Why Emily in Paris is Still in Paris: The French Bureaucracy Edition

Anyone who's watched Emily in Paris might find themselves charmed by the romanticized version of Parisian life that Emily Cooper seems to effortlessly navigate. Between the glamorous parties, scenic backdrops, and her Instagram-worthy life, there’s one thing missing from her adventures: the gritty reality of French bureaucracy. As expats living in France or anyone familiar with the country’s complex administrative system can attest, the real struggle would be how Emily is still in Paris after all this time without getting tangled up in paperwork!

Let’s take a closer look at what the show conveniently leaves out when it comes to visas, residency, work permits, and taxes—and how Emily in Paris might look through the lens of French bureaucracy.

1. Emily’s Visa Situation: Would She Even Still Be in Paris?

In Emily in Paris, Emily moves to France to work at Savoir, a French marketing firm, but the show glosses over one crucial detail: how she’s legally allowed to stay there. If Emily arrived on a long-stay work visa, she'd need to have followed strict immigration rules. This would likely involve securing her visa before arriving in France, which means Emily’s company, Gilbert Group, would have had to sponsor her work permit.

• What would Emily really need?
  Emily would need a Visa de long séjour valant titre de sejour (VLS-TS), which allows foreigners to stay in France for more than 90 days for work purposes. It would require her to provide proof of employment, financial stability, accommodation, and health insurance. She would also need to validate her visa upon arrival, a step that is never mentioned in the series.
• The renewal process
  After her initial year, Emily would have to apply for a Carte de Sejour to remain in the country legally. The process can be notoriously slow, with mountains of paperwork, including proof of continued employment, tax filings, and housing documentation. Yet, Emily seems to stay indefinitely without a single hint of concern about her visa status.

2. Employment and the Contrat de Travail

Working in France is no simple affair when it comes to labor laws and employment contracts. In real life, Emily’s job would require a detailed Contrat de Travail (work contract), which specifies her salary, working hours, and conditions of employment, and must comply with French labor regulations.

• Is Emily’s job legit under French labor laws?
  We never see Emily talk about or sign a formal contract with Savoir, but in reality, a CDD (Contrat a Duree Determinee) or CDI (Contrat a Duree Indeterminee) would be a must. Without it, she wouldn’t be able to get her visa or register for France’s social security system. We also don’t hear much about her social security contributions or taxes, both of which would be key parts of her life as a legal employee in France.

3. Navigating French Bureaucracy: The Real Struggle

Living in France as an expat means dealing with the inevitable administrative maze that is French bureaucracy. From applying for health insurance to opening a bank account, navigating paperwork is a rite of passage for any foreigner living in France. Yet, Emily’s experience in Paris seems entirely free of these headaches.

• Housing contracts and proof of residence
  Emily appears to effortlessly move into her charming Parisian apartment. However, finding housing in Paris involves navigating a highly competitive rental market and providing extensive documentation, such as proof of income, a guarantor, and justificatif de domicile (proof of residence). It’s unlikely that Emily, a newcomer with no French financial history, would have found it that easy.
• Healthcare registration
  In the show, Emily seems to avoid the process of enrolling in the French healthcare system. In reality, after securing a residence permit, she would need to register with the Securite Sociale to access healthcare benefits. The paperwork involved is time-consuming, requiring her to submit proof of identity, residency, and employment.
• Opening a bank account
  Emily never seems to mention her banking struggles, but in reality, opening a bank account as an expat in France can be a bureaucratic ordeal. Banks require a lot of documentation, including a valid visa, proof of residence, and proof of employment. Without a local bank account, paying rent, utilities, and managing day-to-day finances would be a real challenge.

4. Taxes: The Untouched Reality

One major aspect of expat life in France is dealing with the French tax system, which Emily seems blissfully unaware of. In reality, after living and working in France for a year, she would have to file French taxes.

• Worldwide income declaration
  As a tax resident of France, Emily would need to declare her worldwide income, which includes any income from the United States. Failing to declare all income could lead to penalties from the French tax authorities.
• Social security contributions
  Part of Emily’s salary would be deducted for social security contributions, which fund France’s robust welfare system. This is a key part of employment in France, and there’s no mention of this in the series.

5. Adjusting to Life in France: The Social and Administrative Realities

While Emily in Paris is a fun fantasy, the reality of life in France as an expat involves far more than glamorous dinners and spontaneous romance. Here are a few real-world scenarios Emily would face:

• Long waits at the prefecture
  To renew her visa or apply for a residence permit, Emily would have to deal with the prefecture, which is infamous for long lines, slow processing, and the need for patience.
• Dealing with French customer service
  Bureaucratic encounters, whether with utility companies or the tax office, often require persistence and an understanding of French cultural norms. Emily’s cheery, direct American approach might not go over so smoothly in these settings.

Conclusion: Could Emily in Paris Happen in Real Life?

While Emily may be conquering Paris one Instagram post at a time, the real question is how she’s managed to avoid the very real complexities of French bureaucracy. From navigating work permits and housing contracts to filing taxes and securing healthcare, living as an expat in France is not without its administrative challenges.

If Emily’s Parisian adventure were true to life, we’d see her juggling piles of paperwork, waiting for hours at the prefecture, and navigating the intricacies of French labor law. But in the world of Emily in Paris, the red tape doesn’t exist—leaving us to enjoy the fantasy of a perfectly effortless Parisian life.

In reality, expats like Emily would need a solid understanding of French bureaucracy to make their dream life in Paris last.