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President's Council

Immigration and Visas to France

Visa Requirements

US citizens planning to enter and visit France as tourists do not require a visa, and are permitted to remain in the country a maximum of 3 months (90 days). Americans planning to stay in France for more than 3 months, or for purposes other than tourism, must have a long-stay visa (visa de long séjour) in their passports on arrival in France. They must apply for the appropriate long-stay visa issued in the US at the French Consulate having jurisdiction where they reside. It is not possible for an American to come to France as a tourist and then change his/her status to that of a worker, a student or a resident. The French authorities will require such individuals to return to the US to apply for the appropriate visa. Bearers of long-stay visas must apply for a Carte de séjour within a week of their arrival.

A visa applicant will be required to submit an application form accompanied by supporting documents: a valid passport, several passport-type photographs and proof that the applicant can financially support himself and any dependents who may accompany him during his stay in France. Proof of medical insurance with coverage in France is often a prerequisite for issuance of a visa. In some cases, a police clearance record is required. Any applicant less than 18 years old will have to present a written authorization from his parents or guardian. Fees are charged for the issuance of all French visas.

Proof of Financial Resources

Proof of financial resources or support can take the form of: bank statements; formal letters of reference from the applicant’s bank showing account numbers and balances or recent bank, savings or brokerage account statements; a notarized letter from the sponsor stating that he/she will be responsible for all expenses and proof of his/her financial means; letters from family or friends guaranteeing regular support or a certificat d'hébergement from a French family or friends with whom the applicant will be staying in France. Persons wishing to retire in France, should provide proof of sufficient income: pensions, dividends, savings; bank and brokerage account statements. Such letters and documents should be notarized. Students may submit a letter from a study abroad program guaranteeing board and lodging, evidence of a fellowship or scholarship or, if a veteran, a Certificate of Eligibility from the Veterans Administration.

Students

In addition to the basic requirements cited above, a student is required to obtain a letter of admission from the French university or school (attestation de pré-inscription) if registering for the first time, or other evidence of registration (certificat d'inscription or autorisation d'inscription,) depending on the level and type of studies. The French cultural affairs officer in the French Embassy, who may also examine the applicant’s academic credentials before the student visa can be issued, normally reviews the letter of admission or registration. The applicant will also need a medical examinations.

Persons Seeking Employment

In addition to the basic requirements, an American who wishes to work in France needs a work contract approved by the French Ministry of Labor. This means that the French employer is required to present the signed contract to the Ministry with a request for its approval. If and when the Ministry has approved the contract, it is forwarded to the Organization for International Migrations (O.M.I.), 44, rue Bargue, 75732 Paris, tel: 01.53.69.53.70, for transmission to the appropriate French Consulate in the U.S. The O.M.I. charges the employer a fee for this service. The French Consulate will notify the American who can then proceed with visa formalities. A medical examination is required (within the last three months and usually by a doctor on a list prepared by the French Consulate); the visa applicant is expected to pay the fee. For complete information on obtaining French visas, please consult: www.consulfrance-washington.org or www.ambafrance-us.org

French Consulates in the US

Washington DC
French Embassy, Consular Services
4101 Reservoir Road NW - Washington DC 20007
Tel : (202) 944 6195
Fax: (202) 944 6148
Website for the Embassy: (http://www.ambafrance-us.org/)
Website for the Consular Section: (http://www.consulfrance-washington.org)
District of Columbia, Delaware, Maryland, Pennsylvania, Virginia & West Virginia

Atlanta
Prominence in Buckhead - Suite 1840 - 3475 Piedmont Road, NE – Atlanta, GA 30305
Tel : (404) 495 1660
Fax: (404) 495 1661
Website: (http://www.consulfrance-atlanta.org)
Alabama, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia & Tennessee

Boston
Park Square Building, Suite 750, 31 Saint James Avenue, Boston, MA 02116
Tel : (617) 542 7374
Fax: (617) 542 8054
Website: (http://www.consulfrance-boston.org)
Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Rhode Island & Vermont

