Visa de Long Séjour valant Titre de Séjour (Long-Stay Visa Valid as a Residence Permit in France)

 

Query:  A British citizen has a home in France. He goes there often, but after Brexit, he can't stay there for more than 3 months at a time. Europe’s new Entry/Exit System tracks every entry and exit biometrically, and the 90-day rule is enforced without any leniency. Would it be possible for this British citizen to obtain a long term residence visa that would allow his to stay in France for a longer period? How much would such a residence visa cost? What's the procedure to get one?

Answer: The appropriate visa for this British citizen would be the VLS-TS (Visitor Category).

The Visa de Long Séjour valant Titre de Séjour (VLS-TS) is a national visa that also acts as a temporary residence permit. It was introduced to simplify the process for those wishing to remain in France for longer than 90 days, up to a maximum of one year. Unlike a short-stay Schengen visa, the VLS-TS allows one to live in France without needing to apply for a separate residence permit upon arrival, as long as one validates it online within three months of entry.

For a British citizen with a second home and who doesn't intend to work in France, the Visitor sub-category would be the appropriate choice. It's often used by people planning to retire in France — it allows non-EU citizens, including UK nationals, to reside in France without engaging in employment.

Key Requirements

The Applicant must show proof of at least €1,400 net per month (approximately the French minimum wage as of early 2025). For couples, the combined requirement is approximately €2,100 net per month.

The Applicant must also have comprehensive health insurance that covers medical expenses and hospitalization in France, is valid for the full duration of the stay, and meets the minimum coverage threshold required by French authorities. Travel insurance is not accepted — it must be long-term residency health insurance.

Since the Long-Stay Visitor Visa does not allow the visa holder to work in France, the Applicant must provide a signed statement confirming that s/he will not engage in any professional activity during his/her stay.

The Applicant also needs to submit proof of accommodation — which in this case, would not be a problem since the Applicant owns a home in France.

Costs

The total cost involves several layers:

  • The base visa application fee is €99 for adults.
  • There may also be a processing fee of around €30 charged by the visa application centre (TLS contact).
  • After arriving in France, VLS-TS holders must validate their visa through the OFII (Office Français de l'Immigration et de l'Intégration) and pay an additional validation tax of €200 online.

So in total, the Applicant should expect to budget roughly €330 in fees, plus ancillary costs like certified document translations if needed.

The Procedure, Step by Step

  1. Apply online at the official france-visas.gouv.fr portal and create a personal account to manage and track the application.
  2. Book an appointment at a TLScontact centre in the UK (the main one is in London). It is recommended to apply at least 3 months before your intended travel date, as processing typically takes 15–30 days.
  3. Submit your documents, which for the visitor category typically include:
    • Valid British passport
    • Completed visa application form
    • Proof of financial means (bank statements, pension income, etc.)
    • Long-term health insurance policy
    • Proof of accommodation in France (property deed)
    • Signed declaration of non-employment
    • Passport photos
  4. Arrive in France and within 3 months of entry, validate the VLS-TS online at administration-etrangers-en-france.interieur.gouv.fr and pay the €200 OFII tax. This process often involves a quick medical check.

And Then What? The Path to a Carte de Séjour

If you fall in love with France and don't want to leave, you may be able to apply for a residence permit (carte de séjour) up to 2 months before your VLS-TS runs out. This can be renewed annually. After five years of legal residence, you may be eligible for permanent residency or even French citizenship.

Important Note on Property Ownership

Owning property in France does not give you automatic residency rights — second-home owners must still apply for a suitable long-stay visa. But owning the home is a significant advantage in the application, as it proves stable accommodation and demonstrates a genuine tie to France.

The VLS-TS visitor visa is genuinely the right tool here, and many British second-home owners have successfully used exactly this route post-Brexit.

The author of this note is not qualified to give legal advice on French immigration law. Please consult a suitable French lawyer or any other qualified immigration advisor before you take any concrete steps towards applying for a VLS-TS. 

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Nebraska Court Mandates USCIS Approve Journalist’s EB-1A After Calling Agency's Process Arbitrary and Unlawful

Image
The case, Mukherji v. Miller , No. 4:24-CV-3170 (D. Neb. Jan. 28, 2026), involves plaintiff Anahita Mukherji, an Indian national and journalist, who filed a Form I-140 immigrant petition for alien worker seeking classification as an alien of extraordinary ability under the EB-1A category pursuant to 8 U.S.C. § 1153(b)(1)(A) and 8 C.F.R. § 204.5(h). Mukherji submitted her petition on March 8, 2024, self-petitioning based on her accomplishments in journalism. To qualify for EB-1A, a petitioner must demonstrate sustained national or international acclaim and that they are among the small percentage at the very top of their field. The regulations at 8 C.F.R. § 204.5(h)(3) require evidence of either a one-time major international award or at least three of ten specified criteria, such as published material about the alien in professional or major trade publications, original contributions of major significance, authorship of scholarly articles, judging the work of others, and high salary...
Read more

UK Upper Tribunal (Immigration and Asylum Chamber)’s Decision in the matter of Da Silva Pinho

Image
Facts: Hamilton Jorge Da Silva Pinho, a Portuguese national born on February 15, 1988, entered the UK in August 2009 at age 21 with his parents. He was granted pre-settled status under the EU Settlement Scheme (“EUSS”) on November 19, 2019, which expired on November 20, 2024. On October 20, 2021, he applied for settled status under the EUSS. His criminal record includes: a 2011 caution for threatening behavior; a 2013 caution for theft; a 2015 conviction for battery (community order and restraining order); a 2017 conviction for property destruction (conditional discharge); and a 2023 conviction for three counts of assault occasioning actual bodily harm (20 months' imprisonment, restraining order until 2028). On November 15, 2023, the Secretary of State issued a Stage 1 Deportation Decision Notice. On January 16, 2024, a deportation decision was issued, refusing his human rights claim (with appeal rights under s82 of the Nationality, Immigration and Asylum Act 2002 (“NIAA 2002”) ...
Read more

Impact of "voluntary re-availment" UK & EU immigration laws

Image
In UK immigration / asylum law, “voluntary re ‑ availment” refers to a situation where a recognised refugee (or someone claiming refugee protection) has chosen to place themself back under the protection of their country of nationality (or former habitual residence). Paragraph 339A of the Immigration Rules (which implements Article 1C of the Refugee Convention) sets out the grounds on which refugee status ceases, states as follows: 339A. A person shall cease to be a refugee if: (i) he has voluntarily re-availed himself of the protection of the country of nationality; or (ii) having lost his nationality, he has voluntarily reacquired it; or (iii) he has acquired a new nationality, and enjoys the protection of the country of his new nationality; or (iv) he has voluntarily re-established himself in the country which he left or outside which he remained owing to fear of persecution; or (v) he can no longer, because the circumstances in connection with which he has been recog...
Read more