6 Things I Wish I'd Known Before Moving To France

I thought I knew a whole lot about France before I ended up marrying my French sweetheart and moving here to start our new life together.
But I have been surprised by a few things, and that's what this video is about. I'm just sharing my experience with some of the elements that were unexpected, like how tough it was to open a bank account as an American, how different the system is with bank cards instead of credit cards, my adventure in "civic training" (I loved it!), and more. Don't get me started about the driver's license situation haha! • Part 1: Getting My Fre... If you're new to this channel, you can watch those videos to see what I mean.
If you're planning a move to France, I hope these are things that may help you a little. They're definitely things I wish I had known before, but there's always so much to discover when you are picking up your whole life and moving across the world.
The main thing I've learned is just to be flexible, humble, patient, and persistent. And to know that there will be ups and downs. And to give yourself credit for being bold enough to make such a big life change.
I'm still finding my way after being here for a year, so I'll keep you posted!
If you have something to share about your own experience moving to France, I hope you'll leave a note in the comments. I really love reading them.
Thanks for joining me and bonne journée !
#MoveToFrance #ExpatInFrance #LifeInFrance
Substack: karenbussen.substack.com/
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Website: www.karenbussen.com/

[@kungazopa2831]

1. The French Administration, lots of paperwork, All USA/UK docs must be recent & translated into French by a State Authorized Translator, A recent copy. 2. Bank Accounts for Americans in France. 3. No Credit Cards. French use debit cards mostly. 4. Taxes as a USA Expat. 5. Resident Training, keep all docs proving you have taken it. 6. Getting my French Driver's License.

[@davidmusset3435]

Even as a French I make sure to keep all my documents, both digitally and on paper. You will not regret getting that organized :)

[@karenbussen]

Good advice, merci !

[@gwarlow]

One of the most unbiased reflections on moving to another country… bravo! Thanks for sharing.

[@karenbussen]

Thank you for watching and for your comment :-)

[@Oshuin9]

Wow! I am so glad you shared all of this. This was extremely valuable for me. Thank you!❤

[@karenbussen]

Merci and I'm really so happy you found it helpful!

[@tomdigangi2722]

Thanks so much for posting. This was really informative and instructional. I especially liked your responses to others' comments

[@karenbussen]

Hello! I really appreciate your taking the time to watch and comment. I love hearing from people and my only goal is to share with the hopes of helping or inspiring others who may be making a big change, too. Greetings from Paris to you!

[@gabrielleparis3532]

So very very helpful, thank you🇲🇫

[@karenbussen]

Thank you, that means so much to me!

[@bluewaterstudio]

A wonderful and edifying video .. my move from Oregon would have been smoother having your insights. Thank you for sharing. -Daniel (Paris - Rue Monsieur le Prince)

[@carolynlarke1340]

I think I stayed at a spa near you on this street in Paris. The Residence and Spa Prince Regent. Cool spa. There's also a traditional cash only French restaurant on that street. I don't recall the name but it was like stepping back in time. Cool neighborhood though. Lucky you!

[@bluewaterstudio]

@@carolynlarke1340 hmm .. I've probably eaten at every restaurant in this area. Le Polidor (Midnight in Paris) is just down the street and may be cash-only. I can't recall. Yes, living across the street from the Jardin du Luxembourg is a dream. I spend many hours with my duck friends at la fontaine Médicis (fountain). Your spa is just up the street a hundred meters or so.

[@karenbussen]

Merci ! I hope you are enjoying living in Paris. Nice address!!!

[@mdte5421]

Yes it’s true . I’m from Toronto and I was able to open a bank account at credit agricole because my boyfriend is french ! I mined back but I still have my french account .

[@carolynlarke1340]

Thank you for this pertinent information. I am in the process of buying a house south of Carcassonne, near Quillan. I didn't know the bank would be tricky, thanks for the heads up. I should be moving myself and my cats next spring, after I get a visa. There is a visa office in Miami near where I live so I don't have to travel to DC or NYC to submit my initial paperwork. Also, and lucky for me, FL reciprocates with France for driving licenses. I supposedly just go turn mine in and they'll issue me a French one. I hope this one challenge is less although it flies in the face of all my administrative contacts in France over many decades. I used to have to get work permits for myself and team members and no matter how many times I did it there was always something slowing it down. Anyway, thanks again. I can't wait to be done where I am and start this new chapter of my life in a place where beauty is so valued and society is served by the state.

