overstaying in france 2 days over 90 day limit without visa

Robare

Member

Member since 23 August 2021

Grasse, Provence-Alpes-CÃ

Robare

13 December 2021 18:25:11

Robare

13 December 2021 18:25:11

Grasse, Provence-Alpes-CÃ

as a US citizen I am allowed 90 days in france without a visa, but my return ticket is booked 2 days after the 90 day limit. will I have any issue with being 2 days over? pretty difficult to change the ticket since it's booked right around new years day. mostly I'm also wondering if it will affect me applying for a visa in the future, I don't want anything on my record.

has anyone had experience or know anyone who's stayed over the 90 day limit without a visa? even if just for a couple of days

thank you, I appreciate any insight into this

lmagassa

Member

Member since 25 May 2017

lmagassa

13 December 2021 22:58:28

lmagassa

13 December 2021 22:58:28

I have not been in your situation. Just wanted to note that as a US citizen you don't need a visa. Are you planning to apply for a long stay visa?

Perhaps contact the embassy and let them know your situation. If it comes up again you can point to documents showing that you tried to address it

Lassana MAGASSA

ardyhagen50

Member

Member since 14 December 2021

ardyhagen50

14 December 2021 03:56:46

ardyhagen50

14 December 2021 03:56:46

Verify your situation with embassy or French authorities
Maybe there will be some work around
In worst case, you could book a train trip out of France for a few dats
Although it might wind up being cheaper to re book your travel

Red Bordoe

New member

Member since 26 May 2021

Red Bordoe

14 December 2021 20:00:28

Red Bordoe

14 December 2021 20:00:28

I once overstayed my tourist status when I got sick and was bedridden. The overstay was spotted immediately at the passport check. I didn't have any doctors proof I had been sick, so I was looked at with some skepticism. I was told I could have difficulty entering the county in the future for such a violation, but in the end he just waved me on and there was no further issue. Since then I have obtained a carte de sejour with no incident. I would say that like so many other contacts with the bureaucracy, it depends on how the person you are dealing with is feeling that day. I don't think 2 days is going to be a problem.

Robare

Member

Member since 23 August 2021

Grasse, Provence-Alpes-CÃ

Robare

14 December 2021 20:31:44

Robare

14 December 2021 20:31:44

Grasse, Provence-Alpes-CÃ

Thank you Red for this answer... very helpful! How long was your overstay?

Robare

Member

Member since 23 August 2021

Grasse, Provence-Alpes-CÃ

Robare

14 December 2021 20:32:20

Robare

14 December 2021 20:32:20

Grasse, Provence-Alpes-CÃ

Thank you!

SimCityAT

Expert

Member since 08 April 2014

World traveler

SimCityAT

14 December 2021 22:10:23

9967

SimCityAT

14 December 2021 22:10:23

9967

World traveler

I am far from an expert, but I don't think it will be a problem especially during COVID and its only 2 days. You may wish to contact the Embassy to double check and say there is no way that you can exchange your ticket.

Red Bordoe

New member

Member since 26 May 2021

Red Bordoe

15 December 2021 10:22:37

Red Bordoe

15 December 2021 10:22:37

More than 2 weeks! Ooops.

VctoriaDuplenne

Contributor

Member since 06 June 2013

Rennes, Brittany

VctoriaDuplenne

18 December 2021 15:55:43

127

VctoriaDuplenne

18 December 2021 15:55:43

127

Rennes, Brittany

You should contact the US embassy in Paris and explain the situation, they should be here to help you get insight about this.
Or contact the 'prefecture' where you stay.

