confused australian

[mt2008]

Hi,

I am Australian with my 4 y.o boy, we moved to Toulouse from algeria (resident for 5 years) 6 months ago.  My US husband still works in algiers, and visits us every month.

My son is so happy here, i now need to do things for me, first is to integrate and work.

i am still waiting for my carte de sejour(1 year visitor visa), its been 3 months, but they say its normal with delays. 

my questions:

1.  visa to work for non eu is difficult to come by? or carte de sejour with work permit?

2.  resident card after residing in france for 5 years, is this easy to get for a non eu?  will this entitle you to have the same rights as the french, i.e. to work?

thanks for the replies, its a wonderful site.

[Mr Coeur de Lion]

Is your father British? If he is, apply for a UK passport. Problems solved!

[Sprogster]

The ideal situation is if you or your husband have EU ancestry through which you can claim nationality and a passport from an EU country. For example, do you have a British born parent?

Otherwise, obtaining permanent residency in France will be very difficult unless either you or your husband can be sponsored by a French employer, who can demonstrate you have skills and qualifications for which there is a shortage in France. Is your husband employed by a French company, as that would be a good place to start?

I would strongly recommend you get advice from a suitably qualified French lawyer who deals with immigration matters, as there is no guarantee you will be able to obtain a carte de sejour. 

As I am sure you are aware Australia is very tough on allowing EU citizens permanent residency, unless they qualify for a specific skills or investment visa. Likewise, France tends to adopt a recipricol approach. 

 

[Mr Coeur de Lion]

If you have British ancestry through your mother and not your father, unfortunately, you will not be able to apply for a UK passport (stupid I know). It only works on the paternal side. If your father or fathers father is British, then you are ok and able to get UK citizenship. As the above poster said, if you have other EU ancestry, you should be able to get citizenship that way, but the stupid UK system works on the male side only.

[mt2008]

i guess i'm doomed since i have no EU ancestral backround, neither does my husband.

Thank you for the answers, i will try an immig lawyer as a last resort.

I have heard student visa could be possible, and this allows you to work 60 percent of the time.  But then again i heard that too many non eu have abused this route that its difficult also.

i will keep researching.  its a tough decision since i am too young to retire and not work, i m only 36, and depending 100 percent on my husband financially is just not me. he must stay in north africa for work, and i want to continue my career which seems only availabe in Australia.

thanks for the support.

m

[mt2008]

does this apply if my father is naturalized british citizen? i am 36 so no longer a minor, does it apply?

could you give me links to any website?