minister of religion or a member of a religious congregation or community by his or her diocese, community, or congregation of origin to a diocese, community, or a congregation in France for a fixed or indefinite period;
– or a foreign minister of the Muslim faith seconded to France by his government for four years to exercise religious functions.”

THE CROOKS OF THE CONTINUING EDUCATION FUNDS
Sadly, whenever there is a program dedicated to people who need it, crooks tap into it hoping to fool enough people to make a lot of money. For a couple of years, people have been contacted in many ways – usually by phone, SMS or email – about financing for continuing education. The communication almost always claims to be official information about your rights, so people pay attention. And the part about the rights is true. French continuing education is financed in such a way that the vast majority of people living in France, citizens and immigrants alike, have rights to continuing education funds. They are financed either by the employer as part of the social charges paid, or by self-employed people themselves when they pay their social charges (it is the last line on the URSSAF form). Pôle Emploi, the French unemployment agency, also has access to this financing to help people get jobs faster. The many ways of financing continuing education include the Congé Professionel de Formation (CPF) and the Congé Individual de Formation (CIF). Which one is appropriate depends on whether the candidate is an employee, job seeker, etc. Candidates can be guided in their search by the continuing education service of the institution offering the training.

If you are an employee, a member of a profession libérale or other self-employed person, a collaborating spouse, temporarily self-employed, or a job seeker, the CPF/CIF is automatically credited at the beginning of the year following the year worked; e.g., the rights acquired in 2021 are available in the first quarter of 2022. The rights remain available even in the case of a change of employer or loss of job.

The way the crooks operate is to get you to provide your full name and French social security number. Then they contact the organization managing the financing of your account and register you with what I would call a fake school, which gets paid without any courses being given and without your knowledge. This can happen without the victim’s knowledge, since people rarely check their continuing education account to see what the balance is.

The first Q/A of this issue goes into detail on the French continuing education system, both its funding and how to become a teacher paid with such funds.

This is a text message I received a couple of days ago that illustrates exactly what I am talking about. Vous allez perdre vos droits à la formation (C.P.F). Consultez votre budget & réclamez votre formation 100% prise en charge : cutt.ly/BAuAYPr

You will lose your continuing education credit (C.P.F). Check your budget & claim your continuing education rights 100% free: https://cutt.ly/BAuAYPr

MY FEES WILL INCREASE ON SEPTEMBER 1st, 2022
I continue to slowly move toward working fewer hours in the hope of having a lifestyle more compatible with my age. As I have done in the past, I am once again scheduling an increase in my fees. I expect my assistant to continue to pick up more tasks linked to the URSSAF, CPAM and other public offices procedures. She already handles most dealings with the offices who register self-employed people. 
1st meeting/1st work: 350 euros for 2 hours 
Extra per hour: 150 euros 
Handling mail in my office: 50 euros per month 
Handling mail at my home: 60 euros per month 
Surcharge for out-of-office meetings: 80 euros, assuming less than 30 minutes’ transportation 
Surcharge for meetings and phone calls at the client’s request after 7PM weekdays, all weekend, on national French holidays and during vacations: 30%.

OFFICE CLOSED FOR SUMMER VACATION
The office will be closed for three weeks over the summer holidays, starting on Friday, July 8th, in the evening and reopening on the morning of Monday, August 22nd. 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.

MY BUSINESS HAS A NEW FACEBOOK PAGE
Over the holidays, my assistant, Sarah, took an interesting initiative and created a new Facebook page. It is a good move for her since she and I both moderate it. She can show off her expertise and her ability to give good advice and clearly explain solutions. She does this in French, leaving the queries in English to me.

Since I am already active in a few Facebook groups and my website is my main showcase, I did not feel I needed such a page. On the other hand, it will no doubt benefit her. I do not have the time to monitor this forum and so far, it has been fairly quiet. Sarah is still figuring out how to handle this new task, being quite busy herself. I am sure it will be a great space for exchanges and hope it will pick up soon.

