Six months in France -- how to do it?
Feb 13th, 2013, 07:20 AM
#1
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Six months in France -- how to do it?
Hi there,
I am an American, and able to do my work on the road.
I would love-love-love to spend six continuous months in France, most likely Paris, alternately working and making short trips around the country exploring.
Are there any visa options that would allow me to do that?
Like, if I enrolled in a language school part time, could I get an educational visa?
Yes, I can do my own visa research. But I've read so much about French bureaucracy, that I thought it would be smarter to ask here first what visas others have *actually obtained* or what their luck has been attempting the same.
If you're a US citizen and have successfully found a way to do a six-month stint in France...please let me know how you did it!
Thanks!
I am an American, and able to do my work on the road.
I would love-love-love to spend six continuous months in France, most likely Paris, alternately working and making short trips around the country exploring.
Are there any visa options that would allow me to do that?
Like, if I enrolled in a language school part time, could I get an educational visa?
Yes, I can do my own visa research. But I've read so much about French bureaucracy, that I thought it would be smarter to ask here first what visas others have *actually obtained* or what their luck has been attempting the same.
If you're a US citizen and have successfully found a way to do a six-month stint in France...please let me know how you did it!
Thanks!
Feb 13th, 2013, 07:29 AM
#2
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If your are enrolled in a school that will get you a student visa you can do this. Not sure that a part-time language school will qualify for that.
You need to find the school and see what they can do for you. Also - the visa is typically good only for the length of time you are in classes.
You need to find the school and see what they can do for you. Also - the visa is typically good only for the length of time you are in classes.
Feb 13th, 2013, 07:43 AM
#3
"Non-Europeans who are staying for between 3 months and 1 year also have the option of applying for a long-stay visa rather than a residence card. This must be applied for within 3 months of arriving in France and through the French Office for Immigration and Integration."
"You will need the following documents..."
See the link,
http://www.expatica.com/fr/essential...mits-3225.html
"You will need the following documents..."
See the link,
http://www.expatica.com/fr/essential...mits-3225.html
Feb 13th, 2013, 09:23 AM
#4
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But you can't be traveling around France if you are in school, even part-time. Were you planning on not really going to school?
I've gone to several French universities part-time (and a private school) but didn't need a visa as I wasn't there longer than 90 days. SO I don't know for sure, but I don't think going to a part-time private course will qualify you for a French student visa. I think you have to be going to an official French school of higher education. But I do know in order to get a student visa you have to first get accepted and register on this website and they handle the process so you can see what they say. http://www.usa.campusfrance.org/en
And after the official application, etc., you have to have an interview at a French consulate.
I've gone to several French universities part-time (and a private school) but didn't need a visa as I wasn't there longer than 90 days. SO I don't know for sure, but I don't think going to a part-time private course will qualify you for a French student visa. I think you have to be going to an official French school of higher education. But I do know in order to get a student visa you have to first get accepted and register on this website and they handle the process so you can see what they say. http://www.usa.campusfrance.org/en
And after the official application, etc., you have to have an interview at a French consulate.
Feb 13th, 2013, 10:05 AM
#5
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If you want to stay for six months then you will need a visa. Which one depends on what you will be doing. So rather than avoiding "French bureaucracy" you need to understand it and how it applies to you.
If you don't have the correct paperwork (details here www.consulfrance-newyork.org/-Visas,108- ) then you'll be an illegal immigrant and you wouldn't want that would you?
If you don't have the correct paperwork (details here www.consulfrance-newyork.org/-Visas,108- ) then you'll be an illegal immigrant and you wouldn't want that would you?
Feb 13th, 2013, 11:24 AM
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Before the advent of the EU it was easy to spend a year or more in Europe moving from one country to another, but unless you have a resident or long-stay vista, or an EU passport, it will be impossible to spend 6 months in any one country legally, including France.
To qualify for a student visa, you actually have to be a student.
If you can show proof of sufficient income and medical insurance coverage, it will be easier to obtain a long-stay visa.
To qualify for a student visa, you actually have to be a student.
If you can show proof of sufficient income and medical insurance coverage, it will be easier to obtain a long-stay visa.
Feb 13th, 2013, 01:45 PM
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Lemme try re-phrasing the question:
I want to go to France, park my stuff in one city, work on my laptop during the weekdays, and make short trips on the weekends.
I would be willing and eager to go to language school in the evenings if that bought me a six month visa.
I have sufficient funds and health insurance to take care of myself for that period.
