I cant hear you

Perhaps I don’t want you to hear me man :)

Thanks for your comment and feedback. I tend to mix the terms up so this is helpful for me to be more aware of in the future

Hey Danny, it’s good to hear from you. I appreciate your comment. At the moment, I am only on RU-vid. Instagram is a good idea though which I will have to think about. I am gearing up for some more posts soon.

Opens up a lot of doors for sure

VAT only applies in instances of professional real estate transactions, not for transactions between private persons. I do not have any experience with VAT for my French Buying process experiences so I cannot speak on the subject

Thank you for your comment. Perhaps the easiest would be for me to use a round trip example here to better illustrate the best practice. Example: A US-French dual citizen, travelling from France to USA, round trip: Leaving France: - Check into the flight with my U.S. passport (airline); present my French passport to the immigration officier to leave France Arriving in the U.S.: - Present U.S. passport to the immigration officer to enter the USA ------------------ Leaving U.S. to return to France: - Check into the flight with my U.S. passport (airline); present my U.S. passport to the immigration officier to leave the USA Arriving in France: - Present French passport to the immigration officer to enter France Of course, if there are layovers in different countries along the way, this complicates the matter. The best advice is to take it step-by-step, country-by-country and carefully determine the most appropriate passport when going through immigration control of each country. I hope this helps

@@BrianInFrance12 yeah so my wife and daughter are also Greek citizens. We leave USA to Greece with 1 layover in London. How would you go about that?

@@manuelquelle9915 as a US & Greek passport holder, I would do the following: Leaving U.S. to go to Greece with 1 layover in London, UK: - Check into the flight with my U.S. passport (airline); present my U.S. passport to the immigration officer/passport control to leave the USA Arriving in sole layover destination, London, UK: - Present U.S. passport to the immigration officer/passport control to enter the UK Leaving UK to go to final destination, Greece: - Present U.S. passport to the immigration officer/passport control to leave the UK (same passport with which you entered the country) Arriving in Greece: - Present Greek passport to the immigration officer/passport control to enter Greece ------------------ Leaving Greece to return to U.S. with 1 layover in London, UK: - Check into the flight with my U.S. passport (airline); present my Greek passport to the immigration officer/passport control to leave Greece Arriving in sole layover destination, London, UK: - Present U.S. passport to the immigration officer/passport control to enter the UK Leaving UK to go to final destination, U.S.: - Present U.S. passport to the immigration officer/passport control to leave the UK (same passport with which you entered the country) Arriving in U.S.: - Present U.S. passport to the immigration officer/passport control to enter the USA Keep in mind that that you may not be submitted to passport control in your layover stop in London if they have in place an "airside" transiting system for travellers who are merely connecting from one international flight to the next (from USA to Greece for example). In which case, you would have nothing to do in London. It's always good to be prepared just in case though.

@@BrianInFrance12 Thank you so much I really appreciate the detailed response.

Merci beaucoup, Alex. Vos gentils mots me touchent sincèrement. Cet été marquera 12 ans que je vis en France, et bien qu'il y ait des hauts et des bas, je suis heureux de constater que le bonheur fait partie de mon quotidien. Je vous souhaite le meilleur et beaucoup de bonheur également !

Thank you, Alrightdee, I am glad the video was helpful for you. And what a fantastic pair of passports to hold, congratulations. Indeed, when I leave the U.S. to return to France, I present my U.S. passport at the border control. And upon arriving in France, I present my French passport at the French border control. Same for you, make sure to use your Canadian passport to enter/leave Canada and your Irish one to enter/leave Ireland. Cheers!🇨🇦 🇮🇪

Bonjour, Shenika, merci pour votre commentaire et félicitations (avec un peu d'avance) ! Pour la suite, le mieux serait de trouver une entreprise pour essayer de décrocher un poste en CDI. Cela vous permettrait de faire une demande de changement de statut d'étudiante pour celui de travailleuse et de rester ainsi en situation régulière. Je vous souhaite le meilleur dans vos démarches ! Bonne chance à vous

Merci beaucoup pour votre conseil Brian

@brian i forgot to ask . Was there any organisation which helped you with « démarches » during your process of changing your student card to worker’s permit ? Or do you know of any ? That would be helpful. Thank you!

