[jrs0813]

Hello. My partner (age 38) completes photography school in Paris this June. He has a student visa until then. He wants to get entrepeneur status in order to work.

Question1 - Can this status change from student to entrepeneur be taken care of here in France or is a return to US and consulate required?

Question 2 - Would we go to Préfecture (Sous-Direction de l'Administration des Etrangers) for this or elsewhere?

Question3 - Professional photographers are handled by ae rules and not by Maison de l'artiste (painters, sculptors, etc) or AGRESA (droits d'auteur, etc). When we go to the préfecture or wherever what do we need to take with us in terms of entrepeneur paperwork?

Thanks very much for any all support.

Randy

 

[Bevdeforges]

The only exception I know of to the rule that you have to return to your own country to effect a change in visa status is if you get married to a French person or EU national while in France on a long-stay visa. (You can sometimes manage if you get PACS'd, but the outcome isn't nearly as certain.)

That said, the rules do change - and some prefectures are harder about bending the rules than others. Your best bet is to contact the prefecture to see if they would handle the change in status, and if they will, what paperwork they'll need.
Cheers,
Bev

 

[jrs0813]

Visa Modification, Entrepeneur

The only exception I know of to the rule that you have to return to your own country to effect a change in visa status is if you get married to a French person or EU national while in France on a long-stay visa. (You can sometimes manage if you get PACS'd, but the outcome isn't nearly as certain.)

That said, the rules do change - and some prefectures are harder about bending the rules than others. Your best bet is to contact the prefecture to see if they would handle the change in status, and if they will, what paperwork they'll need.
Cheers,
Bev

Thank you very much, Bev. We will pursue what you have suggested with regard to my partners visa change and PACSing. Will keep you posted.