You are welcome to join:
https://www.facebook.com/rattachement

Best regards,

QUESTION

FRENCH FUNDING FOR CONTINUING EDUCATION

I am British and I was born in France but I am not French. I would like to apply for naturalization. I have a carte de séjour as a British citizen till 2026 that allows me to perform any professional activity. I have been offered work teaching English conversation in person at a small private language school. I have over twenty years of teaching experience in several British universities. I was told that I need a numéro de déclaration d’activité (NDA) number and I do not know what it is nor where to get it. There are a few things I’d like to communicate further. I have a C1 level in French. I have a website linked to my teaching and editing-proofreading business. I assume I do not need to include any foreign tax forms for this request, which I gave to the prefecture. Thank you for telling me how to get it right away, this school is waiting for me.

QUESTION

SELF-EMPLOYED CARTE DE SEJOUR AND BEING AN EMPLOYEE ARE NOT COMPATIBLE

I have a carte de séjour pluriannuelle (profession libérale) and I am being offered a CDI job in a different industry from my profession libérale. Is it illegal for me to do that? I read an article on the URRSAF website saying that I can be both an employee and self-employed as long as it is not in the same industry. I hope this is OK as I already have the CDI with a private employer. Moreover, I submitted my dossier for citizenship with this. They accepted my dossier and they have not said anything. I need to be reassured, because something feels wrong.

The Call of the Wild is a short novel by Jack London which was published in 1903 and set in Canada’s Yukon territory.

I believe there may be many ways to understand this choice for my title, as it could apply figuratively to many situations both in the USA and in France, as well as elsewhere. Many generations have studied this book in secondary school around the world, as it was translated into numerous languages, including French.

Wild is often a synonym for scary, and right now there is a lot of scary news, plus some I suspect has been used to scare the public.

At the same time, I believe this short novel, about a dog surviving horrors and people getting killed to end up the winner at the end, is an allegory. In soapy Hollywood movies with an uplifting ending, the good character wins over the bad one. Buck does become the new leader of the pack. He is not going back to living with the humans. So this is a very different twist.

MEMORIES FROM A READER ABOUT THE BERLIN WALL
A reader recently sent me this message:
“Your story of the Iron Curtain brought back memories of a family vacation to Europe in the 1950s and 1960s. We drove throughout Europe. We drove across East Germany to Berlin and visited East Berlin. While there, we met a young man, an East German, who was desperate to escape East Germany but had no way of getting out. My soft-hearted mother (who made all the decisions in our family) decided we were going to get him out. At the appointed time on the day we were leaving Berlin, we met the young man and somehow got him into the trunk of the car, packed behind our luggage. While my memories have faded, the car was not searched when we left Berlin to drive across East Germany and back into West Germany – because seriously, who would search a car with an attractive, smooth-talking, middle-aged American woman behind the wheel, my father in the passenger seat, and two children under 10 sitting in the back seat. We were the picture of the innocent, possibly clueless, American tourist family. I have no idea what happened to the young man, but I hope he went on to lead a happy life of freedom in the west. We still marvel at my mother’s courage and humanity.”

I do not need to say anything more about this very moving account. There are situations that can be considered to have been transposed from ancient times, such as the one above and the one I mentioned about my family facing the Iron Curtain. They have been talked more and more often ever since the Eastern Bloc fell apart on 9 November 1989 after the fall of the Berlin Wall. Many might not see the connection between this and the war in Ukraine. I believe there is a strong one.

THE FRENCH PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION 
French elections are in two rounds. This year the first voting in the presidential election will be on April 10th. During the campaign, 10 or more nationally recognized candidates will have airtime on national TV. Their campaign financing will be paid in part by the government in an attempt to give everybody a fair chance. The second round will be on April 24th. The result of the first round, which determines who will qualify for the second one, is still quite uncertain. French politics will be affected in different ways depending on whether President Macron ends up opposing a far-right candidate, a mainstream conservative or a leftist opponent. All the polls indicate he will win the second round against any of the potential opponents. If his challenger is a leftist, President Macron will appear quite conservative. On the other hand, if faced with a mainstream conservative, he will need to appear progressive in order to differentiate himself in the debates and campaign. Facing a far-right candidate, he will need to play the role of the savior of France against chaos and the unacceptable. Polls show that this positioning is increasingly less accepted as more and more people are critical of his overall policy as president.

