Visa de Long Sejour - application experience

[John_Silver]

Thought it might be useful to share my recent experience of applying for a 6 month French Visa:

Had been a bit concerned about the requirement, on the application form, to provide an accommodation address in France. In practice, entering my boat name, in that section and adding ‘see explanatory letter,’ sufficed. In my covering letter, I explained that I would be cruising and could not predict ports of call, due to weather. I did provide evidence of both a Passeport Escales membership and sufficient funds to cover marina costs. Not sure which swung it.

Otherwise it was a matter of following the checklist of required documents: Passport, Bank statements, EHIC or GHIC card, covering letter including undertaking not to ‘act in a professional capacity’ (work).

Turn round very fast. In my case, I presented documents last Thursday. Yesterday I received the e mail to say that I could collect my documents. Today I have them. You do have to appear in person, at a TLS centre (London, Manchester, Edinburgh). At document presentation this is for Biometric data to be captured. Not sure why on collection.

Costs are pretty reasonable, given the slick admin operation. £ eighty odd for the visa, plus a handling fee - taking it to £112.

The Visa is a full 6 months - so more (just) than 180 days, if you ask for it. I’d put in for 15 April - 15 Oct, expecting to be pruned back to 180 days. But the Visa covers the full 6 months.

Brittany and the Vendee, here we come!

 

[Sandy]

Brilliant, great to hear first hand experiences.

 

[Momac]

Why did you feel there might be a 180 day limit?
Could you not have applied for a much longer period providing you could demonstrate you have adequate funds ?

 

[DJE]

Do you still have to check in and out through ports of entry? Might be worth the fee for a few short trips per season if it gets round that requirement.

 

[John_Silver]

Do you still have to check in and out through ports of entry? Might be worth the fee for a few short trips per season if it gets round that requirement.

Still need to get stamped in and out.

Have dropped a couple of emails, to the addresses on the Cherbourg and Roscoff ‘pre-avis’ forms, for clarification on which ports may be used. Got a link in return. Not fully deciphered all the info yet. So far it’s mainly about RCD and VAT. Will post if there’s anything on Points d’ Entree, beyond the ferry ports….

 

[Minerva]

Is that 6 month French visa in addition to the usual 90 in 180 rule? Therefore getting circa 9 months access to Continental Europe or does the 90 in 180 run concurrently?

 

[John_Silver]

Why did you feel there might be a 180 day limit?
Could you not have applied for a much longer period providing you could demonstrate you have adequate funds ?

Beyond 180 days you’re into a Residence application process (as set out on the Gouvernement de France website). Which is more onerous - and, I understand, has tax / pension implications.

 

[John_Silver]

Is that 6 month French visa in addition to the usual 90 in 180 rule? Therefore getting circa 9 months access to Continental Europe or does the 90 in 180 run concurrently?

I understand (from CA website) that it runs sequentially. Although, looking at the receipt that accompanied the Visa, it says "Visa Nat + 3 mois." Which looks a bit to me as if it is the Schengen 90 days plus 3 months. Time will tell….

 

[[2574]]

John,

fabulous information, thanks.

 

[TiggerToo]

Great.

So, out of pocket for £112 plus all the time associated with doing that.

Send this to JRM as an great example of the Opportunities of his ministry.

So much for the benefits

Not.

 

[AngusMcDoon]

Beyond 180 days you’re into a Residence application process (as set out on the Gouvernement de France website). Which is more onerous - and, I understand, has tax / pension implications.

Beyond 180 days you become tax resident, which means that you can't use the Temporary Admission scheme for a non EU VAT paid boat, & it becomes liable to VAT in the EU.

 

[AngusMcDoon]

Is that 6 month French visa in addition to the usual 90 in 180 rule? Therefore getting circa 9 months access to Continental Europe or does the 90 in 180 run concurrently?

You can get a 6 monther for France without becoming tax resident or having to pay for health insurance & then a standard 3 month Schengen in another Schengen but not France country, so allowing 9 months. The following year you can repeat.

 

[dpb]

Thought it might be useful to share my recent experience of applying for a 6 month French Visa:

Had been a bit concerned about the requirement, on the application form, to provide an accommodation address in France. In practice, entering my boat name, in that section and adding ‘see explanatory letter,’ sufficed. In my covering letter, I explained that I would be cruising and could not predict ports of call, due to weather. I did provide evidence of both a Passeport Escales membership and sufficient funds to cover marina costs. Not sure which swung it.

Otherwise it was a matter of following the checklist of required documents: Passport, Bank statements, EHIC or GHIC card, covering letter including undertaking not to ‘act in a professional capacity’ (work).