[@karenbussen]

Congratulations on making this big and bold move! You are very lucky with the driver's license exchange, but I always tell my friends that it's a good idea to take a few hours of classes anyway, because there are some things that are just not the same here. But the fact that you can exchange your permit will make life so much easier. Just make sure to do it in your first year after arrival, and don't wait till the end! Wishing you all the best for a smooth move and bienvenue en France !

[@vintagewriting]

Enjoyed this, thanks. I’m a regular visitor to France and do a lot of driving. You are absolutely right that being a seasoned US motorist, driving since age 14 in my case or whatever, is not at all adequate preparation. If it’s any consolation, priorité a droite is said to be the leading cause of accidents even among the French themselves.

[@karenbussen]

Ahhh priorité a droite... hahaha! I didn't know that but it doesn't surprise me. I still hold my breath every time I come to an unmarked intersection :-)

[@sultrytonesmusic]

Thank you. This gives me major anxiety, but I needed to know this. Better now than next year. I do have a French girl friend who is helping me along.

[@karenbussen]

You can do it! One step at a time. Bonne continuation 🌸

[@tonikroos03]

soon im moving to france hopefully these will help thank u🎉

[@karenbussen]

Wishing you the best for your move and thanks for watching !

[@user-gt2ud2gw9e]

I also have experience of living abroad. In any non-english speaking country, ALL documents have to have an official translation. But you're right to point it out because many emigrating couples are uni-nationals (unlike the mixed marriages of yourself and myself). Those couples are absolutely fraught with problems from day 1 (to start with they don't even have the legal protection afforded by domestic marriage). In your case, the language element helped cement the relationship in the first place. So, that's also a head start. But the majority of those couples think it's all going to be plain sailing with the click of a finger, based only on their experience in English back home😊. To a small extent, it will depend on the country they're moving to, but I should emphasise categorically - SMALL is the key word here. Uni-nationals - don't get carried away with the prospect of anywhere non English unless you have the language skills of this lady. Make plans for intense schooling when you move into your new home country - far from a head-start, you'll be starting at an "end start".

[@karenbussen]

Thank you for your thoughts! Preparation is key, I agree, and respect for the different processes in your new home country. :-)

[@thierryf67]

driving license IS a very serious thing in Europe, not only in France.

[@karenbussen]

I'm definitely a better driver now! Thanks for your message :-)

[@XavS-qs9lx]

Hello, thank you for this very interesting video. France is a beautiful country with many very positive things, but also, as everywhere, negative aspects. For example, homeschooling has recently been practically banned, while it's an interesting way of educating children.

[@karenbussen]

Salut and thank you so much for watching! I don't have children, so I can't really speak to this, but I know that as you said, each country has their viewpoint and I think France believes in education in common as a benefit. I really don't have the answers here, but I do know that the French kids I've met are amazing! :-)

[@thierryf67]

for the bank thing. If your bank in the US have a relation with an french one, it may be easier to open a account (in Euro currency) in this french bank via your bank in the US before coming here. Once installed in France, you can change bank if this one don't please you.

[@karenbussen]

Salut et merci ! Yes, I wish I had known this. My long-time bank in the US doesn't have any link to (or branches in) France, so it was a bit more complicated. But in the end it all works out! :-)

[@Josian-ps7fb]

Impressive how much fluent you are in English.🙃 Ce genre de réflexion (cette vidéo), les points de vue argumentés (expliqués concrètement) fait par les gens d'une autre culture, c'est toujours (quand c'est bien fait, en tout cas) intéressant. Pouvoir changer d'angles de vue, c'est toujours important.

