Kas23

Hi everyone!

Hope you're all well, I'm new to the forum, I've been scouring the internet for information but was hoping for some personal advice on moving to France, since we're all in a different situation..

I actually lived and worked there last year in what was supposed to be a permanent move, but this pandemic has obviously complicated it all.. since I didn't need a residency permit then it seems I'm back to square one as a non-european immigrant now. I was wondering if anyone knows what the best options are right now, my girlfriend lives in Lyon and I'll be moving back in with her, she'd be willing to get a PACs except we haven't been living together for a year, not sure if there's a way around that. I can legally leave the UK and enter France from the end of March but would looking for work on a tourist visa be an option? I feel it might make job hunting nearly impossible as any potential employer would have to apply for a residency and work permit on my behalf, but in three months I could apply to enough places it might work. I was working as a chef (my previous employer is unable rehire anyone right now unfortunately) but it's unskilled labour technically without a degree so that doesn't help the visa application... To be clear I haven't applied for a visa yet, I'm scared it'll be rejected so I'm trying to gather information first and there seems to be endless amounts of it online..

Thanks so much for reading and any help, I know between COVID and brexit it's quite an unprecedented situation...

cyrian

Hi
Welcome to the forum.
First of all, you cannot leave the UK at the end of March because of Covid restrictions.
Have a look HERE
I suspect that they would not issue you with a tourist visa to enable you to look for work which would mean that you weren't a tourist.
They would consider that during your interview.
Unemployment in France is much higher than in the UK and I suspect that there are a lot of French kitchen staff who will also be looking for work.
You will be required to show that you have medical insurance to cover your stay and that you (in their opinion) have enough money for your total stay in France.
I would contact the French visa service in the UK for their advice.
HTH

Why would you not visit initially for up to 90 days without a visa to check what is possible?

dmu

@ Kas 23 (sorry, I've written the following without quoting your post!)
- Even if it were possible to leave the UK at the end of March, the whole of the Hauts-de-France and Paris Region are currently under confinement for at least 4 weeks, and it would be impossible to leave these Régions to travel to Lyon without an Attestation giving a valid reason (which you wouldn't have). As it is, the Rhône (Lyon's département) is currently under surveillance due to the Covid figures and might soon become a Red Zone....
Your gf on the spot should be keeping up to date with all this.... Is she French?
- Restaurants have been closed for months and there's been no indication of any date for re-opening. Unfortunately for you, when they do re-open, the staff which had been laid off is more likely to be re-employed.
- As suggested, you could come for 90 days on a recce (when it's possible), but no employer would offer you a job on the spot, since you wouldn't have the proper Visa. You'd have to return to the UK with a work contract in hand and apply for it...
- Re a PACS, if you comply with the conditions of entering into one and do so, you'll see, if you wade through the following link, that you could apply for a Carte de Séjour "vie privée et familiale" (presuming your gf is French or is "legally resident" in France).
https://www.service-public.fr/partic...vosdroits/N144
But all this takes time and it wouldn't be straightforward to gather together all the necessary documents and sign a PACS, within the 90 days that you'd be allowed to stay (and if your gf isn't French, she'd have to get the same complicated paperwork as you...).
Sorry this isn't what you were hoping to hear, but you must be aware of the situation caused both by Brexit and Covid, particularly the up-to-date Covid situation in the various Régions. Keep an eye on the "Transiting through France", "Curfew" and other ongoing threads on the subjects.
HTH all the same....

Kas23

Hey,

Thank you both so much for your replies!

I believed I could enter France from the UKs special exemption along with a few other non-EU countries ( diplomatie.gouv.fr /en/coming-to-france/coronavirus-advice-for-foreign-nationals-in-france/ ) but if that isn't the case right now I suppose either way it doesn't change much - I was dreaming of some potential loophole but hoping realistically for about April time, but of course that's dependent on restaurants opening up. I was thinking I'd have to apply for the visa around this time so it gets through. My girlfriend is french, so hopefully the PACS will work regardless as a last resort.

If I could ask though, what is the difference between applying for a tourist visa and travelling on no visa ? I hadn't thought about it at all, nor the idea that I might not be allowed a tourist visa if my intention isn't tourism (though that sounds very obvious when writing it ha..)

Anyway it all really helps, so thank you, being informed is better than optimistic and confused ! I'll get in touch with the visa service tomorrow and see what they say. Cheers.

Tweedpipe

See comments above in red.

dmu

I'm getting confused.
According to
https://france-visas.gouv.fr/fr_FR/w...oins-de-3-mois
a short-term visa is necessary for 90-day tourists. The justifying documents to be produced can be found by clicking on "assistant visa" under "justificatifs" and indicating one's situation for info.
This would confirm in general that even a holiday-maker coming for just a couple of weeks must apply for such a visa, like all other non-EU citizens?

cyrian

The WA gives UK passport holders visa-free access to the schengen area for up to 90 days in any 180 days.
The UK allows visitors (including EU citizens) 180 day visa-free visits.
There is a proposed schengen visa which will be issued online and the visits will be recorded by computer which will reduce the need to stamp the passport on entry and exit.
HTH

Tweedpipe

Confused? Me too. I've just got up, but think I need to go back for a lie-down.......

cyrian

New law comes into force next week prohibiting anyone leaving England without a permitted reason.
Fines of up to £5k

Listen Very Carefully

https://uk.ambafrance.org/Applying-f...United-Kingdom
The above has a link to a Visa wizard Basically in your situation you will not be granted a visa that allows you to look for work As you are not married to your GF then I do not know if you can apply for a vie privee et familiale visa Your best bet may be to get a long term tourist visa marry/Pacs your GF and then look at getting a Carte de Sejour In all cases you will need to show how you will support yourself and have private health care

dmu

The Visa wizard is the same as the Assistant Visa in the link I posted above.
I did actually wade through the Service Public link, enough to discover that a PACSé can apply for a Carte de Séjour vie privée et familiale, but this depends on being legally in France to do so.
As you advise, the OP could try for a long-term visa (justifying ressources and healthcare coverage) and marry/PACS his gf when in France. He should bear in mind that, until they are legally bound, he and his gf are considered completely separate individuals in the Administrations' eyes, and the most she could do in his favour would be to make a Declaration d'Hébergement.
HTH

Revin Kevin

What is the process for a husband and wife wanting to move to France, one a UK citizen the other a ROI citizen?

Listen Very Carefully

Basically if you follow one of the links already posted it will take you to the wizard You will need to apply for the spouse of an EU citizen but you will still need to show that you ie the non EU citizen can support themselves or the spouse can support you

dmu

@kas23 If you haven't been following the "Transiting through France" thread which is kept up to date, be aware that the whole of France has been under "outdoor" confinement since this weekend, i.e. outings no further than 10 km from one's domicile, in addition to the 19h00 curfew already in force, and no travelling between Régions without one of the acceptable reasons set out in the Attestation.
This "braking-the-spread-of-the-virus" measure (Macron's euphemism for confinement) is valid for 4 weeks and will be increased if the Covid/ICU figures don't decrease significantly between now and then.
But surely your gf is aware of all this, esp. living in Lyon which was a Hotspot with confinement until the whole of France was concerned....

Kas23

Hi all,

Thanks for your continued support. I've gathered all the documents needed to apply for a 5 year residency permit granted under the withdrawal agreement for British citizens moved to France prior to Jan 1st 2021. I initially didn't believe that would be possible but now (after endless research) it seems the only viable option. Fingers crossed...