Activating an iPhone in France Without a French Credit Card

[applefr]

Hi, I am a student going abroad to study in France in a few weeks' time. I will be there for a little over a year, so it makes sense for me to buy an iPhone on a 12 month contract as once this runs out Orange supports official unlocking which would enable the handset to work on my carrier back in New Zealand once I return. The problem I am encountering however, is that everything I've read so far seems to say that all this is impossible without a French credit card, which for me would be quite difficult if not impossible to get.

I was wondering if there was any way to activate an iPhone through an account from another country's iTunes store, namely my existing New Zealand iTunes Store Account.

If there isn't, and a FRENCH iTunes Store Account is needed, is there any way to set one of these up using a New Zealand credit card?

If there isn't, would it be possible to buy an iTunes gift card from an Apple store in France and redeem this in the French iTunes store to set up a FRENCH iTunes account so as to activate the iPhone?

Even if there aren't specific answers to my questions, any advice even from other countries etc. at all is greatly appreciated, as I am kind of at a total loss as to what to do...

Cheers

 

[leherisson1er]

http://support.apple.com/kb/ht2534
Hi
use the link above. On the page it tells you how to make an account without using a credit card, but says you are making an app store account. just ignore it as it actually creates a full itunes store account. I know it works as I have just made an account Just follow the instructions then you'll be able to register!!!!