[@karenbussen]

Merci pour ce commentaire, et je suis absolument d'accord avec vous ! :-)

[@davidmusset3435]

One thing that’s shocking to me as a French, is us people living abroad still need to report to the IRS, even tho they work abroad. That’s kind of weird. In France if you leave France you are cut off from the French tax system (impôts)

[@karenbussen]

Bonjour, thank you for this comment and yes, it is both shocking and stressful. US citizens living abroad must file two tax returns, resulting in extra fees, extra paperwork and extra headaches. And that is even if they have no income in the States...sigh

[@ciaralakhani7197]

Thanks for this video. Do you happen to have an accountant you've had a easy experience with? I've been here 3 years and switched twice and talked to several more but haven't gotten to the feeling I miss from NY.

[@karenbussen]

Hello! If you DM me on Instagram I will send you the info for my accountant. I'm @karenbussen :-)

[@lornaoyarce1355]

Brilliant! The French are brilliant with their use of the birth certificate as a "living document". That seems like such an obvious thing and I have never heard of it being done before. Can you imagine the ease for historians in the future when they want to learn about this time period? My mother was a geneologist and let me tell you that the amount of study to track down these details is pretty time consuming.

[@karenbussen]

Agreed! Such a good idea! My husband’s birth certificate is so much more exciting than mine haha :-)

[@gilesgoldsbro5816]

Same in Japan, the tohon…

[@user-mo5ng5ks9r]

For your initial Visa, did you need to get a newer birth certificate or could you use the one you had on hand? Do you anticipate needing newer birth certificates, newer marriage license, etc every time you renew your Visa? Lastly, was the civic class in French? Thanks!

[@karenbussen]

For the initial visa yes, I had to order a copy of my birth certificate, and importantly that copy had to have an "apostille" which is a special stamp that you have to request (also cost $5). And then I had to have the certificate and the apostille translated by a French state-approved translator (traducteur assermenté). And yes, you do need "recent copies" (with varying meanings, but generally within three or six months) and if they are English (or any language that's not French), they'll need to be recent translations. My translator here told me that with the birth certificate, sometimes I'll just need to get the date of the translation updated, which they can do for me so it won't cost as much or be as much trouble. For the civics class, yes, totally in French, but you can request a translator, who will be with you in the room, literally live translating everything the teacher says. In my group there was an Arabic translator for all four sessions.

[@thierryf67]

In France a birth certificate extract can be asked as proof of life, as in France if someone die, it's reported on the birth act. So the birth certificate would report that this person is also dead.

[@karenbussen]

Yes, I was surprised to learn that a French birth certificate is really a living document that is updated throughout life. In the States, it's just a document of the birth and it never changes

[@davidmusset3435]

For French citizens we can always go to our birth town website and request a free copy of our birth certificate to be mailed to our address. Our police background check can be requested for free online as well.

[@michellemason222]

If marreied and then divorced , will i need copies of both ? My divorce decree is about 20 pages. Thanks for all the info, planning move in about 15 months and trying to square everuthung up before hand.

[@karenbussen]

Salut and thanks so much for your kind words and for your comment. Hmmm, I'm not a legal expert, but I would suggest that you speak to a lawyer in France who can tell you if you'll need that. If you're getting married in France, you will definitely need it, and it will almost certainly have to be translated officially. But if you're not getting married, I'm not sure at what point you'd need it. My advice is to take the time to speak to a French lawyer and ask them about this AND what else you might need to be considering as you plan your move. You will surely learn something and likely you'll be in better shape for the transition. Bonne continuation !

[@marygee3981]

😊you would not need 20 pages, just what your state gives to prove you are divorced. You can request this on line from your state.

[@delorisfrench]

How can I find out more of #5. ? Resident training

[@karenbussen]

www.ofii.fr/procedure/accueil-integration/ hope this helps!

[@lospopularos]

Gee, why can't I use my US Visa credit card all the time? I've used it when I travelled there and I had no problems.

[@karenbussen]

Oh you can use an American credit card-it not prohibited, just a cultural thing. French banks generally issue debit cards and they keep track of all your spending and often debit the total monthly spending on one day each month. I’m not an expert on banking rules but if you live here permanently, you won’t want to pay bank currency conversion charges for every purchase. My point was really more that French people don’t take on credit card debt the way we Americans do. Thank you so much for watching and for sharing your experience ❣️

[@jayzechab]

US consulate in France website is full of great resources and recommendations

[@karenbussen]

Very good point!

