French Senator Proposes 6 month visa's - Page 12

Absolutely, Carl, especially on your tax liabilities between Ireland and Spain.

There are some very knowledgeable members on this forum and, despite the fractious Brexit 'debates', we won't give you specific advice, rather an indication of things to consider/challenge, based on personal experience, when speaking to professional advisors - especially as some advisors are more knowledgeable and professional than others! 🙂

Kind regards,

Kim

I was on a Motorhome Fb page and people are applying and have been using the 180 day visa for France right now. When asked for an address in France, they must provide their V5 document as proof of ownership ! Private health care as GH1C doesn’t cover or S1.    They are also allowed to travel to other Shengen countries but for no more than 90 days.  Also, they can apply for their next 180 days, three months into their 180 !  

Perhaps you could ask them for a link to which French visa they're applying for and post it here?  If genuine (rather than applying for, then not complying with the terms of, a residency visa) it could be useful for non-resident Spanish property owners to petition the Spanish government.

I won't believe it unless I see it in writing from the French government's website.  At the risk of stating the obvious, if it already exists why is the French Senator, Corinne Imbert, still pressing for it?

Kind regards, 

Kim

Hi MikeO,

The "UK has now negotiated 92 trade treaties...."  Over what time period?  Presumably, that number includes all the EU trade treaties the UK was party to prior to Brexit, which they simply rolled over after we left? 

Since Brexit, the UK has negotiated only 3 new trade treaties:

https://commonslibrary.parliament.uk/research-briefings/cbp-9314/#:~:text=Signed%20agreements,New%20Zealand%20in%20February%202022.

Last week, there was a Government fanfare over the UK joining the Indo-Pacific trade bloc, the CPTPP:

https://www.gov.uk/government/news/boost-for-scottish-businesses-with-biggest-post-brexit-trade-deal?utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=govuk-notifications-topic&utm_source=55b73d77-156c-4999-9229-471280c58591&utm_content=daily

Sounds good, doesn't it?  However, as ever with our Government, the devil is in the detail which, whilst not included in the Government press release, can be found here:

https://theconversation.com/why-britains-new-cptpp-trade-deal-will-not-make-up-for-brexit-203195

Some people will always read Tory press releases without question, but some of us look to balance the propaganda with truth.  Despite the big numbers used in the Government's press release, it fails to mention that the UK already has free-trade deals with 9 of the 11 countries signed up to the CPTPP; or that the potential additional contribution of 0.08% over 10 years to the UK's GDP barely scratches the surface of the estimated 4% it's losing because of Brexit.

I agree with you that visas (and driving licences) didn't receive due attention from the UK Government, but I don't believe that negotiating trade treaties had much, if anything, to do with it.

Kind regards,

Kim

Hi L181SKY,

Any luck with a link to the details of the French visa you read about please?

Kind regards, 

Kim

Tebo, could you PM me the info as well, thanks.

I used to live in the Netherlands, believe me you don't want to be like the cloggies who are now protesting about all the nasty policies their government forced upon them.

I still get the Connexion paper from France but have only seen that another senator and several departments(areas) with many second home owners are pushing for the 180 days visa which would last for 5 years and be re-newable. Its is only intended for second home owners.

If I see anything I will of course report back.

An update today on the Connexion paper from France:

A French senator has asked the interior minister to consider creating a ‘special status’ for British citizens who have owned second homes in France since before Brexit.

This could form part of the new immigration bill, expected to be presented to parliament shortly, the senator said, adding that it would be even more pertinent due to the recent state visit from King Charles III. She has told The Connexion she plans to look at what amendment could be tabled.

Many Britons who own second homes in France say they feel they were forgotten in the Brexit negotiations. No special category was created for them and they therefore must keep to the general Schengen area tourist / visiting rules.

This means they are now limited to spending no more than 90 days in any 180-day period in France. Prior to 2021, many UK residents were used to spending up to half of the year at their home in France.

In her letter, Senator Martine Berthet (Savoie) said: “As I was elected for a department where British citizens who own second homes participate actively in the dynamism of the local economy, I would like to alert you to the difficulties that they are having to get to France.”

She noted the fact they are subject to the 90-days limit, or otherwise must undertake annual visa formalities, a “long procedure, complicated by numerous technical uncertainties – malfunctioning of the TLSContact website, few available appointments etc”.

She said she was aware the situation resulted from the UK’s decision to leave the EU, but added: “Even so, due to the unique links that unite our two countries and the importance of these people for the French economy, I would like to ask you if you would consider the creation of a special status for British citizens who owned, before Brexit, a second home in our country.

“In view of this, the parliamentary back-and-forth of the upcoming immigration bill would present an adequate opportunity, all the more so after this September’s royal visit.”

Brexit was voted for in 2016 by just under 52% of referendum participants, and many of some five million Britons abroad could not vote.

The subsequent UK-EU deals included issues such as securing residency rights of long-term British residents in the EU, or tariff exemptions on certain goods, but there was nothing agreed for owners of second homes who spend part of each year abroad.

Under standard UK immigration law, meanwhile, EU citizens such as French people can already visit the UK for up to six months at a time visa-free.

Maybe if France goes with this change other EU countries will follow. We can only hope.