Attestation d'accueil for your visitors from the UK

[NormanH]

Since Brexit this may become necessary for people from the UK  whom you put up in your home, thought it is not certain yet how strictly it will be applied.

"L'attestation d'accueil concerne tout étranger souhaitant

séjourner moins de 3 mois en France, dans le cadre d'une visite privée

ou familiale."

Details HERE

[mint]

les bras m'en tombent.....[:-))]

[mint]

Thinking a bit more about it, my devious brain tells me that it might be an ideal excuse if you don't want to acceuilir someone?.

Would love to have you for the month of August but, alas, I have been unable to get the maire to give their permission?

[anotherbanana]

My understanding is that one can be in France for up to three months without having to follow all that palaver. Longer, well, my maire wouldnt give a stuff

[NormanH]

That's what I thought, but there it specifically says

L'attestation d'accueil concerne tout étranger souhaitant

séjourner moins de 3 mois en France, dans le cadre d'une visite privée

ou familiale.

Which is why I posted.

It could be fake news since the original rules date from a long time ago, but it could also be newly applicable to post-Brexit UK visitors who would not have been concerned before...

[NormanH]

There is

THIS  discussion in The Local

although I do not usually trust the anglophone press in France..

"

What’s not clear is whether people who are exempt from the requirement for a Schengen visa – which includes Brits, Americans and Canadians who can come to France visa-free for 90 days out of 180 – are also exempt from the requirement for an Attestation d’acceuil, and whether the attestation is therefore only required for visitors from a country where a visa is needed for any visit, even a short one.

The Local has raised this question urgently with French authorities, asking them to clarify the situation for British visitors.

[NickP]

I've spent some time reading various arguments outside of this forum I might add, about this attestation. The opinions are so varied it's difficult to decipher who you think may be correct. For what it's worth I think it will be almost like the breathalyser kit ruling, quickly swept aside by French indifference. After all, do they really want to alienate desperately needed tourists? The pro, it is correct mob, keep on bleating that it has been in action for years for any non-EU visitors, well nobody told me or my Australian relatives when they stayed with us a couple of years ago. All I do know is that when we went to America a couple of years ago we had to declare at the border the first-night destination, so possibly something like that might be on the cards. Also, lots of people come over in camping cars and have no set itinerary so what do they do? Another interesting situation will be for tourists arriving in France to transit into Spain or Portugal. The whole concept is flawed and almost ungovernable.

[NormanH]

I was thinking more from the point of view of the hosts who need to know where they stand.

I agree it may well turn out to be more honoured in the  breach than in the observance.

[EuroTr@sh]

Less than 3 months makes sense to me. If at all

If more than 3 months and they apply for a visa, why would this attestation be needed as well? The authorities already know where they'll be staying because they will have put it in their visa application.

[BritinBretagne]

https://france-visas.gouv.fr/en_US/web/France-visas/your-arrival-in-france?fbclid=IwAR1HlZejkvBqj8IGiZhNSSvFERnMfnLFZUMFU2Vm7ximl6KOSbblstvaqpw

[Judith-aka-Judith]

Since almost all visits to family will also be for tourism, and tourists can come without this palaver, seems to be sledgehammer to crack nut syndrome.  More honoured in the breach, as NormanH says, most probably.

[BritinBretagne]

Since almost all visits to family will also be for tourism, and tourists can come without this palaver,

Can you please provide a link to this. The France visa site doesn’t exempt tourists.

https://france-visas.gouv.fr/en_US/web/France-visas/your-arrival-in-france?fbclid=IwAR1HlZejkvBqj8IGiZhNSSvFERnMfnLFZUMFU2Vm7ximl6KOSbblstvaqpw

[Judith-aka-Judith]

As I understand it, tourists staying in accomodation other than with family do not have to fill these forms out, but as there are so many discussions on this at present, I have no idea which one of the many statements is correct.  I understand that even the British Embassy is unclear on this point at present. It will not doubt be clarified once the furore makes the authorities clarify what is intended.

[NormanH]

I think this is about those who can come without a visa,  for less than 3 months as stated in the link I posted at the beginning..

"

L'attestation d'accueil est un formulaire rempli et signé par une

personne qui s'engage à héberger un étranger à son domicile pendant son

séjour en France.

Il doit être validé par la mairie avant la demande de visa (ou avant le voyage en cas de dispense de visa).

HERE

Cas général

L'attestation d'accueil concerne tout étranger souhaitant séjourner moins de 3 mois en France, dans le cadre d'une visite privée ou familiale.

