French Long stay visas

[wp1234]

Just wondering if anybody on here has successfully applied for the 6 month French long stay tourist Visa and if so any advice welcome ?
We have an appointment at the TLS Visa centre early next month but obviously as we are going in the motorhome and moving around rather than staying in fixed places its a little off piste for the visa process.

I’ve been advised to write an explanation letter to go with the Visa application plus copy my V5 registration so hopefully that will pass muster.

TIA

PS no Brexit comments required

 

[nicholsong]

I assume that you are already aware that from day of entry to Schengen that you could only(legally) go outside France in the first 90 days and then stay in France and exit Schengen from France.

 

[wp1234]

I assume that you are already aware that from day of entry to Schengen that you could only(legally) go outside France in the first 90 days and then stay in France and exit Schengen from France.

Thanks for the info there are lots of good options with a LS visa , just depends on your circumstances.​

“A visa is a sticker in your passport formally permitting you to enter France during a defined period, and it is cumulative with rights under the 90/180-day rule.

This means, for example, if you obtain a temporary long-stay visa, you could, assuming you have not already used up your visitor rights in the last 180-days, arrive in France before the start of the visa period so as to extend your stay.

You could also stay on beyond it for up to another 90 days under the ordinary visitor rules.

You could also space out your stays during the year using the 90-day rule during part of the year and the visa during another part.”

 

[eurajohn]

From the French expat web sites it appears to me that the long stay visa is to allow second home owners to access their properties, don't think it is a get out for holidays.

 

[nicholsong]

​

Thanks for the info there are lots of good options with a LS visa , just depends on your circumstances.​

“A visa is a sticker in your passport formally permitting you to enter France during a defined period, and it is cumulative with rights under the 90/180-day rule.

This means, for example, if you obtain a temporary long-stay visa, you could, assuming you have not already used up your visitor rights in the last 180-days, arrive in France before the start of the visa period so as to extend your stay.

You could also stay on beyond it for up to another 90 days under the ordinary visitor rules.

You could also space out your stays during the year using the 90-day rule during part of the year and the visa during another part.”

Where did you find that quote?

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[wp1234]

From the French expat web sites it appears to me that the long stay visa is to allow second home owners to access their properties, don't think it is a get out for holidays.

Sorry I think you are wrong … many many Asian students from the UK use these Long Stay tourist visas .These visas have been around for years but us Brits didn’t need to use them until now .

 

[wp1234]

Where did you find that quote?

From here …

A guide to the temporary long-stay visa for France and how to apply

Non-EU citizen visitors such as Americans and Britons with French holiday homes are limited to three months maximum in France – but there is a solution for those wishing to stay longer without actually moving to France

www.connexionfrance.com

also check attached from French Visa Gov t site.

I have my appointment for visa application booked early May so will let you all know how I get along

 

[EuroTrotters]

From the French expat web sites it appears to me that the long stay visa is to allow second home owners to access their properties, don't think it is a get out for holidays.

A lot of us are awaiting the Spanish equivalent

 

[wp1234]

A lot of us are awaiting the Spanish equivalent

So annoying that UK allow 180 day visa free travel to the French but then we have to pay for an extra 90 days in France and not forgetting the hassle it is to get one…..grrrrr .

 

[Mousy]

On the Hymer owners group on Facebook someone has recently applied and got this visa to travel, she has given clear instructions on how to apply and attend the visa office in Manchester. Worth a look for you.

we intend to apply for next year.

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[nicholsong]

From here …

A guide to the temporary long-stay visa for France and how to apply

Non-EU citizen visitors such as Americans and Britons with French holiday homes are limited to three months maximum in France – but there is a solution for those wishing to stay longer without actually moving to France

www.connexionfrance.com

also check attached from French Visa Gov t site.

I have my appointment for visa application booked early May so will let you all know how I get along

I have read that and agree that one can use the French 6-month visa and 90 days cumulatively, but what I do not understand is how that works when the entry and exit are recorded in the Schengen system, if they are 9 months apart and therefore in breach of the 90 day rule.

I could see the French not processing the exit date because the visa gave you an extra six months, but then on subsequent re-entry to Schengen then in the Schengen computer you would show as having never left, so an overstayer.

Also if you tried to leave Schengen after 9 months from say Holland you would certainly flag up as an overstayer.

Do the French think they can breach the Schengen rules?

Geoff

 

[Manxcat]

I am looking into my wife getting an Irish passport to which she is entitled. I have been informed that as long as I am travelling with her it is a way of avoiding the Schengen rules. Up till now I thought that was not the case. Anyone here know if it will work?

 

[Mousy]

I am looking into my wife getting an Irish passport to which she is entitled. I have been informed that as long as I am travelling with her it is a way of avoiding the Schengen rules. Up till now I thought that was not the case. Anyone here know if it will work?

