To file your French income tax return for the first time, you have to follow some steps:
1. Get a tax ID
You can apply for tax ID upon your arrival in France. This ID will allow you to have a personal space on the French tax authorities’ website.
If you were a student and was regarded as a dependent on your parents household, the French tax administration has mailed you your ID in order to allow you to create your personal space online and thus, be abe to file your tax return on line.
2. File your tax return
If you have a tax ID and have been able to open your personal space online, you can efile your tax return.
If you don’t have such personal space, you can’t efile your tax return. You will therefore have to file a paper tax return and mail it to your local tax center. Please note that this option is only worth for the first year. The year after, you will have to efile your tax return.
3. Meet the deadline
Make sure to file your tax return before the deadline. In France, such deadline varies from one year to another and from one location to another. Generally speaking, the filing deadline is set between May and June for the efiling and a bit earlier for the paper format.
4. Check your own specific obligations
If you get income from other location, if you own foreign real estate of have foreign assets, you may have some specific tax reporting obligations. Make sure to consider them when filing your French tax return.
5. Submit your tax return
If you file on line, you will submit electronically via your personal space.
If you file via the paper format, mail it.
6. Wait for your tax bill
After the submission of your tax return, you will get a tax bill mentioning the amount of taxes to be paid or the tax refund you may receive.
No taxes are due upon filing the tax return.