SUSPENSION OF NEARLY ALL COVID REGULATIONS AND RESTRICTIONS
Improvement of the public health situation amid the COVID-19 pandemic, at least until recently, and a decrease in pressure on hospitals led the prime minister to announce on March 3rd that the vaccine pass requirement in most places would be suspended and the wearing of masks indoors would no longer be required, except in public transport and health establishments, as of March 14th. It must be noted that this comes at the time of having a presidential election. Bear in mind that this was just a suspension: depending on the election results and the evolution of the pandemic in April, restrictions could be partly or completely reinstated.

COMPARISON OF THE FRENCH AND AMERICAN SUPREME COURTS 
Last month the American media and, to a certain extent, foreign media covered hearings on the latest US Supreme Court nominee. Listening to large sections of them reminded me of my law school courses in constitutional and civil law, including the position and power of the US Supreme Court compared with the French equivalents. France has three courts corresponding to the US Supreme Court: the Cour de Cassation, Conseil d’État and Conseil Constitutionnel. The Cour de Cassation is the closest to its American counterpart, as it is the last level of jurisdiction and issues the definitive precedents that become the rule of the land. A tiny technical difference between it and the American court has a huge impact on their respective influence. The French court rules only on the legal issues and not on all the arguments, but it must rule on all appeals it receives. Therefore its authority is diluted by its huge number of decisions, which means the media rarely talks about its rulings. By contrast, the US Supreme Court has the right to choose which cases it will rule on and thus issues far fewer decisions. Therefore, almost all of them make headlines and are commented on in the media, sometimes for days. Even a decision to postpone review of an appeal may be widely commented on.

Similarly, although the judges sitting on the bench of both courts are appointed for life, the French media never mentions who are the latest members nominated, and hardly anybody in France knows their names, as there are over 200 judges divided into six chambers!

As for the other two, the Conseil d’État is the Supreme Court for matters involving the French government apparatus, as what we calldroit administratif has its own system of jurisdiction. The Conseil Constitutionnel stands alone and rules on disputes regarding interpretation of the French constitution.

“A SURVIVAL HOME IN PARIS” WILL BE AVAILABLE SOON
This feels like a tale even for me. It started in the spring of 2018, when the real estate agent who helped me find my current office approached me because the space next door to mine was for sale and he had just got the mandate. I did not see a need for it. I had moved into my office less than two years before. I did not know what I could do with it. At the same time, I remembered the office I had near the Place Saint-Georges for seven years, which had two large rooms. I rented out the front one and used the one with the veranda. Most of my tenants were start-up creators, consultants or other independents who needed such a place to make their professional transition. I always liked being able to offer a professional setting at an affordable price and thus help people launch their careers. In the autumn of 2018, recalling all this made me think again about the agent’s proposal, so I made an offer.

Not until April 2019 was an offer of mine finally accepted. I truly thought then that the sale would go through quickly. I mentioned this project in the May 2019 issue with great optimism.

What followed was two years of mostly silence, with sparks of false hope a couple of times when my notaire would schedule a signing date that later fell through. Then, out of the blue, just before Christmas the seller was ready and wanted to close right away. The idea that I had had in late 2018 was no longer viable, mainly because of the COVID pandemic. I took some quiet time to rethink the project, taking into consideration the major changes of the past few years. This investment had to be financially sustainable.

Now, thanks to my family members and Stephen Heiner, a client and a friend who helps Americans adapt to French life, I believe we can offer a good deal renting out this one-room studio of almost 329 square feet (30 square meters). My goal is to rent by the month for between one and six months. Clients sometimes ask to use my address, which they need to give to the consulate and later the prefecture while hopping from a weekly rental to the next before finding a more stable place and settling down with a longer-term lease. This truly unpleasant experience can be avoided now that I have an address in Paris where the person can go straight from the airport. The studio can serve as a place for someone who has either secured a long-stay visa or is submitting a request for one. It will be an interim place for such people to stay. It could also be for someone who is in France on a 90-day visa waiver to “test drive” whether living in France is for them. After 25 years of offering “A Survival Kit for Paris,” I will now also be able to propose “A Survival Home in Paris” for those who need it as an extension of my services.

