Can ‘temporary’ visas be renewed?

We applied for and were issued with a six-month visa last year enabling us to stay in our French house for more than the 90 days in 180. It was quite a performance involving a visit to consular services in Wandsworth with fists full of paperwork: deeds, bank statements, French property taxes etc. It expires soon. Can we renew it or do we have to go through the whole performance again?

Unfortunately, it is not possible to renew a temporary long-stay visa and you will need to reapply again in full for a future visa.

French consular officials told The Connexion that when applying for a new visa, its start date should be at least six months after the expiry date of the previous visa’s validity period.

In the meantime, you can make use of time in France under the 90 days rule, which is separate from any time on a visa. You should, though, avoid staying long enough to become a tax resident of France.