SPOUSE VISA IN FRANCE: REQUIREMENTS FOR FILIPINAS MARRIED TO FRENCH NATIONALS
I'm a Filipina married to a French national. Katulad ng karamihan sa mga kababayan natin naka pagasawa ng ibang lahi lalo na ng isang French citizen, aaminin kong nahirapan ako mg adjust sa bagong kultura, language, pabago bagong season at most specially ang mag comply sa lahat ng requirements para ma renew ko ang aking spouse visa (which means a person married to their citizen is entitled to enter and stay in France wihin a period of 1 year. However, it is mandatory to validate the visa with OFFI (L'Office français de l'immigration et de l'intégration) at para ma fully recognize bilang isang wife of a French national sa administrative aspect ng bansang France. Kasama na dito ang mga dapat isubmitt para mgkaroon ng health care (security social at hmo), pag comply sa Offi formation requirements, french language class, pag avail ng cart de sejour or long stay visa, pag kakaroon ng driver's license, pregnancy incentives and benefits at marami pang iba. Kaya nmn, I decided to share this article para makatulong sa lahat ng kababayan nating katulad ko.
I will start first with the common question most of our kababayans acquiring or holding a spouse visa (visa long sejour valant titre de sejour (VLS/TS) as they enter France. Ano ba ang mga unang dapat gawin as soon as dumating sa bansa? Katulad ng ni rerequire ng french embassy sa Pilipinas, within 3 months mula sa iyong pag dating ay kailangan mong tumawag sa OFFI within your region kung saan ka nakatira para mag pa schedule ng appointment to validate your visa. Kung hindi ka pa confident mag french then let your husband do the call for you. After nito, mgpapadala ng letter ang offi for confirmation kung kailan ang schedule ng interview sa kanila at schedule ng medical exam. In my case, i was given both the appointment within the same day. I did the medical examination early in the morning and got the result before noon time. Tapos, we went to the Offi office to do the Contrat d'Acceuil et d'intégration. This is just basically a welcoming presentaion to all immigrants and wives of french nationals. As soon as matapos and group presentation ay magkakaroon ng individual assessment and interview with one of their staff. You will need to buy a stamp that will cost 340 euros and submitt it to them. Saan makaka bile nito? You can buy the stamp in a tobacco shop nearest you. Para saan ang stamp at bakit ang mahal? The answer is because it serves as your proof that you paid your tax. This will also cover the free french language class and formations that the Offi administration is requiring. It is also a must na dala mo ang iyong passport. You have to SUBMITT a proof of residency (monthly bills/ contract of rent/ or an attestation of residency), 1 ID photo (please take note to do a photo id in france at hindi yung kuha sa atin because the sizing is different), the STAMP and the result of your medical exam. I would also advice you to bring lahat ng administrative papers like, livret de famille, your birth certificate authenticated by DFA (with red ribbon) and marriage certificate translated in french given by the France embassy in the Philippines. If you manage to submitt everything that they require, the OFFI staff would place a sticker in your passport. This is to certify na validated na ang iyong visa at makaka pag start kana i-comply ang lahat ng formation na kakailanganin mo to avail the carte de sejour. The carte de sejour also known here as titre de sejour ay ang iyong personal visa card which you will be using to renew yearly until such time that you decided to be a french national yourself.
OFFI will require you to do a total of four formations . Namely, vivre en france (it is a seminar welcoming individuals and discussing the history and culture of France), Formation Civique (it is a seminar discussing your rights and also your obligations during your stay in the country), Cous de Francais (offi will require you a certain number of hours to study french for free depending on your level of french and kailangan mong mag take at maipasa ang examination to get the certificate. In my case, 150 hours lang ang ibinigay sa akin because I did french class with alliance de francaise before we moved to France but this can go as high as 300 plus hours) and lastly, Bilan de Compétence Professionnelle (this is also a certification which enables you to register to pole-emploi to assist you in finding a job. note that this is only given as soon as you have acquired the certification for french language class). All mentioned formations are scheduled by OFFI, makaka receive ka ng letter stating all informations like the date, when and where to do it by mail.
Bakit kailangan gawin ang OFFI Formation within 1 year? The answer is because, the four formations are the requirements to renew your visa after a year. Failure to do so may delay your renewal at kinakailangan mong umuwi sa atin If your visa already expired. Papano kung ang french class ay more than 150 hours at hindi ka pa tapos sa language formation and your visa will almost expire? No need to worry, in this case you can go to a Perfecture nearest you 2 months before your visa expires para ma bigyan ka ng temporary visa to stay. Kakailanganin lang nila ang proof in a form of a letter from your teacher na you are currently enrolled in the french class.
In my case, it was a little difficult dahil I filled my case in an OFFI from another region where I used to live kaya naman they have to transfer lahat ng documents ko where i am currently residing. As a result, my papers were treated differently at kailangan ko to personally ask for the remaining formations to be given to me. Kailangan ko din mg hintay for 6 months before given the free language class kaya i hope this article ay maka tulong to enlighten some of our kababayans out there who were just about to start a life here in France, to know already the process and to make it easier for them.
Best of luck to all of you and more power to this website Buhay OFW!
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