For those who do not know, my office is located in the 11th arrondissement between Nation and Bastille. It is a real up-and-coming arrondissement, and the property is served by five metro and RER lines.

It will need some renovation before providing a comfortable and enjoyable stay. I will let my readers know when I start taking reservations.

FRENCH INCOME TAX: IT IS ALMOST TIME TO DECLARE!
On a more mundane topic, I would like to remind everybody that the paper version of the 2021 income declaration must be filed in France by midnight on May 19th, 2022. The declaration forms will be available at www.impots.gouv.fr on April 7th. That is also the day you can start filing your declaration on the same website. To do so, you need your tax ID number (numéro fiscal) and a password.

First-time income declarations to the French tax office should be prepared using the paper form, and the “first time” box on the CERFA #2042 form where it says Vous déposez une déclaration pour la première fois cochez” must be checked. It is possible to obtain the needed information from the tax office to declare for the first time electronically, but I tend to advise against this, because it is a lot easier to see and hence understand how the system works if the filer is looking at paper documents.

Note that if you file online, the deadline is later. The schedule depends on your postal code:

• départements 01 to 19 must file by midnight by May 24th.
• départements 20 to 49 by May 31st.
• départements 50 or higher by June 8th.

Reminder: if you are self-employed in France, the quarterly declarations sent to URSSAF do not constitute income tax declarations, which must be sent to the tax office. Many foreigners are under the impression that the quarterly declarations are their only fiscal obligation.

It can happen that there is no tax owed to France, either because it is foreign income not taxed in France or because the taxable income is too low. A problem may arise when the prefecture wants to see the income tax bill from the tax office, the avis d’imposition sur le revenu, as many immigration status ask for it. Unlike in the USA, it is a two-step process. The income declaration is filed and no payment is ever attached to it. Based on this declaration, the tax office issues this avis d’imposition sur le revenu, starting in August as the deadline to pay income tax in France is September 15th. This tax document is required by many organizations both in the public and the private sectors. For example, the CAF the family subsidy organization uses this document among others to decide if the person deserves aid and if so, how much.

A NEW WEBSITE FOR FRENCH BUSINESSES TO SIMPLIFY COMMUNICATION
I recently received this government communication, which I have translated. I can take no responsibility regarding its accuracy.

Simplification of professional procedures: opening of https://portailpro.gouv.fr

Hello,
To simplify the life of businesses, a new online service designed to facilitate your tax, social and customs procedures has just been opened for you: https://portailpro.gouv.fr

This website, designed in conjunction with a panel of companies to best meet your expectations, was developed by the fiscal administration, URSSAF and Customs (DGFiP, Douane et URSSAF).

https://portailpro.gouv.fr offers you the possibility of:

• benefitting from a unique and secure connection giving you access without re-authentication to urssaf.fr , impots.gouv.fr and douane.gouv.fr services and the first partner site net-entreprises.fr;
• having an overview of your tax, social security, and customs obligations and deadlines thanks to a unique and personalized dashboard;
• making your declarations and paying your taxes and contributions from a single site;
• simply and securely engaging in dialogue with the tax authorities, URSSAF and the customs authorities through an integrated messaging system.

Open to all professionals, without the restriction of size or status, portalpro.gouv.fr offers services more particularly adapted to self-employed employers, SMEs/VSEs and ETIs.

If you wish, you can connect now to https://portailpro.gouv.fr, to create an account and then consult your situation or perform your procedures.

Our portals urssaf.fr , impots.gouv.fr and douane.gouv.fr remain accessible and usable under the usual conditions.

We hope that this new portal will simplify the completion of your procedures with our services.
https://portailpro.gouv.fr

MY FEES WILL INCREASE ON SEPTEMBER 1st, 2022
I continue to slowly move toward working fewer hours in the hope of having a lifestyle more compatible with my age. As I have done in the past, I am once again scheduling an increase in my fees. I expect my assistant to continue to pick up more tasks linked to the URSSAF, CPAM and other public offices procedures. She already handles most dealings with the offices who register self-employed people. 
1st meeting/1st work: 350 euros for 2 hours 
Extra per hour: 150 euros 
Handling mail in my office: 50 euros per month 
Handling mail at my home: 60 euros per month 
Surcharge for out-of-office meetings: 80 euros, assuming less than 30 minutes’ transportation 
Surcharge for meetings and phone calls at the client’s request after 7PM weekdays, all weekend, on national French holidays and during vacations: 30%.

