Time has flown by here in France, and I am quickly approaching my three month mark. Technically, I am at two and half months. With that milestone in sight I wanted to start the process of applying for a Carte Vitale to register for the French Health Insurance. Individuals with a French passport are eligible after three months of living in the country which brings me to a French Visa dilemma.
To navigate the process more smoothly, I reached out to a relocation specialist who offers a la carte services. In my initial email, I introduced myself and requested assistance. Their response caught me off guard despite holding both passports, U.S. and French, I would still need a long-term stay visa. I hadn’t realized this was required and let them know I did not have one. They stated that to apply for a LTSV usually takes 2 to 3 months, as I should have done that before I left for France.
Searching For Answers For My French Visa Dilemma
As it was the week of Christmas many legal and government offices were closed for the holidays leaving me without an immediate way to get clarification. As my three months were approaching in mid -January, in less than a month did I have to leave the country? A quick dive into the consequences of overstaying in France made my stomach drop. A fine of $10,000 and a possible 10 year ban from returning. It all became so overwhelming.
I left a message for a lawyer specializing in Visas, but like many others, their office was also closed for the holidays. Traveling with two dogs only added another layer of complexity. Pet friendly flights to the U.S. are limited, one pet travel jet per month. Feeling the pressure, I searched online and found a legal advice hotline. The lawyer I spoke with confirmed my fears. I did need to leave by the three-month mark, as obtaining a long term visa would take at least two months.
ZUT! DAMN!
Is It Time To Go Already?
I’d have to figure out how to leave on time, but I was now in a tough spot, because of the flight schedules I might overstay by a day. I had never been in a situation like this before, where there was a real risk. I wouldn’t be allowed back. Yikes! Pivoting quickly I booked a mid-January pet flight back to New York and suddenly had a countdown clock ticking.
Everything changed! I had to leave my Airbnb two weeks early. Over the weeks I’d stocked up on long term essentials, big bottles of laundry detergent, dog food and other cooking and household supplies that now needed to be dealt with. I also had to map out my route from Annecy to Paris. That is where my flight was departing from, all the while managing luggage and my dogs.
The next two weeks were a whirlwind of planning and packing. After exhaustive research, I settled on taking the TGV (the high speed train) from Annecy to Paris for 88 Euros and a 4 hour ride. I briefly considered a pet taxi but at 1,200 Euros that was an easy, no thank you. Also, driving myself particularly around the city of Paris seemed a bit daunting as well at this time, it would be a six hour drive not including traffic. The train was more hands on but was worth the savings and less stress.
Now all that was left was to get moving. Every detail needed to be mapped out, packing the AIrbnb early, making sure the dogs had the necessary documents to fly back, and navigating the logistics of getting from Annecy to Paris. It all felt like a high stakes puzzle.
Legal Expertise
At the beginning of the New Year I received a response back from the lawyer I had contacted. She emphatically told me that I did not need a visa as I have a French passport. Good to know but I was unable to change my plans. I could not get a refund for the plane ticket. So off we go! Good -bye Annecy! Hope to see you again
What I have learned from all of this is that I highly recommend thoroughly researching a country’s visa policy before traveling to avoid your own French visa dilemma. It was quite a learning curve for me. Here is the French Visa website. I hope that sharing my experience may help someone avoid this situation.
The next post will describe how the dogs and I managed on the train, the hotel in Paris and then finally on the plane back. Stay tuned.
Thanks for being here,
-Soraya
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