Master prompt
France — Spouse Visa de Long Séjour (VLS-TS) + Carte de Séjour
Spouse of a French citizen or resident foreigner applies for a long-stay visa valant titre de séjour, validated at OFII on arrival, then converted to a multi-year carte de séjour.
EUFranceVLS-TSCarte de SéjourSpouseCESEDAOFII
France distinguishes between three spouse-sponsorship tracks based on sponsor status: (1) Spouse of FRENCH CITIZEN — vie privée et familiale (private/family life), CESEDA art. L423-1 to L423-7. No prior-residence requirement on sponsor. Marriage abroad must be TRANSCRIBED at French consulate before VLS-TS issues. (2) Spouse of EU/EEA/Swiss CITIZEN exercising free-movement rights — Directive 2004/38/EC. Carte de séjour "membre de famille d'un citoyen UE". Different regime — not covered here. (3) Spouse of THIRD-COUNTRY NATIONAL RESIDENT — Regroupement familial, CESEDA art. L434-1 to L434-12. Sponsor needs ≥18 months legal residence, stable resources, adequate housing. Implements Directive 2003/86/EC. Draft a sponsorship strategy for [SPONSOR_NAME] (status: [SPONSOR_STATUS]) sponsoring [APPLICANT_NAME] ([APPLICANT_NATIONALITY]), married on [MARRIAGE_DATE]. §1 — TRACK SELECTION (120-150 words) For [SPONSOR_STATUS] = French citizen: • Track 1 applies — direct VLS-TS as conjoint de Français • Marriage transcription at French consulate is mandatory if married abroad (état civil français) • For [MARRIAGE_TRANSCRIBED] = "No": initiate transcription FIRST; livret de famille français is the proof • No income or housing test on sponsor (in principle) For [SPONSOR_STATUS] = third-country resident: • Track 3 applies — regroupement familial via OFII / prefecture • [PRIOR_RESIDENCE_IN_FRANCE] must be ≥18 months legal residence on titre de séjour • Sponsor income test: stable resources ≥ SMIC equivalent for household size (qualify — exact threshold is set annually and varies by family size; verify with prefecture) • Housing test: adequate accommodation for the family unit (logement décent — set by zone) §2 — DOCUMENTARY PACKAGE (180-220 words) For Track 1 (spouse of French citizen): □ Application via France-Visas portal (long-stay visa, "conjoint de Français") □ Passport + photos □ French marriage certificate / transcription extract (acte de mariage transcrit) □ Sponsor's French ID / passport / livret de famille □ Proof of common life (cohabitation, joint accounts, photos, travel together) □ Sponsor attestation d'accueil if applicable □ OFII fee receipt □ Police certificate from country of residence (apostilled / legalised) □ Medical certificate (post-arrival, via OFII) For Track 3 (regroupement familial): □ Sponsor files regroupement application at OFII (NOT the applicant — sponsor-led) □ Sponsor's titre de séjour copy □ Sponsor's avis d'imposition (last 3 years) — [INCOME_EVIDENCE] □ Payslips last 12 months □ Lease / property deed proving adequate housing □ Marriage certificate (translated + legalised) □ Applicant's police certificate □ OFII conducts housing + resources verification □ Approval → applicant applies for VLS at French consulate abroad □ Processing: 6-9 months typical (OFII + consular phases combined) §3 — VLS-TS VALIDATION ON ARRIVAL (80-100 words) After arrival in France with the long-stay visa: • Within 3 months: validate VLS-TS online at administration-etrangers-en-france.interieur.gouv.fr • Pay timbre fiscal (validation fee — verify current amount) • VLS-TS valant titre de séjour functions as residence permit for first year • Before VLS-TS expiry (typically year 1): apply at prefecture for multi-year carte de séjour pluriannuelle "vie privée et familiale" • Carte de séjour is renewable; after 5 years legal residence → eligible for carte de résident (10-year permanent) §4 — LANGUAGE + INTEGRATION (60-80 words) Contrat d'Intégration Républicaine (CIR): • Mandatory for new residents on family-track residence permits • Civic training (4 days) + French language assessment • If A1 level not met: 100-600 hours French course required • Completion of CIR is condition for multi-year carte de séjour renewal • Track 1 (spouse of French citizen) — CIR required • Track 3 (regroupement) — CIR required §5 — COMMON REFUSAL GROUNDS (80-100 words) • Marriage de complaisance (sham marriage) suspicion — CESEDA art. L823-11; prefecture conducts couple interviews if doubt • Resources insufficient (Track 3) — Directive 2003/86/EC art. 7(1)(c) implemented strictly • Housing inadequate (Track 3) — surface area below zone-specific threshold • Public-order concerns (criminal record, OQTF history) • Marriage not transcribed (Track 1) — must be cured before VLS-TS issues • Sponsor's titre de séjour invalid / expiring (Track 3) End with: "DRAFT FRANCE SPOUSE SPONSORSHIP — for French immigration avocat review before filing. CESEDA articles updated by Loi Immigration 2024; verify current text. Marriage transcription delays (6-18 months at some consulates) often determine the overall timeline. Income / housing thresholds for regroupement set annually — confirm with the relevant prefecture. — DRAFT only. Country-specific licensed lawyer review required before filing. EU member states have different immigration practice rules."
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