How to Renew a Long Stay Visa (Visitor) in France
Culture Travel may earn a commission through links on this website. As an Amazon Associate, we earn from qualifying purchases.
If you intend to stay in France as a visitor beyond your initial time period, it’s necessary to renew your visa with the French authorities!
This post applies to people who are current holders of a Long Stay Visa in France. You must have already validated your visa online after moving to France and completed the required medical exam at the OFII.
I’ll be describing my experience renewing my visa in Paris, but the post is relevant to anyone who lives in France on this visa!
If this is your first renewal, it means you’ll be switching to the physical Carte de Séjour once this process is complete. It’s an actual card that is separate from your passport. Keep in mind that “Titre de Séjour” and “Carte de Séjour” are interchangeable in French.
Update: Renew Online
2022 Update: Since writing this post, the process to renew a carte de séjour in France has changed. Now, in order to renew a titre de séjour in France, you must visit the Ministry of the Interior website and click “Je demande ou renouvelle un titre de séjour.”
You can change the language setting at the top of the page if you don’t yet speak French.
The website will walk you through the steps you need to complete in order to renew your visa online. You can fill in forms and upload documents directly online. You can even stop halfway through, save your progress, and come back to where you left off later on.
To submit a photo, you’ll have to visit one of the many Photomaton kiosks around Paris to submit an ePhoto using a number. They are usually found in metro stations and at the local town hall.
Once your renewal request is submitted, you’ll receive a PDF document titled “Confirmation du Depot” as proof that you have submitted your renewal.
At that point, you wait to have news from the Préfecture!
Here is the timeline of my French visa renewal this year:
- August 21: I submitted all my renewal documents online and received a “Confirmation de dépôt” PDF document by email stating my application was processing, but travel was not authorized through Schengen borders.
- August 29: I received an email stating I had a notification which was an “ATTESTATION DE DÉCISION FAVORABLE SUR UNE DEMANDE DE RENOUVELLEMENT DE TITRE DE SÉJOUR” PDF document, presumably replacing the récipissé we used to get. This document stated I had the right to residency in France and the ability to travel.
- September 26: I received a text message saying my visa was available for pickup.
- September (x): I used the Préfecture website to book a titre de séjour pickup appointment. Click the link that says “Prendre rendez-vous en ligne en cliquant ici.” The earliest appointment was on November 28. I checked again the next day and luckily someone had canceled their appointment so I got an appointment for much sooner! Keep checking every morning for cancellations. Pay the tax online before going. The documents to bring include: valid passport or the attestation de dépôt de demande, the old titre de séjour, and in the case of theft, a police declaration stating so. Bring the QR code to prove you paid the tax.
I showed my convocation on my phone at the appointment. The tax to pay went up quite considerably this year to 405€!
Old Process: Renew In-Person
Some Prefectures in France still require residents to renew their long-stay visas in person. Here is the process to do so!
1. Make the Appointment
You must make an appointment to renew within two months before the expiration of your current valid visa with your local Prefecture. Don’t worry if the actual appointment is after the expiration date of your visa, as long as you confirm the appointment within the two-month time frame, you’ll be ok.
If you live in Paris, to renew your visitor visa, you need to visit this page and enter some information. If you have another type of visa, this page on the Préfecture website is where you’ll find the right link to make an appointment.
The “N° de votre titre de séjour” section can be misleading. If you have a full-page visa sticker in your passport, that’s not the number you need to enter. The actual number is found on the paper document you received after validating your long-stay visa online and paying the timbre fee. It typically begins with 99. The other information should be straightforward.
On the next page, you’ll simply pick a time slot and confirm it. Be sure to download the “Convocation” PDF that will be generated – you’ll need to bring this with you on the day of your appointment!
If your renewal appointment date falls after your visa expiration date, then it’s wise to get a récipissé (receipt) from the Préfecture to keep you legal during the time in between.
2. Prepare the Documents
The Préfecture will also provide you with a list of documents you need to bring with you to the appointment. It’s likely that more than what is on there will be required.
Here is what I brought and what was required during my French visa renewal appointment. Keep in mind you need to bring the original plus one copy of each document. Any English documents need to be translated into French by a certified court translator, a traducteur assermenté, which I’ll explain how to do.
