French Long Stay Visa

[stranded]

I had an interesting conversation in Vannes the other day with a fellow Brit cruiser who applied for a long stay visa in mid-February, shortly after I applied on 1 February. I got a VSL-T visa but he told me that this is now defunct and that all visits from 4-12 months would now need to apply for a VLS-TS visa BUT, that the requirements for a VSL-TS had been relaxed so they are essentially the same as those for VSL-T except that there is a requirement to complete a wholly online registration process within a period after arrival in France. But the requirement to report to the Marie or have private medical insurance has been dropped, as has the mandatory 6 month gap after a previous visa has expired before a new one can commence. He expects at the end of his 12 months to be able to return to the UK and apply for and get a new 12 months pretty well immediately.

I have passed this onto the Cruising Association who are looking into it, but wondered if anyone here had picked up anything similar?

 

[Forty_Two]

From Tourist or Private visit - France-Visas

"Stay exceeding 3 months

Your situation
You want to visit France for private reasons, for a period exceeding 3 months without engaging in any professional activity during your stay.

Your visa
You must apply for a long-stay "visitor" visa. You will be issued with a long-stay visa serving as a residence permit (VLS-TS). This visa is subject to an online validation procedure after you arrive in France.

Where appropriate, a temporary long-stay visa (VLS-T) can be issued to people who are certain that they will not extend their stay beyond the duration of their visa."

No change as far as I can see. VLS-TS was always for stays up to a year & first stage in residency. VLS-T up to six months & importantly has no residency obligations.

 

[stranded]

Yes, aware of that. Yet this person I met was convincing, understood the system, and had a 12 month visa without having to eg get medical insurance and was certain that it was open to him to repeat next spring. It would not be the first time the official guidance has failed to keep pace with the realite.

 

[Forty_Two]

I applied for mine this year on 5th March & duly received my VLS-T in late April.

I've seen no mention of a change on various sites i watch.

In particular connexionfrance.com are normally up on this stuff.

If this person has spent more than six months in France then they are a going to be considered a resident with all that entails.

None of it makes sense. This would be a major change & not unannounced IMHO of course.

 

[stranded]

Yeah, get that - but he’s a smart guy, and very clear about happened. Let’s see if anyone else has experience of this, else we’ll perhaps to put it down to a cock up in the system, or some particularity about his circumstances.

 

[Driver]

How about this:

Britons with French second homes ‘should get automatic long-stay visa’

 

[Driver]

Sorry , missed this off.

Britons with French second homes ‘should get automatic long-stay visa’

 

[Driver]

whoops Again! The link does not come through when I press send. Here is the article:

A debate on the immigration bill will begin on November 6 in the French Senate Pic: Jo Bouroch / Shutterstock / Martine Berthet
By Liv Rowland
Britons who own second homes in France should obtain a long-stay visa right in France without having to apply for it, a French senator is proposing.
Senator Martine Berthet (Savoie) has submitted this as an amendment to an immigration bill that is set to be debated by the Senate from Monday November 6.
She also recently wrote to the interior minister, suggesting a ‘special status’ for British second-home owners, saying that the bill presented an opportunity to advance this.
Ms Berthet is particularly referring to British second-home owners as the visiting rules changed for this group due to Brexit and many had bought their homes before this (86,000 homes are owned by British residents according to the latest state statistics from Insee).
Read more: Senator waits to hear over plea for second-home Britons

 

[Sandy]

Not sure how a change in French legislation for British second home owners is going to help UK sailors in any way, unless they also own a second home.

I have friends who have been cruising the French Med for six months. The visa is not that difficult to get, just a good reason to have it and a few forms to fill.

 

[Lightwave395]

There's a report on the CA website of a guy getting a '6 month' visa but valid for 12 months:

Quote:

We have recently been alerted to a cruising sailor (not a CA member) who has been able to obtain a VLS-T visa for a full 12 month period. He applied for a visa of between 6 -12 months, and under the existing rules should have been given a VLS-TS visa, with all the additional costs and issues associated with that visa type. In his application he made his passage plans clear, and affirmed that he had no intention of taking up residency in France. He has not had to register his arrival in France or undertake any medical examination - features of the VLS-TS. Furthermore, he was not required to purchase private health insurance, despite only have his GHIC card which, according to the French Consulate website currently, is only allowable for periods of up to 6 months.

