Hello people of the France expat forum,
As you may have already gathered, I am new to the expatforum. I have been collecting my documents for a long stay visa to France as well as reading and re-reading a great deal of online information for several weeks. I live on the east coast of Canada and therefore must go to the French consulate in Montreal which processes visas for four provinces and one territory. I was hoping to apply and leave for France to live with my boyfriend (French born) at the end of July. However, they don't show any openings for appointments until some time in September (it doesn't actually say when). I did find out tonight though, that they update the site for cancellations at midnight French time. Some openings for August 7th appeared and then quickly filled up in a matter of seconds while the newly installed mandatory Firefox froze on my laptop.
My questions:
Does anyone else have computer problems only trying to book an appointment for an interview? I tried installing Internet Explorer but it didn't seem to work. I still haven't been able to figure out if I have Adobe 5.
Also, does anyone know if you need a long stay visa to stay in France past 90 days if you don't need a carte de séjour for awhile? I would imagine that you still do, however whenever I try to look this up, the only responses are for people wanting a CDS. My boyfriend and I are older (50 & 60) and he is telling me to come anyway and to stay past the 90 days and I am telling him no, that otherwise that I would be an illegal. He says that I'm wrong, I say that he is wrong.
And finally, whether I go for three months and return to apply or wait/can get a tourist visa for a year, we would probably do a PACS when I arrive. The French consulates in Canada do not recognize a PACS as a reason for a visa. My options are tourist or 'other', though I would explain in my letter that we were planning on getting PACSed (or that I had a PACS after being PACSed). Has anyone applied for a tourist visa, then explained that they were going to do a PACS with their partner and who received the visa on that basis? - that the PACS worked in their favour? My boyfriend has been telling me for weeks to just come and then that we would 'figure it out', however I don't think that that is the best plan. I have told him that he has to look at me as real foreigner vs a European.
Thank you very much to anyone who may read this and respond. I have very much enjoyed reading many of your questions and responses.
Tracey
PS - Sorry for any spelling mistakes. My laptop is set to all French and I can no longer get it to spell check English.
As you may have already gathered, I am new to the expatforum. I have been collecting my documents for a long stay visa to France as well as reading and re-reading a great deal of online information for several weeks. I live on the east coast of Canada and therefore must go to the French consulate in Montreal which processes visas for four provinces and one territory. I was hoping to apply and leave for France to live with my boyfriend (French born) at the end of July. However, they don't show any openings for appointments until some time in September (it doesn't actually say when). I did find out tonight though, that they update the site for cancellations at midnight French time. Some openings for August 7th appeared and then quickly filled up in a matter of seconds while the newly installed mandatory Firefox froze on my laptop.
My questions:
Does anyone else have computer problems only trying to book an appointment for an interview? I tried installing Internet Explorer but it didn't seem to work. I still haven't been able to figure out if I have Adobe 5.
Also, does anyone know if you need a long stay visa to stay in France past 90 days if you don't need a carte de séjour for awhile? I would imagine that you still do, however whenever I try to look this up, the only responses are for people wanting a CDS. My boyfriend and I are older (50 & 60) and he is telling me to come anyway and to stay past the 90 days and I am telling him no, that otherwise that I would be an illegal. He says that I'm wrong, I say that he is wrong.
And finally, whether I go for three months and return to apply or wait/can get a tourist visa for a year, we would probably do a PACS when I arrive. The French consulates in Canada do not recognize a PACS as a reason for a visa. My options are tourist or 'other', though I would explain in my letter that we were planning on getting PACSed (or that I had a PACS after being PACSed). Has anyone applied for a tourist visa, then explained that they were going to do a PACS with their partner and who received the visa on that basis? - that the PACS worked in their favour? My boyfriend has been telling me for weeks to just come and then that we would 'figure it out', however I don't think that that is the best plan. I have told him that he has to look at me as real foreigner vs a European.
Thank you very much to anyone who may read this and respond. I have very much enjoyed reading many of your questions and responses.
Tracey
PS - Sorry for any spelling mistakes. My laptop is set to all French and I can no longer get it to spell check English.