UK Seafarer living in France - Tax Residency?

[Just Stu]

Hello all

I have searched high and low through this site to find someone in a similar situation as myself but without success.

I am at sea , paid through a UK company, PAYE, pay full NI contributions & benefit from the FED as a seafarer. I spend less than 183 days in France, a couple of weeks in the UK and the rest working at sea.

I am trying to obtain information on my standing while living in France. My head is spinning from all the information I have obtained so far and NEED some help to clarify my position in respect of tax residency. The IR just send me in circles. I am aware that I have to declare my earnings to the French revenue but should not have to pay tax due to the double taxation treaty.

So any seafarers out there in France, please help.

Jolly Jack[:'(]

[AnOther]

I'm not a seafarer but do work in the offshore industry so whilst not exactly in your position there are parallels.

Have you been in touch with this HMRC department ?

MarineSection
HMIT Cardiff
Ty-Glas
Llanishen
Cardiff
Wales
CF4 5FN
Tel: 029 2032 6077

This can be a hugely complex area but as I see it, because you qualify for FED, your enquiries need to be concentrated on the French side of the situation for which you most definately need to take proper advice from a French tax specialist, but you already knew that didn't you [;-)]

 

[Will]

I'm not a seafarer myself, but am closely involved in shipping and maritime matters.

It's no good asking HMRC, they are not able to give advice on French taxation, as Ernie says. You need to ask a French tax office or accountant, or your union. There are special rules which apply to seafarers both under French taxation and under the double taxation agreement with UK. It could well work in your favour, I have heard of French resident seafarers who pay virtually no tax at all - and, better still, no French social security charges. No doubt a good accountant would more than offset his fee in what he stands to save you.

[Just Stu]

Cheers chaps, thanks for the info and a quick response. I contacted a  Brit accountant over a week ago who is based in Paris but I have not heard from him since I sent more details. Guess it was too much for him and  he has disappeared over the horizon (very nautical!) Will keep at it.

Cheers   Jolly Jack

[cooperlola]

Stu, don't despair over the accountant.  They are very busy at the moment, as you would imagine.  Mine goes into snail mode in May!

[Pontius]

I believe that as a seafarer you come under the same special rules as aircrew. Your circumstances are broadly similar to hundreds of aircrew who live in France and work from UK and other EU countries and don't pay income tax or social charges. It is a bit more complicated than that of course but that's the basics. If you'd like the details of a good English speaking French advocate email me. You must file a french tax return by the way as well as a UK one. There is ulso a new, currently unratified treaty which may change this.

[Mark_France]

Hi there, Jolly Jack?

I'm in exactly the same circumstances as you.  I used to claim seamans

tax exemption when I lived in the UK but since moving to France I've

been just paying the PAYE and NI in the UK without any form of refund. 

I have not been filling in a tax return as I have been told three times

(and I have it in writing from the French Income Tax people) that I

should not declare my UK salary in France.  I know what others will say

but there it is.

I looked into asking some accountants in France and they were quoting £150/hour and some 6-8 hours to do it.  Well I'm a specialist engineer myself working on £multi-millon  projects and I don't get anywhere near £150/hour so I grudged paying that.

If you have got any further could you drop me an email?  We could pool our resources and info and get an answer between us?

Regards

Mark