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Recommendations :

• In the absence of having obtained the right to reside in France for over 90 days, if you enter and leave France on a frequent basis keep documents related to such trips (such as tickets and boarding passes), as the French point of entry authorities may require you to prove that you:

1. did not overstay,
2. have the money for your visit to France, and
3. have the means to return to the country where you reside.

• If you have obtained the right to reside in France, various documents should be carefully preserved:
  1. Electric and telephone bills for 5 years,
  2. Proof of payment of rent ("quittance de loyer") or apartment ownership (taxe foncière) for 5 years,
  3. Payroll slips ("bulletins de salaire") and tax returns for ever and a day, and
  4. Kindergarten ("crèche") documents and school and health documents ("carnet de santé") relating to each minor child so that it can be proved at age 18 that the child did everything by the book while residing in France.
• A working visa needs to be presented to the Prefecture within three months of its issue date or within a week of entry into France, whichever is shorter. If the family will be joining the working spouse, the working spouse can go to the Prefecture first and start working and the family only needs to arrive in and report to the Prefecture within the three month period.

  N.B.:

• When entering France after the French consulate has issued a visa, the American should forthwith proceed to the Prefecture to apply for his residency card ("titre de séjour [e.g., "carte de séjour temporaire" or "récépissé de première demande de titre de séjour"]) before leaving France for any country, as there is a risk that reentry into France will be refused. Thus, the working spouse should plan to be in France for several weeks before traveling even to England by train.

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See also tips for staying out of visa troubles

Index of Articles on Issues of French-American Business Law

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DISCLAIMER The information provided here and on the other pages linked hereto is intended for educational purposes only, and is not legal advice. Particular situations require particular analyses that can only be provided by legal professionals who specialize in the relevant fields and who know all the details of a situation. Also, a presentation such as this does not establish the attorney-client relationship that is necessary in any rendering of legal advice. Finally, one should be aware that the law is a chameleon-like beast that changes its colors frequently, and what holds good today may be reversed by tomorrow. The comments herein should then be read in that light.

NOTE AU LECTEUR Les notes et documents que vous pouvez consulter sur ce site sont présentés dans un souci d'information et ne constituent nullement une consultation juridique. Chaque situation est particulière et requiert un examen spécifique qui ne peut être l'oeuvre que d'un professionnel du droit, spécialiste en la matière et au fait des différentes implications de la question. En outre, il faut avoir conscience que la législation, réglementation et jurisprudence changent en permanence. Ce que l'on tient pour acquis tel jour peut être révolu le lendemain. Ainsi, un exposé, aussi détaillé soit-il, ne remplace pas la relation étroite qui doit s'établir entre une entreprise et son avocat, relation indispensable à la fonction de conseil en matière juridique.

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