Author: Vanessa Reynoso

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Finding an Apartment in Paris; It’s Not Them, It’s You. Tips to Secure Your Dream Digs

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You’ve dreamt about this day for way too long. You’ve resent your application via La Poste (twice), you’ve signed the textbook-thick lease, and you’ve finally been given the keys to your dream Parisian home.

You walk up the 5 (read American 6) flights of stairs with a grin from ear to ear because when you reach the top level and insert that irreplaceable key into that beautiful door, you KNOW, it was all worth it.

Now lets go back, about 3-6 months, cue rewind montage.

Your time is ending in your Airbnb that you had to rent to fulfill the visa application requirements. You’ve had a great time playing house and are looking forward to bringing your own place to life with your own essence. But, where do you start?

Some might think you started a few weeks before you even moved over! But things are a bit different in our dear Paris. You see, finding an apartment in Paris, as a foreigner, is like finding a dinosaur fossil at an archaeological site. Not impossible, but it’s going to take time and you’re gonna need a fine-tooth comb. Yes, laugh, it’s okay, you’ll need to laugh to survive through this. 

Start Your Search

You have several options. The most popular route is renting a furnished flat through an agency. This is also the most expensive option because the rentals are overpriced from average, the furnishings are usually comfortable, but sometimes unkempt, and the agency takes a comfortable commission. The pros are that all communication is in English, you can access an online catalog and view the apartments online, making it much more streamlined to choose a place and have a “home” before you even step out of the CDG airport. A big con is that you don’t actually see the flat, or even the area in person, and that could yield an unfavorable disposition. Once you’ve signed a rental agreement, it’s nearly iron-clad, so breaking it is not much of an option.

Now, if you know a few things or two and are comfortable with speaking French, you might try your hand at sourcing a place on your own through the French version of Craigslist, Le Bon Coin. Here you can not only find your next dream apartment, but also a bicycle, clothes, instruments; absolutely anything under the sun has been or could be sold on Le Bon Coin. As the adventurous writer of this piece, who did not know a few things, I decided I didn’t need an agency and tried going down the rabbit hole of apartments listed by locals. And may I say, what. a. journey.

The Dossier

There are many inner workings to locking in a place, much more than scheduling a visit and meeting the owner. You can’t get any traction forward without a dossier, your application packet, essentially. You’ll learn quickly in this new French life that your dossier will be an invaluable collection of paperwork that you’ll use for finding a home, a job, opening a bank account, and more. The French like everything on paper and it’s important that you look excellent on paper.

But your experience and income may not translate through the language barrier. And if you don’t speak French, it will be difficult to garner confidence and gain trust that you, a foreigner, will be a worthy tenant who will never falter in paying their rent. If you’re wondering, no, I did not speak French at the time. It was just me and my blind confidence leading the way.

Asking For Help

After several weeks licking my wounds, I accepted that I needed a professional’s assistance, but I could not stomach paying the exorbitant fees of housing agencies, so I found a middle ground. A property search agency, Chasse immobilière, for freelancers and foreigners works exclusively with local realtors that speak English and know how to prepare an application packet best suited for a freelancer, non-native speaker, non-French person, and every other outside of the box scenario. They go through their network,  Le Bon Coin listings, and different realtor agency listings from all around the city (or country if you’re looking outside of Paris). I was fortunate enough to connect with a local realtor who sent me so many listings, made appointments, handled all communications with the owners, and honestly took off all of the burden. I just had to click through the photos, say yes or no, and we’d meet to view the listing. Thanks to her, I found my absolute dream apartment. With the big Brown door, on the top floor, with the gold lock, the ancient elevator, and the most Parisian view. There is a fee for this service, but I felt better knowing part of it went directly into my realtor’s pocket.

There is no wrong way to look for a home in Paris, but there are many more efficient ways, and I can’t recommend enough to consider hiring an agency to help you with the search. Alternatively, I’d be happy to recommend my realtor, now turned dear friend, who knows Paris inside and out.

Whatever path you choose, rest assured that your dream maison is waiting for you. Your Parisian home is only just around the corner.

Photo by Brian Potter

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How to Renew the Passeport Talent

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Bonjour tout le monde! I’m excited to share with you a brief guide to the beloved (read dreaded) passeport talent renewal process for first timers. I’m new around here, so I’ll share a bit of backstory.

Initially, my passeport talent was approved for 12 months; this time frame is different for everyone. Some people receive two to four years their first time; it’s mainly dependent on what subcategory you fall into and your work experience.

My renewable visa was approved for 18 months, which is less than I had hoped, but reasonable as they wanted to give me more time to grow my business.

