‘The main cause of visa rejection is poor preparation and lack of appropriate documentation’

Eric Donjon lived in Paris before moving to the UK, developing a deep understanding of both French and British cultures as well as legal and administrative systems. He runs The European Concierge, a French visa and residency documentation service, and is also the French Honorary Consul for the North of England.

The Connexion asked Mr Donjon about some of the common errors surrounding visa applications and renewals.

For first-time visa applicants, what are some common causes of delays?

The main cause of delay and most importantly visa rejection is poor preparation and lack of appropriate documentation.

A delay is a rare occurrence because a delay means the authorities have asked for additional information, however most of the time you will directly receive a rejection. If this happens, it means you have lost time, money, and you have lost your space in the visa application queue and have to start the process again.

How often do first-time visa applications get rejected, and what are the most common reasons behind these refusals?

Around 20% of all visa applications are rejected - that's two rejections for every 10 applicants.

100% of refusals are down to wrong or poor documentation, visa-approved medical cover, finances poorly presented.

Do you have tips for finding visa-approved medical cover?

There are many providers but I refuse to point the finger at one or the other because it very much depends on the applicant - a policy that works for one person might not work for another depending on their condition.

I normally put applicants in touch with a broker who does a short interview and will be able to offer a handful of insurance options based on illnesses or past illnesses. Then it is down to the applicant to choose which one they want and how much they want to pay.

People need to be careful with insurance that claims to be ‘visa-approved’. A basic £250 medical cover may be fine if you intend to go somewhere for two or three months, but not if you intend to become a resident of the country.

How can applicants clearly present their financial situation?

The French government is getting harsher and harsher on applicants’ finances. There are two ways to prove your financial situation.

If you are of pensionable age, your pension is paid monthly and you can have any number of pensions added together to meet the minimum French requirement, which is equal to or more than the SMIC (minimum wage). If you earn above this amount then you only have to show your pension statements.

People who earn less than the SMIC or who are outside of the pensionable age have to prove they have the money already in savings accounts or bank accounts (premium bonds are not accepted) at least for their first year in France - so this means taking the SMIC and multiplying by 12.

If you don’t carefully show what you are earning or what you are ‘sitting on’ as an investment, then the French consulate will reject your application saying that you haven’t convinced them that you have the right funds to survive in France.

I imagine visa renewals are generally more straightforward, or do applicants still encounter delays or rejections? If so, what are common reasons for these?

The most difficult period for visa holders is the first 16 months. You have all your joining applications sent to various bodies and aren't yet accepted by any of them.

First year visas need to be reapplied for in month nine of being in France. There is a clear problem with French administration.

Visa renewals for a carte de séjour (residency card) is handled by your local prefecture and is seen to be taking longer and longer to answer. Prefectures are overworked and understaffed and patience is very often needed.

It is common for year two residency applications to be left unanswered until two months after the expiry of the first year visa. Sometimes a little nudging message helps.

For someone considering a move to France, what are the most reliable ways to access accurate information or professional support ahead of and during the visa process?

Do not listen to social media experts, they more than often get it completely wrong or not completely right. Each visa application is different and must be handled as such.

We at The European Concierge are still managing a 100% success rate for all our visa applications and residency applications. We do not take chances as the future residency of our clients is at stake.

What other information would you offer to anyone applying for a French visa for the first time?

The majority of people moving to France are selling in the UK and they all want to have the visa on time for when the key exchange in the UK is happening.

When clients approach me with plans to work in France, I advise them to join us four months in advance of the chosen moving date.

For those who are going to retire in France, I like to take them on board about three months before the move.

If clients are in a rush and want to move in two months, then we can make exceptions - but that is reacting (leaving less time to prepare documents effectively) rather than acting (having time to plan the process properly).

If you are not feeling 100% confident, use a professional for your visa applications. With us, it costs less than a two-week summer holiday with the satisfaction of a successful result at the end.

This article was written and provided by The European Concierge.