Items
Here are the physical items to bring:
- Passport and/or Carte de Séjour
- 3 photographs (I got these taken at one of the many official photo machines you can find in different Paris metro stations. These cost 5€ each.)
- A black ink pen
Paper Documents
Here are the paper documents to prepare:
Health Insurance
Proof of health insurance is required, just like it was during the initial long-stay visa application. I went with the Schengen Multi Trip plan from AXA which covers all medical expenses up to 100,000€. It costs 298€ per year. You receive a document certifying you are covered immediately after signing up online. I recommend doing this in French (you can change the language at the top) so that you receive the certificate in French and you don’t have to pay to have it translated.
Financial Resources
You must show proof of either monthly income greater than the SMIC (French national minimum wage), or the equivalent of 12 months SMIC in a savings account. Do a Google search for “SMIC France” to see the latest figures. During my most recent visa renewal, the figure cited was 1231€ available per month to live in France.
You can have this money in a foreign or French bank account. I have heard that the French authorities like to see you have opened a bank account in France as well, even though it’s not stated as obligatory. I have the vast majority of my money in a US bank account, and only a few thousand in a French account to pay my rent, and this was acceptable. I submitted 3 months of translated US bank statements and one month of my French bank statement.
Passport Copy
You need to scan your passport with ALL entry/exit stamps and your original visa. You must make a copy of your passport and include the main identification page, your stamped visa page, and any other small stamped visa pages you currently have.
To save paper, I put four passport pages on one sheet of A4 paper. If you don’t have a scanner, then I recommend the app Scannable. I held up my passport pages to a window in my apartment with one hand took the scan using that app through the other side of the window!
Birth Certificate
I had originally ordered a long-form birth certificate with Apostille from my state’s Vital Records department. I later read that a traditional short-form birth certificate was acceptable. I am happy I got the long-form though because with French bureaucracy, it’s best not to risk it! In any case, you need to have this document professionally translated into French if it’s in another language.
Proof of Address
Proof of address, or justificatif de domicile, is a common request when it comes to French administration. For this requirement, an electricity bill or Quittance de Loyer from your landlord is sufficient. In my case, I moved about one week before my appointment so I brought a Quittance de Loyer and a document from my electricity company saying that I had signed a contract with them at my address. It seems like one or the other would be sufficient but both were taken at my appointment.
Statement to not work
Just like on the original application, you need to handwrite a statement saying you will not exercise professional activity in France. I used this template to write the following sentence:
Je soussignée (my name), demeurant à (my address), atteste sur l’honneur que je n’exerce aucun activité professionnelle en France.
OFII Medical Visit Certificate
I kept the printed copy of the OFII Medical Visit certification that I was given by OFII several months back and brought this along with me.
Extra
Here is what I brought just in case, but it actually was not required:
- Home Insurance: Called Assurance d’Habitation, this is a requirement to have in France. I heard from several people that this was required, but they did not ask me for it, and refused it even after I volunteered it! I honestly would bring proof of this just in case if I were you.
- Apartment Lease: I brought a copy of my lease as I had just moved apartments a week prior, but this was not needed.
3. Get Foreign Documents Translated
While it was ok to submit some documents in English to the Consulate in America, once you’re in France, everything must be in French!
But here’s the thing about getting things translated in France: it isn’t as simple as calling up your friend who’s obsessed with French grammar and asking them to translate for you. Like just about everything in France, there is an official government organization dedicated to certifying official translators, known as traducteurs assermentés. They are certified by the Court of Appeals, or Cours d’Appels.
Here are two sites that will be helpful in your search for a certified English to French translator:
Of course, translators certified by the French courts charge a premium for their services as they know that people are required to use them. It’s just part of the joys of a big government system!
Translating documents from English to French will run you about 50€ per page. That means a few pages of documents can quickly add up to a hefty invoice. If you look around, you can find translation quotes for around 30€ per page.
Personally, I messed this part up a little bit for my situation. When I originally looked at booking my renewal appointment, there were many slots available in July and August, so I sent in my June bank statement to be translated. After just one week, all those appointments were taken and the next available appointment was not until September!
