Parler Paris Nouvellettre®
Your taste of life in Paris and France
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Wednesday, January 19, 2011 • Paris, France
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HOT NEWS ON THE FRACTIONAL PROPERTY SCENE!
EXCLUSIVE OFFER TO OUR READERS FOR IMMEDIATE PURCHASE*:
ONE SHARE IN LE JARDIN SAINT-PAUL!
One of 12 shares in the Le Jardin Saint-Paul Fractional Ownership is on offer exclusively to our readers by the current owner.*
Le Jardin Saint-Paul is a 78 square-meter two-bedroom apartment with a window in every room that overlooks a beautiful and tranquil garden just a few steps off rue des Rosiers on rue Ferdinand Duval in the heart of Le Marais. The apartment is part of a "vieille maison" dating back into the 1800's, and features original exposed stone walls and wood ceiling beams. The entire apartment was completely renovated, decorated and well appointed -- and was featured in the New York Times Great Homes and Destinations in May of 2008:
The time usage is one-twelfth based on a fixed rotation with an option to trade with another owner and subject to availability. The share this year (2011) is April. Next year (2012) is in August, just in time for the London Olympics (July 27 to August 12, 2012)
Asking Price: 125,000€
Annual Dues: Free to new owner for 2011 (if purchased by April 30, 2011), then approx. 1165€ (based on a fixed exchange rate of $1.40)
*Exclusive offer to our readers valid through February 15, 2011.
Fractional ownership is the hottest way to own your piece of Paris simply, easily and inexpensively!
For more information, visit French Property Fractional: frenchproperty/fractional/ or for Le Jardin Saint-Paul, visit: frenchproperty/fractional/jardinstpaul.html
For serious buyers of Le Jardin Saint-Paul, email: adrian@adrianleeds.com
For more information on this and other fractional ownership properties now available, or to learn how you can design your own property, visit French Property Fractional: French Property Fractional.
Dear Parler Paris Reader,
There is a big difference between living in France, having legal residence and citizenship.
Very often, the three are confused and assumptions are made about the status Americans and other non-native French have about their rights to live and work in France. There is also a difference between the right to travel within France, the right to live in France, the right to work in France, the right to pay taxes in France and the right to vote in France.
If you research for information about what is legally required to live and work in France, you will find only what is legally acceptable to put into writing. If you go to a professional who is required to uphold to professional standards, only advice about what is legal will be given.
To really understand the reality versus the law, which is yet again a very different story, you either have to 'read between the lines' or get advice from those who have had experience, or are 'in the know' and for non-professional reasons, can tell you things the professionals can't.
As Americans, we know the laws to be very black and white. We obey the laws, follow the rules, pay our taxes and sleep comfortably at night knowing we have not told lies, fulfilled our duties and been upstanding citizens. Remember, George Washington couldn't tell a lie, even though it was just about a cherry tree he cut down, but we've been hanging on to this myth every since. We were reminded of this when President Bill Clinton was impeached by the House of Representatives on charges of perjury. His crime?: lying about his relationship with Monica Lewinsky.
At the time, the French had a good laugh over the adolescent behavior of our American culture, viewing what they would see as a perfectly acceptable and correct 'white lie' in the interest of a much bigger cause -- the governing of the entire nation. On a further note, it was only the second impeachment of an American president in our history!...for what seemed like nothing of importance and a personal issue between him and his wife.
I use this to illustrate the different points of view on the law and how we abide by them. It is an unspoken truth that laws in France are 'suggestions' on a way of living, rather than black and white rules like the American legal system. For example, did you know that in France it is illegal to call a pig "Napoleon" or that a law forbidding women to wear pants is just now being repealed after more than 200 years? Would the law stop you from naming your pig after the Emperor or if you're a woman, wearing pants? Do you think these laws will be enforced or even upheld in a French court of law?
Americans are about as law-abiding as any citizens in the world and when they come to France, they bring with them their cultural default mode of following the letter of the law. I would never suggest that you should not be law-abiding, but I will tell you from experience living in the land of 'suggestions' that those who do follow the letter of the law lose the game. Like telling 'white lies' that hurt no one in the interest of the 'bigger picture' is what is expected and in many cases necessary for survival.
