[texasdeez]

I'm going this week for my interview for a long-term spousal visa. I have a couple of questions for y'all.

#23. Exercez-vous une activite remuneree en france?
Is this asking if I already have work or if I plan to find work when I arrive?

I don't have a job yet, but do intend to find one when I get there. Meanwhile, I will be staying at my wife's father's house and she is working there. Does anyone have advice? Does French policy make it easier for spouses to get a long-term visa than others just wanting to emigrate? Any helpful advice anyone may have is more than welcome.

Thanks so much

Texas

 

[Guest]

Phrased like that it means "have you got paid employment lined up".

Spouses from North America are unlikely to have any problems, even if those from certain countries are occasionally suspected of using marriage in order to get into Europe, the US generally speaking is not one of those countries.

Unlike for certain visas where the authorities are not obliged to explain their reasons for rejection, they have to account for the refusal of a spouse visa.

Assuming all the conditions are met, the forms are completed accurately and honestly, all documents are above board, accommodation is lined up, and either the French national, or you, or both of you, demonstrably have the means to support yourselves in France, then there is very unlikely to be a problem.

 

[Bevdeforges]

Although technically Frogblogger is correct, you may do yourself a favor if you use the question as an entré to mention any sort of "higher qualifications" you have when it comes to looking for work. The French do respect academic qualifications - so if you're a doctor or a lawyer or have an MBA or something else that puts you up a notch on the job hunting food chain, do make sure they know about it. (Chances are they are going to ask you about your educational background anyhow.)

Unless there is something suspect in your background, there shouldn't be any problem in granting the spousal visa.
Cheers,
Bev

 

[texasdeez]

I had my interview, which wasn't much of an interview. They didn't seem to be too impressed that I spoke french. They were polite and cordial and said everything was ok and that I would have my visa in 10 days. Now, the waiting...

 

[Bevdeforges]

I had my interview, which wasn't much of an interview. They didn't seem to be too impressed that I spoke french. They were polite and cordial and said everything was ok and that I would have my visa in 10 days. Now, the waiting...

That's the "sang-froid" the fonctionnaires always put on for the public... The fact that you spoke French with them probably saved you any sort of "discussion" about having to take French classes once you get to France.

Sounds good. Now the wait begins.
Cheers,
Bev

 

[texasdeez]

Hello again. I've received my visa today! I had my interview on the 24th of November and received it on the 4th of December. The woman at the consulate said I would have my visa in 10 days and in 10 days I had my visa! It's a long-term spousal visa.

I'm really excited to move to France. My wife is already looking for apartments in Millau. My visa begins on the 20th of December, which was my original departure date. My schedule has changed and it's possible for me to leave within the week. Will they allow me to enter the country before the 20th?

Cheerios,

Texas

 

[Bevdeforges]

Hello again. I've received my visa today! I had my interview on the 24th of November and received it on the 4th of December. The woman at the consulate said I would have my visa in 10 days and in 10 days I had my visa! It's a long-term spousal visa.

I'm really excited to move to France. My wife is already looking for apartments in Millau. My visa begins on the 20th of December, which was my original departure date. My schedule has changed and it's possible for me to leave within the week. Will they allow me to enter the country before the 20th?

Cheerios,

Texas

Congratulations. On the matter of timing, you're on a roll so far. I wouldn't chance it by pushing the envelope and entering early. Maybe take a few days in London beforehand and enter (or re-enter) on the 20th so that your visa gets stamped with a valid date.
Cheers,
Bev

 

[texasdeez]

Congratulations. On the matter of timing, you're on a roll so far. I wouldn't chance it by pushing the envelope and entering early. Maybe take a few days in London beforehand and enter (or re-enter) on the 20th so that your visa gets stamped with a valid date.
Cheers,
Bev

So I could go into France on a Schengen visa and then go to the UK and then come back to get my french visa stamped? That's it, isn't it? Thanks a lot for your support and assistance.

 

[Bevdeforges]

So I could go into France on a Schengen visa and then go to the UK and then come back to get my french visa stamped? That's it, isn't it? Thanks a lot for your support and assistance.

That would probably work. If they asked you about the visa in your passport on entry to France, you'd just have to tell them that you're not planning on staying, but will be back after the effective date of the visa.

Just be careful on re-entering France from the UK or any other European country. They often don't have anyone around to check passports, so you may have to hunt around for someone to stamp your passport when you need it! If all else fails, go to the gendarmerie closest to where you are settling within your first few days in the country on your visa and ask them to validate your passport. They used to do this a few years back - if they don't do it anymore, they'll probably send you to the prefecture or someplace similar. But you do need to have that stamp from the date which you are entering the country "with the intention of staying for the long term." (That's what caused me all my trouble way back when.)
Cheers,
Bev

 

[texasdeez]

That would probably work. If they asked you about the visa in your passport on entry to France, you'd just have to tell them that you're not planning on staying, but will be back after the effective date of the visa.

Just be careful on re-entering France from the UK or any other European country. They often don't have anyone around to check passports, so you may have to hunt around for someone to stamp your passport when you need it! If all else fails, go to the gendarmerie closest to where you are settling within your first few days in the country on your visa and ask them to validate your passport. They used to do this a few years back - if they don't do it anymore, they'll probably send you to the prefecture or someplace similar. But you do need to have that stamp from the date which you are entering the country "with the intention of staying for the long term." (That's what caused me all my trouble way back when.)
Cheers,
Bev

jSo they will actually stamp my visa upon arrival? I thought I read somewhere that I had to go to the prefecture to get my visa 'activated' if you will. You got into trouble for not getting a long-term visa validated? How did that work out?

Cheerios

D

 

[Bevdeforges]

jSo they will actually stamp my visa upon arrival? I thought I read somewhere that I had to go to the prefecture to get my visa 'activated' if you will. You got into trouble for not getting a long-term visa validated? How did that work out?

Cheerios

D

Actually, I didn't have a visa at all. But what they were on my case about was that I had entered the country "with the intent of remaining for the long term" without having presented myself to the border authority to have my passport stamped. What happened was that I entered France from Germany (where I had been living) in the early days of Schengen - so there was no one at the border station where I just drove right on in.

A year or two after all that, while I was having all my trouble with the immigration people, they published a procedure that said you should present yourself to the local gendarmerie to declare your presence in France and get your passport stamped with your date of entry (or, I expect, the date of making your "declaration"). But for me it was too late, since I'd turned in my paperwork for a carte de séjour but couldn't show from my passport when I had entered the country.

The procedures have changed a couple zillion times since then, so it's very possible that you may wind up having your visa validated these days by the prefecture rather than on entry.
Cheers,
Bev

 

[texasdeez]

Thanks for sharing, Bev. So I'm ready to book my flight. I've found an amazing deal from Austin, TX to Toulouse for $487 that arrives on the 15th. If I get stamped as a tourist, it should be acceptable to leave the Schengen and come back in after the 20th to get my visa validated?

Has anyone out there arrived in France recently on a long-term spousal visa? When and how was it validated? Thanks a lot!

 

[texasdeez]

Hello... I have arrived in France on my visa!! It feels really good to be here. I am living in Millau and it is super beautiful here. I am beginning the process with the OFII now. I have talked to the prefecture in Rodez and they are sending me some information. My question for you is this...was I supposed to get the OFII paper back from the Houston embqssy? I gave them one and never got it back. Hqs anyone gone through this process? Also how does the process to get permission to work go from here? Thanks a lot

Bonne fetes!!

Deez