(Side note: definitely book your appointment before sending documents to get translated. That seems obvious but I was actually waiting for my birth certificate in the mail at the time and wanted to wait until I had that physically in hand before making my visa renewal appointment.)
So since I had already paid for the June statement translation, I used the same format and translations the “official” translator used to translate my July and August bank statements. I have a design program on my computer so this was relatively easy for me to do. It’s just a little risky because there is a very official stamp on each page that has been translated by a traducteur assermenté and obviously I couldn’t have this stamp on my personal translations.
But I decided to try it anyway. I figured that because the officially translated June statement was within the last 3 months (the time limit for many French documents), it might be ok. I had no idea if this would be acceptable and luckily it was!
So all in all, I paid about 30€ for the birth certificate translation and 100€ for two pages of bank statement translations.
4. Go to the Renewal Appointment
Once my paperwork was in order, it was time for the actual renewal appointment!
My rendezvous was scheduled for 11:45 am on a Tuesday. I arrived at 11:15am to the Paris Préfecture de Police on Île de la Cité. I walked to the building but you can also take the Paris metro line 4 and get off at the Cité stop. The Préfecture building is quite large, and I wasn’t sure where the right entrance was, but I did find it: right on Rue de Lutèce. You’ll see a large brown door and a line of people waiting outside.
As with most things in France, just because you see a line, doesn’t mean you have to wait in it! The people waiting in line don’t have an appointment, so just ignore them.
You actually want to walk right up to the cops guarding the entryway and show them your Convocation. Yes, you need to print out your Convocation paper and show it to the various security guards about three times before you can even enter the building! This should be the first page on top of your dossier for easy access. Don’t arrive more than 30 minutes before your scheduled appointment time or they will not let you in.
Once inside, I wasn’t sure if I should wait in the lobby or continue onwards. No one stopped me so I kept moving until I saw a long outdoor hallway. This is where I needed to go and find my assigned room or Salle. For me, it was Salle 3 (vert/green) which was easy enough to find, as there were large signs in the hallway.
Once inside Salle 3, I saw two separate waiting rooms. Luckily I spotted the ticket machine because otherwise, I wouldn’t have known to take a ticket in order to get called. There were two options: Salarié and Visiteur so I pressed the second one and got a ticket marked “V13.”
I also took one of the paper visa applications available nearby and filled it out. There wasn’t a reception desk there so I was essentially guessing what I needed to do. This paper form ended up being necessary so it was a good thing that I filled it out while I was waiting! Be sure to bring a pen with you so you can fill out the form and avoid touching one of theirs.
Bizarrely, there was some sort of alarm that went off right after I took my ticket and we all had to wait outside in the hallway for 15 minutes. This slowed things down, but eventually, around 12:10pm I was called in for my meeting.
I sat across from a woman who was very kind and asked me for my documents one by one. She wanted to see my passport first and then took my photos. She said only two photos were necessary now but I would still advise bringing 3 as noted on the list. The rest of my documents she took one by one and compiled them in a paper folder with my name on it. She did examine each document to ensure it was compliant before adding it in.
Funnily enough, she actually forgot to ask for my OFII Medical Certificate which I got after completing my medical exam in Montrouge. When I saw her wrapping up the preparation of my folder, I asked if she needed this and she replied, “Ah oui, vous avez raison,” or “Yes, you are right,” and she happily included it in my folder. Good thing I said something!
My fingerprints were taken on the nearby machine next. She then printed a récipissé which is an official document extending the validity of my visa. I asked her if I could travel with this visa (I had a trip to the US planned) and she said yes, thankfully! My récipissé was valid for the next 3 months. She explained that I would receive a text within 2 months with a date to pick up my Carte de Séjour. I would also need to pay the tax stamps, or timbres, online in the amount of 225€ and bring proof of payment in order to receive the card.
The only thing left to do now is to wait!
I hope my experience at the Paris Préfecture de Police on Île de la Cité was helpful in informing you on what to expect during your long-stay visitor visa renewal appointment in France!
Next, read about my experience picking up my Carte de Séjour after my visa was approved.
Hi Vic! Thank you so much for this amazing post. Since now the procedure is online all my bank statements should be translated correct, and if so is there any special translator that should be doing this? How many months of Bank statements should be submitted? Thank you so so much!
