American looking to live/work in France. Need advice.

[joeaddison79]

I am currently an American citizen. I would like to live and work in France. If I like the country (and I assume I will) I would eventually like to become a French citizen.
I have a college degree and some money saved up. I plan on flying there in about a month to check things out for 90 days, but of course I'll stay longer if they let me.
I don't speak French yet, but I'm starting to learn a little and, moreover, through total immersion I'll catch on quick enough (I'm a fairly bright guy and I have a background in Latin).

So I have a few questions:

1. How difficult is it to emigrate to France from America?

2. How difficult will it be to find work (I know that you need a job before you get the work visa)

3. Will I be able to rent an apartment on a Schengen visa?

4. Do I have a better option than a Schengen visa? Any way to get a long-stay?

5. Is there an agency or government program that will help me to assimilate and do the things mentioned above?

Also: I don't think this matters, but my great grandmother was a French citizen (born there, moved to America when she was 17). I know it's easier to get citizenship if you have a parent/grandparent who was French, but it doesn't extend to great grandparent, correct?

[Ferbent]

What about a working holiday visa? I know Australians can get them but not sure about Americans.

You could also consider a long term student visa, that's how I came here initially. Study French for a year and then decide if you want to live here permanently.

[joeaddison79]

Originally Posted by Ferbent

What about a working holiday visa? I know Australians can get them but not sure about Americans.

You could also consider a long term student visa, that's how I came here initially. Study French for a year and then decide if you want to live here permanently.

Study French? I am almost 30 and already have an undergrad degree. Would they allow me to do this?
Also, where would I study French. A college or something?
I'll look into it. Thanks for the advice.

[Ferbent]

There are loads and loads of private French schools in Paris where you can study the language full time. When I got my student visa I had to pay up front for the year, which was a pain, but I they gave me a one year visa. I don't think there is an age limit when applying for that kind of visa because I had a number of older people in my class.

It won't allow you to work though, but you could always teach English or do something else on the side

[Bevdeforges]

Hi, and welcome to the forum.

As one who has run afoul of the French immigration laws, let me answer a couple of your questions:

1. Without speaking the language or having a job offer, difficult - very difficult. (But, I must add, not impossible.)

2. Same as #1 - very difficult. The French expect you to look for work in the field in which you got your college degree, rather than it being the sort of "general" qualification it is in the US. Do you have the sort of experience that would make it worth an employer's while to hire you over a French person with a similar credential?

3. A Schengen visa is, by definition, a tourist visa and is limited to 90 days. Apartment leases in France generally run for 3 years and landlords want to see proof of employment which normally means a carte de séjour with working privileges.

4. As already mentioned, you can get a student visa to come to France to study French on a full time basis for a year or so. There are private language schools or you could do the classic programs through either the Sorbonne or the Alliance Française. But it's entirely possible that you might have to return back home in order to apply for another visa should you manage to find a job after finishing the language training.

5. The main government support of the integration process is the "contract of integration" - which is an agreement you will be required to sign when you get your first carte de séjour. They offer some language training (400 hours) and a couple of sessions on life in France and French culture which you have to complete in order to renew your carte de séjour after the first year. Past that, it's up to you to seek out associations or other ways to integrate yourself into the culture.

Your great grandmother being French is nice, but won't do anything for you in terms of getting you a visa. You will definitely need to speak pretty fluent French to have much hope of getting a job in France. Going the student route for starters might be your best option - to give you a feel for what really living in France is like. Plus, there is always the need to get used to working the French administration.
Cheers,
Bev

[Ferbent]

If you're heading to Paris, I think you could quite easily rent a furnished apartment through Fusac as the landlords who advertise there are often quite lenient when it comes to papers (in my experience) as they are used to renting to foreigners. So long as you can show you have money you should be fine. Apartments through Fusac are often only one year contracts and often sublets or you could just rent a room in a share apartment.

Also I did rent an apartment through a real estate agent (in Montpellier) when I didn't have a job or visa. You just have to find someone who is a little flexible. Obviously it's more difficult if you don't have a carte de sejour but it's not impossible.

[Bevdeforges]

Actually, Ferbent's suggestion of using Fusac to find an apartment is a good one. There are lots of shorter term apartments, usually fully furnished, that would give you the flavor of living in or near Paris. The language schools, too, often provide assistance in finding a place to stay if you're enrolled in one of their longer courses - including staying with a French family.

Take it one step at a time - come over for a few months of language classes to start and then work up to applying for a long-stay visa and/or job hunting as you gain a bit of confidence with the language and culture. Taking French nationality is a big step which takes considerable time and effort, and isn't really necessary until and unless you've hunkered down into France for the L-O-N-G term. I'm also convinced that the process for taking nationality is, in part at least, a "test" of whether or not you know how to deal with the French administration - something many native born French describe as a "nightmare"!
Cheers,
Bev

[joeaddison79]

Bev,

That's kind of the direction I'm leaning now. Initially I was going to head over there at the end of the golf season (I have a job working at a course), late september or early october, and just try living there a few months. However, I've been looking at language courses as a way to extend my stay and learn the language. I've been checking out University of Nice learn French in France and it seems not crazy over-priced (I just finished college and, unless I misread something, tuition actually looks cheaper for a basic french course at U Nice - even for an international student - than Michigan resident tuition was for a level-1 language class at EMU).

I was thinking about doing this: applying for Feb. semester, staying as long as I can, possibly taking the next level class after finishing the first level... and eventually having a good knowledge of French language (between classes and living there this seems reasonable).

The key is flexibility. Have a starting idea, but be open to change plans/plan by ear type stuff. Also, I was wondering if the job market for a bi-langual (after I learn French) American with a college degree is any good in France. Will I be able to find work/then get my work visa? And, if I do like France, will they help me assimilate (because that would be my ultimate goal if I like living there - to become French and live a French lifestyle).

Thanks,
Joe

[Bevdeforges]

Originally Posted by joeaddison79

The key is flexibility. Have a starting idea, but be open to change plans/plan by ear type stuff. Also, I was wondering if the job market for a bi-langual (after I learn French) American with a college degree is any good in France. Will I be able to find work/then get my work visa? And, if I do like France, will they help me assimilate (because that would be my ultimate goal if I like living there - to become French and live a French lifestyle).

Being bi-lingual certainly won't hurt - but the job market depends quite a bit more on what your college degree is in, and sometimes on what school you went to. (If you need to get your degree officially "recognized" it helps to have gone to a name school.)

But you'll have plenty of time to scope that out while you're taking the language courses.
Cheers,
Bev

[joeaddison79]

Yeah. Language courses sound great.
Anyone know anything about CUEFLE? Every time I try to get more info from the website, there's a link error. Basically, I need to know how much it costs and what kind of visa I get/how long it's good for. The idea is take 1 or 2 semesters of CUEFLE at University of Nice and then stick around. But how much will it (housing) cost? The tuition fee is 750 Euro per semester for the language classes.

Thanks
Joe