Word of mouth, through a recommendation from a buyer’s agent or local Google searches are the best solutions that come to mind

Hi Danny, thank you. I really appreciate your feedback and am happy you enjoy my content. I took a break but am gearing up to upload new content more regularly soon. Cheers!

Hi Lisa, thank you for your feedback. I am happy to hear the video was helpful for you. That is exciting regarding your apartment buying project in Nice! Regarding your question, I was reading up on the subject on the official French Administration site, Legi France: www.service-public.fr/particuliers/vosdroits/F2753 If you and the seller have both signed your purchase offer, you are both bound to the offer throughout the duration stipulated within the offer; i.e., it is best for you not to retract yet, if you wish to. However, as you mentioned, you will have a legal 10 day cooling period starting on the day after the signing of the compromis de vente during which time you may fully retract from the sale without incurring any penalties. I hope this helps. Bonne chance!

Thank you for taking time to answer me, I really appreciate it! Okay, I think I understand. I thought there were 2 times throughout the process the buyer could withdraw....the period of time (usually 2 weeks) before the compromis de vente is signed, and then again the "cooling off period" after it is signed. Anyway, I will read this Legi France link that you sent. Merci!

@olivlisa de rien! I thought so as well, which is why I am glad I looked it up before responding to your initial comment. Also, this is another instance where having your own French notary representing you as the buyer is a good idea as he/she can guide you with expert advice in your best interests.

Thank you, yes....I do have my own French notaire, separate from the sellers notaire. I have only just yesterday signed the Lettre D'Intention D'Achat d'un Bien Immobilier. So. you are saying at this point, if I change my mind in, lets say, 3 days, before the Compromis de Vente is signed, I will have legal obligations? I will not have given a deposit yet. Just curious because an estate agent told me I can walk away from it before the Compromis de Vente is signed if I want to. The seller can't, but the buyer can. Anyway, thanks for your help! I'll read some more on this topic.

Hi Erin, thank you for the great question. I am still in Marseille since my arrival back in 2012 and for the most part I feel welcomed here. I think the key with successfully integrating French society is making a committed effort to speak French. Even in the beginning when my French wasn’t great, I always felt that the locals appreciated my effort. It helps that my life here is virtually 100% French-oriented (wife, family, friends, work etc.) Hope this helps. Would love to expand more on the subject if you have specific concerns with potential anti-immigrant sentiment here in France (there will always be a percentage of any society with xenophobic tendencies but I don’t feel it is stronger here than say in the U.S. or perhaps Canada as you said; just my personal observations though)

@@BrianInFrance12 ok thanks.

How is that possible

I really appreciate it, Thomas, thank you. Finding your own Notaire to represent you as a buyer in the French buying process is all the more important for you then as he or she will be able to help you navigate this process. Also, I highly recommend checking out French Property Finder, Home Hunts who have a phenomenal team of multilingual buyers agents and take a standard fee from the selling agent’s commission meaning the no extra fees for the buyer (I worked for HH for three years from '14-'17 and saw first hand the value they bring to their clients). I wish you a smooth buying process!

Thanks a lot for your feedback and further input@@BrianInFrance12 . What we are learning so far, that things don't go (too) quickly in such a process. But as you mentioned, in some aspects it makes sense, to have all things properly covered. We're focusing the area around Nice right now, so especially regarding Notaries, we would just research on Google and reviews (amount/quality) - or do you have any further input if/where there are special platforms as well? Thank you!

Indeed, especially coming a face-paced market such as the U.S.'s, things certainly tend to take their sweet time in France. I would say your Google search strategy to find a good notary is a great idea. Aside from that, sending a message to the HomeHunts team could prove to be worth your time as they have a strong presence/expertise in the French Riviera (www.home-hunts.com/contact-home-hunts/). I no longer have any directly affiliation with them but, as a former employee of theirs, have the utmost respect for what they offer. I wish you well and hope you find your dream property!

