If you happen to’re not a citizen of a rustic within the EU and also you need to go to France for greater than 90 days out of 180 – it’s possible you’ll want a visa. That goes for each the UK, Australia and the US. We requested the specialists at French Connections HCB to clarify how the method works once you apply for a Visa to remain in France.
US and UK Visa functions for France
What’s the distinction between French visa functions for UK and US residents? Within the days when the UK was nonetheless a part of Europe, it was a lot simpler to be British than American when it got here to residing and dealing in France. Since Brexit, the processes for UK and US residents are just about the identical and any variations are normally to do with the documentation that’s required.
Let’s have a more in-depth look.
As with all go to to France, all of it is determined by how lengthy you need to keep. For brief visits, the method is similar for each US and UK residents now that each nations fall beneath the 90/180 day rule which states that you may arrive in France and not using a visa and keep for precisely 90 days out of 180 earlier than the regulation requires you to depart. This regulation is enforced by a passport stamp on entry and departure, so there isn’t a getting round it!
The 90 day rule
Individuals are typically confused about when the 90/180 day interval begins and ends. There’s a helpful on-line calculator on the French authorities web site that may provide help to work it out precisely. In impact, it’s worthwhile to depend backwards if you end up planning your subsequent journey to see what number of days you might have spent in France and the Schengen space prior to now 180 days.
We are sometimes requested if a facet journey to a different Schengen nation can lengthen the 90 day interval. The reply is not any, the rule applies to all Schengen nations. (Nonetheless, there are some nations which can be a part of Europe however not a part of Schengen, and they’re topic to completely different guidelines.)
Non permanent lengthy keep visa
If you wish to keep longer than 90 days in France with out being obliged to depart, you must take into account a brief lengthy keep French visa (VLS-T) which is legitimate for 4-6 months. It’s designed for international nationals who need to come to France with out working, or to take part in a brief academic program.
The listing of paperwork you’re anticipated to offer is similar for each US and UK guests. It contains proof that you may assist your self financially throughout your keep in France, a dedication to not work, proof that you’ve someplace to remain and the suitable medical cowl.
The excellent news is that the VLS-T is comparatively simple to accumulate. You’ll be able to apply for it as much as three months earlier than the date you propose to journey, and your visa solely turns into legitimate on that date, even whether it is prepared a lot earlier. That means that you can plan precisely to your departure.
There’s an essential distinction between UK and US functions relating to medical insurance. If you’re a UK citizen and solely wishing to remain in France for six months, you don’t want to point out proof of medical insurance. Your present GHIC is sufficient. Nonetheless, US residents want proof of medical insurance at some point of the visa.
The VLS-T visa means that you can come and go as you please so long as you’re heading dwelling by the tip of your designated six-month interval. The draw back is that in the event you determine on the finish of the validity of your visa that you just wish to keep in France, you aren’t allowed to. As a substitute, you must head again dwelling. After six months, you can be entitled to use for an additional brief or lengthy keep visa.
Lengthy-stay customer Visa
That brings us to the long-stay customer visa (VLS-TS). This feature means that you can keep in France for twelve months and, in the event you want to keep completely, you’ll be able to apply for residency two months earlier than the visa ends with out having to depart France. The VLS-TS for US and UK candidates shares many procedural similarities when it comes to documentation, however the corporations holding the visa appointment are completely different: VFS World within the US and TLS Visa Centre within the UK.
How lengthy does it take to get a visa?
In abstract, the most important distinction between making use of for any French visa as a UK or US citizen actually will get right down to the timeframe. The US is normally a lot quicker than the UK in processing French visa functions. For instance, as a US citizen you’d anticipate to get your passport again inside roughly 2 weeks. Actually, the American visa centre not asks whether or not you would favor to choose up your passport or have it despatched to you. As soon as they obtain your passport again from the French consulate, they merely ship it by Fedex and it arrives inside a day.
Within the UK, it takes a mean of 15-20 working days to your passport to be returned. If you happen to don’t choose to choose it up your self, it’s despatched by Royal Mail and can normally take three days to reach. We all the time advise our UK shoppers to go and choose it as much as keep away from additional delay.
In the case of utilizing the visa centre web site, the US wins once more. Theirs is simpler to make use of, extra intuitive, clearer and quicker. That’s excellent news for Australians, too, as Australia makes use of the identical world system because the US.
ID Photographs
Other than that, the variations between US and UK functions are minimal and sometimes comical, corresponding to the foundations regarding ID images. Within the US ID photograph you’ll be able to smile however you must present your ears. Within the UK, you aren’t allowed to smile however they don’t care if they will’t see your ears. Sure, it will get right down to that stage of element!
Regardless of how environment friendly the visa software system is, the method could be anxious and it’s the little particulars that may journey you up. Like the truth that each visa software begins with needing an tackle in France, ensuring you might have the proper paperwork, reserving a face-to-face appointment on-line… the listing goes on.
It’s price checking rigorously
Many individuals flip to social media teams to search out the solutions in the event that they get caught filling of their on-line types, or don’t know which visa to ask for. However there’s an issue. Peculiar individuals on social media aren’t specialists and everyone’s circumstances and experiences are completely different, so what might need been proper for one particular person just isn’t essentially the proper resolution for you. Added to that, guidelines are continuously altering and being up to date, relying on the place in France you need to reside. France is a surprisingly large nation and is damaged down into 101 administrative ‘departments’ or areas. Inside these areas are cities, and inside these cities are particular person prefectures that are finally liable for the rules of their group.
Our recommendation is all the time to make use of the official French authorities web site france-visas.gouv.fr in case you are making your individual software. At the very least the knowledge you discover there will likely be present and proper, if generally complicated.
Assistance is at hand
If time is in opposition to you otherwise you discover the rules obscure, French Connections HCB may help to make the method as clean as potential. Their pleasant staff of bilingual admin specialists have helped 1000’s of English-speakers transfer to France. They’ve robust connections to the French authorities and are conscious of any change within the rules. They be sure to apply for the visa that’s greatest suited to you, then confirm each software to ensure it’s right earlier than submitting it in your behalf. Plus they comply with its progress and offer you common updates. After all, each visa software is evaluated and judged by the French Embassy or Consulate in the identical method, whether or not you submit it your self or they submit it for you.
If you happen to’d like to search out out extra about selecting the best visa or need assistance making use of for one, guide a FREE preliminary 15-minute session with French Connections HCB’s pleasant relocation specialist Diana: frenchconnectionshcb.com
