France/America couples

[lucie&damon 0]

I recommend for all of you looking for a job to keep an eye on State and Cities jobs. They are always hiring and citizenship is not required.

Thanks for the advice!

I've always been looking. Usually there are tones of job opening. But mainly for police officer or traffic light technician...

Today I looked again and instead of the usual 2 or 3 pages of jobs, there were only 3 jobs opening It was for police officer..

[lucie&damon 0]

I recommend for all of you looking for a job to keep an eye on State and Cities jobs. They are always hiring and citizenship is not required.

Thanks for the advice!

I've always been looking. Usually there are tones of job opening. But mainly for police officer or traffic light technician...

Today I looked again and instead of the usual 2 or 3 pages of jobs, there were only 3 jobs opening It was for police officer..

Do you work Lili? if yes, how long did it take for you to find a job? Do you have any other good tips?

[lucie&damon 0]

I recommend for all of you looking for a job to keep an eye on State and Cities jobs. They are always hiring and citizenship is not required.

Thanks for the advice!

I've always been looking. Usually there are tones of job opening. But mainly for police officer or traffic light technician...

Today I looked again and instead of the usual 2 or 3 pages of jobs, there were only 3 jobs opening It was for police officer..

Do you work Lili? if yes, how long did it take for you to find a job? Do you have any other good tips?

I just had my first American job interview over the phone!yeaaaah!.....I don't think I did very well, they won't call me back... It was for Wells Fargo...

C t carrement stressant!lol

Well, it was just my first shot, I'll do better next time!

[Cécy 44]

If you're looking for a temporary or extra job, check with the census bureau. They are currently hiring, check here: http://2010.census.gov/2010censusjobs/

It might not be good for a long term job, but if you need extra income...

You can call the local number I think, there is a simple test to take (just to prove you can read and write pretty much). I'm going to give it a shot, if only for flexible extra hour to bring a little extra money (we want to buy a house and need to work on the downpayment first).

For job tips: always check the company's website where you would be interested to work. Many companis only advertise for positions on their own site. You can and should also apply sometimes even if they are not looking for someone. You get your name out and they will keep you file. That's how I got my job... I offered my services before they even needed it.

[Lili 3]

I recommend for all of you looking for a job to keep an eye on State and Cities jobs. They are always hiring and citizenship is not required.

Thanks for the advice!

I've always been looking. Usually there are tones of job opening. But mainly for police officer or traffic light technician...

Today I looked again and instead of the usual 2 or 3 pages of jobs, there were only 3 jobs opening It was for police officer..

Do you work Lili? if yes, how long did it take for you to find a job? Do you have any other good tips?

Did you check your State website? Police Officers are hired by cities.

I had issued finding a job here so I signed up with a temp agency. They got me a job as an accountant within two weeks. I stayed there for a while (hated the job but hey, experience is experience). I was waiting for my dream State job to open, when it did I applied and here I am.

What is your field of work?

Federal jobs are awesome: great benefits, good money and job security! But they are tough to get in... The Post Office requires to pass extensive exams.

Any other good tips? Temp agencies! The jobs are not always great but experience and contacts are important in this country. See that as a stepping stone...

Americanize your resume.

Good luck!

[lucie&damon 0]

Thanks Cecy and Lili for the tips! I'm going to look at all of this! There's an Adecco agency nearby, I think I'm going to give them my infos this afternoon!

I sent cover letters and resumé to the university here in Fort Collins, but they all answered that there is an administrative hiring freeze because of the economic crisis. You must understand that in my city the university employes 70% of the people living here. It's the biggest thing. What a bummer!

[alice_and_brandon 0]

Hey French/American couples!

Its so much fun to read through this topic! Thank you guys for your tips about the new life in the US. I had my interview at the Embassy in Paris today and it went fine. Visa is approved so I think I'll leave mid-March! B) I can't wait to wear my sunglasses everyday! Anybody living in the San Diego area??!!

Bisous!!!