OFFICE CLOSED FOR SUMMER VACATION
The office will be closed for three weeks over the summer holidays, starting on Friday, July 8th, in the evening and reopening on the morning of Monday, August 22nd. 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.

MY BUSINESS HAS A NEW FACEBOOK PAGE
Over the holidays, my assistant, Sarah, took an interesting initiative and created a new Facebook page. It is a good move for her since she and I both moderate it. She can show off her expertise and her ability to give good advice and clearly explain solutions. She does this in French, leaving the queries in English to me.

Since I am already active in a few Facebook groups and my website is my main showcase, I did not feel I needed such a page. On the other hand, it will no doubt benefit her. I do not have the time to monitor this forum and so far, it has been fairly quiet. Sarah is still figuring out how to handle this new task, being quite busy herself. I am sure it will be a great space for exchanges and hope it will pick up soon.

You are welcome to join:
https://www.facebook.com/rattachement

Best regards,

QUESTION

AS AN EU CITIZEN HOW LITTLE CAN I PAY MYSELF?

My husband is American and I am Belgian and American. We moved a while ago to France for personal reasons and we love it. Shortly after settling I registered with URSSAF and started billing a couple of clients in France while maintaining a lucrative consulting business in the USA. Everybody says I am not paying myself enough, as it must be way over minimum wage to stay in France. They told me that we could lose the right to live in France if I did not earn enough. As of now, I have invoiced from my French company 3,500€ for 2020 and 8,000€ for 2021. Hearing all this, my accountant told me to report for 2022 the amount of 22,500€ and use my American billing if needed to reach this amount. I believe that I could reach 13,800€ in sales this year with just my French clients. Right now I am invoicing all my American clients through my American sole proprietorship. He also advised that life would be easier if I stay under the 32,000€ TVA threshold for auto-entrepreneurs. This is what I have kept in mind with these contracts, so it seems like it would be important not to trigger TVA. Is this correct? Can I get a contract duration indeterminée and continue my auto-entrepreneur consulting practice?

QUESTION

THE CONSEQUENCES OF ENDING A PACS

I am an American with a legal stay in France and my relationship is going downhill. I need to know what my rights are. He has been supporting me fully and I am not financially stable enough to support myself, especially if I have only a month or two to get a plan together. We lived together, and have for seven years, but only his name is on the lease.

Queen of light took her bow
And then she turned to go
The prince of peace embraced the gloom
And walked the night alone
Oh dance in the dark of night
Sing to the morning light
The dark lord rides in force tonight
And time will tell us all
Oh throw down your plow and hoe
Rest not to lock your homes
Side by side we wait the might
Of the darkest of them all
I hear the horses’ thunder
Down in the valley blow
I’m waiting for the angels of Avalon
Waiting for the eastern glow
The apples of the valley hold
The seas of happiness
The ground is rich from tender care
Repay do not forget no no
Oh dance in the dark of night
Sing to the morning light
The apples turn to brown and black
The tyrant’s face is red
Oh the war is common cry
Pick up you swords and fly
The sky is filled with good and bad
That mortals never know
Oh well the night is long
The beads of time pass slow
Tired eyes on the sunrise
Waiting for the eastern glow
The pain of war cannot exceed
The woe of aftermath
The drums will shake the castle wall
The ring wraiths ride in black
Ride on
Sing as you raise your bow
Shoot straighter than before
No comfort has the fire at night
That lights the face so cold
Oh dance in the dark of night
Sing to the mornin’ light
The magic runes are writ in gold
To bring the balance back
Bring it back
At last the sun is shining
The clouds of blue roll by
With flames from the dragon of darkness
The sunlight blinds his eyes

“The Battle of Evermore,” from the 1971 Led Zeppelin album popularly known as Led Zeppelin IV, is a folk duet whose lyrics allude to J.R.R. Tolkien’s fantasy novel The Lord of the Rings.

