French Long Stay Visa

Just out of the TLS centre, in Wandsworth, after this year’s Visa application interview.
Looking like a straight VLS-T would be awarded, if all planets align at the Consulate.
Talking of which. Desk Officer this year took the ‘I’m sailing my boat, which will be my address’ in her stride. Just asked for a registration document. ( Last year much negotiation and production of Passeport Escales paperwork was required, to tick the “address” box). When I asked if the boat was now accepted as an address. She said “ Of course. It is what everyone does.”
Happy days. And fingers crossed that the Consulate sees it the same way!
 
John_Silver said:
Just out of the TLS centre, in Wandsworth, after this year’s Visa application interview.
Looking like a straight VLS-T would be awarded, if all planets align at the Consulate.
Talking of which. Desk Officer this year took the ‘I’m sailing my boat, which will be my address’ in her stride. Just asked for a registration document. ( Last year much negotiation and production of Passeport Escales paperwork was required, to tick the “address” box). When I asked if the boat was now accepted as an address. She said “ Of course. It is what everyone does.”
Happy days. And fingers crossed that the Consulate sees it the same way!
Click to expand...
This is interesting for those wanting a French visa. Seems the French are now using a clearing house company first to weed out the no hopers and ensure the paperwork is satisfactory before forwarding to the Embassy or High Commission.

Apparently Sweden also offering something similar, roll on retirement.

 
Yes, the TLS centres (3 in the UK) carry out a triage. I’ve had 3 long stay visas now, and they’ve handled the applications each time. As the video says, it’s a very efficient, yet friendly, set up. Even with the crazy crowds, brought by the ending of COVID travel bans, on my first application. That side of things is very consistent.
The screening of paperwork does seem to have some variability. Based on my 3 applications. Whether this is an evolution of policy, or down to the human factor I cannot tell. On my ( statistically insignificant) sample size, of 3 visits, this chiefly affected the address question:
Year 1, boat name / registration documents were queried as satisfying address requirements. Production of Passeport Escales documentation tipped the balance.
Year 2, Ditto, except that far more “selling” and the involvement of a supervisor was required, to tick the address box.
Year 3, boat name and registration document accepted without question or comment.
Would agree, with the video, that the process is straight forward and painless (provided that a TLS centre is within easy reach).
 
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John_Silver said:
Yes, the TLS centres (3 in the UK) carry out a triage. I’ve had 3 long stay visas now, and they’ve handled the applications each time. As the video says, it’s a very efficient, yet friendly, set up. Even with the crazy crowds, brought by the ending of COVID travel bans, on my first application. That side of things is very consistent.
The screening of paperwork does seem to have some variability. Based on my 3 applications. Whether this is an evolution of policy, or down to the human factor I cannot tell. On my ( statistically insignificant) sample size, of 3 visits, this affected the address question:
Year 1, boat name / registration documents was queried as satisfying address requirements. Production of Passeport Escales documentation tipped the balance.
Year 2, Ditto, except that far more “selling” and the involvement of a supervisor was required, to tick the address box.
Year 3, boat name and registration document accepted without question or comment.
Would agree, with the video, that the process is straight forward and painless (provided that a TLS centre is within easy reach).
Click to expand...
Thanks for that.....I had never heard of Passeport Escales before...unfortunately after a little research, it doesn’t cover the French Mediterranean....but well worth keeping an eye on in case it expands in the future 👍
 
Bouba said:
Thanks for that.....I had never heard of Passeport Escales before...unfortunately after a little research, it doesn’t cover the French Mediterranean....but well worth keeping an eye on in case it expands in the future 👍
Click to expand...
For those who have not come across Passeport Escales, it’s an excellent system, providing a free berth in sister ports to berth holders, whilst freeing up their own berth for visitors in their home port whilst the berth holder is away.
 
Just back from my appointment for this year's French visa & an interesting change.

Previously you had to have a six month gap between the new visa start & previous visa end date.

This has changed. It's now a six month visa period between January to December each year. If it overlaps a year end then it uses months from both year's six month allowance.

This now means you can have an earlier start date then the previous year which was impossible before.

Hope that's useful
 
Another welcome change, this year, was that using a boat, on passage (as opposed to berthed in a French marina) as a French ‘address,’ was taken ‘on the nod.’ No need to argue a case, as I’ve previously had to (albeit with the desk officers becoming easier to win over, as each year has passed). Just offer up a nicely laminated, full colour, A4 print off, of the SSR cert ( which seems to go down better than the small, black and white A6 offering)
 
John_Silver said:
Another welcome change, this year, was that using a boat, on passage (as opposed to berthed in a French marina) as a French ‘address,’ was taken ‘on the nod.’ No need to argue a case, as I’ve previously had to (albeit with the desk officers becoming easier to win over, as each year has passed). Just offer up a nicely laminated, full colour, A4 print off, of the SSR cert ( which seems to go down better than the small, black and white A6 offering)
Click to expand...
A2 is massive. Do you mean A5 size ?
 
Boathook said:
A2 is massive. Do you mean A5 size ?
Click to expand...
Yes. Edited whilst you were reading / typing !
Think it may even be A6. About quarter an A4. At Roscoff, last year, the PaF, who were out on document patrol, on the pontoons, said ‘is this real? The certificates are usually in colour, and larger….’

Had to renew SSR in the autumn. Found it’s now on line. Very quick and easy. And able to print off a more imposing looking document. Instead of the underwhelming one that used to be mailed out. Although you can still print one of those, too, if you wish.
 
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John_Silver said:
Yes. Edited whilst you were reading / typing !
Think it may even be A6. About quarter an A4. At Roscoff, last year, the PaF, who were out on document patrol, on the pontoons, said ‘is this real? The certificates are usually in colour, and larger….’

Had to renew SSR in the autumn. Found it’s now on line. Very quick and easy. And able to print off a more imposing looking document. Instead of the underwhelming one that used to be mailed out. Although you can still print one of those, too, if you wish.
Click to expand...
Just checked mine. The original little blue book is A6 size and the certificate in it said expires October 2024. Looked in the back of my boat folder and I did renew it and printed A4, in colour and encapsulated.

Must sort out,* but I like the blue folder as it has the first certificate issued in February 1994 shortly after the SSR started so my boat was in the first 3000 issued.

* print out an A6 in colour and encapsulate.
 
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