He understands from various sources that his visa is definitely a visitor's visa, albeit for a maximum of 12 months duration, that it is still non-renewable and that he must leave France at its end - ie the visa has all the characteristics of the standard VLS-T 6 months visa.

Visa applicants from America and Canada have also been reporting recently that VLS-T visas are now being given in place of VLS-TS visas, to applicants who have confirmed that they have no intention of taking up residency in France.

Whether this is a practice that will now be adopted for UK applicants we cannot yet know but the development is very interesting. Of course, there are several 'unknowns' that could still deter a UK National from applying for 6 - 12 months in this way. Thus, we do not know whether this 12-month VLS-T Visa can be re-applied for and from when - does the 6 month gap still apply? And the acceptability of the GHIC card for a 12-month period by France is unclear, given the current published rules.

However, it is worth noting that for this one sailor at least it has been possible. We will be watching his progress with interest, as well as seeking further clarification from the French Consulate, and we will post updates here!

 

[Bouba]

There's a report on the CA website of a guy getting a '6 month' visa but valid for 12 months:

Quote:

We have recently been alerted to a cruising sailor (not a CA member) who has been able to obtain a VLS-T visa for a full 12 month period. He applied for a visa of between 6 -12 months, and under the existing rules should have been given a VLS-TS visa, with all the additional costs and issues associated with that visa type. In his application he made his passage plans clear, and affirmed that he had no intention of taking up residency in France. He has not had to register his arrival in France or undertake any medical examination - features of the VLS-TS. Furthermore, he was not required to purchase private health insurance, despite only have his GHIC card which, according to the French Consulate website currently, is only allowable for periods of up to 6 months.

He understands from various sources that his visa is definitely a visitor's visa, albeit for a maximum of 12 months duration, that it is still non-renewable and that he must leave France at its end - ie the visa has all the characteristics of the standard VLS-T 6 months visa.

Visa applicants from America and Canada have also been reporting recently that VLS-T visas are now being given in place of VLS-TS visas, to applicants who have confirmed that they have no intention of taking up residency in France.

Whether this is a practice that will now be adopted for UK applicants we cannot yet know but the development is very interesting. Of course, there are several 'unknowns' that could still deter a UK National from applying for 6 - 12 months in this way. Thus, we do not know whether this 12-month VLS-T Visa can be re-applied for and from when - does the 6 month gap still apply? And the acceptability of the GHIC card for a 12-month period by France is unclear, given the current published rules.

However, it is worth noting that for this one sailor at least it has been possible. We will be watching his progress with interest, as well as seeking further clarification from the French Consulate, and we will post updates here!

So if we combine the two reports…the French government want British second home owners to declare that they have no intention of applying for residency

 

[Lightwave395]

So if we combine the two reports…the French government want British second home owners to declare that they have no intention of applying for residency

Sounds about right !

 

[lustyd]

So if we combine the two reports…the French government want British second home owners to declare that they have no intention of applying for residency

Why would you apply for residency for your holiday home? By definition you're resident in your first home so wouldn't be eligible for residency in a second home

 

[Bouba]

Why would you apply for residency for your holiday home? By definition you're resident in your first home so wouldn't be eligible for residency in a second home

Why are you arguing with me…aren’t there any other people out there you can report for racism ?