I discovered this band in junior high and immediately became a fan. These lyrics are very allegoric in the style of J.R.R. Tolkien’s writing and maybe in that way are describing today’s war in eastern Europe. All the same, considering what is at stake, I wanted a title that could be linked to that crisis. I was a fan then and still listen to their albums as often as I can, although not as background music, their music keeps me from working.

EASTERN EUROPE, NOT JUST UKRAINE 
As I write, Russian troops are in Ukraine and appear poised to move westward. Everybody seems to have an opinion about this. Many are talking about WWIII.

My December 2019 issue was titled “The Wall,” after the eleventh studio album by the English rock band Pink Floyd, released on 30 November 1979. This is what I wrote then:

I much prefer the first part of their career when Syd Barrett’s influence was significant, even when he was not there anymore. I often prefer the lesser-known, so my favorite recording is Live at Pompeii, a 1972 concert documentary.

I often thought of choosing it when the border wall policy was making the news for months on end, but that would have been too easy. A very long time ago, I used the Bee Gees song “How deep is your love?”, but adding “how tall is the wall?”, illustrating the fact that when people’s absolute despair pushes them to flee, no barriers, regulations or military border enforcement will deter them: many of them will make it to the other side.

In recent weeks a different wall has been in the news – the Berlin Wall, and with it what was then called the Iron Curtain that split Europe in two. Of course the division of Germany through the creation of Eastern Germany under Communist rule scarred Europe for almost 40 years. Very few were able to get through the Iron Curtain alive in order to escape these Communist regimes. At the same time, many managed to defect during official trips to the Western countries because they were athletes, musicians, scholars, and they asked for asylum in the countries where they found themselves. They obtained it right away with virtually no procedure.

Remembering my youth growing up in Europe and being aware of the alienation created by this physical wall were some of the reasons that I chose this title. This album is about a man suffering from mental alienation, isolating himself, suffering from paranoia. Having this idea that the wall protects him also played a role in my choice, as it resonates with the news I am getting.

THE 30th ANNIVERSARY OF THE TEARING DOWN OF THE BERLIN WALL 
From Wikipedia
The Berlin Wall was a guarded concrete barrier that physically and ideologically divided Berlin from 1961 to 1989. Construction of the Wall was commenced by the German Democratic Republic on 13 August 1961…. After several weeks of civil unrest, the East German government announced on 9 November 1989 that all GDR citizens could visit West Germany and West Berlin, ultimately resulting in the demise of the Wall.

Many have written about and commented on the 30th anniversary of the fall of this wall. Many have published articles, videos, testimonies from that time to commemorate this groundbreaking event, which certainly reshaped the Western world, and in my view most if not almost all the international political crises that exist today. This belief stems from the fact that there was a balance of power between two superpowers – the USA and the USSR, which involved their allied countries. This balance, dangerous because it was backed up by nuclear arsenals, forced those two superpowers to refrain themselves from going too far in the direction of declaring war and invading countries. From the American side the Vietnam War can be looked at from this standpoint. I believe that the invasion of Afghanistan shows the same on the side of the USSR side. At the risk of sticking my neck out too far, I might add that the more recent invasion of the Ukrainian provinces of Crimea and Donbass might not have taken place, had such a balance continued to exist in a different form. Indeed Ukraine has been asking to be part of the EU and is allied with the USA.

The vast majority of the people living in the USA, as well as many Europeans, have never experienced what it meant to face that wall. In reality most of those who had a personal experience were those who lived where these Soviet walls existed. The wall was not a tourist attraction as such until it was torn down.

It so happens that during the summer of 1975, travelling with my parents, our family experienced first-hand what it meant to face this wall. We were staying with my aunt and uncle in Helsinki in Finland, from where we made several day-trips by car. So one day we were driving East in very thick Finnish forests when we saw road signs telling us to turn around, because the road on which we were traveling led to the border with the USSR, which today would be Russia. For miles and miles, my father ignored those signs, which were in just about all the languages that one can think of, with very explicit images. He drove until we met Finnish army personnel holding their machine guns horizontally in shooting position. We could see the tall concrete wall with barbed wire all over it. We could see the Red Army military personnel on top of several watchtowers who spotted us, pointing their machine-guns at us. Very politely the Finnish soldier explained to us in perfect English that we had to turn around immediately and leave the premises. We did!