Alice

[Koakland 0]

Congratulations Alice Jeremy's interview is tomorrow afternoon. Today he went to the medical and said that everything went fine. I'm not from the San Diego area. I'm from the Bay Area but I go to Southern California alot. WELCOME TO CALIFORNIA

For everyone looking for the job in the US. Keep trying! It's takes a lot of work to find a job, even if you are a USC. It took about a month and half of hard hard work for me to find the job that I have now. I suggested, I reccomend going to lots and lots of temporary agencies. Post your resume on Monster, Careerbuilder, yahoo jobs and other job sites. Browse craigslist etc. I did this everyday for a little over a month before I found something decent. Even if you have a bad interview or phone interview, don't be discouraged. Just keep trying. Whenever I have a bad interview or interview for a job that I know that I don't want, I just look at it as practice. Don't worry, you'll find jobs soon.

Also, if anyone has any advice on where to look for tech jobs, please let me know. My fiance is a software engineer in France but I don't know that much about the tech job market. If you have advice on how to prepare while he's in France, things he should know, stuff he should get, please help me

Merci!

[Cecile and Bryan 0]

French taxes talk... sorry it's in French, I'm having a hard time figuring out how to make some of the sentences...

Je n'ai jamais paye d'impots toute seule en France (jusqu'a cette annee j'etais rattachee a mes parents, apparemment c'etait mieux pour eux et pour moi, je ne me souviens plus des details). Donc je n'ai pas trop d'idees de ce a quoi la declaration d'impots sur le revenu ressemble, quels details ils demandent, etc.

En ce qui concerne les "taxes" aux USA, je sais que cette anee on va remplir ca en tant qu'epoux, married filing jointly. Qu'il faut que je mette mon revenu francais et qu'on ajoute une lettre demandant l'exemption de taxes sur mes revenus francais en accord avec le traite d'exemption US-France.

Est-ce que c'est la meme chose en France ? En 2008 j'ai travaille de janvier a juillet, et fin juillet j'ai quitte le pays (et pas travaille depuis). Est-ce qu'il faut dire qu'on est maries, est-ce qu'il faut indiquer ses revenus (aux USA) ? Comment ca marche ? Est-ce qu'il y a des formulaires en plus a remplir pour les non-residents ?

Encore une fois, les questions peuvent vous sembler stupides, mais c'est la premiere annee que je vais remplir la declaration.

[lucie&damon 0]

French taxes talk... sorry it's in French, I'm having a hard time figuring out how to make some of the sentences...

Je n'ai jamais paye d'impots toute seule en France (jusqu'a cette annee j'etais rattachee a mes parents, apparemment c'etait mieux pour eux et pour moi, je ne me souviens plus des details). Donc je n'ai pas trop d'idees de ce a quoi la declaration d'impots sur le revenu ressemble, quels details ils demandent, etc.

En ce qui concerne les "taxes" aux USA, je sais que cette anee on va remplir ca en tant qu'epoux, married filing jointly. Qu'il faut que je mette mon revenu francais et qu'on ajoute une lettre demandant l'exemption de taxes sur mes revenus francais en accord avec le traite d'exemption US-France.

Est-ce que c'est la meme chose en France ? En 2008 j'ai travaille de janvier a juillet, et fin juillet j'ai quitte le pays (et pas travaille depuis). Est-ce qu'il faut dire qu'on est maries, est-ce qu'il faut indiquer ses revenus (aux USA) ? Comment ca marche ? Est-ce qu'il y a des formulaires en plus a remplir pour les non-residents ?

Encore une fois, les questions peuvent vous sembler stupides, mais c'est la premiere annee que je vais remplir la declaration.

Bienvenue au club!

cest trop le bordel. on comprend rien avec damon...

pour la partie francaise cest assez simple je crois. Il faut que tu remplisse en ligne ta declaration ( tu peux le faire des maintenant virtuellement) pour savoir combien tu vas paye. Moi je sais que jai rien a paye puisque jai bosse que 5 mois en 2008. cest pas assez pour etre imposable. en france ad tu te maries tu dois faire deux declaration diffenrente. une avant le mariage et une pour apres...donc moi jai rempli jusqu au 29 auout jour de mon mariage. Apres on a pas a remplir une autre vu qu on habite plus en france....