Thank you!! @@BrianInFrance12

Thank you, Tanya. The deposit amount is agreed upon between the seller and buyer parties within the sales agreement (generally 20% of the sale price but is negotiable). The deposit is to be deposited into the official account of the Notaire responsable for the recording of the sales agreement (if multiple notaires are involved, this is generally the seller's Notaire), at the time of the signing of the sales agreement (compromis/promesse de vente). I hope this helps and wish you a smooth buying process!

I am not sure I fully understand this comment but it gave me a good laugh and made me smile nonetheless so thank you :)

That's how you got citizenship.

@@daylinlott5723 I re-read the original comment and makes sense now. RU-vid needs more users like you spreading those good vibes around in 2024 😉thanks for the good laugh and vibes

Thank you for your comment. That is a great idea, thank you. I will definitely keep it in mind for future videos :)

Hi Daniel, two years in the country; provided you have successfully completed/obtained the diploma of your Master's or PHD program.

@@BrianInFrance12 Brian, that's awesome! Appreciate the clarification. I'm thinking of getting a PHD in France, and wanted to make sure what the timeline was.

Hey there, thank you for your comment and question. The stage de fin d'études done in Sweden should not be an issue so long as your awarded degree was from an accredited French institution (école et/ou université). I presume you have since moved back to France. In which case, I would advise waiting to submit your application until you have lived two full years in France, to be on the safe side. Residency can be proven with: your renters contract, rent receipts (quittances de loyer), and your internet and/or energy bill. I wish you all the best!

Thank you for your kind words and insight, Atagana! That could very well be the case, though I cannot say for sure. I also have the impression that the immigration process in France has become even more difficult over the past several years with all of the conflicts we have faced in the world (refugee crisis, COVID, War in Ukraine etc.). I wish you the best of luck and appreciate you subscribing to the channel.

Merci pour votre message ! Je vous souhaite beaucoup de succès dans votre démarche pour devenir citoyen français. Avec de la détermination et de la foi, je suis sûr que vous atteindrez votre objectif. Bon courage !

Hi Yassss, for our two purchases, the bank never requested an appraisal of the properties. The bank was more interested in our average monthly revenue potential and our debt-to-income ratio based on the lent amount of the mortgage. It is also worth noting that property pricing and negotiation are much stricter in France which helps to minimize market volatility which in turn surely helps reassure banks lending out money for mortgages. Hope this helps!

Thanks, Y an. I am happy to hear you enjoyed the content of the video. Thank you also for your feedback. I may have to tone it back or cut out the music altogether for my future videos.

Hey Denzel, thank you for the kind feedback and great question. The only foreseeable "problem" I can think of is that your child will need to file his/her U.S. taxes no matter he/she lives in the future should you decide to apply for both citizenships for your child. Aside from that point, I see possessing dual French U.S. citizenship/passports as a massive upside with very little downside. Best of luck to you and your growing family :)

@@BrianInFrance12 thank you very much for the information

Thanks for the good question, ALGO. For border control agents, this is not advised as it could cause confusion and/or unnecessary hassle. For airline staff, when checking in, I imagine handing them both would be fine though I do not necessarily recommend it.

Thanks for your comment and very keen insight @1958zed. I was unaware of the imminent rolling out of ETIAS. Yes, I agree with you that the best in this instance will be to present your EU passport to the airline gate agent; although I have run into a situation previously wherein I scanned my French passport at the gate and never ended up going through passport control (at Dulles flying to CDG). I guess it was the right thing to do in the given situation but it felt strange to me as I always prefer to officially leave the U.S. as a U.S. citizen.

I should add that we have filled out the questionnaire for the Notaire but have not yet received any of the DDT / checks or the draft deed of sale. Thanks

Hi Lee, thank you for your comment. If you’ve already paid a security deposit to the seller’s notary, I suspect your have already signed a Sales agreement (compromis/promesse de vente), correct? I am honestly not sure if it is too late or not to appoint a notaire to represent your side. I recommend reaching out to a notary office to enquire. I wish you a smooth experience in your property purchase!