The USSR was governed by one of the bloodiest and all-around worst dictatorships that modern world history has known.

This concludes my digressions about these topics, or maybe just one topic with several facets. I had no idea that I would be receiving so many testimonies, most of them heartbreaking, but never bitter or angry. I believe that they shed a very interesting light on the two very different narratives told by each side of the argument. I fully agree that there is a need for policies, for enforcing laws, and therefore the establishment of a comprehensive immigration policy. This is true for all the Western countries faced with both an influx of asylum seekers and a large number of undocumented aliens. The truth is that this policy deals with people who are deeply scared by what they went through in their own country, as well as by what they have experienced following their arrival in the West.

Today most Western media are calling Russian President Vladimir Putin a dictator or an autocrat. I believe he wants to be some kind of modern czar, like the rulers of Russia before the 1917 revolution. This fits the Russian way of looking at the situation. It is also clear to me that he is trying to resurrect the former USSR one way or another, or at least regain some control or influence over most of the countries that were part of it.

THE FRENCH PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION
In France, presidential campaigns and voting are conducted very differently from those in the USA. American elections are almost always between two candidates – a Democrat and a Republican. Only in rare cases is there a significant third candidate.

The French election is in two rounds. This year the first one will be on April 10th. Ten or more nationally recognized candidates will have airtime on national TV. Their campaign financing will be paid in part by the government in an attempt to give everybody a fair chance. The second round will be on April 24th. The maximum amount that can be spent is 16.85 million euros for the first round and 22.51 million euros for the two or possibly three candidates allowed to compete in the second round. For months, French media have published the results of polls trying to determine who will be the candidates competing in the second round. Currently such polls indicate about five candidates who could make it to the final round: the incumbent President Emmanuel Macron; one leftist candidate; and three from extreme right or conservative parties.

Another issue that the media is now covering extensively and that the public is observing closely to involves the need for any candidate to have at least 500 elected officials as sponsors to be allowed to compete in the first round. Usually national politicians have no problem passing this test, while lesser-known ones from small political parties face a real challenge. Right now there is outrage in some corners over the fact that less than two weeks before the March 4th deadline to secure sponsorship and be declared a candidate, eight candidates have done so while two of the best-polling candidates were still short. This has never happened before. Many believe some candidates and political parties have such a stranglehold on this procedure that they will be able to prevent two of the extreme right candidates from competing. If this is true, it is undemocratic. The voters should choose whom they want to elect. Polls indicate that the excluded candidates could be in second and third place after the first round. This would also mean that five candidates who have enough sponsors would, according to the same polls, have zero chance of reaching the second round.

It will be interesting to find out in the future how this situation came to be and who, if anyone, orchestrated it.

A NEW WAY TO HANDLE A WATER DAMAGE CLAIM 
I have often addressed the somewhat unusual way water damage insurance claims are handled in France. It starts with filling out a form, the constat amiable de dégâts des eaux, describing what happened. It gives the location and origin of the leak as well as the extent of damage to both apartments. Both insurance companies are informed and open a claim file. After that, the procedure is regulated by the Convention d’Indemnisation et de Recours des Sinistres Immeuble, or IRSI agreement, which replaced an earlier convention called CIDRE on June 1st, 2018.

The tenant’s insurance covers damage of up to 1,600€ HT, so below that amount the insurance companies do not try to establish liability. They figure it is cheaper to reimburse the insured than let the procedure drag on. In the case of water damage costing between 1,600€ HT and 5,000€ HT to repair, the landlord’s insurance handles what is considered to be real estate damage, while the tenant’s policy covers damage to the furnishings and decor. Consequently, the landlord’s insurer requires an evaluation of the damage so the responsibilities can be determined to start the compensation process.

If the cost of repairing the damage exceeds 5,000€ HT, the IRSI agreement does not apply; the insurance company of the party responsible for the damage pays for everything.