Chicago
205 North Michigan Avenue - Suite 3700 – Chicago, IL 60601
Tel : (312) 327 5200
Fax: (312) 327 5201
Website: (http://www.consulfrance-chicago.org)
E-mail: contact@consulfrance-chicago.org
Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, North Dakota, Ohio, South Dakota, Nebraska & Wisconsin

Houston
777 Post Oak Boulevard - Suite 600 – Houston, TX 77056
Tel : (713) 572 2799
Fax: (713) 572 2911
Website: (http://www.consulfrance-houston.org)
Arkansas, Oklahoma & Texas

Los Angeles
10990 Wilshire Boulevard - Suite 300 - Los Angeles, CA 90024
Tel : (310) 235 3200 / 01
Fax: (310) 312 0704
Website: (http://www.consulfrance-losangeles.org)
Arizona, Colorado, New Mexico.
California counties of Imperial/Inyo/Kern/Kings/Los Angeles/Mono/Orange/Riverside/San Bernardino/San Diego/San Luis Obispo/Santa Barbara & Ventura. Nevada counties of Clark/Esmeralda/Lincoln/Mineral/ Nye

Miami
Esprito Santo Plaza, 1395 Brickell Avenue, Suite 1050, Miami FL 33131
Tel : (305) 403 4150
Fax: (305) 403 4151
Website: (http://www.consulfrance-miami.org)
Florida, Puerto Rico, Virgin Islands

New Orleans
1340 Poydras Street - Suite 1710 - New Orleans, LA 70112
Tel : (504) 523 5772 through 74
Fax: (504) 523 5725
Website: (http://www.consulfrance-nouvelleorleans.org)
Louisiana

New York
934 Fifth Avenue – New York, NY 10021
Tel : (212) 606 3600
Fax: (212) 606 3620
Website: (http://www.consulfrance-newyork.org)
Connecticut, New Jersey & New York

San Francisco
Bush Street - San Francisco CA 94108
Tel : (415) 397 4330 (415) 362 2948
Fax: (415) 433 8357
Website: (http://www.consulfrance-sanfrancisco.org)

Alaska, California & Nevada (except LA consular district), Idaho, Montana, Oregon, Utah, Washington & Wyoming, Hawaii & the Pacific Islands under the jurisdiction of the United States:

France also maintains a consular agent or an honorary consul in many cities in the United States. Their addresses can be obtained from the appropriate French Consulate. They can perform some consular services but do not issue visas.

Complete information on the French Consulates in the U.S. may be found on the following website page: http://www.ambafrance-us.org/spip.php?article330

Residence Permits (Cartes de Séjours)

For complete information, please consult the prefecture de police website.
Students please refer to the following website.

The French authorities issue three main types of residence permits to foreigners, depending on their status. A U.S. citizen who wants to reside and work in France receives one of the following documents:

- carte de séjour temporaire or carte de séjour temporaire salarié

- carte de résident

- carte de séjour mention visiteur (for retired persons and most spouses of salaried temporary residents)

Cartes de séjour are issued to individuals 18 years of age and older. Parents of children below the age of 18 should obtain a visa de long séjour for their children before coming to France. Most Americans coming to France for stays of more than three months are issued a carte de séjour temporaire. This card is valid for up to one year. There is no fee for the initial carte de séjour. If the French authorities decline to renew a carte de séjour temporaire, the bearer must leave France before his initial residence permit expires.

A carte de séjour temporaire salarié: is valid for 1 year maximum, with the annotation salarié or showing the specific professional activity under which the contract was approved, as well as the French department(s) in which the bearer can be employed. This type of card can be renewed two months before the expiration date and upon presentation of a new work contract in case place of employment change. After five years of continuous residence in France, the bearer may request a carte de résident, which is valid 10 years. Please remember that issuance of the 10-year carte de résident is not automatic. The authorities at the préfecture will review the application to determine whether or not the applicant may receive this special residence permit.

The carte de résident is issued to foreigners who have the intention of becoming French residents. It is valid for ten years and renewable if the holder can prove that he/she either is exercising a profession in France or has sufficient means to support himself/herself financially without being employed in France. Applicants may obtain this card only under certain conditions. A medical examination is usually required and specific questions concerning French language skills and general knowledge of French culture may be asked. In order to qualify for a 10 year-card, the foreigner must show proof that he has lived in France for at least five consecutive years.
The carte de séjour mention visiteur, issued for retired persons (and most spouses). It allows you to remain in France, but not to work.

