About Bordure
Why we built the resource we wished existed when we needed it most.
Our Story
Bordure was born from personal experience. When you fall in love across borders — specifically across the Atlantic between France and the United States — you quickly discover that the practical realities of binational life are enormously complex. Two tax systems, two legal traditions, two sets of inheritance rules, two healthcare systems, and two very different administrative cultures.
We spent years piecing together information from scattered sources: a US expat forum here, a French government website there, expensive consultations with professionals who sometimes understood only one side of the equation. The information existed, but it was fragmented, often outdated, and rarely addressed the specific intersection of French and American rules that binational couples face.
So we built what we wished existed: a single, comprehensive, plain-language resource that covers the full spectrum of Franco-American life — from your first carte de séjour application to your estate plan.
What Bordure Means
In French, borduremeans border, edge, or the space where two things meet. It's the margin of a page, the border of a garden, the edge where land meets sea.
For us, it represents the unique space that binational couples inhabit — not fully in one world or the other, but navigating the rich, sometimes challenging terrain in between. Our goal is to make that space a little easier to navigate.
Our Approach
Thorough & Accurate
Our guides are comprehensive — typically 3,000+ words each — because real life is complex. We don't oversimplify, but we do explain things clearly.
Both Sides of the Atlantic
Most resources cover either the US or French perspective. We cover both, specifically focusing on where the two systems interact, conflict, or complement each other.
Plain Language
Legal and tax jargon in one language is hard enough — in two, it's impossible. We explain French terms with context and avoid unnecessary complexity.
Practical & Actionable
We include specific forms, thresholds, deadlines, and strategies — the information you need to actually take action, not just understand theory.
Important Disclaimer
Bordure provides general informational content only. Our guides are educational resources, not professional advice. Nothing on this site constitutes legal, tax, financial, or immigration advice.
Every couple's situation is unique. Tax laws change frequently, immigration rules evolve, and legal interpretations vary. Always consult qualified professionals — an international tax advisor, an immigration attorney, a cross-border estate planner — for decisions specific to your circumstances.
Partner Resource
When a reader moves from research to case-specific legal work, we prefer to point them toward a specialist with cross-border experience rather than pretend a guide alone is enough.
Trusted partner
Lexly
Lexly helps people find qualified attorneys for cross-border family, inheritance, expatriation, and related legal matters. It is a natural fit for Bordure readers who need personalized legal advice.
Visit LexlyThe paid Bordure handbook is for couples who want a faster start
The free guides remain the deep library. The Premium Handbook is the condensed paid companion for couples who want clearer sequencing, checklists, and a more efficient first pass before they book professional help.
- A cross-border decision roadmap so you know what to handle first and what can wait
- Practical checklists for documents, deadlines, and recurring binational admin tasks
- Money-saving and time-saving pitfalls to catch before they become expensive mistakes
One-time price
Use the live Stripe checkout already configured for Bordure. One product, one clear path.
Start Exploring
Dive into our comprehensive guides on every aspect of Franco-American binational life.