A Visa to visit France?

[fourthrider]

Hello All;

I've booked an aparment in Paris for a month mid Oct to mid Nov. Today I learned from a French woman living in America that I must obtain a visa before I go to France.

I need to go to the French embassy, present my American passport, my plane tickets which show I'm returning to the US and a copy of my most recent bank statements to prove I'm not indigent. She said this law went into effect two weeks ago.

Guess I missed that memo.

Scary part of this is that even though I'm down for a month in the 6th, not to mention the plane fare. The folks at the embassy could issue me a visa for as much as 90 days or as little as a week or two -- which for me would be a deal killer.

Has anyone else heard of this?

Apparently the French have imposed equally draconian measures including all French passports must have a new micro chip imbedded in them....downside, so far, it can only be done at the French embassy in DC or police stations in France, takes a week or two and costs about $150 for each passport.

Is it me, or is this just oneupsmanship about Iraq?

[madziast]

not according to the website of Embassy of France:

http://www.info-france-usa.org/visitingfra...nce/usvisas.asp

if you are going on non-work related visit for up to 90 days you DON'T need a visa, only a valid passport.

never heard of any of what that French woman had told you--it would have been all over the media 2 weeks ago when it supposedly went into effect, believe it!

[anil]

Nyet ! Nada ! It's still a FUD - Till you hear otherwise. France is part of the Schengan (sp?) Visa, so one could arrive in BRU and take a train without a visa check or arrive in BSL and drive away

Edited August 18, 2003 by anil (log)

[Bux]

How well do you know this French woman? It would appear that she's confused or pulling your leg. Are you a journalist or intending to work or do business in France? Get your information from the French Consulate or Embassy, not friends, neighbors or acquaintances.

[David Bizer]

Fourthrider,

Easy on the politics. Your statement is news to me. While I don't believe the French have put any such regulations in place, the only reason they might is because the US has put the regulations you mention in place for the French. The immigration and visa programs worldwide function on a mostly reciprocal basis. What you want from our citizens we want from you.

Not too long ago, the United States changed the rules for many countries, including France, regarding entry requirements into the United States. While the French were once able to get on a plane and enter the US much like Americans could enter France, the United States is requiring machine-readable passports and interviews with the American consulate for visa approval. The new process takes so much time, not to mention a simple call for information to the US consulate in Paris costs 14.50 euros, that many French are having to cancel or postpone trips to the US.

For more information you can consult:

http://unitedstatesvisas.gov/visanews/index.html

As for your trip, the French have not changed their rules. You can look at their site for more information as well:

http://www.info-france-usa.org/visitingfra...nce/usvisas.asp

Enjoy your trip.

[menton1]

This topic seems to be open for duscussion and confusion. Another US Government web site, the official INS site, discusses a Visa Waiver Program that says that citizens of France do not need a Visa if they meet certain conditions, staying less than 90 days, no working while they are here, etc.

INS Web Site

Also, I am puzzled as to why a call to the US Embassy in Paris would cost 14 Euros--- I have called them myself from the US and paid only 8 cents/minute. Why would a local call cost 50 times more?

[Bux]

Not precisely on target perhaps, but one of the odder things to happen was when the French Tourist office here in the US decided to install a 900 number. It struck me that if you're trying to sell your country as a tourist destination you don't want to charge people to request your advertising. I don't know if they still have the 900 number or not.

[fourthrider]

Thank you all, and thank you especially David.

I checked with the French Consulate here in San Francisco and according to their pre-recorded front end for visa inquiries, it is what everyone has said. Just for tourism, 90 days or less, no visa required; that's what they say.

My French friend is still being cautionary, but since I'm not leaving until mid October, I'll just track this on a weekly basis.

But again, thank you all for your input, all of it was very helpful.

[PaulaJK]

Perhaps your French friend is prescient..although I hope not.

Many years ago [Was it the mid 80's?] France had responded

to some action by our government [forgotten just what at this

point!] by requiring USA citizens to go to the French Consulate

and obtain a visa...even for short visits and tourist traffic. It

was not the fee that was the problem, but the long, long line

that stretched several blocks outside of the consultate. It took

the better part of the day, was hot & exasperating.

About 4 years ago we were going to visit Brazil and also had to

obtain a visa. When the fellow in front of me exasperatedly

asked the clerk 'Why" she replied, Ask your government. They

require our citizens to do it!

I respect the right of our country to protect ourselves[altho

aren't intransit folks keep in a lounge??] ....but ....

[Bux]

My French friend is still being cautionary,

Cautionary? Can she tell you how she ever got this notion into her head? That she even cites a time period like two weeks ago is most strange. Does she think she read it someplace and that she gets her information quicker than the consulate? My wife is a travel agent and France is a favorite destination for many of her clients. If anyone should be cautious about their advice, it would be her. Nether she nor her associates are advising US tourists bound for France for periods of less than 90 days to get visas. It's not that easy to keep clients these days when travel agents must charge fees for many of their services. You don't stay in business giving out bad advice.

[David Bizer]

menton1,

The phone charge I mentioned is written on this website:

http://www.amb-usa.fr/consul/niv.htm

And yes, that is crazy!

As for lines, I don't think the lines are any shorter at the US consulate in France. One tip for Americans: If you need to go to the Consulate in Paris, you should be able to go to the front of the line and flash your US passport. This should allow you to skip the line. It's one of the few perks Americans have in goverment affairs living in France. I haven't been in a couple of years, so don't quote me.

While we are on the topic of lines. Does anyone know why Passport control in Philly does not have a US Citizen line? I really hope this isn't becoming a trend. One thing I have always appreciated traveling back to the US is having these special lines. When traveling in Europe, I'm always in the non-EU citizen line and it takes significantly longer. With increased security in the US, the non-US citizens are being scrutinized even longer, making these general lines a serious headache.

Anyway...it's a new world order I suppose. Just needed to vent that little bit.

[Felice]

Strangely enough, I have a French friend here in France who told me something similar yesterday. He told me that all French citizens now had to get a visa before visiting the US, but I explained that I thought it was simply those without a "readable passport" and this appears to be true.

Obviously this is getting misinterpreted somehow.

[menton1]

Not too long ago, the United States changed the rules for many countries, including France, regarding entry requirements into the United States. 

I wanted to clear up this matter in my own mind, and if you read all the Dept of State websites, including the INS site, the rules for French citizens entering the US have NOT changed. France is a Visa Waiver Country and as long as a French citizen is here for vacation for less than 90 days, no visa is required.

The only thing that the INS now insists on is a machine-readable passport, which French-issued passports are.

So, for French vacationers going to the US, there is no need to spend the 14 Euros for that phone call!!