Turn round very fast. In my case, I presented documents last Thursday. Yesterday I received the e mail to say that I could collect my documents. Today I have them. You do have to appear in person, at a TLS centre (London, Manchester, Edinburgh). At document presentation this is for Biometric data to be captured. Not sure why on collection.

Costs are pretty reasonable, given the slick admin operation. £ eighty odd for the visa, plus a handling fee - taking it to £112.

The Visa is a full 6 months - so more (just) than 180 days, if you ask for it. I’d put in for 15 April - 15 Oct, expecting to be pruned back to 180 days. But the Visa covers the full 6 months.

Brittany and the Vendee, here we come!

Very much our experience from the last couple of weeks.
We provided boat name, berth number and Capitanarie address together with annual berthing Contract with proof of payment for proof of accomodation.
We asked if this was ok, the chap said "The boat will be staying there?" I said yes choosing not to elaborate on cruising plans and he said "no problem". It is good to see from above that cruising seems to be accepted but wonder what the response would be if you said you were going to cruise beyond the French border for any extended period.
We asked for 180 days as this was what we thought we could get but got 6 months anyway. It is multiple entry.

 

[Fr J Hackett]

Just to add that the UK has a dual taxation agreement with France that means you can choose where to pay your taxes. Taxation is not a problem.

 

[AngusMcDoon]

Just to add that the UK has a dual taxation agreement with France that means you can choose where to pay your taxes. Taxation is not a problem.

If you choose to stay UK tax resident while in France for more than 6 months on a tourist visa, can you still use the Temporary Admission scheme for your non-EU VAT paid boat? Because if you can't, or some official decides that you can't (because all the guff on from the French guvmint websites says that you become tax resident after 6 months), it could be an unpleasant bill having to pay French VAT on your boat. Tax residents cannot use the TA scheme.

 

[Fr J Hackett]

If you choose to stay UK tax resident while in France for more than 6 months on a tourist visa, can you still use the Temporary Admission scheme for your non-EU VAT paid boat? Because if you can't, or some official decides that you can't (because all the guff on from the French guvmint websites says that you become tax resident after 6 months), it could be an unpleasant bill having to pay French VAT on your boat. Tax residents cannot use the TA scheme.

I would think not because VAT is an entirely different matter than income tax.

 

[Bobc]

Thought it might be useful to share my recent experience of applying for a 6 month French Visa:

Had been a bit concerned about the requirement, on the application form, to provide an accommodation address in France. In practice, entering my boat name, in that section and adding ‘see explanatory letter,’ sufficed. In my covering letter, I explained that I would be cruising and could not predict ports of call, due to weather. I did provide evidence of both a Passeport Escales membership and sufficient funds to cover marina costs. Not sure which swung it.

Otherwise it was a matter of following the checklist of required documents: Passport, Bank statements, EHIC or GHIC card, covering letter including undertaking not to ‘act in a professional capacity’ (work).

Turn round very fast. In my case, I presented documents last Thursday. Yesterday I received the e mail to say that I could collect my documents. Today I have them. You do have to appear in person, at a TLS centre (London, Manchester, Edinburgh). At document presentation this is for Biometric data to be captured. Not sure why on collection.

Costs are pretty reasonable, given the slick admin operation. £ eighty odd for the visa, plus a handling fee - taking it to £112.

The Visa is a full 6 months - so more (just) than 180 days, if you ask for it. I’d put in for 15 April - 15 Oct, expecting to be pruned back to 180 days. But the Visa covers the full 6 months.

Brittany and the Vendee, here we come!

Good to know. Thanks for posting your experience.

 

[st599]

If you choose to stay UK tax resident while in France for more than 6 months on a tourist visa, can you still use the Temporary Admission scheme for your non-EU VAT paid boat? Because if you can't, or some official decides that you can't (because all the guff on from the French guvmint websites says that you become tax resident after 6 months), it could be an unpleasant bill having to pay French VAT on your boat. Tax residents cannot use the TA scheme.

TA is available to non-EU Residents - doesn't matter where you pay tax, if you have a residency permit, you can't use it. So the question is, does the >6month visa count as a residency permit?

 

[syvictoria]

TA is available to non-EU Residents - doesn't matter where you pay tax, if you have a residency permit, you can't use it. So the question is, does the >6month visa count as a residency permit?

Depends upon whether your long stay visa is a VLS-TS or VLS-T. The former is a residence permit, the latter not.

Stay exceeding 3 months
► 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.

Tourist or Private visit | France-Visas.gouv.fr

 

[AngusMcDoon]

TA is available to non-EU Residents - doesn't matter where you pay tax, if you have a residency permit, you can't use it. So the question is, does the >6month visa count as a residency permit?

I think it does. My understanding is that after 6 months you have to push off to somewhere else. The 6 month visa is in addition to Schengen 90/180 visa, so go to Spain.