Carpmart

 

[Carpmart]

I am looking into my wife getting an Irish passport to which she is entitled. I have been informed that as long as I am travelling with her it is a way of avoiding the Schengen rules. Up till now I thought that was not the case. Anyone here know if it will work?

Hello Manxcat

My wife was born in Ireland and has always held an Irish passport. Not sure what is involved in getting one for your wife…

WRT to Schengen rules, in particular 90/180, if travelling with an EU passport holder and closely related (spouse as an example) then you are entitled under the EU directives to travel with that person unencumbered by the usual Schengen rules applied for third nation country such as the UK.

The usual EU rules still apply to both of you, such as never staying more than 90 days in any EU country without registering etc.

I did have an issue on the current trip I’m enjoying, where an over zealous and poorly educated French border officer in Folkestone, stamped my passport before I had a chance to explain the situation. It didn’t matter as we were late away due to French border issues earlier this year, so only staying 88 days. Moving forward I am laminating copies of the EU directive and our marriage certificate and handing those through the window before my passport leaves my possession. We can have the conversation (should it be needed) before any passport stamping inadvertently takes place.

 

[Pirahna]

Hello Manxcat

My wife was born in Ireland and has always held an Irish passport. Not sure what is involved in getting one for your wife…

WRT to Schengen rules, in particular 90/180, if travelling with an EU passport holder and closely related (spouse as an example) then you are entitled under the EU directives to travel with that person unencumbered by the usual Schengen rules applied for third nation country such as the UK.

The usual EU rules still apply to both of you, such as never staying more than 90 days in any EU country without registering etc.

I did have an issue on the current trip I’m enjoying, where an over zealous and poorly educated French border officer in Folkestone, stamped my passport before I had a chance to explain the situation. It didn’t matter as we were late away due to French border issues earlier this year, so only staying 88 days. Moving forward I am laminating copies of the EU directive and our marriage certificate and handing those through the window before my passport leaves my possession. We can have the conversation (should it be needed) before any passport stamping inadvertently takes place.

If you read the border guard handbook it gives example of people traveling with and without their European spouses. I would expect your passport to get stamped.

There seems to be a lot of people saying, sunny let them stamp your passport then giving an example like yourself when you never actually went beyond the 90 days.

I have an Irish passport and am traveling with my wife who has a British passport. We entered Spain via Bilbao on January 5th and her passport was stamped. We will exit via the tunnel on May 2nd which will give us 117 days in the Schengen area. I'll let you know what happens.

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[Manxcat]

Hello Manxcat

My wife was born in Ireland and has always held an Irish passport. Not sure what is involved in getting one for your wife…

WRT to Schengen rules, in particular 90/180, if travelling with an EU passport holder and closely related (spouse as an example) then you are entitled under the EU directives to travel with that person unencumbered by the usual Schengen rules applied for third nation country such as the UK.

The usual EU rules still apply to both of you, such as never staying more than 90 days in any EU country without registering etc.

I did have an issue on the current trip I’m enjoying, where an over zealous and poorly educated French border officer in Folkestone, stamped my passport before I had a chance to explain the situation. It didn’t matter as we were late away due to French border issues earlier this year, so only staying 88 days. Moving forward I am laminating copies of the EU directive and our marriage certificate and handing those through the window before my passport leaves my possession. We can have the conversation (should it be needed) before any passport stamping inadvertently takes place.

Thanks so much for this clear explanation. Application for Irish passport will start today.

 

[MisterB]

​

Thanks for the info there are lots of good options with a LS visa , just depends on your circumstances.​

“A visa is a sticker in your passport formally permitting you to enter France during a defined period, and it is cumulative with rights under the 90/180-day rule.

This means, for example, if you obtain a temporary long-stay visa, you could, assuming you have not already used up your visitor rights in the last 180-days, arrive in France before the start of the visa period so as to extend your stay.

You could also stay on beyond it for up to another 90 days under the ordinary visitor rules.

You could also space out your stays during the year using the 90-day rule during part of the year and the visa during another part.”

I think you may be wrong. I was going to apply for a travel visa but we have rearranged our trips and dint need one this year. However, in my conversations with Svetlana at the agency who deal with applications, she made it clear that you MUST leave France using one process (whether that be 90 day or 180 day process) and then re enter the day after to start the other process. If you're in a motorhome, you could just as easily park up safely, fly out, getting your passport stamped and stay in an airport hotel, then fly back in again the next day, getting your passport stamped again, collect your Motorhome and continue your travels!
You CANNOT just add the two processes together to get a 9 month travel allowance.

 

[wp1234]

I have read that and agree that one can use the French 6-month visa and 90 days cumulatively, but what I do not understand is how that works when the entry and exit are recorded in the Schengen system, if they are 9 months apart and therefore in breach of the 90 day rule.