@@BrianInFrance12 Hi Brian, thanks for the response. No, we haven't signed that as yet but its on the way as I've spoken to the Notaires office about a date to sign. One other thing I wanted to ask, once the draft sales agreement is issued - can amendments still be made to it during the 10 day period. So if we get the draft and then want to add a clause that can be done? Thanks

@@Rushmanism Hi Lee, my pleasure. If you have not yet signed the compromis /promesse de vente, it may be a good idea to contact a different Notaire office to discuss. They can offer advice and potentially agree to represent you as the buyer. Clauses can be made to the draft sales agreement. Once the agreed upon sales agreement has been signed, the 10-day cooling off period starts the day after the signature during which time no further changes/clauses may be changed or added.

Hi Mikheil, thank you for your question and appreciated feedback. As long as it is a French accredited degree (i.e. recognized by the French government), the English-instructed program should not be an issue. A great example would be an MBA at a French university/instituion as MBA's are almost always instructed in English worldwide. I confirm that a B1 certificate meets the requirement for the French language criteria (TCF or DELF B1 both work) :)

Hi Mercy A, this is news to me. To be honest, I am not sure which French government programs this might be referring to. Wish I could have been more helpful here. Glad you like my videos and I appreciate your kind feedback.

@@BrianInFrance12 thank you so much . I appreciate your response .

Hi Maybe I am, thank you for your comment and sharing. Unfortunately, this seems like a very complicated case. My honest advice would be to contact a French Immigration lawyer. Otherwise, I feel I would be misguiding you in your quest for answers and a path to obtaining French citizenship. I wish you the best of luck.

@@BrianInFrance12 ahh I’m really hoping to not pay an expensive French immigration lawyer. I would think there would be a guide on the French consulate site but there really isn’t, it assumes the father is on the birth certificate but of course here that’s not the case.

Yes, there are. I worked for one a several years ago called Home Hunts; a great team of professionals which I highly recommend to any French property buyer.

nope

Hi Christina, apologies for not seeing your comment sooner. Indeed, to qualify for applying for French citizenship as a foreign national, you have to have resided in France for a minimum of 5 years (the minimum of 5 years is reduced to 2 years under the condition of obtaining a higher education degree in France e.g., masters etc.). You are able to leave France during this 5+ year period but never more than 6 months at a time. Keep in mind that you will need to prove that your center of interests are in France at the time of your French Citizenship interview so leaving France too frequently may be a red flag to the administration. Here is an excellent government site link detailing the requirements: www.immigration.interieur.gouv.fr/Integration-et-Acces-a-la-nationalite/La-nationalite-francaise/Les-conditions-et-modalites-de-l-acquisition-de-la-nationalite-francaise As for Permanant Residence in France, this is generally systematically available to French residents having already successfully secured two consecutive temporary resident permits (carté de séjour temporaire). A permanant resident permit is valid 10 years in France, with a possibility to renew indefinitely. Here is a great link detailing this topic: www.service-public.fr/particuliers/vosdroits/F11201

Salut Patrick! Thank you for your positive feedback and very insightful comment regarding your experience as a dual American-Irish citizen. I certainly learned something new from your comment. I have a lot of love for Ireland and even have some Irish ancestors in my family tree :)

well it's not really more difficult, Ireland is in the EU so there's still free movement and an Irish passport still affords you all the same rights in the schengen area as a Schengen passport. It doesn't matter where you come from, if you have an EU passport you have the right to be let in. You just have to show your passport, but it wouldn't really be any different to entering any Schengen country from outside Schengen on a French passport.

So American pass authority doesn’t investigate you that you travel to that certain country and there is not their stamps on USA passport? It is normal isn’t?

your Irish passport is much better, as you are a citizen of the European Union, you can travel, live and work unlimitedly in the Schengen area, European Union, European Economic Area and in the United Kingdom using your Irish ID or passport!

IMO It's the best passport to have! working rights in BOTH the EU AND the UK!@@yepiz77