This takes us back to the subject of having the right to travel to France, live in France, work in France, pay taxes in France and vote in France.
Just about anyone has the right to travel in France. Thanks to a "visa waiver" program and the Schengen Convention, there is free movement within the Schengen space (Austria, Belgium, Denmark, Finland, Germany, Greece, Iceland, Italy, Luxembourg, Norway, Netherlands, Portugal, Spain and Sweden) and it is also available to nationals of citizens of the following countries: Andorra, Argentina, Australia, Bermuda, Brazil, Brunei, Canada, Chile, Costa Rica, Croatia, El Salvador, Guatemala, Holy See, Honduras, Israel, Japan, Malaysia, Mexico, Monaco, Nicaragua, New Zealand, Panama, Paraguay, San Marino, Singapore, South Korea, United States, Uruguay and Venezuela as well as holders of passports from the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region of the People's Republic of China and the Special Administrative Region of Macao of the People's Republic of China. It is granted for one or multiple stays for no more than three months per every six months.
So, that means that legally speaking, if you overstay your 90 days, you aren't supposed to simply leave the country and return within less than another 90 days to start your visa waiver all over again. (Lots of folks do this thinking it's the safe or right thing to do!) But what happens if you do overstay your 90 days?
The reality is nothing.
Did they stamp your passport at the airport upon arrival? Do the authorities have a record of your entry or contact information for you during your stay in the country? Have you done anything morally wrong or illegal while you were here? Are you a threat to the nation? Are you taking advantage of their social security system? Have you earned money on which you didn't pay tax?
If the answer to these questions is 'no,' then you should be able to sleep well at night even if you have overstayed your visa's official 90 days.
How long can you overstay your visa waiver? Legally, not at all. Illegally and safely, as long as you don't answer 'yes' to any of those questions. The moment you do that, then you will want to learn more about getting a proper visa. But I warn you again -- there is the law then there is the reality.
For example, if you do not have a job in France, then you cannot apply for a work permit visa and if you apply for a visitor visa that does not allow you to work, you cannot apply for a job!
It's a 'Catch 22' or what the French call, a "cercle vicieux" (vicious circle). So, this is not something you want to do lightly without investigating all your options. And remember, those who earn a living upholding the law will not tell you a lot of what you really need to know. What they have to say is imperative and crucial, but most you must learn for yourself or from those with experience.
Interestingly, you don't need any kind of visa to pay tax in France. They gladly accept your money and I have known a few people that paid income tax, but were not legal residents.
Citizenship is yet another big hurdle, difficult to achieve. Children born in France of foreign parents must request nationality at adulthood and are not accorded an automatic citizenship. If your spouse is French, you must have been married at least one year or have had a child with your spouse. If you have lived in France for five years, you can apply, but you must prove your worthiness to be French (good moral fiber, no criminal history, have integrated well into French life, speak French fluently and be at least 18 years of age).
The U.S. allows dual citizenship, so you need not give it up in exchange for your French passport. And no, ownership of property has no bearing on your legal status as a resident. Anyone can purchase property in France.
This is a broad and complicated subject. To any and all of you considering spending more than 90 days here, living here, working here, paying taxes here, etc., etc., I urge you to do the research, take professional advice and above all, consult those who have real experience, as you will learn more from them than from anyone or anything. Then, let go of your American cultural default mode and learn how to live in France like the French...abide by their suggestions.
For more information, visit: www.diplomatie.gouv.fr/
A la prochaine...
A la prochaine...
Adrian Leeds
Editor, Parler Paris
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P.S. I've helped dozens of people make the move to France by providing advice the legal professionals don't, including how to find ways of earning a living while you're here. For more information, visit generalconsultation.
P.P.S. Want to have a 'piece of Paris' and can't afford it or don't want to have the responsibility of 'the whole pie?' Be sure learn more about the special share offer by the owner at Le Jardin Saint-Paul: fractional/jardinstpaul.
