Making a corporate move from US to France

[thaisa47]

Hi!

My DH works for a French  company, and has worked for the US branch as an engineer for the past 10 years.  He has accepted a position within the French side of the company and is being moved to Paris.  We are in the throes of completing the paperwork, and are in Paris at the moment.  We have been coming back and forth since May for a couple months at a time and living in vacation rentals.  He keeps needing to head here for meeting, etc, so it keeps delaying the paperwork.

We are going home next week for vacation, and then we are told we need to come back to Paris for physicals in February.  But since they have never moved an American here, we are all just kind of "winging it."  Who needs a physical?  Just my DH?  Do myself and my 18 month old DS need one, as well?   Can they be done in the states, instead?  I am not getting a work-visa, just my DH.  We are told that come March, they will keep us home so the paperwork can be completed (surrender passports, etc), and we will probably need to make a couple trips to the French embassy to finish paperwork, etc. 

Is what I am describing sound "normal" or par for the course? 

Any advice and help would be greatly appreciated!  We are confused as to what really needs to be done - most of the info we can find out there are for visas being initiated on the US side of things (not from a French company bringing someone over). 

Thanks!

[samdebretagne]

Normally, both you and your husband would need to get visas (him a work one, and you a spousal one).  February seems quite early for the physical, considering that neither of you have visas yet.  And no they cannot be done in the states.  Both of you will need one, but your child won't.

The process normally goes: visa from French Consulate in the US -> arrival in France -> application for a carte de séjour at your nearest préfecture -> medical visit -> reception of carte de séjour.

One thing to be careful of is not to mention to the Consulate that you've been coming back and forth since May, since that is 100% illegal.  You are not allowed to come to France & work for any time period before getting your visa (nor are you allowed to spend more than 6 months total in France per year without a visa), so that might make them unhappy enough to deny it.

[Anton Redman]

Have a look at the link below :

http://www.americansintoulouse.com/

They have been on the web for years and have some good fact sheets