About
The guide we wished existed
Moving from the US to France is wonderful and maddening in equal parts. The information exists, but it is scattered across government portals, decade-old forum threads and Facebook comments that begin with “well, at MY préfecture…”. And almost none of it deals with the specifically American problems: banks that flinch at FATCA, investment accounts that become tax traps, two tax returns a year for the rest of your life.
France for Americans is the field guide we wanted on day one: every step in order, the short version up top, the official source linked, and the US-specific wrinkles treated as the main event instead of a footnote. It was built by people who did this move with their own dossiers, own W-9 forms and own hours in préfecture waiting rooms.
Everything here is free to read. If we add paid tools one day (one-on-one relocation consultations are the likely first), the guides stay free, and nothing on this site is legal, tax or immigration advice: for the big personal decisions, hire the professionals we point at.
Answer first
Every guide opens with the short version. Your time goes to doing the thing, not scrolling to find it.
Shortlists, not listings
Three options we would use ourselves beat thirty we would not. When something is a paid link, we say so.
The American edge cases, first-class
FATCA, PFIC, FBAR, sticky states: the alphabet soup that generic expat sites skip is our main course.
Ready when you are
The six-month checklist is the front door. Open it, check the first box, and the move stops being abstract.
Boarding pass
The Landing List
One useful email every couple of weeks: what to do before, during and after the move, in order. No spam, unsubscribe whenever.