Q & A

Subject: New requirements for long sejour visa and volunteering in France.

Question: Greetings:

One of the new requirements for long sejour visa is:

“ - A note, dated and signed by the applicant, stating that he/she does not intend to have in France a paid professional activity which requires a work permit” http://www.consulfrance-washington.org/visas/visasen.htm#11

my question is that, by applying for a retirement visa (long sejour) and singing/notarizing this note, Do I permanently drop any potential job opportunity in France or this condition can be reversed with some legal efforts upon receiving a future job offer? Thank you in advance for sharing your opinion and thoughts with me..

Best regards.

Answer:

For volunteering in France you should go to your local town hall and ask for a list of organizations. Here are some on-line resources, http://www.suite101.com/article.cfm/travel_working/68372, http://www.volunteerabroad.com/France.cfm and http://www.goabroad.com/guides/guides.cfm?fkcountry=30&fkprogram=2.
As for your question about losing the right to work in France, I don't know. I would think that you could over time change your status no matter what you paper you signed in the past. Jeff