French court blocks plan to scrap 90-day visa rule for British expats (2024)

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French court blocks plan to scrap 90-day visa rule for British expats? ›

A new law which would have allowed British second-home owners an automatic long-stay visa has been rejected by a French court for being “unconstitutional”. The amendment to an immigration bill would have let British expats with a second home or holiday home in France stay for more than 90 days without needing a visa.

Unfortunately, in what will be seen as a major blow by some, a French court rejected the amendment to its immigration law, ruling it to be unconstitutional.

French court blocks plan to allow British expats to stay in France for longer than 90 days without visa. A French court has blocked a law which would have allowed British expats to stay in France for longer than 90 days without a visa.

However, if you want to stay longer than 90 days at a time, then you will need to apply for a visa. A long stay visa is basically a sticker or a stamp which is entered onto your passport by the French Consulate in your home country, which allows you to enter France and stay here for pre-determined time.

Second-home owners resident in the UK or other non-EU countries will need a long-stay visa to stay in France for longer than 90 days. For those who intend to visit France only and not become resident, the easiest option is to apply for a visa de long séjour temporaire visiteur or VLS-T Visiteur.

Although adjustments to the 90-day rule are under consideration, the outcome is still uncertain. These changes could significantly impact travel, residence, and economic interactions between the UK and Spain if approved.

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Generally speaking, the Statute prohibits any French party from disclos- ing commercial information whether originating from France or elsewhere in foreign litigation, absent a French court order.

Be vigilant in public places and follow the advice of local French authorities. There have been several recent high-profile terrorist attacks in France, including: in 2023, one person was killed in a knife and hammer attack in central Paris. in 2023, a teacher was killed in a knife attack in a school in Arras.

How is the 90-day rule checked? ›

Basically, count back 180 days and see how many of those days you've spent in the Schengen zone; if you're over 90 days, you've broken the 90/180-day rule. You can correctly calculate the number of days in the Schengen area by using the Schengen short-stay visa calculator.

Since 1st January 2021, it is no longer possible for British nationals to move to France and live freely as other European citizens. The end of free movement as a result of Brexit has meant that it is now far more difficult for British citizens to move to France, although it is not impossible.

What is the Schengen 90/180 rule? Under the terms of Schengen, non-EEA nationals cannot spend more than a total of 90 days within a total period of 180 days without a visa. Furthermore, once you've used up your quota of 90 days, you cannot return to Schengen until 90 more days have passed.

A new law which would have allowed British second-home owners an automatic long-stay visa has been rejected by a French court for being “unconstitutional”. The amendment to an immigration bill would have let British expats with a second home or holiday home in France stay for more than 90 days without needing a visa.

Temporary long-stay visa: valid for 4 to 6 months

This visa lasts between 4 and 6 months maximum. It is worth a temporary authorization to stay in France.

France's upper house of parliament has decided to approve a bill giving British second-home owners an automatic long-stay visa right without any formalities.

For any stay in France exceeding 90 days, you are required to apply in advance for a long-stay vis. In this instance your nationality does not exempt you from requirements. Whatever the duration of your planned stay, the duration of your long-stay visa must be between three months and one year.

However, Spain is now looking to scrap this rule for UK holidaymakers. According to Spain's Tourism Secretary Fernando Valdés, the 90-day restriction goes against Spanish interests. “Unfortunately, [the rule] is not something Spain has established by itself or can get rid of,” he said to i newspaper.

Whatever the duration of their planned stay, travellers will be granted a visa for a duration of three months up to a maximum of one year. In order to extend their stay beyond this period, they must apply for a residence permit at a local Prefecture in France.

Penalties for Overstaying Your 90 Days in the EU

All of the member states apply at least one of the following types of penalties for overstaying a Schengen visa or a permitted stay. Penalties for overstaying can include fine, deportation or entry bans. These bans range anywhere from a few months to several years.