We have applied for the long term visitor visas each. We have interview in London next month with TLS. Assumed this is to ensure that we have everything in place in order for our application to be successful.
Happy to validate within 3 months of arrival - & after readung your advice it would seem wholly acceptable for us both to aim for resident permit ASAP as it is our intention to have our permanent home in France. We were given the impression that we could reapply for the LTVV annually whilst continuing to live in France - which in my naivety i thought may take a little pressure off!!
Luckily the property has its own woodland - with large stores of logs available whilst we get ourselves established!!
Thats always good to have your own woodland, you should maybe learn some basic forestry skills - management, safe tree felling and chainsaw use, wood storage and seasoning and moving the bloody stuff half a dozen timesđ
2 Likes
@fabien - definitely time for you to chime in with some advice about visas (especially as my article on the subject hasnât been published yet!) and how you can help 
as well as with insurance and car importation and maybe dogsâŠ.!!
Not sure about that - while one of their functions is to be a stepping stone to a permanent residence visa you are supposed to apply for your CdS as soon as you are on French soil with the intent to reside permanently.
OK, some info here
VLS-TS exempts you from having to apply for a residence permit for up to a year by the look of it - well, actually 10 months as you have to start applying for permanent residence 2 months before the VLS-TS expires.
1 Like
Lucky you! That makes such a difference. In such a situation, you probably need to be felling and drying wood two years before you intend to burn it.
Iâm sure your former truck driving partner is looking forward to becoming a backwoodsman. Thereâs an excellent book called Norwegian Wood that covers a lot of the necessary skills in a very practical and beautiful way. Itâs a lovely inspirational read with masses of practical advice on axes, chainsaws, felling and storing of wood. you can get an excellent s/h hardback copy at
1 Like
Billy it is as I said in post 40 above. You must register within 3 months and then apply for a titre de séjour 2 months before expiry. Registering is an important step
I believe (no direct experience) that that is what many second home owners intend to do. But you have to apply from outside France, it is not something you can renew at your préfecture. Which could mean you end up in the UK for many weeks!
Apologies Jane - I didnât read every post in as much detail as I should and failed to spot I was only saying the same as you had earlier.
1 Like
Ah - is this the book that was essential xmas gift material several yrs ago? very attractive looking woodpiles causing stacking envy?? For heathens sake do not set me off on tales of OH and his all the gear tendancies! He has intensely researched coppicing, we already have all the manly tools - further research is currently being undertaken into home pellet manufacture for anticipated pellet boiler in early 2023. . . .
For this upcoming winter we have log burners in every room with backup storage heaters - plus a middle aged womans obsession with throws and snugglies - plus 2 very sociable dogs!
Did i also mention currently live in rural kent with oil heating and a true yorkshire lasses attitude to allowing boiler to be lit!!!
4 Likes
Thanks for the advice - i have details of pet illness insurance as well as liability for their appalling potential behaviour too. Worried that their overly enthusiastic personalities may irritate our (few) neighbours much more than than anything we could do!
Thanks
Have an appt planned with french tax specialist to ensure that we are doing everything correctly.
Used to have to deal with self assesment UK tax returns - cant be any more stressful than that. . . Can it?!?
UK self assessment is kindergarten! French is university level 
Please ask tax specialist every question you can think of (once you have checked they have the right experience of course). One cultural difference many of us have recognised is that french professionals will only answer questions you ask them. British ones will also consider the bigger picture and tell you stuff they think is relevant - which often includes something critical. A sweeping generalisation of course, but a recognisable one.
And if you are consulting a British tax expert then quiz them very hard fo be sure they are really up to date with post Brexit changes. Some arenât. How many of the clients are French residents for example.
1 Like
Deep 
joy
Thatâs the one, but local stacking envy is simply a matter of length of stack - itâs a rural display of ones thermal wealth!
2 Likes
VLS-TS visa exempts you from having to apply for a residency permit that is correct as billy stated but for long term stays itâs highly advised to get a residency permit simply because that will end-up being much cheaper (residency permit will allow you to get a French social security number whereas visas usually donât and residency permit can last for 10 years whereas a visa is 1 year top). There are many different scenarios and situation but most of the time youâll need a PHI to apply for a visa and thatâs quite the jungle. As @cat pointed out, we do have battle tested solutions onhttps://www.fabfrenchinsurance.com/ for everything insurance related and expat (or migrants) related 
1 Like
A PEA is also interesting.
I think you should retire at 68 like everyone else.
1 Like
Donât forget to tell HMRC when you leave the UK.