VictoriaV

ok, so far so good,

My husband has been granted a visa, which states that he is a family member of an EU citizen and that the visa is valid for 6 months with no one stay exceeding 90 days. yipee However they did make us pay for the equivalent of a french long stay visa (over 100euros) and they never returned our money as stated in the above links, if it is free for eu family members.
gggggrrrrrrrrrr!

So, next step is to prepare all of the required documents to go to the prefecture and attack the next step!

Are there any people out htere who have done a similar process? any hints or advice is welcome

I will of course keep posting to let you all know how it pans out for us. At least for now my husband will be able to see our home and we can be together for a while

val50

that's great news, really happy for you.
Thank you for keeping us up to date with your experiences too - it will really help others who might find themselves in a similar situation.
Just sorry you are having to go through all the hastle, but hopefully it will work out and you will both be able to settle and be happy in your new home

PaulieDK

That is fantastic news Victoria.. However, once he gets there, go straight to the French Immigration, as by the laws of the EU, as long as you can show you have employment and earnings they cannot make him leave the country, Use EU Signpost if you have to, they will guide you along the correct route.... He and well as yourself have EU Rights, and this should be afforded to you both... If the French Immigration do not give him his 5 year residents permit, they can and will be threatened with the European Courts, that usually scares them, particularily as France is an older member of the EU.....

VictoriaV

Thanks both of you for your support it makes the solitude and lonely battle feel that bit more comforting!

Paulie, just a precision - you say that he should get a 5year permit straight away? I know an American who's pacse with a Brit here and she said she had to have 3 one year permits before they'll give her a 5 year one.

Obviously, one year or 5 i'll be happy but it's good to be sure. I'l definately contact signpost too since I don't trust any of the administration due to our previous problems!

cheers

Victoria

IrisSharony

Hi,
Just saw your post now. We have the same situation (more or less). I am Romanian, therefore an EU passport holder and my husband is Israeli. Though my husband did not yet apply for the carte de sejour because he's still working in Israel, we were informed that he will get it for the next 5 years once he asks for it.
I admit we never really bothered asking for anything. We just came here, bought the house and then checked out for the rest, since the EU laws state very clearly that my family is entitled to live with me here so long as we can afford it and do not depend on anyone else. Since we bought a house, now one bothered to check whether or not we really can afford it :-)
Hope this helps even if it's just for solidarity.

VictoriaV

Solidarity is great thanks! I am also a home owner and have been a resident in France for over 9 years, with tax returns and so on to prove it, so I was well covered on that front!
I think a lot of it has to do with the fact that he is Indian;.. and some nationalities make embassies question motives more than others. I understand the fact that they need to vet for 'mariage blanc' / convenience but it sure messes you around, especially when they don't provide you with the right information.
Perhaps an interesting point too, is that I went to the British Embassy and spoke to someone at the consule and told them our story and they were unable to help us at all!!!! They said that if I applied for a long term visa for the UK they would probably be negative since I haven't lived there for a long time and have no home and so on....
For sure, I think ALL embassy staff should be briefed on these EU regulations!!!

There will no doubt be increasingly more coouples in similar situations as people move around more.

I just wish that we had been given the simple facts at the embassy from day one, every visit contradicted the previous one and as I've mentioned, made for a very costly year, not to mention the fact that we still haven't had a honeymoon!

Whereabouts in France are you? when s your hubby coming to join you?

it's good to share stories I am pleased to have found this site.

PaulieDK

[QUOTE=VictoriaV;7153325]Perhaps an interesting point too, is that I went to the British Embassy and spoke to someone at the consule and told them our story and they were unable to help us at all!!!! They said that if I applied for a long term visa for the UK they would probably be negative since I haven't lived there for a long time and have no home and so on....
For sure, I think ALL embassy staff should be briefed on these EU regulations!!!QUOTE]

Hm this makes for the typical actions of Embassy Staff... For a start as you have been living within the EU for 9 years, you can actually take your hubby back exercising your EU rights, as long as you can prove you had somewhere to live in the UK and sufficient funds to support both yourself and your hubby (which there is no set amount on that issue).. Gee it never ceases to amaze me how the bureaucratic bungling still exists, where the right hand has no idea what the left hand is doing..... When my partner and I decided to move back to the UK, we did exactly that, just showed proof of address even if it is parents address, as long as there was enough room to accomodate you both in respect of your own room, and you have enough to tie you over until you obtain work, they have to issue you both with a 5 year residents permit, like they do for all EU Citizens...