Share your stories about visiting France under the 90/180 days rule

Campaigners for a relaxation of the EU’s 90/180 days rule for people who spend part of the year in France are looking for readers to send stories about their experiences.

The France Visa Free (FVF) group wants to show the impacts to British MPs, especially in the governing Labour Party.

Stories can be sent to us at feedback@connexionfrance.com for forwarding. Please use the wording 90/180 days feedback in the subject line. 

The rule that non-EU/non-EEA/non-Swiss nationals who do not live in the Schengen area may only visit for up to 90 days in any rolling 180-day period is a longstanding one, however FVF considers that the situation of the UK post-Brexit warrants more flexibility.

Tens of thousands of Britons bought French second homes as EU citizens under more flexible rights, which were lost due to the Brexit vote. Some previously told how they were considering selling up due to the new constraints, and the French parliament last year agreed to offer them easy 'automatic visa' access to France. 

Many others regularly travel to the EU for work or to see family, which can quickly eat into the '90/180' entitlement.

The centrist Liberal Democrats support FVF’s calls for Britons to be able to visit for up to six months visa-free, as EU citizens can visit the UK visa-free under UK immigration rules.

FVF group founder Steven Jolly recently met with Lib Dems EU affairs spokesman James McCleary and chief whip Wendy Chamberlain, who stressed that “to make progress it’s vital to show this campaign is about mobility for all: 90/180 affects many people and not just second-home owners”.

Responses from Labour have started to show more “understanding”, he said, however FVF continues to lobby its MPs and officials to show how addressing 90/180 is in keeping with its manifesto pledge to reset the relationship with the EU by tearing down trade barriers.

He added: “Stories that just say ‘I have a second home and pay tax’ will not win us support: we get flack from folk who accuse us of wanting exceptional treatment. What we want is fair and reciprocal mobility that recognises people have lives in more than one country and Brexit made this more difficult.

“Take for example the lorry driver with a home in France and adult children who have settled in France and Spain: he can soon find he is unable to stay in France or visit family when his 90 days are exhausted.”

A UK organisation for coach and lorry drivers, RHA, has expressed concerns about increased checking of the 90/180 days rule that will result from the new Entry/Exit System, calling for an exemption for Britons who drive professionally.