Visas

Some of you have asked me to explain how the visa process works for long stay access to France so here goes.   Perhaps you too have your own European adventure being dreamed about……Bear in mind I have been figuring this out as I go, and there’s been some stumbles, including the fact that I somehow created two applications (!), so I am far from an expert. 

France is part of the Schengen Area of Europe, meaning along with 26 other European countries they are signatory to an agreement allowing easy access between countries.  If you enter one you have access to the others.  For example, when I came to France last year and then went to Portugal, because I was entering one Schengen country from another there was no border control at all.  No customs, no passport clearance.  Easy peasy.  You can stay in one country, or a combination of countries for 90 days every 180 days.  In other words I can stay here for three months, then have to leave the Schengen group of countries altogether, and can return after being away for 90 days.  3 months in, then 3 months out. 

This is my 3rd round in and out; the first was a combination of leave and vacation in the last months of 2021 while the 2nd and 3rd I have been fully in the intoxicating world of what I think of as holiday retirement.

What I want to get is a long stay visa, one that will allow me to stay for up to a year, and that is renewable from within France for an additional year.  And again after that.  One year at a time I could renew my ability to stay here.  There’s been operator errors on my end trying to get a visa interview but I think I have the code cracked and am aiming for one in May at the French consulate in Toronto.  I think I have a good shot at it; I will have to show proof of income and the ability to support myself financially and that I have health insurance.  I hope it works in my favour too that Emily and Nina are here so under ‘family reunification’ the authorities give me a green light.  And if they do it should be within a few weeks of my interview that I would be able to return with the intent of settling more into this country I have come to love.   Don’t worry; you will be on this journey with me!!

Besides helping me really settle into France, getting a home or a long term apartment, having a visa would open the door to my traveling more in Europe.  After all, as it stands now, if I can only stay for 13 weeks I really am reluctant to leave Emily and Co for very long.  And there are more hikes in different countries that I want to do.  Or not even necessarily a different Schengen country; I don’t even want to stray too far from where I am now in France knowing that my time here is limited.  I was  midway through planning a trip to Iceland last fall when I suddenly thought ‘Wait!  Is this a Schengen country?’ and sure enough it is so I was unable to go there as I was in my 90 days out stage.   Ugh. 

That’s a little bit of information on accessing a visa to stay in Europe.  If you have any other questions please send me a comment and I will do my best to answer them.  You maybe understand better my sadness at leaving here on Friday; it’s because I have no choice.  I hope those limited stay days are numbered for me and as 2023 rolls along my status changes and there will be no more forced goodbyes.

A bientot!  Xo

PS: usually I leave Em and Co at suppertime through the week so they have their own family time.  But this being my last week here means I have been spending, and plan to spend, more time at their house.  When Nina napped this weekend, and went to bed at night, Em and I have been watching the NF doc Making a Murderer.  Although I watched the whole thing when it came out in 2015, Em was living in Australia at the time so missed all the buzz and is watching it for the first time.  I am as intrigued this time around as I was when I binged it the first time. 

And I have also discovered that the street lights don’t stay on all night through the week.  And as much as I enjoy a good late night pedal, let me tell you in the darkness of the French, clouded sky countryside with my dim headlamp for feeble guidance, it feels like a somewhat dodgy journey.  Nothing like a little adrenaline rush before tumbling in the house for bed!