Bank account – Taxes

For information, most shops do not accept 500€ notes.

Opening a bank account

It is very difficult to open a bank account in France from abroad. You can ask your usual bank if they have a branch or partner bank in France and start the procedure.

Otherwise, once you have arrived, we will give you our local contacts in different banks that can welcome you in English.

Income tax

HOW TO HANDLE TAX INCOME IN FRANCE ?

In France, income tax is usually deducted from your salary each month according to a personalised rate (the PAS-prélèvement à la source).
However all incomes must be declared once a year in May to the fiscal administration so they check your global tax situation and if your PAS rate is well adjusted.

We inform/remind you sometime in April about submitting your tax report with an updated guide (see below). If needed, we can also help you filling it in, in the limit of our knowledge.

Remain vigilant when the period of incomes declaration starts in May, as it ‘s a mandatory administrative step.

-> IF YOU ARRIVED IN FRANCE IN 2023 or BEFORE : you must do a tax declaration in May 2024.

Here is what you need to read if you have earned French income in 2023 (salary, unemployement benefit, grants..).

  • If in April-May 2024, you are about to fill your FIRST tax declaration : download the form “Formulaire 2042: Déclaration de revenus” (Millésime 2024) available here. Fill this PAPER version of the form according to informations presented in the PDF document above.
    YOUR PAPER DECLARATION MUST BE SENT by post BY MAY 21st 2024 at the latest !

  • If in April-May 2024, you are about to fill a tax declaration for the second time or more: you can not submit a paper version, it’s an online process. Go to your personal account on the tax website here , check the online form that the fiscal administration has already prepared for you based on your employer’s declaration, confirm by a click that the pre-filled document is correct, and that’s it !
    DEADLINE FOR ONLINE DECLARATION IS MAY 30th 2024

-> IF YOU ARRIVED IN FRANCE IN 2024 :

The only formality you need to take care by the end of the year is to request your personal tax number to the Tax Administration. To do so, you need to fill in the Cerfa form N°2043.

Tax number is required to :

– ask for a personalized withholding tax rate (PAS), to avoid overpayment from your salary each month by the tax Office.

– open your personal account online on the official page here, manage your taxes and declare your incomes online in May each year, from the 2nd year (first declaration has to be done paper version).

More information about income tax here (in French).