Long stay visas applications for France

• What is a long stay visa?
  
  Staying in France for more than 90 days: the Long Stay Visa:
  
  From June 1st, 2009 on, applicants applying for a long stay visa and who belong to following categories of visa applicants will be issued a long-term visa serving as resident permit (LTV-RP) :
  
  
  
  • foreign spouse of a French citizen willing to settle in France;
    
  • study visa applicants except under age students willing to have higher education or minors willing to study in primary or secondary schools;
    
  • employees and temporary employees;
  • visitors willing to stay in France.
  
  

  This new visa LTV-RP will also allow its holder to move freely within the national French territory, French Overseas departments and Saint Pierre et Miquelon islands but not in the other French overseas territories (please see “Latest news” for more details).

  Applicants who do not belong to the above-mentioned categories of visa applicants will be issued a long stay visa known under the name “Type D”. This visa only allows its holder to stay in Mainland France and requires to apply for a resident permit (" Carte de Séjour ") at the local Préfecture of the place of residency upon 2 months of arrival. This sentence has a lot of messy code please fix it.

  
  You may apply for a long stay visa for:
  
  Studies (over 3 months)

  • You are going to study in a French university or in a language school,
    
  • You are going to train in a company based in France,
    
  • You are going to work as an "au pair" in France.

  
  Work (over 3 months)

  • You wish to work in France (your employer in France must contact the OFII French Office for immigration and integration of immigrants
    
  • You wish to work in Monaco or in Andorra,
    
  • You wish to work in Guadeloupe, Martinique, Reunion or Guyana,
    
  • You wish to work in New Caledonia, French Polynesia, French Southern Territories, St. Pierre and Miquelon or Mayotte,
    
  • You wish to apply to exercise an independent activity regulated or not in France.

  
  Without working (over than 3 months)

  • You wish to settle in France,
    
  • You wish to settle in Monaco,
    
  • You wish to settle in Andorra,
    
  • You wish to settle in Guadeloupe, Martinique, Reunion or Guyana,
    
  • You wish to settle in New Caledonia, French Polynesia, French Southern Territories, St. Pierre and Miquelon or Mayotte.

  
  Family reasons (over 3 months)

  • You wish to retire in France,
    
  • You wish to settle in France without working,
    
  • You are the foreign spouse of a French or European Union citizen and wish to settle together in France.

  
  According to the law of July 24th 2006, regarding immigration and integration, family members of French citizens, excluding citizens of the European Union, the European Economic Space, Switzerland, Monaco, San Marino and Algeria, must be in possession of a long stay visa in order to apply for a resident permit in France (except foreign parents of a French underage child living in France).