Any traducteur assermentée in France is fine. I submitted 3 months of statements!
Any updates on the insurance? I used the AXXA last year but now the website only allows me to select 180 days. What’s everyone using now? thanks!
Don’t select dates. Scroll down and click “Schengen Multi Trip 328,00 € pour 1 an”
Tried to sign up with the AXA multi-trip plan and your link no longer works. I contacted the company and they say they no longer have a one year plan and it is impossible to bypass the dates in the application field. Do you have any other suggestions? Or another recommended company or plan??
Thanks for your VERY helpful article!
That’s odd – the website says “Multi-Trip is the multiple entry Schengen travel insurance for 1 year for frequent travellers which offers extensive protection covering medical expenses up to €100,00 in the Schengen area”
I just want to update that I used Axa for my renewal and it was approved without issues.
Hi Vic, thank you so much for sharing your experience!
I would like to ask if you have your first long stay visa through a French partner?
I am PACS with my partner since 2020, and when I was trying to renew the my long stay visa, it forces me to fill in that we are married and needs me to prove our marriage certificate – does that happen to you as well please?
No I did not.
PACS is not the same as marriage from what I understand, but I’m not sure. Good luck!
Thank you, Vic, for all your information on the French Visa. My first one-year long-stay visitor visa ended on June 4th, 2024. On February 28th, I initiated the renewal process online. I was asked a few times for documents that were apparently missing (that I had sent, but obviously were not registering for some reason), and also for confirmation of health insurance for the end of June, 2025. Unfortunately, no one in the international health insurance business will confirm insurance for over a year, and since the original insurance had been bought in May 2023 to qualify for the original visa, I couldn’t get more than a year confirmed beyond May 2024. As of April 5th, all my documents were accepted.
Now, 29 June 2024, I still haven’t heard whether my application has been accepted and rejected. On the website, it says that one can track the progress of the application once submitted, but other than a timeline showing that “application process in progress” there is no way to actually track the progression.
There is no allowance for communication with the relevant authority on the website to find out if it has slipped through the cracks, or if this remarkable delay is normal. If you have any ideas as to the next step take I would appreciate it.
Hello
Thanks for your really helpful article. My son has VLS-TS which expires end of august 2024. He has been studying in Reims and will do his second year university there too. He has been told he can go online and submit his documents, then make an appointment at the prefecture Will this likely be at the prefecture in Reims?
Also – when at the appointment do they keep hold of your passport and then send it back? He was intending to spend his summer holiday back in the UK, but if they keep hold of his passport he will then be stuck in France until he gets it back ???
On the renewal website there is no mention of a medical examination and he didnt have to do one to get his original VLS-TS – has this requirement gone?
Yes, the appointment will be at the local prefecture!
No, they don’t hold your passport.
I am not sure about the medical exam.
Hi! You mentioned in the beginning of this post that for the first renewal, you switch to the physical Carte de Séjour. Does this mean that when you renew you are still technically on a “long stay visitor visa” but you will have a physical card now instead of just the sticker in the passport? Or, does this physical Carte de Séjour act as more of a residence permit that allows you to work in France, etc? Thank you!
The physical card is still the same type of visa you first had. It’s just a separate card you could keep in your wallet as opposed to a sticker in your passport.
“more of a residence permit that allows you to work in France, etc”
This is incorrect.
There are many types of physical Carte de Séjours. Some residence permits allow work and others do not. Having the right to LIVE in France is separate from having the right to WORK in France. Unless you specifically applied for the right to work, you don’t have it simply be renewing.
Nothing is granted automatically in France. You must specifically ask for what you want.
Hello. Can you please clarify if in order to renew our VLSTS visa while living in Paris that the first step is to apply for an In person appointment. Or can we start the renewal process online?
Hi! You start the renewal online first before making an appointment!
