Visas and residency cards

Couple use official '90-day' calculator for French trip – but told dates wrong

Border guards gave two different dates deadline for ferry passengers to return to the UK - both of which were different to the calculator's

Can dual UK-Irish citizens spend six months in France and six months in the UK?

Be aware of tax residency and healthcare rights

Brexit residency cards in France: Important to get correct receipt slip

Make sure document mentions the Withdrawal Agreement and is not just a generic version for a ‘first residency card’

practical

Retiring to France: how to avoid visa pitfalls

Healthcare status and economic status must be correctly declared. We also look at what to do if your application is refused

How can I get proof of address in France if bills are in partner’s name?

A proof of address is required for many administrative tasks

Can residency cards be uploaded to French ID smartphone app?

France Identité app allows the digitisation of certain documents

French Immigration Law 2024: New residency card rules for (some) workers

Employees in sectors facing a labour shortage can now obtain one-year residency permits more easily

Post-Brexit admin is not detering British seasonal workers to France

UK specialists had feared numbers of people wanting to 'work a season' in a ski resort or picking grapes would dwindle

What documents do I need for a visa application to travel to France?

People from the UK, US and 68 other countries outside of the Schengen area need to apply if they want to stay for more than 90 days

UK ambassador to France: what travellers should know about border change

Dame Menna Rawlings discusses a pre-registration app, travel papers for Britons under-18s and passport gates - as well as the Olympics and updates on this special year in UK-France relations

Dual nationals in France: We are a help not a hindrance

Officials respond to far-right’s June proposal to ban citizens with double nationality from holding certain jobs

Hopes rise for simpler French visas and residency after new decree

MPs and senators also seek to bring back ‘automatic visa for British second-home owners’ proposal

Do all visa-holders need to do an interview when entering France?

Many people entering the country are confused by the rules surrounding visas

What happens at an in-person appointment for a French visa?

We also look at how much it will cost and what documents and biometric data are required

Visa-free travel to France: EU agency warns over fake Etias websites

Over 100 unofficial sites have been uncovered - and many peddle misinformation, steal travellers’ data or charge extortionate fees

Letters: French visa application complicated by inferior software

Connexion reader says applicants must pay more for insurance due to limitations of embassy computer

French residency permit delays at prefecture: what can you do?

Delays are causing stress and worry for many foreigners in France

7,372 short-stay French visas refused by London consulate in 2023

The UK is seventh-highest country for Schengen visa applications for France… and has one of the best acceptance rates. We look at possible reasons for refusal

Biometric border checks: what questions will be asked to enter France?

Queries can already be made by border guards, but digitalisation of border makes it more likely

French residency permit delays spark protest - how long should it take?

Demonstrators say titre de séjour renewals take too long - costing people their jobs and homes

Cost of short-stay visa to visit Schengen area to rise from June, 2024

Increase is needed due to higher costs and inflation, says European Commission

Tax, visas: Is there an English version of official French websites?

We review some of the key information pages used in everyday life in France

Updates: French long-term residency cards and UK life certificates

We reply to a reader’s concern about applying for carte de résident de longue-durée and look at a MP’s feedback on life certificates

Must I update French residency card due to street name changes?

Vehicle registration documents are affected and some people will also have to change their number plates

How will French/British couples be affected by UK’s ETA scheme?

A digital border scheme similar to the EU’s new controls is set to launch for Europeans next year

Visas for France 2024: is there an option for young workers?

Some younger people do not want to move to study, but rather travel inside the country or work

Permanent residency cards in France: 2024 renewal rules

We also look at the situation with Brexit Withdrawal Agreement cards

France and China ease visa rules - and leaders exchange presents

Chinese President Xi Jinping is on a two-day state visit to France to mark 60 years of bilateral relations between the countries

French residency card: how long does it take prefecture to issue this?

A récépissé is given to you while you wait for the response

UK jockey gets French residency card meeting after public complaint

James Reveley tells us about ordeals to obtain a titre de séjour after victory in prestigious ‘president’s race’ in Paris

How to apply for seasonal work in France as a non-EU citizen

Job adverts, work permits and visas - we explain the rules for employees and employers

Visas, French residency cards and other admin updates for April 2024

Plus, a standardised long-term residency status across all EU states stalls under Belgian presidency

French MPs still trying to ease visa process for second-home owners

Chasing letters to the minister, parliamentary questions - MPs continue to lobby for simpler temporary long-stay visas

Do I have to agree to Republican values to get French residency?

A contract is required for most people signing multi-year residency agreements

How many residency cards are being issued to Britons post-Brexit?

