Married to French citizen but overstayed visa

[ovidius]

Okay. Well. I married my wife about 6 months ago in the US and she moved back to Paris ahead of me, anticipating the the process of my return would go smoothly. After running around and going crazy I’ve finally got the livret de famille, but my relief was soon crushed by a representative of the French Consulate with whom I share an unpleasant phone conversation.
The problem is that I overstayed a student visa for just over a year to live with my (at the time) fiancée and now I of course regret it, but time travel doesn’t exist and I need to move forward from this. The man from the Consulate lectured me about how terrible it was that I lived illegally in France and anticipated that I may have a tough time getting a visa.
I’m essentially just trying to move to France to be with my wife, who (as crazy as it’s driving us) I haven’t seen since December. This means that I’m attempting to get a long stay visa. On my way out of the country I wasn’t stopped and fined or anything, but I’m aware that this doesn’t mean that I’m not in a system as a visa overstayer. I need to buy a plane ticket before applying for my visa, but I’m worried that it could just be a wasted thousand dollars if I run into serious trouble with my visa.
Right now I’m scared, stressed out, I miss my wife, and nobody I talk to seems to be able to help or consul me. If anybody knows anything regarding my situation I look forward to hearing it. Thank you.

[windwalker]

Originally Posted by ovidius

Okay. Well. I married my wife about 6 months ago in the US and she moved back to Paris ahead of me, anticipating the the process of my return would go smoothly. After running around and going crazy I’ve finally got the livret de famille, but my relief was soon crushed by a representative of the French Consulate with whom I share an unpleasant phone conversation.
The problem is that I overstayed a student visa for just over a year to live with my (at the time) fiancée and now I of course regret it, but time travel doesn’t exist and I need to move forward from this. The man from the Consulate lectured me about how terrible it was that I lived illegally in France and anticipated that I may have a tough time getting a visa.

Did you show suitable remorse to the man who was lecturing you? I have to wonder if doing do, perhaps repeatedly, explaining perhaps about how your overwhelming love for your French wife interfered with your ability to reason, etc. etc. might help you get the visa. Sometimes you have to try groveling a bit to get yourself out of a mess. I feel sure that if that doesn't work, there will be another way to resolve this, although I don't know the bureaucracy well enough to say how that might be.

[Bevdeforges]

Take a printout of the following page from Service Public with you to your interview: Visas de long séjour pour la France - Service-public.fr

Do NOT take it out unless threatened or hassled by the person with whom you are speaking, and be very calm and polite if you should get to the point - ask rather than telling them anything.

The section of interest is the bit under the heading Visas délivrés aux conjoints de Français where it says:

Le visa de long séjour ne peut être refusé à un conjoint de Français qu'en cas de fraude, d'annulation du mariage, de menace à l'ordre public ou en cas de non production de l'attestation de suivi de la formation à la langue française et aux valeurs de la République dans le pays de résidence.

Overstaying a student visa can hardly be considered "fraud" or "threat to the public order." The official you spoke with on the phone is simply trying to rattle you. They like to do that. It's the only way to demonstrate their supposed power. The best way to "react" is not to react at all. Drives 'em nuts.
Cheers,
Bev