Thank you for this post!! I’m here for one last piece of advice: I am going ahead with purchasing the same insurance plan that you recommended from AXA for my visa renewal for the next year (my other plan from this last year was fine but I cannot get the letter in French and I don’t want to pay to have it translated). When I go to fill in my information, it asks for both my “pays de résidence” and “nationalité”. I am American, so that much I know for nationality, but I was curious if you remember if you put France down as your “pays de résidence”? I held a long term visa for the last year and lived in France for the majority of the last year on that visa. I am now renewing for the first time in hopes of getting my carte de séjour. So I am curious if I need to put France down as the country of residence or if the insurance company need to see that I’m an American (i.e. USA as country of residence) who needs coverage in France? Would so appreciate your advice on this!
Hi! I put France as the residence country!
I have received a letter to go for medical examination on the 14/12/23 but on this date I will be out of France. Can I ask that they reschedule my appointment
I have heard this is possible, however I have not done it myself!
It’s a pity you can’t make the appointment. I had to go to Marseilles for my medical and it was quite an experience . X-ray in one location and the medical in another office about 1.5km away. It took a total of around 5 hours from start to finish, the office closes for the lunch hour which is standard in France.
A person told me that it was good that I made the appointment and not reschedule. Whilst you can re-book I’d advise asap to contact them for another time. But definitely keep that new time slot.
Hello,
I really appreciate your website but I am very confused right now with my online application and was wondering if you could please clarify some things for me. When you started the application from the https://administration-etrangers-en-france.interieur.gouv.fr/particuliers/#/espace-personnel/mon-compte office did you get taken to rerouted linked to the demarches.adullact .org/dossiers website to upload your documents? I’m can’t remember exactly as it was 2 weeks ago but the demarches website says I’m rejected and the Admin-estrangers says they haven’t processed my application at all. It just says it’s been submitted.
Hi Amanda, No, I did not. that doesn’t seem like an official government website, so I’d stick with the gouv.fr site!
This post is an absolute LIFESAVER. Thank you for the time and effort you put into this, even for someone going through this renewal process at the end of 2023.
I wanted to confirm that even though the renewal application is now online, I still need to get my documents translated, correct? Do you know if an additional financial letter explaining something needs a “certified” translation? I feel like I have a lot of ‘extra’ documents to ensure that I give the French government all of the information they need and I am trying to see what I can get away with just having professionally translated, but not “certified”. I do have the bank statements and birth certificates, etc as official, certified translations. Would appreciate your insight. Thank you!!
You’re welcome! :)
The bank statements are the most important to get a certified translation of.
I actually only had one month officially translated, and then the previous 2 months I did myself based off that copy.
The additional financial letter – I would not spend money on getting that professionally translated!
As always, that’s just my opinion!
Good luck!
Victoria
Hi Victoria, can I ask how you were able to open a French bank account? I am on the same visa and went to a few banks in Paris, all said no because I had a US passport and that it was against US laws to open a foreign bank account. Thank you!
I opened mine on 64 Rue Bonaparte, 75006 Paris and shared the experience here! It’s not against the law at all. Keep asking. If not, then you’ll need to contact the government: https://www.service-public.fr/particuliers/actualites/A15560?lang=en
Thank you so much! you’ve been so helpful with all your advice
I was able to open an account at Crédit Agricole with my US passport. When I emailed to ask for appointment to open the basic account, Compte EKO, they responded with this for things I needed to bring: “Merci d’apporter votre pièce d’identité, votre titre de séjour, un justificatif de domicile de moins de 3 mois, votre avis d’imposition américain avec votre numéro d’identification fiscale.”
You can easily open a bank account with Revolut. You can do it online or through their app and no need to go to the bank. It’s really amazing
Great information,
It tells me that I did everything right yet my prefecture is either dragging their feet or simply lost my paperwork.
I submitted all my files online in June…2.5 months before my visa expired. On the website it says they have the documents but have yet to process.
Any now my Mother is ill in Canada and I’ve been trying without success to get a “ATTESTATION DE DÉCISION FAVORABLE SUR UNE DEMANDE DE RENOUVELLEMENT DE TITRE DE SÉJOUR” , so I can go see her…I even have my plane ticket for 2 weeks from now.
My prefecture ignores me, I’ve sent physical mail, emails, left voicemails….nada.
I’m totally discouraged…I bought a home here, my wife is here and have a Mom that I need to see…what the hell do I do?