I already know that a US Passport is granted three months out of every six months in the Schengen zone. And also that French visa applications are complex, involve interviews, and should not be embarked on without duplicate copies of everything, photos of various sizes and backgrounds, plenty of patience, plenty of time, and an attitude of total cooperation, etc.
Has anyone reading this attempted such a thing as I'm proposing? If so, how'd you go about it? Were you successful? Do you have any advice?
I want to go to France, park my stuff in one city, work on my laptop during the weekdays, and make short trips on the weekends.
I would be willing and eager to go to language school in the evenings if that bought me a six month visa.
I have sufficient funds and health insurance to take care of myself for that period.
I already know that a US Passport is granted three months out of every six months in the Schengen zone. And also that French visa applications are complex, involve interviews, and should not be embarked on without duplicate copies of everything, photos of various sizes and backgrounds, plenty of patience, plenty of time, and an attitude of total cooperation, etc.
Has anyone reading this attempted such a thing as I'm proposing? If so, how'd you go about it? Were you successful? Do you have any advice?
Feb 13th, 2013, 04:16 PM
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That´s a lot of work to go through for only 6 months. Unfortunately your profile does not give me sufficient information to assist you. However, you will need to contact your local Consulate or Embassy (which may or may not actually be close to you) and apply for a visa. You´ll need to demonstrate that you have sufficient financial resources, that you have medical insurance and, most likely, that you are enrolled as a student.
http://fr.ambafrance-us.org/
http://fr.ambafrance-us.org/
Feb 14th, 2013, 01:15 AM
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I am going to suggest that your attitude is not going to get you anywhere with the French bureaucracy. You are asking people to help you and are rude in return.
If you had provided all the information in your first post that you provided in your second, you might have gotten answers that were more appropriate to your needs. Even then, you got good information.
Reread your initial question[s]:
Q: Are there any visa options that would allow me to do that?
Like, if I enrolled in a language school part time, could I get an educational visa?
A. Not very likely (multiple sources)
Q. If you're a US citizen and have successfully found a way to do a six-month stint in France...please let me know how you did it!
A. None so far, though Mme Perdu, Christina, and Robert all provide big pieces of the answer, though you actually have to think about them.
What is your beef?
If you had provided all the information in your first post that you provided in your second, you might have gotten answers that were more appropriate to your needs. Even then, you got good information.
Reread your initial question[s]:
Q: Are there any visa options that would allow me to do that?
Like, if I enrolled in a language school part time, could I get an educational visa?
A. Not very likely (multiple sources)
Q. If you're a US citizen and have successfully found a way to do a six-month stint in France...please let me know how you did it!
A. None so far, though Mme Perdu, Christina, and Robert all provide big pieces of the answer, though you actually have to think about them.
What is your beef?
Feb 14th, 2013, 09:35 AM
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okay, originally I thought you planned to travel around a lot more than just a couple days on the weekends.
Actually, I don't know about many private school language courses in Paris, as there are so many, but I know you can get a visa if you go to the Alliance Francaise, the French govt considers them a school of higher education (and they do have some relationship to the government, maybe that's why). And they do actually have some classes that are several nights a week in the evenings. So maybe it would be possible to get a long-stay student visa by going to classes there in the evenings. THis is what the French govt says about it http://www.diplomatie.gouv.fr/fr/ser...nts_27131.html
although if you can't read French, not sure that has a translation, but maybe at the top. Also, the Alliance Francaise website has info on the visa process for their school http://www.alliancefr.org/en/individ...ve-formalities
Actually, I don't know about many private school language courses in Paris, as there are so many, but I know you can get a visa if you go to the Alliance Francaise, the French govt considers them a school of higher education (and they do have some relationship to the government, maybe that's why). And they do actually have some classes that are several nights a week in the evenings. So maybe it would be possible to get a long-stay student visa by going to classes there in the evenings. THis is what the French govt says about it http://www.diplomatie.gouv.fr/fr/ser...nts_27131.html
although if you can't read French, not sure that has a translation, but maybe at the top. Also, the Alliance Francaise website has info on the visa process for their school http://www.alliancefr.org/en/individ...ve-formalities
Mar 12th, 2014, 05:30 AM
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I was wondering what papers UK people need to have to spend 6 months in France. I think we used to need to obtain a carte de sejour after our 90 days were up but not sure if that is still the case or whether we have obtain extra authorisation as the UK is not a Schengen member.
