mariahcasey

Hi everyone,

I have a type D visa, "Long Sejour Temporaire", and it is valid until 29/05/15. With this visa, I didn't need to apply for a residence permit when I got to France. I would like to stay in France after the expiration date of my student visa, just to travel as a tourist for 2 months. I have read many articles about the tourist visa in the Schengen area, and I understand that a US citizen can stay for 90 out of 180 days as a tourist. If I leave France on the date of my student visa expiration date (and go to a non Schengen area country), and then re-enter a few days later, can I re-enter France as a tourist and stay for the 90 days later? I have spoken to the prefecture here in Lyon, and he has confirmed that this is possible. However, now I am wondering how long I need to be out of the country before I can return (the prefecture won't tell me directly how long I need to be out of the country for). I am planning on leaving for London on May 29th (the expiration date of my visa) and returning on May 31st. Also, do I need to apply for a tourist visa to return to France?

Please help me, I don't want to run into any problems at passport control!

Mariah

nytraveler

Are you an american citizen? The automatic visa - you just turn up as a tourist - applies to US citizens - and those from some other countries. But people from may other countries do require an actual visa obtained in advance to enter even as a tourist.

How can the French official say you are allowed to do this without giving a number of days? Of course you can return later as a tourist with an automatic via - but the only issue you need an answer to - if a couple of days is long enough - they appear not to have answered.

Have you looked at the official information on-line?

DebitNM

{Curious how Fodors has become the go to place for student Visa issues, usually over stayed visits or wanting advice on how to stay beyond time allowed.}
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As far as the question about staying 60 more days, no , leaving for a few days to non- Schengen will not restart the clock.

Use this to see how many more days you have.

http://www.fodors.com/community/foru...le-refresh.cfm

DebitNM

Dang, wrong link. {this is why we need edit function}

http://ec.europa.eu/dgs/home-affairs...ulator_en.html

kybourbon

>>>As far as the question about staying 60 more days, no , leaving for a few days to non- Schengen will not restart the clock.<<<

The OP isn't wanting to "restart" a tourist visa clock as they will not have been in the country on a tourist visa. The OP has a D visa and would begin a new visa - the 90/180 tourist visa, not restart. If the OP leaves at the end of the D visa (I wouldn't wait until the very last day in case of strike or something) and reenters after expiration date of D visa, they will just begin their 90 days out of 180 tourist visa.

As nytraveler pointed out, much of that applies to US citizens. If you are not a US citizen, rules are different (depends on your nationality).

Here's a couple of recent threads about people traveling on D visas and traveling afterwards on the tourist visa. They stress the importance of documenting leaving Schengen at the end of your visa (exit/entry stamps, hotels, etc.) to have proof and reenter after your D visa is expired.

http://www.fodors.com/community/euro...a-problems.cfm

http://www.fodors.com/community/euro...sitor-visa.cfm

Alec

Yes, provided you re-enter after the expiry of type D visa (so from 30th May), you should be fine.