Hi Gleen,
I am in a similar situation now, What was the outcome for you? Did you have problems to come back?
Thank you for your answer :)
Hello. Great information. Planning ahead for my move to Paris, I already had my birth certificate translated into French by a U.S. certified translator. Do you know if that would be acceptable for French authorities during the visa renewal process?
TY.
Mike
Hi! I do not know for certain but that should be fine in my opinion. I would try.
Hey! Did they ask for your tax declarations? I’ve had major issues with my tax (not been able to declare as easy as It is in the uk!).
Hi. This is the most useful page I’ve found. However, I am still totally lost and going mad.
My VLS-TS via runs out on 13/09/2023, so I’ve gone through the procedure you outlined and thought everything was sorted.
But (sorry I seem to have been a bit stupid) I just realised that my prefecture appointment is in Paris.
But I don’t live in Paris. Do I have to go to Paris? – there doesn’t seem to be any alternative going through the web site. And every time I try I just get more confused.
Help please.
Hello Victoria.
Thankyou for your very useful article regarding the renewal of a long stay visa.
I am having trouble accessing the ANEF (etrangers en france) website, is there an ongoing problem with their website? My VLS-TS expires at the end of July and I’m not able to log on, so now I can’t upload the required documentation for my visa renewal. My prefecture have a PAN reception point for foreigners which is very useful but is currently impossible to get an appointment online. Can you offer any advice?
Thanks again,
Maxine.
Ignore my last comment, as miraculously the ANEF website is working today.
Please ignore my last comment, as miraculously the ANEF website is working today.
Hi, How did it start to work? I am facing the same issue from 3 days.
Thanks for the great article. We are in the process of applying for a Carte de Séjour after being here on a VLSTS. We submitted our bank statements without translating (I had not read your article). We were told to have them translated to French AND Euro instead of USD. The translator said they cannot do that as it changes the “nature” of the document. Has anyone else experienced the same request? How did you solve the problem? Thanks in advance for any help!
Thanks to your blog, I’ve learned a lot about visas. Now I think I will solve my visa issue.
Hi, I found your article helpful and reassuring! You referred to the “number found on the paper document you received after you validated your visa online” Would that be the paper I was given at the required medical appointment I went to after receiving my visa? I’ll be back in France soon after being away and can consult the information on that piece of paper then.
It was quite last minute ( just under two months before the expiration of my Visitor visa) when I made the decision to apply to renew. I’ve been getting an error message when I enter my visa information into the government website, using the number that is on my the visa sticker that was placed inside my passport. Reading your information regarding which number should be entered into the site, I now see I’ve been making a mistake.
Hi, thank you for your information. it is very helpful. I actually messaged axa for insurance but they are stating that we have to be in another country to take it for the first time. can u please send me the link for the insurance? I am doing this process for my parents they are mostly gonna stay in France. I mean they are not gonna probably travel to and fro even with this visiteur visa with multi entry for an year. how long can this visa get renewed? thanks in advance
Hi Sazora, I do not work for Axa, so I cannot assist you. It’s possible the plan has changed. You can contact Mondassur, I have used them in the past for visa renewals and they are good.
Bonjour, need some help or advice, I’m a retired Canadian and I have a 2nd home in France and have been applying for a long stay visitors visa, with intent of only staying 3-6 months per year since 2016 on and off because of Covid. Receiving a VLS -T requiring no validation as I don’t plan on staying longer. This year applying same way I received a VLS-TS visiteur visa, still for just 6 months but with some paper requiring me to validate? Not sure why the visa is different, not looking to renew or extend, might you know why? Also if I just validate online and pay the additional €€ can I just leave after the 6 months? Do I still need to meet with prefecture and get medical exam? Seems way more complicated then before, any suggestions?
Try the Facebook group Strictly Legal France. If they are not the correct place for your questions to be answered, they will tell you where to go.
Hello Vic — Thanks so much for this great post. I was wondering if you might have a moment to clarify something. Regarding your 2022 Update and the newer online process, do you still need to have and the documents you listed under the Old Process? That is, does what you wrote under “Prepare the Documents” and “Get Foreign Documents Translated” still apply to the online process, including the need to have the docs translated?