Par contre la ou ca se complique cest pour les etats unis, lis bien les lois! Nous on sest rendu compte que je peux pas demander lexemption et que je suis consideree residente des etats unis, car jai ete sur le territoire americain plus de 183 jours dans les dernieres 3 annees.( et il y a une facon bien particuliere de compter les jours)

You will be considered a U.S. resident for tax purposes if you meet the substantial presence test for calendar year 2008. To meet this test, you must be physically present in the United States on at least:

1.

31 days during 2008, and

2.

183 days during the 3-year period that includes 2008, 2007, and 2006, counting:

1.

All the days you were present in 2008, and

2.

⅓ of the days you were present in 2007, and

3.

⅙ of the days you were present in 2006.

Jaurais pu etre exempter aussi dans le cas ou je serai reste toute lannee 2008 a travailler en france...mais cest pas le cas

Jespere que ca taide un peu....

Nous, on va peut etre faire ca avc un professionnel cette annee, parce que ca nous prend le choux tout ca!

[lucie&damon 0]

Congratulations Alice Jeremy's interview is tomorrow afternoon. Today he went to the medical and said that everything went fine. I'm not from the San Diego area. I'm from the Bay Area but I go to Southern California alot. WELCOME TO CALIFORNIA

For everyone looking for the job in the US. Keep trying! It's takes a lot of work to find a job, even if you are a USC. It took about a month and half of hard hard work for me to find the job that I have now. I suggested, I reccomend going to lots and lots of temporary agencies. Post your resume on Monster, Careerbuilder, yahoo jobs and other job sites. Browse craigslist etc. I did this everyday for a little over a month before I found something decent. Even if you have a bad interview or phone interview, don't be discouraged. Just keep trying. Whenever I have a bad interview or interview for a job that I know that I don't want, I just look at it as practice. Don't worry, you'll find jobs soon.

Also, if anyone has any advice on where to look for tech jobs, please let me know. My fiance is a software engineer in France but I don't know that much about the tech job market. If you have advice on how to prepare while he's in France, things he should know, stuff he should get, please help me

Merci!

Thanks for the great tips! I ll keep looking!

[lucie&damon 0]

ok cecile. je viens de lire dautres choses sur le site de l IRS. On peut etre exempter si on peut prouver qu en 2008 on etait plus lie a notre pays dorigine qu au US ( ce qu on pourrait pense qu on est), mais ce nest pas applicable cette regle si une demande dAOS is pending...pffff

[lucie&damon 0]

Hi all, this is Damon! I think we finally understand what we need to do for US taxes:

Since Lucie passes the Substantial Presence requirement, we must file as a resident alien, married filing jointly.

From what I understand, BONA FIDE residence must contain one full year, but it does not mean it must be the year for which we are filing taxes.

Lucie was a resident for 2007, during which she visited the US on a tourist visa for a long vacation. She went back to France, and continued her residency uninterupted, UNTIL she got her K1. So we can claim 60% of the year as a resident, and is exempt for ($86,000 * 60%) under the foreign income exclusion treaty. We just need to fill out form 2555ez, and our normal 1040.

Whew.

[lucie&damon 0]

Desole pour cet emmelage de pinceau! lol

Pour la france jai demande a mon pere dappeler lundi le fisc en France pour l international... je vous tiendrais au courant...

[Pam&Josh 0]

Comme tu dis, c'est un sacré emmelage de pinceaux!!

Merci pour ces précieuses infos!!

Je viens de lire pas mal d'instructions via 2555-EZ, et moi aussi j'ai mis du temps à comprendre le "bona-fide resident".

Malheureusement, je ne suis restée que 265 jours en France, donc je ne pourrais pas faire l'exemption de mes revenus francais!! puisque c'est moins de 330 jours! La dernière période de 12 mois consécutifs en France remonte de Nov 05 jusqu'à Nov 06!!!C'est bcp trop ancien!

Et je suis également considérée US resident via le "substantial presence test".

Bref, c'est comme ça!!