 

[lustyd]

What a strange response. I wasn't arguing, and you weren't being racist this time. You seem paranoid. Perhaps public forums aren't for you if you don't want people to reply

 

[Bouba]

What a strange response. I wasn't arguing, and you weren't being racist this time. You seem paranoid. Perhaps public forums aren't for you if you don't want people to reply

I want replies…you aren’t so welcome

 

[[3889]]

There's a report on the CA website of a guy getting a '6 month' visa but valid for 12 months:

Quote:

We have recently been alerted to a cruising sailor (not a CA member) who has been able to obtain a VLS-T visa for a full 12 month period. He applied for a visa of between 6 -12 months, and under the existing rules should have been given a VLS-TS visa, with all the additional costs and issues associated with that visa type. In his application he made his passage plans clear, and affirmed that he had no intention of taking up residency in France. He has not had to register his arrival in France or undertake any medical examination - features of the VLS-TS. Furthermore, he was not required to purchase private health insurance, despite only have his GHIC card which, according to the French Consulate website currently, is only allowable for periods of up to 6 months.

He understands from various sources that his visa is definitely a visitor's visa, albeit for a maximum of 12 months duration, that it is still non-renewable and that he must leave France at its end - ie the visa has all the characteristics of the standard VLS-T 6 months visa.

Visa applicants from America and Canada have also been reporting recently that VLS-T visas are now being given in place of VLS-TS visas, to applicants who have confirmed that they have no intention of taking up residency in France.

Whether this is a practice that will now be adopted for UK applicants we cannot yet know but the development is very interesting. Of course, there are several 'unknowns' that could still deter a UK National from applying for 6 - 12 months in this way. Thus, we do not know whether this 12-month VLS-T Visa can be re-applied for and from when - does the 6 month gap still apply? And the acceptability of the GHIC card for a 12-month period by France is unclear, given the current published rules.

However, it is worth noting that for this one sailor at least it has been possible. We will be watching his progress with interest, as well as seeking further clarification from the French Consulate, and we will post updates here!

This sounds like the same case that the OP reported to the CA rather than a different example.

 

[st599]

whoops Again! The link does not come through when I press send. Here is the article:

A debate on the immigration bill will begin on November 6 in the French Senate Pic: Jo Bouroch / Shutterstock / Martine Berthet
By Liv Rowland
Britons who own second homes in France should obtain a long-stay visa right in France without having to apply for it, a French senator is proposing.
Senator Martine Berthet (Savoie) has submitted this as an amendment to an immigration bill that is set to be debated by the Senate from Monday November 6.
She also recently wrote to the interior minister, suggesting a ‘special status’ for British second-home owners, saying that the bill presented an opportunity to advance this.
Ms Berthet is particularly referring to British second-home owners as the visiting rules changed for this group due to Brexit and many had bought their homes before this (86,000 homes are owned by British residents according to the latest state statistics from Insee).
Read more: Senator waits to hear over plea for second-home Britons

Blocked by the French Constitutional Court, which can't be appealed.

 

[Frogmogman]

Blocked by the French Constitutional Court, which can't be appealed.

One of the things I’ve always liked about France is that it is quite a pragmatic country. The amendment was brought by those from constituencies with high numbers of British home owners, whose contribution to the local economy and local life is appreciated. A special dispensation seemed like a simple and workable solution

It’s a shame that the constitutional council has thrown it out, but I can’t say I’m totally surprised, as the idea of one particular group of non-EU homeowners in France getting special treatment on the basis of their nationality can be seen as unfair.

Macron’s government did not support the amendment on the basis that a sovereign country has chosen to leave the EU, Lord Frost declined an offer of reciprocity of the UK’s own 180 days in a year rule during the Brexit negotiations, so the UK’s citizens just have to accept the consequences.

 

[Bouba]

One of the things I’ve always liked about France is that it is quite a pragmatic country. The amendment was brought by those from constituencies with high numbers of British home owners, whose contribution to the local economy and local life is appreciated. A special dispensation seemed like a simple and workable solution

It’s a shame that the constitutional council has thrown it out, but I can’t say I’m totally surprised, as the idea of one particular group of non-EU homeowners in France getting special treatment on the basis of their nationality can be seen as unfair.

Macron’s government did not support the amendment on the basis that a sovereign country has chosen to leave the EU, Lord Frost declined an offer of reciprocity of the UK’s own 180 days in a year rule during the Brexit negotiations, so the UK’s citizens just have to accept the consequences.

Did the bill fail purely on the Brit ex pat section ?