France has been considered the richest country in the European Union for many years. A highly developed country with an excellent climate and an excellent standard of living attracts a large flow of migrants from all CIS countries. Regarding this fact, the country's strict migration legislation was developed. The authorities are doing their best to regulate the influx of foreigners. The efforts made by a migrant to obtain a residence permit are justified by the benefits that he receives by living and working in France.
About the country
The French Republic is located in the western part of Europe at the intersection of most trade routes that developed long before the present time. In the south-west, the country borders on Spain, in the north-east it borders on Belgium. Switzerland and Germany are located on the east side, and Italy on the southeast side. The capital of the state is Paris.
Total area of France - more than 643 thousand sq. km... The relief of the country is diverse. Mountain ranges are located in the southeast and in the center. The west and east are occupied by plains and plateaus. There are also Aquitaine and Parisian pools. Almost all mountain peaks are located on the borders of the republic and separate it from other states.
Due to the variety of terrain, the weather conditions in France are different. In the center of the country, warm summers prevail with average temperatures 18-20 degrees and a rather mild winter: the thermometer can drop during this period up to +2 degrees.
A temperate maritime climate prevails on the coasts. Summers are pretty cool with average temperatures 16 degrees... Winters are mild and warm, temperatures rarely drop below 7 degrees Celsius.
On the Mediterranean coast in summer, the air warms up to 25 degrees. Winters are warm with little precipitation, in the mountains it is snowy and cold, with subzero temperatures.
France is an independent republic with a presidential form of government. Population - more than 58 million with a population density of approximately 108 people per sq. km. France is a mono-national country. The bulk of its inhabitants are French or foreigners who were born, raised and raised families in the country. Religion 90% population - Catholicism.
In terms of economic development, France ranks second among the countries of the European Union. Agriculture and fishing are highly productive. The automotive, forestry and textile industries are at a high level of development.
French cuisine is renowned for its sophistication and sophistication. The most popular dishes are meat or seafood stewed in wine and seasoned with aromatic spices.
How to move to France
Foreigners who want to move to the country for a long period need to travel to France on a national visa. Schengen is not suitable in this case. A category D national visa for Russians can be obtained at the Embassy or a multifunctional center.
This type of permit is issued if there are special grounds:
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- Education at a university in France;
- Marriage with a citizen of the country;
- Work contract;
- Business.
Video: obtaining a visa for emigration
To obtain a permit, you need to call the French Embassy and make an appointment. Most often, an appointment is scheduled for a month in advance, so you need to take care of this issue in advance. The applicant must take all the paperwork necessary for a meeting with the consular staff.
General list of documents for a long-term visa
| Title of the document | Peculiarities |
| Original and copy of all pages |
| Original and copy of completed pages |
| 3 pcs. 3.5x4.5 format on a white background |
| 2 copies |
| Original |
| 1 copy |
| At the rate of 615 euros for each month of stay |
| Reservation period is not less than 3 months |
| Received at the police station at the place of registration |
| Birth certificates of children, documents for real estate owned |
Additionally, you must provide documents confirming the basis for obtaining a long-term visa.
Confirmation of the basis
| Main document | Additional Help |
| University enrollment certificate | Diploma of completed education |
| An invitation to work or a contract with an employer | Employment book, specialty diploma or other documents confirming qualifications |
| Official invitation from a relative | Marriage certificate or other proof of relationship |
At the consulate, the employee who accepts the documents will check them for correctness. If errors are found, the immigrant is informed about this and given the opportunity to correct the situation.
After the official verifies the copies with the originals, the latter are returned to the owner. Only copies remain at the Embassy. This is followed by the collection of biometric data. At this stage, the stage of submission of documents is over.
After consideration of the application, the emigrant will be issued a visa and a form OFII.
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People who:
- Have an outstanding criminal record;
- Have unfulfilled court decisions;
- Possess state secrets.
Sample questionnaire
Immigration to France
Category D visa allows you to stay in France for 3 months. To stay in the country for a longer period, you need to obtain a residence permit. To do this, after arrival, you should contact the French Immigration and Integration Service.
When visiting the institution, you must have with you the OFII form and the main documents that were submitted for the visa application. The service staff will conduct a medical examination and, if necessary, a test of knowledge of French.
Sample OFII
Example of filling
After all the procedures, they put a mark on the passport to stay in France for 1 year. This is followed by the procedure for obtaining a residence permit, which is carried out in the local prefecture. The process can take a long time, so it should not be postponed.