Good luck

dvvn

New member

Member since 06 April 2022

dvvn

06 April 2022 21:48:18

dvvn

06 April 2022 21:48:18

#10

US citizen here, my return ticket was for 3 days past the 3 month period. I panicked trying to call the embassy, prefecture, consulate, anyone I could and no one was able to help. by the time the travel date came, I just went right through without any issue at all. might be at the discretion of customs/immigration officers, mine just waved me right through. might be due to covid times. have a good excuse ready to go anyway just in case, I wasn't able to change my ticket so I had that one ready to go.

boatman1940

Active member

Member since 13 July 2015

Figarol

boatman1940

06 April 2022 23:09:24

boatman1940

06 April 2022 23:09:24

#11

Figarol

@dvvn

They have many rules but. They just want you to leave and you had the ticket. If you ever go again it is in the file. But since you could not get a seat you did the best you could. They will not go all Border Patrol like the good old USA. Probably they will never say a word. They want people to come to France and be happy. But we Americans used to be able to stay as long as we wanted. As long as we were no trouble. But the EU rules set up the system to keep track of people coming and going from the EU and France has to do its part. And the EU Computers are counting the days. I never had a visa before 2017 and it was the airline that said I had to leave the EU after 90 days, not the 179 on my return ticket. So they sold me a ticket that I never used. And during the 197 days I stayed I worked on how to get a Long stay Visa. I have been married to a French Citizen for 43 yrs. And I am still not done working on getting my papers. But that is because we still live in the US for 182 days a year for now. And that just does not fit any rules. But I now have a two-year Carte Sejour, Driving License, Carte Vital, and my own bank account. So this year I do not need a Visa. Because my 2-year Carte Sejour will run out at the time I return in 2023. I will have to start paperwork again.

dvvn

New member

Member since 06 April 2022

dvvn

07 April 2022 02:00:17

dvvn

07 April 2022 02:00:17

#12

@boatman1940 I appreciate the reply. my current issue is that I was issued a long stay french visa for 4 months and I was trying for one year but I guess it's at their discretion. do you think I should just buy the round trip plane ticket for the 4 months and try to extend my visa when i'm in france? just not sure who to contact once there. is it an easier process doing it from the US before my return to france or better to do in france?

don't mean to take over this posting, I made a post on the matter earlier today:

https://www.expat.com/forum/viewtopic.p … 04#5390656

hapyml2004

Active member

Member since 21 February 2022

hapyml2004

07 April 2022 05:13:56

hapyml2004

07 April 2022 05:13:56

#13

The US Embassy in Paris will tell you that they only deal with people applying for U.S. visas and they have nothing to do with French visas. That is what they told me when I called them. They suggested the prefecture or your consulate/embassy in the US.

The prefecture thing was a joke—the one in my Paris neighbor sent me to another one, and that one sent me to another one, which was just a pop-up kiosk that gave me a piece of paper with emergency and local info phone numbers—which were all recorded messages. I had my best friend who lives in Paris with me so he did all talking in French so it was wasn't a language issue.

I did go through a private source when I got back to the US and got my one year visa in a week. I thought initiating the visa application in France would be easier, but it wasn't. Good luck. If you are in the US you still have to go to the VSF processing center in your region (that depends on what state you live) to present all your required documents. Make sure your letter of intention specifies how long you want the visa.

--James

boatman1940

Active member

Member since 13 July 2015

Figarol

boatman1940

07 April 2022 19:16:05

boatman1940

07 April 2022 19:16:05

#14

Figarol

@dvvn

Getting a long-stay visa only works in your home country. If you go to France with a 4-month visa you would have to find a Lawyer that can fix it and unless you are rich that will be very hard. They are not looking for people that want to stay unless they have a French family, or a signed employment contract with a Company in France, and they will do the paperwork, or you are a student with a contract with a school. In the US you have to go through the website which is what you did. And you got their answer 4 months. You can try a US Lawyer. Or look over this site and read some of his answers. He was good to me at the beginning when I was really lost. And I hired him to consult some the first year. But then had a handle and path so I did need him. It was worth it and I trust him. Write him a good note explaining why you want it and what you want. And why do you think the French Gov would want you in. For months is long enough to get a good taste and see if you really want to do this and even find a job offer or a class in a school. Then they would help you get an Extention. Overstaying puts you in illegal status and that is bad as a prison record. You have paid for the 4 months you should use it.

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