My understanding is that it’s a little bit more complicated than just days in the country and more to do with one’s centre of interests.
1 Like
" * #### Votre foyer est en France
Votre domicile fiscal est en France si c’est le lieu de votre séjour principal, c’est-à-dire que vous y séjournez plus de 6 mois au cours de l’année."
Of course it is more complicated than that because there is also HMRC’s statutory residence test to consider.
But the thread is confusing because if the OP does not envisage becoming resident, then the advice about obtaining an S1 and joining PUMA and getting top up cover are irrelevant. You do not get an S1 unless you actually move to another country. If you live in the UK and visit another country you use your EHIC card.
I cannot help thinking that if the OP wishes to remain UK resident and visit France for extended holidays, it would be bettet to keep things simple and apply for a VLS T visa that is designed for people who want to remain resident in their home country and visit France for long holidays, rather than trying to be clever and applying for a TS visa that is designed for those who wish to become resident. Yes renewal may be simpler but what you will get for year 2 is not another visa but a carte de sèjour, which could then raise unwanted questions over your tax and healthcare status
Thanks Corona, will do.
And inheritance tax if you die - that’s a big barrier for some if they are a recomposed family.
Thats interesting and wasnt covered (from memory) in the podcast. Something to look into.
They must have drawn the distinction between visitors and residents? That in most circumstances (there are exceptions) once you are resident you become liable to French administration and need to declare and pay tax on worldwide income, your succession will be according to French rules and to remain a legal resident you must have healthcover and an adequate income.
1 Like
They were from memory mainly talking about the visa process, Fabien obviously covering health insurance angle.
It is reminding me of advice given that if one wanted a visa giving you the right to work, you should apply initially for an inactif visa because it is easier to get, and then “simply” apply for a change of status. Except that many people who tried to do this themselves without paying for specialist support, seemed to have problems with the change of status application meeting very long delays or rejections. I have no doubt that these clever tactics work seamlessly if you have an advisor to smooth out any complications for you and I know that some people automatically go to advisors. But I do think that if you want to do things yourself it is simpler and less stressful to use the system as it is designed to be used. Applying for a fresh short stay visa each year is surely less stressful in the long run than finding youself caught between two systems because you followed the process designed for long term residents just to avoid repeating the application process. A UK passport with a temporary visitor visa in it is unambiguous. A carte de séjour is very ambiguous.
2 Likes
Was that a while ago? All the advice now is that changing status in country can be a nightmare and hugely slow no matter how many fancy advisors you have. So if you know what you ultimately want then if you can start as you mean to go on. Or have a year on a visitor visa and then return to your home country to get a different one.
Hi JaneJones (and all),
Thanks to all for your thoughts and insights.
Yes, we are in receipt of a state pension.
The grey area for us is that we’re not looking for residency, nor are we intending to spend an entire year in France, but want the facility to stay in total for more than 180 days per year- effectively to come and go as we please. Perhaps overall spending say a total of nine months in France in any twelve-month period. Based on these requirements I think the VLS T visa will best suit us. I think applying for residency would unnecessarily open a can of worms.
As mentioned above, we have EHIC cover, but will need private cover to cope with shortfall (we have used this card recently for injury-related outpatient treatment and was able to recoup a percentage of the total cost).
I’m still not clear if the top-up insurance must be sourced through a French company (complimentary insurance (mutuelle), or if cover sourced from a UK company (Axa, for example) would satisfy VLS T visa application requirements.
Thanks to all, KEA
1 Like
I thought the EHIC was sufficient in itseld for a VLS T application? So anything beyond that is purely for your own peace of mind.
You cannot take out a French mutuelle top up policy if you do not have a French social security number because mutuelles work hand in glove with CPAM.
I think you would be looking at a UK travel policy designed for UK residents with an EHIC. Maybe French insurers would also offer something but I do not know if French insurers can offer policies to UK residents? I believe most UK insurers only offer policies to UK residents.
But then @KEA58 is a UK resident, so should be able to get cover, surely.
We know of a couple who have a second home here and do exactly what you intend to do and have been doing it ever since Brexit kicked in.
You can only get complimentary insurance with a French social security number, which you won’t have. So need one of the international firms like Cigna or Axa that you source in the UK and provide what you need.
Many thanks Sandcastle for the clarification on mutuelle and social security number.
Thanks JaneJones. I now have a number for Axa overseas cover, so will give them a call.
Be interested in the feedback, we have annual travel insurance in the UK but that still only covers a certain length of stay in France, 60 days maybe. Also it does not cover doing any kind of work/ diy etc which is almost always what I do. Devils always in the detail.