New French bank requirement for non resident bank account holders

[Sprogster]

My wife and I have maintained for some years a cheque bank account in France with Soc Gen, just to pay the bills on our maison secondaire. Anyway, received last month a letter from the bank asking us to provide a copy of our last tax assessment, or a letter from our country's tax authority evidencing we were tax resident outside France. This was clearly a standard letter which presumably has been sent to all the banks non French resident clients. 

I was a bit surprised, as the bank already holds other certified documentary evidence of our principle residence outside France, but presumably this is part of a crack down driven by the French tax authorities to weedle out foreign nationals resident in France, who have not declared themselves. Interestingly, I read in a paper the other day that the banks in Spain have recently implemented a similar requirement, so it would appear to be part of some EU initiative.

Not a problem for my wife and I, but a bit tricky I would imagine for those who are 'perpetual tourists', as those with no permanent tax abode are sometimes termed! 

[Graham & Brenda]

I don't think it's just the French. We have been resident in France for 4 years. Just before we came here I made a building society account joint with my wife. Last year they wrote to ask for a copy of her passport and French tax ref. for the UK tax authorities.

[Nell]

We have lived here 3 years and in this last 6 months we have been haranged by our UK banks for the same kind of info. Better still, after you have sent it to them they send you another letter saying the same thing all over again. You then think, maybe they did not receive all my certified paperwork (that takes ages to organise!!), so you end up phoning them, hanging about in a queue for ages, and then told, Oh just ignore the 2nd letter Mrs .... we have your details. We have 3 different uk accounts between us ans this has happened on ALL of them, so it was not just one incompentent organisation. No wonder they are all going bust - the duplication of correspondence and information is unbelievable [:@][8-)]

[Baz]

[quote user="Sprogster"]

My wife and I have maintained for some years a cheque bank account in France with Soc Gen, just to pay the bills on our maison secondaire. Anyway, received last month a letter from the bank asking us to provide a copy of our last tax assessment, or a letter from our country's tax authority evidencing we were tax resident outside France. This was clearly a standard letter which presumably has been sent to all the banks non French resident clients. 

I was a bit surprised, as the bank already holds other certified documentary evidence of our principle residence outside France, but presumably this is part of a crack down driven by the French tax authorities to weedle out foreign nationals resident in France, who have not declared themselves. Interestingly, I read in a paper the other day that the banks in Spain have recently implemented a similar requirement, so it would appear to be part of some EU initiative.

[/quote]

Sprogster, I am also with Soc Gen and this is not something new. I was asked for the similar evidence to prove my  tax residency in the UK, this consisted of showing them my latest tax code letter and a copy of my council tax bill,  this was a least 5-6 years ago. No further checks since then.

Baz

 

 

[AnOther]

Resident in France since Aug 2007 and no enquiries from our 2 existing UK banks.

[Babbles]

We found that as self emloyed  the letter that the authorities want is not a standard letter that the tax office send out , you have to request it (with a lot of hastle) They then put it on record why you want it and that you have a second home, they seem to be showing a lot of interest in what people do with their money/homes abroad, no doubt they think we're all letting our home and getting huge amounts of un declared income, if only that was true![:D]

[Logan]

[quote user="Sprogster"] a bit tricky I would imagine for those who are 'perpetual tourists', as those with no permanent tax abode are sometimes termed![/quote]

The correct term is 'fiscal nomad' and a jolly useful thing it was until the EU came along and stopped it. It allowed non residents 91 days in any world state. Providing you kept to the rules you could escape income tax of any kind, anywhere. It was abolished along with the news rules of off shore investments being liable for tax. The banks have to follow EU directives and legal tax avoidance is now very difficult. Unless you have a very smart accountant.

My bank asks me for a copy of my avis d'impot sur revenus every year. I have been a French resident for years but it makes no difference.