What's the difference between a long-term visa and an ofii long-term family reunion visa?

The so-called French visa for visiting relatives is a short-term Schengen visa (Class C visa), which can be used for multiple trips, with a cumulative stay of no more than 90 days every six months. After entering France, it is not necessary and impossible to change the residence permit. You can't take paid jobs in France with a visiting visa.

The so-called French accompanying visa (spouse of international students) is a long-term visit visa (D visa), which is generally a multiple-entry visa valid for one year. After entering the country, you need to change your visitor residence permit with your visa and OFII. You can't do paid work in France on a long-term visit visa. (It should also be noted here that people also call the long-term visa for spouses of scientific and technological workers an accompanying visa, but it is different from the accompanying visa for spouses of international students. Issue a Class D visa valid for 3 months. In the past, visas and OFII were exchanged for residence permits. They could work legally in France and their children could study in France. )

The term "long-term family reunion" as mentioned here refers to a category (D visa) in which a foreign citizen has been legally residing in France for more than 18 months and holds a valid residence permit to apply for the reunion of his spouse and minor children in France. Issue a Class D visa valid for 3 months. In the past, visas and OFII were used to exchange residence permits, so that spouses could work legally in France and children could study in France.

Two. Application procedures and qualification requirements

In terms of procedure, French family visit visas and accompanying visas can be directly applied by applicants in China at the corresponding French embassies/consulates in China. The required processing time is relatively short, generally 5 to 10 working days is enough. Long-term family reunion requires France to submit an application to the local agency (QFII) responsible for handling foreigners and immigration affairs, and then the applicant from China will apply for a visa to the corresponding French embassies and consulates in China after being approved. The whole process is relatively long, generally taking more than half a year.

In terms of qualification requirements, French family visit visas usually require French inviters to earn more than 1000 euros, meet the corresponding housing area requirements, and apply for reception certificates (in fact, even if they are not qualified to apply for reception certificates, they can apply for family visit visas by alternative means), and require applicants to prove that they have enough funds to pay the expenses and will leave France as scheduled. French accompanying visa does not require the inviter to issue a reception certificate, but requires him to provide accommodation for the visa applicant. At the same time, the applicant is required to have sufficient funds to pay the expenses and leave France as scheduled. Long-term family reunion requires that the French side must hold a French residence permit valid for not less than one year, live legally in France for more than 18 months, have a stable income, be able to solve the accommodation problem for visa applicants in China, and ensure that their living expenses will not encounter difficulties. Their overseas spouses must be at least 18 years old and their children must be underage (18 years old or younger). However, the immigration tendency of the applicant is not strictly investigated.

Third, the applicable object

The visa for visiting relatives in France has the widest scope of application, but any relative who legally lives in France and holds a residence permit can apply for a visa for visiting relatives. It is best for the applicant to have a relatively stable job in China.

French accompanying visas are mainly applicable to spouses of international students, spouses of scientific and technological workers and their minor children. What needs to be explained here is that the spouses of international students with doctoral degree or below are also eligible to apply for accompanying visas in France. It doesn't matter whether the applicant has a job or not.

Long-term family reunion is mainly applicable to foreigners who have legally lived in France for more than 18 months and have a stable income to apply for reunion for their spouses and minor children.