Expat Community > France

cecilemarie
Joined 2014
Posts: 41

Long Term Stay Visa

6 years ago

Our visa was just approved! This was the next step of many in moving to France. The advice we found on blogs, boards like this one, and the information I got from the Renestance seminar back in March. We were completely prepared, or so we thought. Like most people we had some surprises. On the VFS website they list the required documents but that list is not complete nor accurate. Hence the need to over-prepare. They took copies rather than any originals and the fingerprints and photos we paid for in advance were not accepted since they use their own systems performed at their office as part of the application process. We went to the Miami office. The people were really nice. We did not have a written document stating our reason for wanting to move to France and they gave us pieces of blank paper and the suggestion we state something like "I want to drink great wine, eat great food, and have a good time". Seriously - that is what they said. We added a bit more of course!

When we arrived the security guard would not let us in until we assured them we had all required documents. They handed us a list of documents and told us to sit down and assemble them in that order before we could submit our applications. That list differed from the online list and order so we followed their instructions.

We realized they did not want some documents we knew MUST be submitted. My husband forced them to accept his but I did not and had to follow up by sending them as attachments to an email. To avoid paying duty on our personal items being shipped we had to have a "Change de Residence" form approved for instance.

Several days after we applied we received an email stating our insurance was not adequate and we were missing a document. (they told my husband they did not need one document we had with us). I got on the phone with Insubuy and got the health insurance corrected. In less than one hour the documentation was ready and available as PDF files we were able to send by return email to the consulate. Insubuy is a fantastic company and I highly recommend them to all Americans. (We had issues with British health insurance coverage and ability to get the required documentation in time).

Our Passports with the visas inserted arrived exactly 2 weeks after we applied. They are beautiful.

We head to France the middle of January and the visas are good for one year from May 2019 to May 2020. This gives us another 3 months yee ha!

Within a week of arriving we will get our OFII app submitted so we can make it official.

Enough for this post! More later on furniture shipment and how we are taking 4 pets with us.

Cecile Marie

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