sandrapeterson

My husband and I own a house in France. We want to stay 6 months in France as he is handicapped with a stroke and it would be easier on him than flying back to the USA and then turning around and flying back to France. Not to mention the very high cost of business class tickets on Air France.

I have read that the Swiss do not stamp passports. So how can I do this?A visa is out of the question as we live 300 miles from San Francisco. We must go to the embassy in San Francisco, apply, return to Eureka, Ca & wait & wait. We must do this for every trip. But my husband can not stand the stress to do the Visa thing.

Friends in France tell us, after 90 days, to leave the country, get our passport stamped in a non EU country and return after a week. Is this the way to do it?

Thanks
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flanneruk

I don't understand your question.

An American (or any other non-European) can't stay more than 90 days in any 180 in the SCHENGEN zone without a long stay visa.

Going to Switzerland (which is also in Schengen) doesn't affect this. Whether they stamp your passport is immaterial.

I'm sorry to hear about your husband's illness. But the situation would be exactly the same for a Frenchman in the US.

Without a visa, he needs to go home.

You may be asking about something more specific. But people can only answer the questions you pose.

amer_can

I'd sure be careful of any advise that seems in the least contrary to the rules and regs of the 90 day permitted visits.In today's computerized information systems you amy be tagged . I have travelled on 2 passports in various countries, in on one and/or out on the other in some cases and "they know"!!! Several immigration offiers. Talk to the French have pointed this out to me..no consequencies of any kind as it is perfectly legal but "they know" Talk to the French officials in or near your French home and see what you can do if anything..Perhaps a compassionate consideration or tax paying property owner allowance for relaxation of time constrants. Who know??

kerouac

Indeed, Switzerland is now part of the Schengen zone. A Swiss passport stamp will not help you to stay longer without a visa.

kerouac

If you own a house in France, you should apply instead for French residency and get a resident visa.

janisj

"<i>A visa is out of the question as we live 300 miles from San Francisco. We must go to the embassy in San Francisco, apply, return to Eureka, Ca & wait & wait. We must do this for every trip. But my husband can not stand the stress to do the Visa thing.</i>"

There is no Embassy in SF. You mean the Consulate. Yes, you must appear in person - but they can mail it back to you. So only one trip to SF would be necessary. If he cannot manage the 5 hour drive down 101, how could he manage the same drive down to fly to France?

You really need to get visas . . .

sandrapeterson

The drive to SF is on the 101 & it is 7 hours not 5. I keep the speed limit. It is the waiting & traffic & parking in SF that is very hard on my husband. Frying to France is EASY. Air France is non stop and very nice. My husband was a physician AND a pilot. He "lives" to fly. But he would suffer at the consulate. Also, they could not promise me that they would grant a Visa.

I want to research getting a French residency (from kerouac) This sounds smart. Does any one know how to do this?

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Robert2533

Your only solution is to get the long stay visa, good for up to 12 months.
http://www.consulfrance-chicago.org/...hp?article1045

It's too bad France hasn't done what Ireland and Spain have. All you need to do in Spain is purchase one of the vacant properties for at least €160,000 and you receive a residency permit.

Irland requires a minimum investment of €1,000,000 to obtain a residency permit.

Portugal has done one better. If you purchase a property for €500,000, or invest the same amount in a business, you receive a EU passport, no residency permit needed.

Michael

<i>It is the waiting & traffic & parking in SF that is very hard on my husband.</i>

The Sutter street garage is right across the street from the French consulate.

As a property owner, you should check on the possibility of longer stays, but especially because of your husband's condition, the French government may require proof of medical insurance to cover medical needs in France.

janisj

not to quibble - but it is just under 275 miles and even at the speed limit it doesn't take more than 5-ish hours. But if your hubby can't manage it he can't.

But in any case - You'll still need a visa. A long stay visa and then a residency permit. First comes the visa, then you get the residency permit. At least he'd have to make the journey less often.

hetismij2

Even if you go the non visa route the rule is 90 days in any 180 so you would need to leave after 90 days and would not be able to re-enter for the next 90 days. SO even if Switzerland was not Schengen you couldn't do it.
Visas are the only way to go, at least until you can see if you qualify for a residency permit. You will need proof of medical insurance for both.

1994

As said, you need the Long Stay Visa in order to apply for the French Residency permit.

Don't see any way around this.

nytraveler

Your only option to do this that I see is to enter France on a regular tourist visa and then get out before your 90 days is up. You can go to the UK, which is not Schengen - for another 90 days and then return to France.

I think your only other option is to buy your way in as noted above.

Michael

On a more positive note. A friend of ours stayed on friends' barge. These friends reside in the States and stay on their barge in France every year for 5 or 6 months. So it is possible, but I do not know how they manage it.

capxxx

There are visa expediting services, where you pay them a fee and they sit in the consulate/embassy all day on your behalf, and walk your paperwork through.

I used one once to get an expedited visa in 48 hours -- it cost about twice the price of the visa itself. You might want to look into something like that for getting a long stay visa.

janisj

capxxx: Was that for a French visa? AFAIK one still has to appear in person - everyone applying except for young children.

capxxx

It was a Brazilian visa. They did not accept applications by mail, and required a personal visit, but a personal visit from the visa service on my behalf was acceptable.

Robert2533

Brazil is not France!

The longer you wait, the longer it will take. And of course there is the issue of having the proper medical insurance coverage for your husband. They could deny the visa if you cannot show them the insurance coverage and that you have financial independence.

If either of you could apply for a EU passport, then it would be a different story.

StCirq

Agree with Robert. What goes down in Brazil is irrelevant. The OP needs a long-term visa. End of story, unless she or he has an EU passport. Should have thought about this when buying a property in France.

Robert2533

Yes, why would anyone purchase property in a foreign country without having the all their ducks in a row?