Thanks again,
Tarek, An American in Paris
Yes, that part is the same :)
In regards to the “not working” while in France on this visa, if I am doing freelance graphic design work for a US-based company (my home country), will that be a red flag in the eyes of the French government?
It’s confusing because one source has told me its illegal to work remotely in France on the VLS-TS type D visa, and yet when you go to renew the visa, they want you to show proof of income. So if it’s illegal to work (even remotely for a company in your home country), then what income are they expecting me to show? I’m so lost!
Hi! Technically you’re not supposed to work on a visitor visa. When you renew, you just need to show proof of FUNDS, not income. I would show them a bank statement (translated to English if it’s an American bank) with at least $50,000 USD cash inside it as proof that you can sustain yourself in France. I also showed them my French bank account (with around 2,000€ for rent money), too.
Many thanks for this great description, it is extremely helpful. The AXA Schengen Multi-Trip plan specifically excludes:
People living in the Schengen Area
Stays longer than 180 consecutive days (in the Schengen area)
I am assuming this was not noted by the OFII, but do you have any other suggestions for medical insurance?
Hi! You are looking at the wrong plan. The Schengen Multi-Trip ANNUAL plan is the correct one which includes up to 1 year of coverage. Click “Get quote by email” if you’re unable to find it.
You do live outside the EU when you buy this insurance for the first time, assuming you would want for your body to be sent back to your origin country in the event of your death (“Repatriation”) which is what the OFII is looking for. I just tested buying the plan again and it has no problem with marking my Country of Residence as “France” so I’m not sure why you believe it excludes people living in the Schengen Area. Where do you see that?
Hi Victoria,
Thank you for the very informative article! Did you need to have a recent (within 3 months) birth certificate or can it just be a recent translation? Thank you. I appreciate your help.
Hi Victoria. Concerning the new renewal process, do you know if the list of the required documents is the same as in the old renewal process?
For me it was, but you can see the list before submitting your renewal so I would go ahead and start the process so you can see the list of what you need!
Thank you so very much for compiling all of this information. I feel less stressed now. I am not sure if I am eligible to apply for a carte sejour without going back to the US. My VISA is a Long Sejour Temp, Type D. I did register online in April, it is now July, and I have not received anything stating I needed an OFII.
Can you let me know if this process applies to me or if I have to go back to the US to apply.
Many thanks for all of your assistance.
Fran
Hi Frances, Unfortunately, I cannot provide individual advice!
Hello Vic, your work is amazing! Thank you for sharing your experience.
I have a question concerning “Activité Actuelle”, how would you answer it if the plan is to use my bank funds as the basis of my renewal appointment.
You would write “unemployed”
Bonjour Victoria hope all is well. Your article is Super. My question is I validated my Visa in November 2021 and paid my Tax. But I was living in Pau at the time, and I have moved three times and now finally settled in Caen. My anniversary is coming up October 15 and as of this date have never received anything from the OFII which is making me nervous. Any suggestions would be very helpful.
Merci beaucoup
I guess you should try to get in touch with OFII or those people at administration-etrangers-en-france (you can find the website).
Do you know how long you can extend the visa for? Like do you have to do it every year? and is there a limit to the number of times you can renew ?
thanks !
Yes, every year, and if you do it for 5 years, you can get a 10-year titre de séjour.
Hi Victoria!
Thanks for your articles, it’s been helping me so much with the French administration from my OFII to right now my visa renewal, I have been following your article step by step :)
I am trying to get an appointment date for my Visa Renewal, but I have been getting messages
like this:
Nous ne sommes pas en mesure de traiter votre demande.
Nous vous invitons à téléphoner au numéro suivant pour nous permettre d’étudier votre situation
I was wondering is it because I might be renewing it 3months in advance instead?
or is this an error, and I have to find ways to contact them :(
Any advice will be very helpful, as I do not wish to overwhelm myself with this process when it’s nearing the expiration date. Thank you so much!!
I believe you can only request an appointment within 2 months. That could be why!
Great information! Thank you. I want to make sure that you never needed the long form birth certificate. Not during the initial long term visa application process or the renewal.
Nope!
