Paymaster General

The Paymaster General — The Government’s Accounting Station
The Paymaster General represents the Public Finance Authority of the Ministry of the Budget, Public Accounts, Public Accounts and State Reform. As such, it is associated with the office of the Paymaster General for Overseas Accounts, located in Nantes.

The Paymaster is charged with assuring the payment of suppliers, American and French, and the various services of the Embassy of France, as well as the debt collection and general recordkeeping for the State. He also exercises the distributed financial control of state spending on behalf of Paymaster General of Overseas Accounts.

The Paymaster General carries out the payment of pensions covered by the state of France (retirement, disability, pensions for war veterans, the Legion of Honor…), monthly, weekly, or annually, according to the concerned parties. These pensions concern only French citizens residing in the United States who prefer wire transfers to American accounts. Sums are calculated in euros and paid in US dollars according to the exchange rate fixed by the Chancery on the date of payment.

The Paymaster General — Accounting Agency for Cultural Establishments or Organizations

The Paymaster General for the Embassy of France is also the accounting agent of the autonomous financial organization, The Maison Française. As such, it pays the expense, collects receipts and keeps the accounts of this institution.

Suppliers of Goods and Services

Suppliers’ invoices are paid by transfer or check. Suppliers may be paid in U.S. dollars, euros or any other currency.

Debtors

The Paymaster General is also charged with collecting sums due to the government, to local authorities and to public hospitals in France by U.S. residents, such as income taxes or invoices following hospitalization. The totals are calculated in euros and can be paid in euros or dollars. The value in US dollars is calculated according to the rate of exchange set by the Chancery on the date of payment.

The Chancery exchange rate

The rate of the Chancery is the official exchange rate used by the French government for all foreign transactions. It is very close to the exchange rate but is only modified the on the 1st and the 16th of each month. This rate is fixed by the General Management of the Treasury and of Political Economy in Paris.

For more information in French on the Chancery rate, please visit:
https://www.economie.gouv.fr/dgfip/taux_chancellerie_change