Visa for Australian staying longer than 90 days in France on yacht.

[Rikds]

This seems to be a nightmare! The visa application centre (TLScontact) has a web form that does not work correctly nor apply to somebody living on a boat. One cannot 'phone them and response is very slow.
There must be others in a similar situation amongst this wondrous group. Any ideas or suggestions as to a suitable way forward?

We (British husband and Aus wife) wish to cruise Brittany coast for more than 90 days.

 

[Lightwave395]

Frustrating as are most things at times to do with French admin. I would think it ought to be fairly straightforward as last year I was sailing around Les Sables / La Rochelle area and there were several Aussies collecting their new Jeann/Ben/Duf's/Lagoons and planning on spending the next year cruising and living aboard before taking or sailing them home.

 

[Angele]

What are you able to do without the visa? Can you do up to 90 days? And then leave and promptly re-enter France? If so, then a brief diversion to the Channel Islands would see you sorted.

 

[IanCalling]

Thinking of doing the same thing here. Best I can come up with, and I haven't tried yet, is to seek a 12 month temp resident's visa from here in Melbourne. I think it is trickier if I try to do it away from here. Something I fear is being caught up in VAT nightmares if I bought a boat in one country, where it was registered, to another and staying just long enough for the second country to hit me for VAT. I think it would be so much safer If I was actually a French resident, buying a French registered boat with French VAT paid. Then France would be a life belt here.

The only stumbling block is that appears the application form expects me to nominate my French residential address for the duration. Don't know if they are keen on liveaboards being 12 month temp resident visa holders.

I intend to fly to Sydney, where the French govt processes visa applications to see what can be done. Perhaps I should threaten to go to the Spaniards instead. lol.

So best I can suggest is to explore the long-term resident visa (12 months) and then be a French sailor crushing the med like that, rather than a Brit or an Aussie trying to extend the touring visa. Might just work.

 

[macd]

What are you able to do without the visa? Can you do up to 90 days? And then leave and promptly re-enter France? If so, then a brief diversion to the Channel Islands would see you sorted.

No: the standard visa offers three months in any six (and would apply to UK citizens in the EU27 post-Brexit unless specific agreement to the contrary is reached.)