To obtain a residence permit you will need:
- Passport with a stamp on the residence permit;
- Marital status documents;
- Confirmation of the availability of housing in France;
- 3 color photographs 3.5x4.5;
- Medical insurance;
- Confirmation of the grounds for a residence permit;
- Bank statement on the amount on the account;
- 2 envelopes with residential address and stamp.
Reference! All documents must be translated into French.
Employment as a basis for a residence permit
Obtaining a residence permit through employment is the most time consuming. In order to emigrate, it is necessary to conclude a contract with a French employer, which is quite problematic given the high unemployment rate.
In order for a migrant to obtain a residence permit for work, it is necessary to confirm the employer in the relevant authorities that the foreigner has a rare or demanded profession, and it was not possible to find a specialist of this level in the country.
The demanded specialties include IT specialists and programmers. Preference is given to employees who:
- Have a good command of French;
- They have a large number of recommendations and diplomas on professional development.
Immigration by investment
Foreign entrepreneurs who have opened their own business in France can count on a simplified procedure for obtaining a residence permit and permanent residence. The firm must provide at least 50 jobs for the French and work successfully for 1 year. In such circumstances, the merchant is issued permanent residence for a period of 10 years without the need for renewal.
For foreigners, a simplified residence permit is available when investing in the country's economy more than 1 million euros.
Residence permit through the purchase of real estate
Buying real estate does not give a foreigner the right to obtain a residence permit, but it is an advantage in obtaining a residence permit for welfare. In such conditions, the migrant has the opportunity to live in the country without a work permit and other social benefits.
To prove financial independence, a foreigner must have a document confirming the income in his home country of at least 1498 euros per month. A bank statement about the availability of funds in the account, the interest on which is the specified minimum, is suitable.
Reference! The main disadvantage of such a residence permit is that you cannot get permanent residence in the future.
Immigration through education
The right to obtain a long-term residence permit is received by students who managed to enroll in one of the universities in France. Such a residence permit is valid for the entire period of study.
Residence permit for a student gives the right to work no more than 20 hours a week. After receiving the diploma, the graduate may not leave the country, but request an extension of the residence permit for a period of 1 year. During this time, he must conclude a long-term contract with a company in France and re-issue a student residence permit for a worker.
How to immigrate through family reunification
French citizens and foreigners who have lived in its territory for more than 18 months and have resident status can invite their family members to live together. In such circumstances, the inviter assumes the obligation to provide financial support for the visitors. His income should be not less than 1498 euros per month.
The host must own a living space that is large enough to accommodate the arrivals. For a family of two, the living area is 16 sq. m and 9 sq. m for each subsequent family member.
You can also get a residence permit when creating a family with a French citizen. After marriage, both a woman and a man from another country receive a residence permit for a period of three years. If by this time the family has not broken up, the foreigner receives Permanent residence for 10 years.
Reference! In case of divorce earlier than after 4 years of cohabitation, the status is canceled.
Life in France after moving
For successful integration, Russian migrants need to master French at the spoken level, which opens up great opportunities for them. For this, there are both paid and free language courses in the country.
When processing any documents and permits, you need to start the process in advance. The bureaucracy is very developed in the republic.
Maria: “All local officials insist on correspondence by mail. This does not mean e-mails, but ordinary paper ones. By sending the necessary certificate, you can wait for an answer for several weeks, and then receive a letter stating that the document needs to be redone or has been completely lost. "
Pros and cons of living in France
Advantages | Flaws |
| Stable high salaries. The average salary is 2,500 euros | The higher the earnings, the higher the taxes |
| Pension payments to foreigners, even those who did not work | The retirement age is 65, to receive payments you need to live in the country for at least 10 years |
| Social security, various benefits and subsidies | Long-term processing of any documents |
| The local population is tolerant and open | The French are slow and don't like to overwork. Locals are very frugal, often overkill |
| Shortened work week (35 hours) | It is difficult for a migrant to find a well-paid job |
| High standard of living, good medicine, quality products | It is necessary to save on everything, since the prices are very high |
Evgeniya:We moved here with our child a few years ago. We are already used to keeping track of our budget. Wash the dishes with the tap turned off, the bath is a luxury, we get by with a shower (while we are soaping, we turn off the water). Saving applies to all spheres of life, although both I and my husband earn good money. To live in France, you will need approximately 1,700 euros per month per person.
France is a wonderful country where immigrants from Russia are tolerated. It is not accepted here to speak negatively about people on a national basis. If you have a great desire and a good salary, it will not be difficult to adapt to the local way of life.