When your renewal application is being processed, several factors are taken into consideration, not only how much income was earned and if it met the minimum 70% of the French minimum wage. But also, what type of work did you do? For example, if you are a musician and the majority of your declared work was as a barista, then that income might not count towards your renewal. Your visa will clearly stipulate what kind of work you’re allowed to do. If it states you can only receive income as a musical performer, then you’d be hindering yourself by accepting work as a barista.

My particular visa was passeport talent artistique et culturelle. As a producer, I could do photography, video, writing, and consulting as long as it fell within the scope of a production entertainment agency. I drafted a business plan explaining the breadth of what I could accomplish in France along with a track record of what I had already done in the US. I made this intentionally because I wanted to have more options on how to earn an income. As a producer, I knew I could get the projects done, but I needed the flexibility to show that on paper.

When the time for renewal came, I provided proof of all my work and it was successful. So, let’s dive in, step by step, into how I obtained the renewal for myself and my husband.

Step 1: Know Your Timeline! 

You are eligible to apply for your visa renewal up to four months before its expiration BUT NO LESS THAN two months before its expiration. Confusing? Welcome to France!

If you submit your renewal application within 60 days of its expiration, you are now in a penalty period and will be charged a late fee for the now late processing of your application. Ask me how I know…

So, familiarize yourself and understand your active dates so that you aren’t paying extra fees and so that you give yourself enough time to collect and produce all your documents appropriately. 

Step 2: Read the Directions and Then Double It

Review the application rules thoroughly, but use it as a guide, not a bible. In my experience, the more proof provided, the more perceived readiness your dossier has. When applying for my first visa, I submitted a business plan, but this was not requested in the application. During my appointment with the consulate, they reviewed it and asked for an additional copy, which I gleefully provided; thankful for the tedious research I had done beforehand, making copies of everything. When renewing, you want to show how well you did during your first season in France; sometimes that is difficult to do as an artist or performer, or in a non-traditional career. But nothing is impossible! 

I know, how dare I bring that attitude around here, but it’s true. I provided printed screenshots of Instagram DM’s with potential and locked clients, reaching out asking for services and availability. I included written letters explaining my work and expertise and hyperlinked to videos produced, photoshoots, etc, so that if my documents were reviewed on a computer, the agent could click the hyperlink and view my work. Did they do this? Who knows! But I wanted to ensure that if there was a way to prove myself, they could see it in every medium.

Additional documents in my dossier were letters from former, current, and future clients. This was important because it showcases that I made a footprint in Paris and garnered interest in my work.

When reviewing the application guidelines, you’ll see that they simply request proof of work, which could have been sufficient with a copy of an invoice and a bank statement showing payment received.

My intention was to provide as much as possible from the beginning to reduce requests for additional paperwork. Essentially, if you deem it relevant to your work or portfolio, make a copy and send it in. You have everything to gain.

Step 3: Don’t Worry About the Trees

Since you’re renewing your visa, you should already know this, but here is your reminder. The French LOVE paperwork, now is not the time to conserve and submit only what’s necessary. Ensure that you make at least one copy of every document you are submitting and print everything in a simple font, one-sided, and in the correct size. For example, when you submit a photocopy of your carte de séjour, it must not be thumbprint size, nor should it be two pages wide. Keep it looking clean, smart, and orderly. Ideally the true size, or half page, usually is a good rule of thumb for image copies.

Step 4: Print the RIGHT Photo

How naïve I was in the early years. I assumed the metro photo booths provided passport photos exclusively. Now we all know that you have several options alongside the fun vertical keepsake.

When selecting the required passport-sized photos for your application, ensure that you select the option for visa renewal for foreigners. I had to redo this because I got too confident and subsequently lost 10 euros’ worth of metro rides to the photobooth.

Step 5: Submit Certified Mail

When you’ve finally collected all your documents and are standing in the never-ending La Poste line, know that everything should be sent via certified mail. This is your French life at stake! Keep a track of it and rest easy at night knowing that if something gets lost, it’s not on you, and you have a copy.

Step 6: Be Patient, All Good Things Come to Those Who Wait!

Is this the hardest part? Maybe you’ll hear back in one month; maybe in 4, maybe your current visa will expire, and they’ll give you an extension while they review your case, and you’ll be floating in a nervous limbo. This is when you laugh and eat your croissant and take a deep breath. Tout va bien, it’s all good!  You’ll know when you know, and hopefully, that beloved email notifying you of a new message in your account will be the light to illuminate your next chapter. The one where you get to stay and keep living where you want to be.

Photo by Amin Zabardast on Unsplash

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