Thinking about a U.S. base? Why Florida may be the right place for French families

Why Florida

• One flight from Paris. Air France flies nonstop from Paris–Charles de Gaulle to Miami, about nine hours, and also serves Orlando.¹ Check the current schedule for the season you plan to travel.
• No state income tax. Florida's constitution bars a state tax on the income of individual residents, and Florida has no state estate or inheritance tax.² Federal tax still applies to U.S. income and to U.S. tax residents, so the overall picture is one for your advisers.
• A French presence already here. The Consulate General of France in Miami serves French nationals across Florida.³
• Treaties between the two countries. France and the United States have an income tax treaty and an estate and gift tax treaty, which help avoid double taxation when they're used properly.⁴
• Two coasts to choose from. The international Atlantic coast from Palm Beach to Miami, or the calmer Gulf Coast from Naples to Tampa Bay. See Atlantic or Gulf?

Plan it calmly, in the right order

The expensive mistakes come from doing the right things in the wrong order. For a French family, the order usually looks like this:

1. Your time. How many days a year you'll spend in Florida, now and later. Both countries count: the United States uses a three-year day count, and France has its own residency tests that look at more than days. Your French tax adviser and a U.S. cross-border accountant should agree on the plan. See how many days you can spend in Florida.
2. The treaties and the structure. Whether to hold the property personally, through a company or another structure is a decision to make with counsel before you sign. French tax residents also include real estate held abroad in the base of the IFI real estate wealth tax, so it belongs in the conversation.
3. The money. Converting euros to dollars at a bank's screen rate on a large amount can cost more than the price negotiation saved. Plan the conversion, gather proof of funds early, and always confirm wiring instructions by phone. See moving the money.
4. Protection. Property insurance and flood cover in Florida, and health coverage while you're here. French social security doesn't simply follow you; ask about the Caisse des Français de l'Étranger and international health insurance before you travel.⁵
5. Then the property. With the first four settled, the search is focused and the budget includes every annual cost. See what a Florida place really costs.

A second base, not necessarily a move

A Florida base can take several shapes, and you don't have to choose the final one on day one:

• A winter base. French citizens can usually visit for up to 90 days at a time under the Visa Waiver Program, with an approved ESTA.⁶ That allows long stays, not living or working here.
• A property held for the family. A U.S. home, used part of the year, with the structure and estate questions settled properly from the start.
• A business in Florida. France is a treaty country for the E-2 investor visa, which can allow a French national who invests in and runs a U.S. business to live here while it operates.⁷ Eligibility is a question for a U.S. immigration attorney.

Many families start with the first and keep the door open to the others.

The first 90 days: a practical checklist

• Apply for ESTA well before you fly, and keep your passport valid for the whole stay.
• Rent before you buy. A season in two or three towns teaches you more than any brochure.
• Open a U.S. bank account, and plan how and when you'll convert euros.
• Arrange health coverage for every family member before departure.
• Count your days from the first one, in both countries.
• Ask your French adviser: what changes for my French taxes, including the IFI, if I own in Florida?
• Ask a U.S. cross-border accountant and attorney: how should I hold the property, and how do the treaties apply to me?
• If a business or a longer stay is in the plan, ask a U.S. immigration attorney which status fits.

How we help

We set out these steps in the right order for your family, introduce the U.S. professionals who work with French clients (cross-border accountants, attorneys, immigration counsel, insurers, lenders and a licensed real estate brokerage when you're ready), and coordinate them with your advisers in France. Discreetly, and without rushing a single decision.

Thinking about a U.S. base? Tell us where you are in your thinking and we'll reply within one business day. See also what applies to France and Monaco.