We look at the latest available figures

Will France's new language rules affect Brexit residency cards?

A number of visas required to live in France have been affected by the new immigration law

Fight continues to ease visa process for long visits to France

Campaigners are lobbying lawmakers about simplifications to the process – and are asking supporters to complete two surveys to gather experiences

Visas for France: how often are they refused and for what reasons?

Nearly 3 million visas were requested in 2023

Do I have to wait six months after expiry to renew French VLS-T visa?

VLS-T visas are separate to Schengen Bloc visa-free access days

How long is the wait for a French Ofii visa interview?

Validating your visa means you will be invited to a half-day at the French immigration agency - here is what to expect

Explainer: which self-employment visa to live and work in France?

We look at visa applications for the self-employed, business start-ups and talent passports

New tougher French language rules for immigration: who is affected?

The rules for residency cards and nationality are changing but there are exemptions

LIST: what was kept and what was rejected in French immigration law

Conseil constitutionnel rejected a third of items including an ‘automatic visa’ plan for Britons owning second homes - but approved increasing the level of French needed for certain residency cards

French passport is named one of six best for world travel

The ranking counts how many destinations the passport holder can travel to ‘visa-free’

France second-home visas: when is ruling due and when could it start?

The nine ‘sages’ of the Conseil constitutionnel are set to scrutinise the immigration law this week

100 British and 70 Americans ordered to leave France during 2023

Expulsion numbers of UK citizens have almost doubled compared to the same period the previous year

Can I delay the start date of my one-year French visa?

Visas may need to be validated after certain time but this is not linked to the start date

Can I use Airbnb as proof of residence for official French procedures?

Many formalities in France call for a ‘justificatif de domicile’

Second homes – France’s automatic visa plan: the next steps

Easy visits scheme for Britons will take some time so it is advisable not to put off visa applications this year

Long-stay visa in France: when does an obligatory medical apply?

We look at who must undergo these checks and what is involved

Automatic visa for second home visits: Senator feedback and questions

We talk to Senator Berthet about the next steps and answer queries

UK clarifies income levels for British-French families moving there

The rollout of higher income threshold for new visas will be progressive

What changes in France in 2024 for residency rights and border control

We look at France’s new immigration law, the EU’s Entry / Exit system and the UK’s ‘ETA’ border system

Can I get seasonal work as a non-French person?

It is more difficult, but still possible, to work in certain sectors on a short-term basis

Visas, residency cards: What changes in France’s new immigration law?

Non-EU citizens, for example Americans or Britons, coming to France to live or work in France will be affected by several changes in the new law passed by parliament

UK income threshold plan for British-French families called ‘cruel’

People who left the UK to live in France may not be able to return with their family if British visa minimum income levels double, says campaigner

Automatic visa for easy second-home visits passed by French parliament

Law will help tens of thousands of Britons to spend longer in France as they could before Brexit

What happens next for law to ease second-home visits to France?

France’s immigration law, including help for British second-home owners, is been voted definitively but a few steps remain

Why are Americans not part of second-home easy visit plan in France?

Many Britons have written to French lawmakers over difficulties after Brexit

Explainer: what is France’s ‘talent’ visa and who can get one?

It can allow many non-Europeans and their families to stay for up to four years

French immigration bill: What happens now to second-home visits plan?

As the bill moves forward for examination by a ‘mixed commission’ it is possible the ‘automatic visa’ proposal will remain

128,000 identity checks a day in France: what must foreigners show?

Around nine million drivers are stopped each year

MP: I will resubmit a new proposal to ease visits to second homes

The president of the MPs’ France-UK friendship group says helping Britons ‘is essential’

French plan to ease second-home visits rejected: but may return

Several MPs want this restricted to those who purchased their homes pre-Brexit and for all people who live in the UK, not just Britons; independent and centrist MPs demanded its withdrawal

Update on plan to ease second-home visits and sample French MP letter

We look at progress in parliament on the ‘automatic visa’ law and a positive email from a majority party MP. We also provide detailed help for writing to your MP

From bonuses to bikes: Key dates and changes in December in France

Stay up-to-date with what is new - and what is ending

Is Spain calling for easier second-home visits as French senators are?

Several media reports have linked the French ‘automatic visa’ proposal and alleged actions by Spain

America and France ease rules around ‘talent visas’

Investors - and their families - can now stay for an initial four years without having to renew formalities

Foreign non-EU retirees moving to France could face tougher rules

Basic French (for under 65s) and a contract of integration may be required to stay more than five years. This would apply especially to those on so-called ‘visitor’ visas