Ten Tips for a Long-Term Visa Application
Tip 1: Timing Your Application
Timing is crucial. Applications must be submitted on-line only at France-Visas no earlier than 3 months before the intended arrival date and no later than 1 month before entering France.
Nevertheless, you are not required to enter France on the intended date or leave on the expiry date, provided you enter after the date and leave before the expiry date.
Tip 2: Select the Right Visa Type
There are many visa types, but the 'visitor' and 'business' visas are the standard visas for most applicants.
There is frequent confusion between the two visitor visas - VLS-T and VLS-TS. The former is only for short stays up to 6 months and does not offer a right of residence. The duration you apply for sets the visa type.
Each person in your household must make their own visa application and children must also have their own visas. Applications can be sent on a grouped basis.
For a business visa, including a visa for a gite or chambre d'hote, you will need to provide a business plan for which you are likely to need professional support. You can read more at Visa for Starting a Business.
Tip 3: Married to an EU National?
If so, you have no need for a visa before entering France with your spouse or civil partner. If travelling separately you will need a visa. You can read more at Residence Rights in France of Non-European Family Members.
Tip 4: Gather Proper Documentation
Prepare all necessary documentation with care. You will need to supply at least 2 visa compliant ID photos (but have more available), evidence of accommodation, income/savings, your passport and a copy, purpose of your stay, and proof of medical insurance. You might also require marriage certificate and birth certificates. You do not need to produce travel tickets or have the documentation translated.
Tip 5: Importance of Proof of Accommodation
Don't neglect the 'proof of accommodation' component. This could be a rental agreement, the summary page of the "acte de vente" indicating property ownership in France, or an "attestation d'hébergement" if staying with a family member or friend. You must be able to demonstrate booked accommodation for at least 3 months if you are not staying at your own property.
Tip 6: Proof of Income Requirement
For a VLS-TS visa, you will need to provide proof of income equivalent to at least France's minimum wage (SMIC), currently around €1,300 per month. For couples, this requirement is around €2,000 a month, although practice between different consulates around the globe is not uniform.
Various revenue sources, such as pensions, dividends, rental income, or savings interest, are accepted, as are accessible savings/capital that permit monthly withdrawals at least equal to the SMIC.
Ensure you provide as much evidence as possible, eg, bank statements, pension statements, rental agreement. If you are only providing bank statements, then a clear explanation will be needed.
Tip 7: Medical Insurance
Adequate medical insurance is often a major visa application hurdle, with all visa types except VLS-T requiring coverage comparable to the French national healthcare system. VLS-T is the only visa where, for UK residents, the GHIC (formerly EHIC) is accepted.
The official visa website mentions the insurance requirement, but policy details are vague, leading many applicants to discover during the interview that their policies are non-compliant. Rejected policies include travel insurance, Schengen insurance, repatriation plans, those with any excess, and emergency-only plans. British nationals of retirement age can use an S1 certificate of entitlement as an alternative to private medical cover. You can obtain expert advice and a range of competitive polices for health cover at Visa Medical Insurance.
Tip 8: Retain Copies of Your Documents
Keep in mind that your passport will be retained during the application process, so keep several copies for any administrative tasks until it is returned, typically within a couple of weeks.
Tip 9: Advisory Role of Consulate
Consular authorities (and their subcontractors VLS or TFS)) will probably be unwilling to discuss your application, although if there are errors/ommissions on it they will generally provide you with the opportunity to correct them. We are, however, aware of many instances in which the authorities have left it until the interview (which you will need to book) to advise the applicant that the application is incorrect, eg non-compliant photos. So do not rely on support - best to make sure that the application is correctly submitted.
Tip 10: Activating Your Long-Term Visa
Activate your long-term visa within 3 months of arriving in France. Failure to do so renders your presence in France illegal and prevents re-entry into the Schengen Area. You undertake the process at Étrangers en France.
You will need to submit:
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The information on your visa;
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Your entry date into France;
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Credit card details to pay any required fee or you can pay via “timbre fiscal” (an electronic stamp) which you can purchase at any newsagent or online.
You may be called by the OFII (French Office for Immigration and Integration) for a meeting should they require further information.
Assistance
If you need assistance with completing the visa application process you can contact our [Visa Application Service](mailto:editor@france-insider.com?subject=Visa Application Service).
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