Retiring in France

In order to stay in France after you retire, you must prove three things:

1) You must prove that you have the financial means to live in France without working; i.e., your pension must be sufficient ;

2) You must demonstrate that you have comprehensive health insurance coverage that is valid in France. (You may be able to continue your current health insurance or you may need to buy a new health insurance policy either in France or from the US.);

3) You must demonstrate that you have a place to live in France.

When you make your application to reside in France, you should explain your reasons for wanting to stay in France. If your application is approved, you will be granted a carte de séjour mention visiteur, which allows you to remain in France but not to work. The carte de séjour can be renewed indefinitely, on an annual basis, as long as you present proof that you have adhered to the requirements.

Getting permission to work is more difficult. It depends on the type of work you want to do. The Government of France may not approve any request for a job paying less than 3,700 euros a month (gross) unless your specialty is in great demand in France. If your request is granted, you should get a carte de séjour mention salarié.

How to Apply for a Carte de Séjours in Paris

Americans arriving in France with the appropriate long-stay visa and planning to live in Paris, should, within eight days of arrival, go to the appropriate Centre de Réception des Etrangers with their passport and visa to apply for a carte de séjour. Exception: all American students have a maximum of 30 days and must follow a separate procedure. Each applicant will proceed to the Centre des Etrangers that corresponds to his/her local address of residence. The applicant will be asked to fill out a questionnaire and provide a local address. The applicant will immediately be given an appointment notice (convocation) with the Préfecture de Police, stating the date, time and location of the office at which the applicant should appear. This date is usually fixed 2 to 12 weeks later, depending on the number of pending applications. Do not forget to bring the appointment notice to this meeting.

Required Documents:

To apply for a carte de séjour, the following basic documents must be submitted (others may be required in individual cases). Please see the following website for more information.

- Valid passport including long-stay visa (with a photocopy of the title page-photo, name, date and place of birth, validity and French visa page);

- Birth certificate;

- Three (3) identity photographs (3.5 cm x 4.5 cm);

- Proof of financial resources (applicable in all cases);

- A medical certificate issued by the O.M.I. (Office des Migrations Internationales);

- Proof of residence.

For an au-pair:

A contract approved by French Ministry of Labor, and pre-registration form or letter of admission into school.

For holders of a work permit and work visa the applicant must submit:

the employment contract approved by the Services de la main d’Oeuvre Etrangère, 127 boulevard de la Villette, Paris 75010 – Tel: 01 44 84 42 86 – Métro: Jaurès or Stalingrad open from 9:30 a.m. – 12:00 a.m. from Monday to Thursday. Phone calls are taken from Monday to Friday between 2:00 p.m. until 4:30p.m.

If it is not possible to issue the carte de séjour immediately, the applicant will be given a temporary authorization récipissé de demande de carte de séjour which is valid for up to 3 months, and may be used as evidence that an application has been made for a residence permit. The applicant should carry it until he/she received his/her permanent carte de séjour.

Students, please see the “Education” section of the this site.

Reception Center for Foreigners

First Applications for Residence Cards in Paris (Centres de Réception des Etrangers):

These reception centers located at the Hôtel de Police at each location below are part of the Préfecture de Police of Paris and are open from 9:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Monday to Thursday, and 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. on Friday; they are not open on French holidays. Students see entry 3 below.

1) If you live in the any arrondissement except the 11th - 14th or 19th and 20th.
Centre de Réception des Etrangers
Hôtel de Police
19/21, rue Truffaut
75017 Paris
Métro: Place Clichy or La Fourche
Tel: 08 91 01 22 22

2) If you live in the the 11-14th, 19th and 20th arrondissements:
Centre de Réception des Etrangers du 14e
Hotel de Police
114/116 avenue du Maine
75014 Paris
Métro: Gaité or Montparnasse or buses 28, 58 or 91
Tel: 08 91 01 22 22

For Students only :
Call tel. 08 21 00 19 75 (toll call) for information in English and French and see following :
17, boulevard Jourdan,
75014 Paris
Métro Cité Université; RER line B
Open Monday to Thursday from 8:35 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., and Friday from 8:35 a.m.to 4:00 p.m.
As of September 11, 2006 students renewing their residence cards must do so by appointment only.

