temporary tourist visa??

[DaniO]

Hi,

I have been on holiday in France for 2 months, just on my passport that requires no Visa - 90 days. I have been asked by my friends, who live in France to stay for Christmas and I would love to stay. I called the Embassy in Paris and they said to go to the local prefecture and they will tell me more. So off I went ... My friend came with me who speaks french and she explained to the woman at the prefecture that I would like to extend my holiday. I was handed a yellow form to fill out. Afterwards, the woman at the prefecture said I needed to come back with a letter written in french saying why I want to stay longer and a copy of the contract for where I am staying.
I have to go back on monday when they are open - fingers crossed.
I called the Embassy back to see if what I am doing sounds right and the woman said it is not possible to extend my Visa but maybe I will be lucky ??
My question is has anyone applied to extend their holiday in france once they are here and how did you go?
I am really stressing about this ....

Thanks I would love anyone's advice ..

[diana.de.sousa]

Take a quick trip to London.

[Bevdeforges]

Originally Posted by diana.de.sousa

Take a quick trip to London.

Sorry to say that doesn't work. The "Schengen visa" (roughly equivalent to the VWP but for Europe) is only good for 90 days in a 6 month period.

OTOH, they don't actually control people's comings and goings on a 90 day visitor's visa in Europe the way they do in the US. You'd have to assess your chances of getting caught if you overstayed - it depends to a great extent on what you're doing while you're in France.
Cheers,
Bev

[frogblogger]

Aussies can enter the Schengen area without a visa for tourism purposes, but they are still restricted by a maximum stay of 90 days in 180, the same as if they have a Schengen visa. As far as I know there are no circumstances where you can legally extend your stay beyond the 90 days.

[Joppa]

There have been cases of people at the prefectures telling non-EU citizens that 90-in-180 days stay in Schengen can be extended, but they are actually wrong. It used to be possible pre-Schengen, but for several years now, in-country extension isn't allowed and you must leave Schengen after 3 months and stay away for 90 days, or apply for a long-stay tourist visa, usually in the country of residence.

[DaniO]

Thanks everyone.
Since my first post, I have been told I will get a response to my application that I lodged at the prefecture in 8-15 days.
Not confident but hopeful ... Hopeful because i am not extending a visa .. i'm applying for a 90-180 day tourist visa - which I think is called a temporary tourist visa?!

[frogblogger]

Australians don't need to apply for the visa because there are reciprocal visa arrangements between the Schengen states and Oz, but the short stay Shengen visa rules still apply to you all the same. Technically, visa or no visa, you can only stay for a maximum 90 days in 180, unless there are exceptional mitigating circumstances. Wanting a longer holiday doesn't usually count!

But in France there's the letter of the law, and then there's what actually happens in practice, and the latter is often a complete mystery. You never know your luck.

[AliceD]

Originally Posted by DaniO

Thanks everyone.
Since my first post, I have been told I will get a response to my application that I lodged at the prefecture in 8-15 days.
Not confident but hopeful ... Hopeful because i am not extending a visa .. i'm applying for a 90-180 day tourist visa - which I think is called a temporary tourist visa?!

Hi DaniO, i am in the exact same situation as you now and i'm really keen to know how you went??