The insurance companies are trying to be cost-effective, but may be going too far. Some issue compensation based on a description of the damage – for example, a wall needs to be repainted. Compensation may be based simply on the surface area needing work. Recently I encountered a new way of evaluating damage: to see the condition of the apartment, the insurance valuer took control of the occupant’s smartphone and recorded what the rooms looked like.

In the old days there would have been in-person meetings involving the tenants, the landlord, the property management firm and each insurance company’s valuer. Such meetings could drag on forever because of the conflicting interests represented. At the same time, the policy holders felt recognized and defended by their insurance company. Today, in the vast majority of water damage cases, your insurance company defends its best interests, not yours.

MY FEES WILL INCREASE ON SEPTEMBER 1st, 2022

I continue to slowly move toward working fewer hours in the hope of having a lifestyle more compatible with my age. As I have done in the past, I am once again scheduling an increase in my fees. I expect my assistant to continue to pick up more tasks linked to the URSSAF, CPAM and other public offices procedures. She already handles most dealings with the offices who register self-employed people. 
1st meeting/1st work: 350 euros for 2 hours 
Extra per hour: 150 euros 
Handling mail in my office: 50 euros per month 
Handling mail at my home: 60 euros per month 
Surcharge for out-of-office meetings: 80 euros, assuming less than 30 minutes’ transportation 
Surcharge for meetings and phone calls at the client’s request after 7PM weekdays, all weekend, on national French holidays and during vacations: 30%.

OFFICE CLOSED FOR SUMMER VACATION
The office will be closed for three weeks over the summer holidays, starting on Friday, July 8th, in the evening and reopening on the morning of Monday, August 22nd. 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.

MY BUSINESS HAS A NEW FACEBOOK PAGE
Over the holidays, my assistant, Sarah, took an interesting initiative and created a new Facebook page. It is a good move for her since she and I both moderate it. She can show off her expertise and her ability to give good advice and clearly explain solutions. She does this in French, leaving the queries in English to me.

Since I am already active in a few Facebook groups and my website is my main showcase, I did not feel I needed such a page. On the other hand, it will no doubt benefit her. I do not have the time to monitor this forum and so far, it has been fairly quiet. Sarah is still figuring out how to handle this new task, being quite busy herself. I am sure it will be a great space for exchanges and hope it will pick up soon.

You are welcome to join:
https://www.facebook.com/rattachement

Best regards,

QUESTION

FRENCH TAXATION AND PAYING FOR FRENCH HEALTH COVERAGE

After many years of dreaming about it, we recently moved to France. One of our first actions upon arrival from the USA was to register our visas. We now await notice regarding the medical examination. We are concerned with the social security payment situation. We sold some property in the USA in 2021. It generated a huge capital gain taxable income for that year. My concern is that France will charge us for the public health coverage based on our 2021 taxes, even though we were not living here at that time. I have been trying to research this, but the only information I have discovered is that, if France does indeed charge us based on our singular 2021 income, we will pay about 20,000€ each, which would be very disappointing.

QUESTION

THE CURRENT TIMEFRAME OF THE REGULARIZATION PROCEDURE

I had a legal stay in France for several years, and I lost it a couple of years ago. Thanks to my now PACSed French partner, I was able to submit the initial request for a private-life carte de séjour a few days ago. The automated reply included this statement: “le délai moyen d’instruction d’un dossier complet est actuellement de 6 mois. Il est inutile de déposer plusieurs demandes.” I was planning to get back to the USA this summer. I have already bought tickets, so I hope things go a bit faster than they say or that I can find a workaround!!!! Waiting six months as an average means sometime in July. I will be gone by then. What do I risk?

QUESTION

WORKING FOR A NON-FRENCH COMPANY AS A FRENCH

I am an American and am currently exploring freelancing opportunities in France. I am already in discussion with a company in Germany that has agreed to use my freelancing services. But I have a couple of questions: 1. I have been living in France for the past five years, so I have an address and a bank account. I won’t have any problem proving that I have sufficient funds. But I am not sure what type of visa I should apply for. What documents do I need?
2. Can I start freelancing with a vie privée visa? Is there any cap on my earnings with this visa?