Declaration of non-residence - help required!

[mister]

Hi, I wonder if anyone might offer me some advice? I’ve received a letter from my Bank, along with a form titled “Declaration Sur L’Honneur De Non-Residence”. My grasp of French is pretty basic, but from what I understand, it seems that my Bank requires confirmation of my primary residence for tax purposes. Is this correct? If so, can anyone advise me on what information / documents I need to send back? I live in the UK, and my place in France will eventually be a holiday home – but at the moment it’s still uninhabitable.

 

Incidentally, I didn’t receive this letter last year, or the year before that – so I am wondering if this request for information is triggered by a certain amount of money in your bank account?

 

Any help or advice that can be offered would be most appreciated. A belated Merry Christmas & Happy New Year to all!  

[Clair]

A "déclaration sur l'honneur" does not require any justification.

If the bank has not enclosed a letter for you to sign, this page gives a good basic layout and you simply need to change the second paragraph to say that your main residence is not in France.

[groslard]

Normally a "Declaration Sur L’Honneur" is just that...

Je, le soussigné xxxx, déclare sur l'honneur de ne pas être résident en France

Sorry about the bold

[groslard]

Sorry your post appeared as I was writing

[mister]

Clair & Goslard,

 

Thanks for the prompt replies - I am most grateful. The form included with the bank’s letter contains these sections to complete:

 

Je soussigne ( nom, prenom(s) tells qu’ils figurant dans la piece d’identite ):

…………………

 

Atteste sur l’honneur:

 

1. Que ma residence fiscale est situee hors du territoire francais, a l’addresse suivante……………….

 

2 Que mon numero d’identification fiscal ( NIF ) est le suivant ( pour les residents de la communaute europeenne )…………………………….

 

3 Que je suis titulaire d’un compte de cheques et/ou de compte d’epargne et/ou de placement monetaire et/ou que je suis proprietaire ou usufruitier des titres qui sont deposes sur mon ( mes ) compte(s) ouvert(s) a la banque populaire du Massif central.

 

Je m’engage, en cas de transfert de mon domicile ou de pays de residence fiscale dans un autre de la communaute europeenne ou dans un pays tiers, a transmettre a la Banque Populaire du massif Central une nouvelle attestation de non-residence indiquant la nouvelle situation de ma residence fiscale, et ce, au plus tard avant la premiere mise en paiement des interest suivant ce transfert.

 

Je comprends que la presente attestation est requise par les dispositions de la legislation fiscale de la repubilque Francaise.

 

Fait a…..

Le………..

Signature ……………………

 

Presumably I need to complete this and return it? But as I said, my French is not great, so I'd be reassured to know what information ( and documents - if necessary? ) might be required.

 

Thanks again for your help.

[Clair]

under 1, write your main address (not France)

under 2 write your NIF (Fiscal ID number? check with your tax office maybe?)

under 3, nothing

Fait à (name of town where you are when you sign the letter)

Le (add date)

sign

[groslard]

[quote user="mister"]

Clair & Goslard,

 

Thanks for the prompt replies - I am most grateful. The form included with the bank’s letter contains these sections to complete:

 

Je soussigne ( nom, prenom(s) tells qu’ils figurant dans la piece d’identite ): Surmame/ Christian name

…………………

 

Atteste sur l’honneur:

 

1. Que ma residence fiscale est situee hors du territoire francais, a l’addresse suivante…address in UK…………….

 

2 Que mon numero d’identification fiscal ( NIF ) est le suivant ( pour les residents de la communaute europeenne )Have you got a French Tax number?…………………………….

 

3 Que je suis titulaire d’un compte de cheques et/ou de compte d’epargne et/ou de placement monetaire et/ou que je suis proprietaire ou usufruitier des titres qui sont deposes sur mon ( mes ) compte(s) ouvert(s) a la banque populaire du Massif central. that you have a cheque account/savings account/money in their bank

 

Je m’engage, en cas de transfert de mon domicile ou de pays de residence fiscale dans un autre de la communaute europeenne ou dans un pays tiers, a transmettre a la Banque Populaire du massif Central une nouvelle attestation de non-residence indiquant la nouvelle situation de ma residence fiscale, et ce, au plus tard avant la premiere mise en paiement des interest suivant ce transfert.

I will tell them if I change my address

 

Je comprends que la presente attestation est requise par les dispositions de la legislation fiscale de la repubilque Francaise.

 

Fait a…..town

Le………..date

Signature ……………………

 

Presumably I need to complete this and return it? But as I said, my French is not great, so I'd be reassured to know what information ( and documents - if necessary? ) might be required.

