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Are you looking to relocate to France? Let our team of immigration lawyers help make your dream a reality. Our personalized approach to immigration in France ensures that your application process is smooth and stress-free.
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To request a free consultation case, please provide us with your contact details below and we will contact you via email or phone.
What is a Long-Stay Visa?
At some stage during a longer visit to France, all non-French citizens must engage with some bureaucracy.Â
Things become trickier for non-EU when they need to apply for a long-stay visa in France. This document is mandatory for:
- Foreign spouses of French citizens
- Foreign students studying in France
- Overseas workers, trainees and temporary workers
- Visitors with sufficient financial means to support themselves
- Visa for Entrepreneur/Self-employed
- Artists
Our team of Legal experts can help you with your application by working closely with the authorities and ensuring that your documentation is appropriately submitted.Â
What Our Clients Are Saying
Trust our proven track record of successful immigration cases in France to help you achieve your goals.
How can a lawyer help me?
We offer full assistance in English, French, Italian, Spanish or Portuguese. Our team of Immigration lawyers will provide you with a complete list of all the documents that will need to be submitted and they will also review them to ensure that they meet the requirements of Franceâs Immigration officials.Â
Our legal team can speed up the procedure to obtain an appointment for you and they can contact the local Consulates and Immigration Offices to ask about the specific requirements and documents.Â
We offer full assistance in English, French, Italian, Spanish or Portuguese.
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What are the requirements?
- The applicant must show proof of that they have sufficient economic and financial means to cover all the expenses during their planned stay in France.
- The individual would need to have travel healthcare insurance with full coverage across France.Â
- The applicant may also need to submit additional supporting documentation depending on their specific situation and purpose of the stay.
How do I obtain a Long-term Visa for France?
Applications must be submitted in person at the Visa application center of your country of residence. This should be done around three months to two weeks before the applicantâs planned arrival date in France.Â
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Applicants would need to show proof of being able to financially support their stay in France and, if applicable, their family. Furthermore, depending on their situation and the purpose of the visit, like tourism, business, education or family reasons, they may be required to gather and submit specific documents to support the application.Â
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There are two types of Long-Stay Visa, depending on the purpose of the stay:
- Long-Stay Visa with the obligation to apply for a residence permit
- Long-Stay Visa equivalent to a residence permit.
Process of getting a Long-Stay Visa for France
General Process
1. Gathering the documentation
Prior to submitting the application, the applicant would need to gather the correct documentation, which can vary depending on the personal situation and purpose of the stay in France. Our team of immigration experts would advise on this. Most documentation would need to be translated into French and our lawyers have a network of sworn translators to recommend.
2. Application at the French Embassy/Consulate
Once all the required documents are gathered, the application must be submitted in person at the Visa application center in the home country or where the applicant legally resides. Depending on the country, the applicant must attend either the French consulate or Embassy or submit the application with a certified service provider.
3. Relocation to France
Once the application has been approved, the individual will be granted a Visa that will allow them to travel to France.
4. Once in France
The final step requires the applicant to complete all the required formalities to transform your Visa into a residence permit, in order to become a legal resident in France. Depending on the type of Long-Stay Visa you have obtained, the person would need to apply for a residence permit or validate your Visa through an online application.
Frequently Asked Questions
The processing time of each Long-Stay Visa application varies depending on the Visa Center where the application is submitted and on the specific situation of the applicant.
The application must be submitted three months to two weeks prior to the planned date of entry into France.
A valid Long-Stay Visa will allow the holder to travel within the Schengen area for up to 90 days over 180 consecutive days.
If you are currently in France and you wish to renew or extend your Visa, you would need to apply through the prefecture of your place of residence. If you are in your country of residence, you would need to apply through the French Consulate or Embassy or the competent service provider.
If the Visa you have been issued indicates the obligation to apply for a residence permit, then you need to submit your application for a residence permit within two months of your arrival date in France.Â
If you have been issued a Long-Stay Visa equivalent to a residence permit (VLS-TS), then you only need to validate it within three months of your arrival date in France through an online application in order to become a legal resident in France.
Find your Immigration Lawyer
Eléonore Tavares de Pinho
Yuliana Colorado
French services are provided in the context of a collaboration between Lexidy, Ms. Eleonore Tavares and Ms. Yuliana Colorado, lawyers registered in France.
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