[@Jimmylad.]

I adore France.

[@karenbussen]

me too!!

[@Jimmylad.]

@@karenbussen I find unlike we Anglos (I am an Englishmen), the French have more a more refined culture. In fact the French are taught philosophy as a mandatory subject in school can you imagine that in America or England? English common sense is rebuffed by French finesse. Even there tyrants like Napoleon are cool and sexy, compare that to Cromwell. It is a shame however that like many places the French have become more and more Americanised, McDonald’s and American shoes and music. I hope France can remain French and not become just another consumerist culture.

[@davidmusset3435]

@@Jimmylad. I think it’s going down that way. I just moved back to France after living abroad for years and I was shocked how Americanised it had become. But that’s probably everywhere because of the internet, it’s globalism. At the same time American brands are viewed as cool and trendy. McDonald’s is popular because it’s open all day even Sundays, it’s family friendly and people know what to expect. Band the newer generation who will eventually be the ruling class are born with iPads, TikTok and KZbin.

[@daviddavidson-methot679]

How can someone in the US find out which states qualify for French drivers license?

[@karenbussen]

Hello and thanks for this question. Just follow this official French govt link www.service-public.fr/simulateur/calcul/PermisEtrangerPermisFrancais and type in your country which may appear on your screen as United States or Etats-Unis. Then type in the name of your state. If you get the following message, you CAN exchange it without taking the exams: "Votre permis de conduire est échangeable contre un permis B français." There are also a lot of blogs online you can read if you type in "list of US states that can exchange..." And I highly recommend the FB group "Americans Driving in France" --they are the best for info and support! Bonne continuation et bonne route !

[@daviddavidson-methot679]

@@karenbussen Merci boucoup!

[@eugeniebreida1583]

@@karenbussen Would it make sense/all around easier to move to a state here in US long enough to get approved states driver’s license, or is there some rule (in France) against this?

[@jean-claudeb3235]

Origin of difficulty in opening bank accounts for US citizens in France: In 2010 Obama imposed that ALL US citizens residing abroad have to file an annual FATCA ("Failure to report foreign financial assets on Form 8938 may result in a penalty of $10,000 and a penalty up to $50,000 for continued failure") and FBAR. It was supposedly to stop the mega rich from hiding their wealth offshore (it hasn't) but what it did was screw over English teachers, nannies etc. and everyone had to hire expensive ex-pat accountants. French banks were suddenly compromised. Even Democrats Abroad were shocked as the only other country in the world doing this is Eritrea, a small dictatorship in Africa.

[@karenbussen]

Thank you for this!

[@jamesmitchell7050]

This is not quite accurate. Taxation on worldwide income no matter where an American lives has been part of US tax law for over 100 years. The difference with FATCA was that foreign banks were required to provide information on US citizens to the IRS. This created a burden on the banks with no benefit. US individuals file an FBAR. This is a disclosure of foreign assets. It sucks, I agree, and the US is the only developed country that does it, but it's not really new. It's just more tightly monitored now. The actual underlying IRS tax code has existed since the Reagan years. This just gave it more teeth.

[@eugeniebreida1583]

Another insult to the average US Taxpayer developed by the GOP’s puppet Ronnie Regan. Sad that Obama would reinforce rather than making less cumbersome to non-millionaires. Especially from a second generation guy…

[@marygee3981]

😅wealthy were fleeing the country.

[@alank3962]

That damned ‘ol Obama… 😢 Oh, wait… it was codified in the Reagan years? 😮 Imagine that! 😂

[@sanxmuch121]

L'administration avec un grand AAAAAAAArgh !

[@karenbussen]

Ouuuuuui ! :-)

[@houghi3826]

An expat gets a house. An immigrant gets a home. I hope you see yourself as an immigrant.

[@karenbussen]

I love this! And yes I am 100% an immigrant ❣️thank you for your comment 😊

[@johnfife3062]

Truducteur [quoi?]

