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ForumRead Message
| Subject: | Looking for information on what's needed to live in france |
| Date: | Sunday, July 17, 2005 |
| Name: | Katarina Rodriguez |
| Message: | I'm looking for any information about what is needed to live in france. I'm an american looking to join my French Fiance, however I only know that I can stay without a visa for three months. I can't get a work or student visa, I'm not in a high profession and I'm would not be able to go through a college. Also, if anyone knows the steps as to what I would need to do after we are married in france, in order to stay, I would greatly appreciate it. I'm a bit lost on the whole process and am not sure if it's actually possible for me to live in france if I go now. Any information would be great. Thanks, Katarina |
Replies Posted 9.
| Name | jones |
| Message |
Katarina:
The bottom line is your fiance has to go to the perfecture in his area and ask the questions and find out what needs to be done. |
| Name | Katarina |
| Message | Jones: So it took 11 months total then... that's a long time to wait. I'm surprised that it's so hard, or at least that it takes so long... the french seem to think that it's easy to do, or at least the ones that I've talked to. So basically, if my husband doesn't have the means... in other words, if he doesn't make enough, then it won't be approved. Shouldn't it be taken into account that I will be able to work after receiving the visa therefore, we will be able to make a living with the duel income? Though I know unemployment is very high. What do you have to do after your titre de sejour expires? Do you have to go back to america and reapply? Or can you stay while it's being renewed? I would really hate to be staying there and then find out that I'm actually illegal. Is it best to just get a lawyer to make sure that everything needed is taken care of? Would that make the process go by faster? When I go in November what all do I need to do? Any information would be helpful. Thanks. -Katarina |
| Name | jones |
| Message |
Katarina: It took 8 months for the visa to be approved and another 3 before I actually got the visa. For the most part, I stayed in LA, but I did visit my husband for up to 3 months when I had a break from work. It is getting harder to get the visa to stay in France. My husband had to prove he had the means to take care of me, immigration checked out his house to make sure it was liveable, that all his bills were paid, etc.
Getting the visa doesn't guarantee you the right to stay in France either. When we went to the Perfecture to get my Carte de Sejour, they wanted tons of paper that my husband had already submitted, plus they wanted a copy of my last 3 months salary. It took two months of going back and forth with all these papers, as they were never happy with what we gave them. Finally, the last time we went to the Prefecture, we took a stack of papers, nothing in particular, just a stack of paper, they didn't even go through them. In the end, I did not get a carte de sejour, I got a titre de sejour, which entitles me to live and work in france for one year. It seems that this is what France is giving now. |
| Name | Katarina |
| Message | Jones: How long did it take for you to get your visa? Did you stay in france until it was ready and then return to america or did you reside in California until then? I find it funny because every french person I talk to tells me that it's not as hard to get one as it is to get one for america. I read that you have to make a certain amount of money if you plan on staying there, provide proof of your income, or the one that is going to support you. Does my husband need to make a certain amount of money for that? He's only a waiter, but he gets a decent salary. |
| Name | jones |
| Message |
It is hard to get a visa. My husband had to do all the paperwork in France. When everything was done, my file was sent to the consulate in los angeles where i got my visa.
As I said before, have your husband/fiancee check into everything. In the end, he will be the one ultimately responsible for you. France is divided up into 95 Departments. I live in the department of the Aude. I'm not sure where Tours is. |
| Name | Katarina Rodriguez |
| Message | I just found out that it's possible to stay in france after being married, however, if you _do_ want to work or study you have to apply for a long term visa...which you would only need the Livret de famille and the citizenship card that apparently all or most french have. Has anyone heard about this? If that's the case I was thinking of returning to America to apply for the visa and then go back to france to await my visa. It seems alittle too easy, but that's all that the New York Consulate gave for information. |
| Name | Mari |
| Message |
Holy Moly! Are you serious? I will have to tell my future husband to look into this. You stated it depends on which department you live in? Department? Is that the same as city? We are planning to live in Tours. Wow - thanks for the information. I appreciate it also.
Best of luck - M. |
| Name | jones |
| Message |
First of all, it depends on which Department you will be living in. My husband and I married in the US. The French Consulate was of no help to us in Los Angeles. He returned to France where he had to apply through Family Reunification to bring me here. It took 11 months before I got my visa. Once in France, I had to go to an immigrant orientation and have a physical. I also getting extensive French lessons for free. We Live in the Aude, and they seem to have their own set of rules. I have a 'titre de sejour', good for one year. All the women I have met here who are married to a French citizen all went through the same thing. It doesn't seem to matter where you are from.
And before you ask anything more, I am an american citizen, born and raised. I would suggest that your Fiance go to the Perfecture in his area and find out what he has to do. |
| Name | Mari |
| Message |
Hi - I am in the (somewhat) same boat as you. However - my fiance and I have found that the best way to get around is for us to marry in the U.S. - have our papers translated at the French Embassy and then I move to France with him a couple months later. This way we are legally married, and I don't have to go through the hassles of trying to stay in the country. Though I did read somewhere that with your three month visa - it is easy to get it renewed. Just leave to another country via the train and when you come back in to France you will get another 3 month renewal.
Best of luck! M |
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