I recently renewed my 10-Year U.S. passport in France & this was possibly the easiest administrative thing I have done in my six years living here. Not only was it simple, it was actually much faster than I expected. Even with a small photo issue, I had my passport back in a little over a…
Not only did my integration process take a long time, it is still not finished. Either I am extremely unlucky, or I just move too much. You decide. Below is an update about my integration process and my experience with the formation civique in 2021/22. The last time I wrote about the integration process in…
Your VLS-TS Vie Privée et Familiale Will Be Coming to an End, Now What? Like all things, nothing lasts forever, and your VLS-TS is one of them. It feels like just yesterday you were receiving your first convocation from the OFII (probably because you did). While today you realized your visa will be expiring in just…
What is a “Numéro de Sécu” (Social Security Number) and Why is it Important? In actuality, the term “numéro de sécu” is a colloquialism; its real name is “NIR” but I have never heard anyone use that term ever. The social security number is unique to each person and allows for your identification with many…
You Have Validated Your VLS-TS, Now What? Now you wait, patiently, and for a long time, I might add. When I validated my visa mid-September of 2019, I honestly never thought I would have to wait four months to receive my initial convocation from the OFII (Office Français de l’Immigration et de l’Intégration). Many people…
What Is a VLS-TS? The VLS-TS or Visa de Long Séjour – Valant Titre de Séjour is a special long-stay visa for those visiting France for over 90 days who fulfill specific criteria (such as being students, interns, spouses, etc.). The visa also acts as a temporary residence permit, meaning that applicants do not need…
Getting Married in France is Difficult But don’t turn away just yet, I am here to help! Marriage can only be officiated legally in France by the government since the country is laic, meaning there is a firm separation of church and state. Therefore, in order to have a more “traditional” wedding (with a religious…