[@karenbussen]

Salut ! Is your question about what "traducteur" means? It's a translator of the language, and in France, if you're translating documents for administrative purposes, you must use un traducteur assermenté (a state certified translator), who has a seal that is recognized as official. If not, your docs may be rejected and you'll have to start over. Hope this is helpful to you!

[@johnfife3062]

@@karenbussen "assermenté" was the adjective I missed. Thank you.

[@ParisianThinker]

Living in France since 2006. I don't speak French at all. There was never any resident lessons. The French driver's license is easy to get. Just read the rules first and apply when you are eligible. It took me about 2 minutes to get a French Driver's license. Do not pay the thousands of euros they charge to get a license. Regarding marrying a French, that was a brave thing to do. I recall France telling workers they were going to take a days wages from their pay check to fund workers for the elderly. This is why it is a taboo to discuss money. Your money belongs to France anytime France wants it.

[@karenbussen]

Thank you for sharing your experience et félicitations ! Just a note so folks who haven't watched my French driver's license videos won't be confused--this commenter is talking about exchanging a driver's license, which is a very simple process, but that is only available to those who come from certain states in the US (and some other countries). Since I'm from New York, exchange wasn't legally possible so I had to start from scratch. Then just practically speaking, there are differences in the road rules in France and I strongly suggest you take some lessons. By the way, if you don't pay a driving school, you'll wait months longer for an exam date and you'll have to pay to rent a car with double controls as that's required during the practical exam itself. Also, you can only take the road test in French (although you can pay for a translator for the written test, which comes first). But on the road, it's all in French. During the test you don't have to speak much really, but you do have to understand the examiner's instructions in French. Can you say, "faute éliminatoire" ? :-) So for anyone who can't exchange their license because that option isn't available, you can read a lot of great info and get advice/support on the Americans Driving in France Facebook group, among other places. Hope this is helpful and bonne route à toutes et à tous !

[@sylviemanson9761]

About the bank problem....it's a US problem more than a french problem. FATCA IS the problem ! as an american coming into a french bank (or anywhere else in the wolrd), you are a pain in the ass...honestly for the bank clerc i am, you are. We've got special procedures for americans that we don't use a lot, wether you're american or our parents are or you're born in the US...specials procedures. Imposed to us French and the rest of the world by the USA. Any bank in the world that break this this fatwa...sorry, fatca law will be punished with billions $ fine !!

[@karenbussen]

Thanks for this explanation! My husband did tell me this as well, and I agree, it's for good reason. It's just frustrating to be in the middle of it all when all you want to do is start a life--and a bank account. Fortunately I found BNP and they are great! :-)

[@sylviemanson9761]

www.justice.gov/opa/pr/bnp-paribas-agrees-plead-guilty-and-pay-89-billion-illegally-processing-financial@@karenbussen ....no wonder they're nice, they just learned their pricey lesson. Have a nice stay ;)

[@Parisian71]

What about the '' American Dream '' ?? The Land of the Free ?? Not that appealing anymore to you ??

[@karenbussen]

I was lucky enough to live the American dream--self-made businesswoman and entrepreneur. I hadn't planned a move to France right now. I just fell in love and took a chance and I'm so happy I did :-) Thanks for watching

[@petervan7372]

is that marriage cert issued when you got married or notarized copy has to be less than 3 months? it's hard for americans to open bank account across europe or anywhere abroad because of the bank is obligated to report to the us government and they need to verify the w 9 form you filled. you have to report account balances from all your banks to the us government every year

[@karenbussen]

Thanks for your comment. For things related to the French administration, most documents have to be recent copies. For example when I applied for my visa renewal, I had to request a new copy of my French marriage certificate because it was more than 1 year old. For other documents/situations it might be 3 months or sometimes 6 months. For any of my American docs I always ask my French translator and he seems to know exactly. Sometimes you just need a recent translation of the same doc. Regarding banks, yes I had to contact several banks before finding one, but once I did, there were absolutely no problems at all. And yes you do have to report foreign bank accounts to the US, but I haven't had to list amounts :-)