 

Thanks again for your help.

[/quote]

my comment are on the form..

[mister]

Clair & Groslard

Thanks for providing those answers - much appreciated. As far as I know I don't have a NIF ( numero d'identification fiscal ). I am wondering if they require the UK equivalent, so they can check that I am paying tax in the UK? If so - would that be my National Insurance number?

[groslard]

Tax number

Perhaps they want you to get a French tax number?

[mister]

That's the bit that's most confusing!

With regards to providing documents / evidence. The accompanying letter says ( when referring to the form ):

"Ce document est a completer et a nous renvoyer, accompagne d’une copie d’une piece d’identite en cours de validite. Si vous disposez d’une piece d’identite delivree par un eteat different de celui don’t vous declarez – resident fiscal – vous devez nous transmettre une attestation de domicile fiscal du pays don’t vous vous  declarez resident, sinon vous serez considere comme resident du pays qui vous a deliver votre piece d’identite".

This would seem to suggest that proof of identifiction must also be sent ( maybe a copy of my passport? ) - or perhaps I've just misread this part. I am always reluctant to send anything like ID ( even as a photocopy ) through the post.

[Cat]

Presumably you have paid tax d'habitation or tax foncieres?  The number can be found at the top right hand side of your tax foncieres form, or just below the redevance audiovisual part of your tax d'habitation (just below the part that says Renseignements et Reclaimations, No fiscal).  It will be in the form of xx xx xxx xxx xxx.

 

[mister]

Cat,

Thanks for that. I'll check through my paperwork and see if I can find any numbers.

 

[groslard]

They just want a photo copy of your passport to prove you are resident in the same country as your residence for tax purposes

[mister]

Cat. Ok, just dug out a copy of my Taxes Foncieres, and, as you suggested ( in the top right hand corner ) there is the 'Numero Fiscal'. Voila! It's so much easier when you know where to look!!! Sorry for being so wet behind the ears! Hopefully that is the reference number my bank requires. My wife has received exactly the same request for information as me, but our bank account, and all other payments / accounts etc, are jointly held - so presumably this same numero fiscal would apply to her as well?  

[mister]

Thanks for everyones help - I am extremely grateful.

[groslard]

Good luck and enjoy your house..

[Pads]

Are you sure its not a scam letter, I have recently had one (not) from my bank asking for all my info

[mister]

Pads, hi and thaks for your reply. As far as I can tell it seems a genuine letter - it has the Bank's logo on it and look's legit, but you never know, especially when ID is asked for. Thanks for the warning, it's something to consider. I'd imagine if the letter's legit then lots of other UK residence, which French holiday homes, would've have received something similar from their Banks - so it would be reassuring to hear from anyone else who's received the same request from information

[Pads]

I have a holiday home in france , but have not received anything , Do think because it looks real it is , my bank told us they would never email or write for any info, so when we got the letter about 5 weeks ago I took it into the bank to ask if it was real, I was told no( although they didnt seem to worried about it [8-)]) it seems they have seen loads of them, and the only clue was in the post code and phone number on the letters which were only slighty different from the real ones. It seems they have got bored of sending them via email, and have gone back to letters. So check it with your bank, and for the future ask what their policy is about sending you letters asking for info. which they should already have ................................[:(] 

[tenniswitch]

You can't be too careful.  Did you check to make sure the mailing address was exactly the same one you have for your bank? 

That being said, we've twice gotten this request from our bank (CA) and I returned them with copies of our US utilities bill, property and income tax forms (with social security #s, etc., carefully obliterated).  They were perfectly satisfied with these.

We'd been making rather large deposits to cover the purchase and repair of our new maison secondaire, and I think the bank just wanted to cover their assets in case they got queries about not reporting these to the taxing authorities.

[mister]

Tenniswitch & Pads,

Thanks for the replies. On the surface the letter and form look genuine - and as you've also received something similar in the past, it seems to be a reasonably common practice. But I'll certainly tread carefully. Thanks again for taking the time and trouble to reply.

 

[Chancer]

Just receieved a similar letter today from CL requesting information (tax returns etc) re country of residence.

[mister]

Hi again. Just a quick update for all those who replied to my original posting, and anyone else who's been following this thread. The number requested by my Bank ( the numero d’identification fiscal ) was indeed my UK National Insurance Number. According to Banque Populaire, it is a new obligation for them to request this information depending on the year you opened your bank account ( in my case 2006 ). Hopefully that clears this up for anyone else having to complete the “Declaration Sur L’Honneur De Non-Residence”. Thanks again for all those who took the time to offer advice - much appreciated.