spencer67

Hi
I am going to be moving to France from the UK in the next few months. i want to rent for the first 6 months or so to give me time to look for the right house to buy. i know i don't need a visa for the first 3 months of my stay but after that i do. My question is how do i go about getting a long term visa, can i apply once i am there? and where would i go to get the forms to fill in and apply. Sorry if this as be ask a million time before.

Many thanks Spencer

cyrian

Hi
Welcome to the forum.
My understanding is that you have to apply from the UK before you travel to France.
There are certain parameters like income; health insurance and whether you will be working or if you are inactive.(retired).
The 90 day tourist visa is exactly that - not a free pass which can be changed before the end of 90 days.
Some Brits have had their visa applications rejected.

HTH

spencer67

Thank you for having me.
I'am not going to be working, going to have health insurance, and my income will be my savings. so your saying i cant apply for long term visa once i'am in France it has to be done before.

baroudeur

All answered here French visa

Listen Very Carefully

How will you support yourself once you are here? If you have no income ie a pension or a job/business then the chances of you getting a visa are to be frank zero as France does not like "lump sum savings" to prove that you will not be a burden on the French state as lump sums tend to disappear very quickly in France just on every day living TBH
You need to apply for a French Visa prior to entering France then when you arrive you need to apply for a Carte de Sejour (and then annually for the next five years) both processes need you to show income health insurance etc
You could of course come for 3 months and that will give you an idea of the cost of living

EuroTrash

Of course you can visit France for up to 90 days as a tourist (assuming you haven't been in Schengen recently), and have a look at houses etc while you're there.
But you must leave Schengen before the end of your permitted 90 / 180 days. Your passport will be stamped on entry, and when you exit the border officials will check the entry stamp to see how many days you have spent there. They may even expect you to have a return ticket booked when you enter.
Then once you're back in the UK, either you have to wait until you can enter Schengen again as per the 90/180 days rule, or you must obtain a visa to take up residence in France.
You'll find all the info on how to apply for the visa on baroudeur 's link.
Good luck with it all!

spencer67

i have just sold my house in the UK and there is more than enough money for me to buy a house in France and support me for rest of my life, i'am not looking to be a burden on the France state. i want to rent for 6 months which should give me enough time to find the right property. great i will have a look thank you

EuroTrash

That being the case, have you considered investing some or all of it into something that will provide you with a decent monthly income without eating away at the capital? A couple of buy to lets in the UK, for instance?
The French mindset does seem to expect people to make their pot of money work for them, so that they put something into the economy and all, rather than just park it up and nibble away at it.

spencer67

what i was thinking was once settled in France maybe start a little business which would help me keep busy and also put something in to the french economy. but got to get this visa sorted first lol.

EuroTrash

I am not sure that will be an option. The visa you would most likely be applying for as a self supporting person, will not allow you to work or set up a business in France.
If you want to work or start a business in France you would have to apply for a different kind of visa - which is a lot harder to get.
Have a careful read of the visa page to see what your options are.

Lou71

I hope you don't mind me wading in from Iberia but I think buying a couple of rental properties in the UK is an excellent idea. One bed flats always rent well and will provide you with a reliable income. Getting involved with running a business in an EU state will open a can of worms and is no longer easy for UK (now third country) nationals.

Why not find out what the minimum income requirement is in France and try to find a couple of rental properties that will provide you with the necessary income.

Good luck!

Listen Very Carefully

Are you a multi millionaire If so then yes you could get into France on a lump sum but you will then see a lot of it disappear in taxes etc
As a general rule the French state will want to see a monthly income of about €1600 per month pre tax(french minimum wage SMIC)
I have heard it said that they might consider a lump sum equivalent to five years of SMIC but again you need to be aware that a Visa only allows you to enter the country You then have to apply for a Carte de Sejour annually for the first five years when your resources are assessed and it is this carte de sejour that allows you to stay in FRance
If you are not working or retired with a pension then you will also have to pay for your healthcare on top of everything else
I think Lou71 has got the right idea plus if it goes wrong in France you will have a house in the UK

Helen1964

I second this excellent suggestion from EuroTrash.
I have two small rentals in the UK and one of the nice things about the income from them is that you don't pay tax or social charges on it in France.
You do have to declare the income in France, but the tax is only payable in the UK.
The UK tax return is very straightforward and the French one is daunting the first time but once you've done it once, it gets easier. You can always ask for help on this forum.

jenninedinburgh

You could enroll for a year at a French school and they could apply for a student visa for you. I am studying at one this summer (not for a year) and I know they do these visas for people who want to learn longer term. If you just take the standard French (2 hours a day) for example the cost per month is around 600 euro or so. Check out the Alliance de Française locations and maybe try that route. You'd then be able to kill two birds with one stone - learn French and have a longer amount of time to settle. A friend of mine from the US did this and she was able to stay after the year as she was able to find employment and another sponsored visa.

EuroTrash

Really? I thought visa applications had to be made pêrsonally, I didn't think it was possible for a visa application to be submitted by a third party.