Hi Victoria. Do you think it is important for a Préfécture whether or not one, who applies for a carte de séjour, has lived for a long time at the same address in France or not? I’m currently moving every month using Airbnb and have not yet applied for a more long-term residence.
Hi! I am not sure. I don’t remember them asking how long I have been at my address, but I could be wrong!
Hey Victoria. Thanks for posting such a comprehensive article. I got some questions:
– Did you renew your long stay visa which is ‘VLS-TS (visitor)’ ?
– How long have you waited to get responded ?
– Also, if we renew this kind of visa, could we get a new visa for another one year (same type of visa – long stay ‘visitor’ ?
Many thanks in your response.
Elisa
Hi!
Yes, I renewed my visitor visa. It took about six weeks to process. Yes, you can renew that visa. After 2 years, you can change your visa type.
Victoria
Hi Vic, thanks for such a comprehensive article!
Just wondering if you spoke to anyone at the Prefecture regarding transitioning visas after renewing your long stay visitor visa. Once you have the Carte de Séjour, is it possible then to attain a work permit?
Thanks a bunch :)
Hi Charlie! It’s possible to change your visa status after two years on the “Visiteur” visa. This is not something I am doing so I don’t have any advice for you. Good luck!
Hi Victoria. After two years, to renew the titre de séjour, does one need the same set of documents as for the first renewal or something changes?
It’s mostly the same set. You can read more here: https://demarchesadministratives.fr/demarches/renouvellement-dun-titre-de-sejour
Hi Vic,
Thank you for writing about your experience in such detail!
Does everyone at the Préfecture speak english?
Thanks,
Peter
Hi Peter!
No, not everyone speaks fluent English, but you can probably get by with minimal French! They just ask for your documents and you hand them over. It’s not an “interview” so you should be fine as long as you pay attention and learn the French names of the documents you will hand over ahead of time! :)
Victoria
Thanks for the response, Victoria! I had one other question as well. The passport which my visa sticker is in will expire next year, but I’m hoping to stay in France for up to 4 years. Do you know if the visa renewal has to be tied to the passport which I initially used? Sorry if this is slightly off-topic, I haven’t been able to find much information on the subject!
Hi! No it does not. Just renew your passport and save the old one!
Hi Vic, i recived my passport back today with long stay visa! I am planning to stay for atleast 2 years. I do have a question about the birth certificate, does it need to be the original? Or a copy that then you get translated and just submit the translation?
Thank you.
Congrats! I made a copy, had that translated, kept the original translation, made a copy of the translation, and submitted the translated copy! :)
A lovely article, thank you for posting in such detail. One question: Could you clarify what it means “to not work in France during the long stay visa”? I teach Chinese students online and write a bit on the side. Would that be considered “working in France” during the long stay visa? Or is it about working for a French based company? I’d love to not fall foul of the law
Hi Alexander,
You’re welcome!
The upfront answer is: Yes, that would be considered ‘working’ in France because you are physically sitting in France while the work is being performed.
The more obscure answer is: In my research through expat groups, France isn’t actively seeking out those who do this. It’s not encouraged, but it seems somewhat tolerated.
Victoria
Hi, Victoria. Thank you for sharing your experience/ expertise.
Are there rules as to how long one can be NOT in France while on the 1-yr visiteur visa, if one is intending to apply for the 10-yr visa (after living in FR for 5 yrs)?
Once one is on the 10yr visa, again, how long of a consecutive or total absence is allowed from FR?
Thank you for your facts, once again, Victoria!
Hannah
Hi! I’ve never heard of there being an issue with being outside France for long periods of time on a visitor visa.
I can’t answer questions about the 10-year visa, I haven’t got that far :)
When I applied for my VLS-TS, I showed my Canadian incorporation certificate and said that I do télé-travail over the internet.
Do you know if we have to get the OFII medical exam done yearly? I’ll be renewing my visa a second time and the first time I provided the actual copy of my OFII medical certificate…foolishly I made no copy but I do have the personal record copy they gave me. I’m hoping that’s sufficient but I’m nervous!
I haven’t gone through that process so I can’t say for sure, but I don’t think they make you do another medical exam, no!
Your depiction was spot on. Identical to my experience (though you articulated things much more clearly than I could have). Thank you.
You’re welcome! :)