How to apply for a carte de séjour outside of Paris

Americans who live outside of Paris should inquire at their local police station or at the Mairie (town hall) about procedures for obtaining a carte de séjour. In some departments, the préfectures have delegated the authority to process such applications to local officials. In others, the American may have to apply at the Direction de la Réglementation of the Préfecture or the nearest Sous-Préfecture.

Change of Address

If the holder of a residence permit moves within Paris, he/she must inform the police at the “commissariat de quartier” having jurisdiction over his/her new place of residence. He/she must present: a photocopy of the passport; a copy of current residence card; three recent photos; an electricity bill or quittance de loyer (rental receipt). This is especially important if the resident is in the process of renewing his/her carte de séjour as the Préfecture de Police will not approve the application unless the change of address has been recorded by the local police in the appropriate space on the card. If one is moving from another area of France to Paris please call 01 53 21 25 50, 01 53 71 53 71, or 01 53 73 53 73 to make an appointment to register a change of address. You also have the option of taking your appointment online at the following website.

Renewal of Residence Permits and Obtaining Copies

To renew a carte de séjour or obtain a copy of a current card, the holder should call 01 53 21 25 50 to schedule an appointment or refer to the following website to schedule an appointment online.

Renewal of certain categories of Residence Permits for residents of Paris only, may now also be done by mail:

- One-year residence permits for those who are visiting or working in France (cartes de séjour temporaire or cartes de séjour temporaire salarié);

- For renewal of a 10 year residence permit (cartes de resident);

- For renewal of first carte de séjour if one is employed in France and introduced by the Office des Migrations Internationales;

In order to obtain your renewal application request by email, write to:
prefpol.dpg-7eb-cellule-postale@interieur.gouv.fr
or send a letter to:

La Préfecture de Police - Police Générale
7ème bureau - Cellule postale
9, Boulevard du Palais
75195 Paris Cedex 04

Indicate your name, your address, date of birth and your current residence permit number (you may also provide a photocopy of your permit.) Upon receipt of your request, the Préfecture will send you the following:

1. an application form with a list of documents that you will need to provide

2. an appointment slip needed to pick up your resident permit once it is ready

Before sending in your application form, verify that it is signed and that you have included all the photocopies of the required documents. Note: you will have to provide the original documents when you pick up your new residence permit.

For further information on the renewal by mail process you may call tel. 01 58 80 80 58 (Monday through Friday from 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.)

The most acceptable proof of financial resources is a statement from the applicant's French bank showing account number and amount or a letter from the French bank certifying that the applicant's account is regularly credited with a specified amount from a US or other external source. For proof of financial resources, students or others who will not be employed can present a notarized letter from his/her parents (it must be accompanied by a French translation,) stating that the parents guarantee to support their son or daughter at a specified rate per month. Distant relatives and friends can also make such statements, but the basis of the relationship and the support must be explained.

For more information on residence permits (in French) contact the Central Office of the Préfecture de Police in Paris:
Préfecture de Police,
Service des Etrangers,
1 rue de Lutèce (Place Louis Lépine),
75195 Paris RP (4ème)
Métro : Cité
Tel : 01-53 71 53 71 or 01 53 73 53 73
Information line : 01 53 71 51 68 (Monday to Friday from 9:00 am to 4:00 pm)
Website : http://www.prefecturedepolice.interieur.gouv.fr/

Website for students : http://www.prefecturedepolice.interieur.gouv.fr/Vos-demarches/Services-en-ligne/Prises-de-rendez-vous/Titres-de-sejour-etudiants-etrangers

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AmCham France is not open to the public. Please call to make an appointment if you would like to come by.

EurActiv.fr

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19 Jun 2013

Immigration and Visas to France