This isn't new but it may affect visitors from the UK since Brexit, whereas it didn't before hence the attention from "Anglo" circles.

At the risk of repeating myself this is inform people receiving visitors  at home of what they may have to do, so what happens in guest houses doesn't come into it

 I also think that it is  the French authorities and official sites (as per my link) that one must look for guidance rather than the British..

[EuroTr@sh]

I agree with Norman. The attestation is for those with no visa. It's one or the other.

I suppose it's so that if they stamp you in and after three months they haven't stamped you out, they know which door to knock on.

[mint]

Could it, remotely, be to do with people letting airb&bs, not declaring payments and perhaps letting their pads to "undesirables"?

[NormanH]

It has been in place for years, even as far back as  just after the  war, but it was one of those things that didn't concern British people while the UK was a member of the EU, since "étranger" in the  regulations implies those from outside the EU.

I remember it from a period when I was involved in visits from Eastern Europe in the late 90s.

It is one of those things such as the need for a  CdS which have changed since Brexit, and which give an insight into the difficulties encountered by those born elsewhere if they wish to visit or settle.

As said before it may well be something that poses few problems in practice.

[BritinBretagne]

Update from British Embassy..shared from RIFT. from RIFT

ATTESTATION D'ACCUEIL

UPDATE

We can advise you that the British Embassy have confirmed to us that the attestation will be required for UK passport holders travelling to France for private visits to friends and family where they do not have accommodation, such as a gîte, hotel, Airbnb etc, booked.

Whilst exempt from needing a visa for trips of under 3 months, the attestation will be required.

If you review this page you will see the list of document which may be asked for at the border

https://france-visas.gouv.fr/en_US/web/France-visas/your-arrival-in-france?fbclid=IwAR3K1PL8QAmEQVJNF5CH5IBA9F4JrkU27OqMZBN4RBsXqqFA0OZ9X8J6gjg

Please note this requirement is for all Third Country Nationals.

The cost of the attestation is 30 euros and relates to the accommodation/per trip so one attestation can be used for more than one person assuming your family/friends are travelling together. The person hosting the family members/friends must apply for the attestation not less than 1 month before the visit commences. You can apply for the attestation here https://www.service-public.fr/particuliers/vosdroits/F2191

2nd home owners may need to show proof of home ownership so a copy of a taxe fonciere maybe useful to carry or similar document showing proof of ownership. As far as we are aware 2nd home owners do not require the attestation.

Please note, this does not relate to paying guests booked into your accommodation if you run a gîte, hotel, campsite, Airbnb etc.

[NormanH]

So more or less what I have been saying. If one reads the official French site I linked to the rules are clear..

[anotherbanana]

Unfortunately they seem to be, Norman. But there is rules and rules. These are designed formthe 19C.

[EuroTr@sh]

As you say, there is rules and rules. There's a default set of rules for TCNs and a special set for EU member states. Why are people so surprised that when the special set of rules stops applying, and no special arrangement has been negotiated, all that's left is the default rules?

I imagine the need to closely monitor foreign visitors on your territory hasn't changed too much since the 19th century. Take away that dreadful new-fangled freedom of movement nonsense, revert to to controlling your borders like every sovereign country should, and this is what you go back to.

[NormanH]

I fear that British people have been so long used to the idea that they are special that it is hard to accept rules that others have had to endure for years.

It is akin to calling themselves 'ex-pats'  and and all the others 'immigrants'

[anotherbanana]

Norman, the tedious point concerning whether one sees oneself as an expat or immigrant and now be satisfied; those who have been away for more than 15 years who choose to vote again in UK elections are expats whilst those who do not are immigrants!

[NormanH]

This sort of reception in the UK for visitors from the EU will not help.

https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2021/may/14/hostile-uk-border-regime-traumatises-visitors-from-eu

[idun]

When I said to our rotten horrible conseiller at the CM that I was une etrangere, he said I was not, I was anglaise!

As we never had any intention of staying in France, my  mind was firmly set on the idea that as une etrangere and a guest in France, that I had to act as such.

The idea of being other than that is very strange to me.

Also, if that is what they want, just get on with it, you don't have endless fiche familiale and fiche d'etat- civil to deal with these days making life fastoche!

And the idea that anyone is traumatised with not having the right paperwork, well, how pathetic is anyone even inferring that. Apparently the smallest of things these days traumatises....... [:(]shakes head in disgust.