I could see the French not processing the exit date because the visa gave you an extra six months, but then on subsequent re-entry to Schengen then in the Schengen computer you would show as having never left, so an overstayer.

Also if you tried to leave Schengen after 9 months from say Holland you would certainly flag up as an overstayer.

Do the French think they can breach the Schengen rules?

Geoff

Your right

I think you may be wrong. I was going to apply for a travel visa but we have rearranged our trips and dint need one this year. However, in my conversations with Svetlana at the agency who deal with applications, she made it clear that you MUST leave France using one process (whether that be 90 day or 180 day process) and then re enter the day after to start the other process. If you're in a motorhome, you could just as easily park up safely, fly out, getting your passport stamped and stay in an airport hotel, then fly back in again the next day, getting your passport stamped again, collect your Motorhome and continue your travels!
You CANNOT just add the two processes together to get a 9 month travel allowance.

Thanks for this and logically I think your actually right . One idea might be to cross out of France to say Croatia close to the visa end and then return on the usual 90 day basis soon after … I don’t think we will need to do it this year but the option is there .

 

[MisterB]

So long as your passport is stamped on exit and re entry (verified) of course!

 

[Carpmart]

If you read the border guard handbook it gives example of people traveling with and without their European spouses. I would expect your passport to get stamped.

There seems to be a lot of people saying, sunny let them stamp your passport then giving an example like yourself when you never actually went beyond the 90 days.

I have an Irish passport and am traveling with my wife who has a British passport. We entered Spain via Bilbao on January 5th and her passport was stamped. We will exit via the tunnel on May 2nd which will give us 117 days in the Schengen area. I'll let you know what happens.

Thanks very much… Would be good to hear the outcome of your travel and final border exit.

I was obviously alarmed at the point the passport was stamped, as that seems completely contra to the EU directive. I’m not sure how with an entry stamp an no correlation to the wife entering at the same time, how it can be recorded as anything but an overstay. They do not know I was with her on entry, so one could argue correctly, they will treat me as an overstay…

Anyway, I shall be way more careful on entry and have the complete conversation with border staff before handing over my passport in future.

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[nicholsong]

Being British with a British passport and resident in Poland with a Polish ID, I shall be careful to exit Schengen on the ID and enter non-Schengen countries on my passport, and vice-versa. That ensures I get no Schengen passport entry stamps which could a problem in future.

EDIT: I should have added that my Polish ID was issued under the Withdrawal Agreement which gives it certain special rights over previous IDs for British Residents in EU countries, but which those residents could have acquired if they applied for new IDs by a certain date(30 June 2021?)

 

[wp1234]

Just wondering if anybody on here has successfully applied for the 6 month French long stay tourist Visa and if so any advice welcome ?
We have an appointment at the TLS Visa centre early next month but obviously as we are going in the motorhome and moving around rather than staying in fixed places its a little off piste for the visa process.

I’ve been advised to write an explanation letter to go with the Visa application plus copy my V5 registration so hopefully that will pass muster.

TIA

PS no Brexit comments required

So getting back to my original post it doesn’t look like anyone with a Motorhome has actually applied and has been successful in getting a 180 day visa , which is surprising .
So in true Star Trek form I will “ boldly go where no man has gone before…"

 

[mitzimad]

So getting back to my original post it doesn’t look like anyone with a Motorhome has actually applied and has been successful in getting a 180 day visa , which is surprising .
So in true Star Trek form I will “ boldly go where no man has gone before…"

i thought mousey said someone on the hymer forum had

 

[wp1234]

i thought mousey said someone on the hymer forum had

Yes your right and I’ve been trying to track the person down but no joy as yet

 

[Malcolm54]

i thought mousey said someone on the hymer forum had

Hi. Just wondered if you were successful in getting the French 6 month visa for your motor home? What evidence did you give them about any accommodation or sites booked?

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[62272]

Hi. Just wondered if you were successful in getting the French 6 month visa for your motor home? What evidence did you give them about any accommodation or sites booked?

Beating the 90/180 day Schengen rule

I see a lot of debate on how to stay in the EU Schengen zone for more than the 90/180. Lots of discussion on Morocco and Croatia, not much on getting a 6 mth visa. I got a French one which I believe in allows me to stay in Schengen for that period, then the usual 90 days kicks in. There’s some...

www.motorhomefun.co.uk

See this thread, this funster did it

 

[gus-lopez]

I shall be careful to exit Schengen on the ID and enter non-Schengen countries on my passport, and vice-versa.

When I left the UK on Tuesday the French border official asked for "passports including the dogs"
I gave him both ours complete with TIE resident card on top of each & dogs underneath. Soon as he saw the residency cards he handed the whole lot back without even looking at anything whilst wishing us 'bonne route '.
UK just waved us on.
Check in was only one who looked at anything and I had to scan the dog.