Just as an American from any state is free to live and work in another state, so the citizens of the European Union's 25 member states can choose to settle in another member state. If you want to live in Europe and you are one of the lucky ones who can obtain an EU nationality because of European ancestors, then go for it, as it will make you able to sidestep the queue of Americans wanting to move to Europe – a queue that appears to be of the same size as Europeans wanting to move to the U.S. Another "easy&q...
Just as an American from any state is free to live and work in another state, so the citizens of the European Union's 25 member states can choose to settle in another member state. If you want to live in Europe and you are one of the lucky ones who can obtain an EU nationality because of European ancestors, then go for it, as it will make you able to sidestep the queue of Americans wanting to move to Europe – a queue that appears to be of the same size as Europeans wanting to move to the U.S. Another "easy" way is to marry an EU citizen. Beware, though, that freedom of movement for eight out of the ten new EU member states that joined in 2004 will not be active until 2007 or later, so wait a few years before going to Hungary to search for a husband or wife.
Globalization has enabled goods to flow more and more freely, but there is no globalization in sight for the movement of people. Our governments seem determined to keep up the fence between the U.S. and the EU. Getting over the fence means finding out where it is lowest, and you must be patient. Patience is particularly important in France; without it you risk getting a heart attack. Be prepared for everything to move slower--except freeway traffic and high-speed trains on days without strikes. The only things that can make a Frenchman move fast is going to lunch or to vacation.
French unemployment remains stable at 10 percent, and many companies hesitate to employ because of the rigid French Working Code that makes laying off difficult and outlaws temporary employment, except in limited cases. France is over-regulated. The burden of the ever-increasing number of regulations slows everything. There is virtually no economic growth in France.
VISAS FOR U.S. CITIZENS
The Consular Administration has full authority to appreciate and request more documents than those listed on this page, please visit the website of the neareast Consulate to verify the requirements and obtain the amount of the visa fee before sending or bringing in your application.
SHORT STAY VISA
If you are a U.S. citizen and would like to travel to France, an Overseas Department (DOM) or to Monaco for a short stay (up to 90 days)
You DO NOT need visa (only a valid passport), except for
• Holders of diplomatic or official passports on mission
• Crew members
• Journalists on assignment
The applicants above must submit 1 application form for a short stay visa, a valid passport + 1 photocopy, a cover letter from the appropriate U.S. agency, embassy or from their company + 1 passport size photograph.
Diplomatic or official passport holders must apply at the Consulate General of France in Washington DC, New York, Los Angeles or San Francisco depending on their juridiction.
• Artists, researchers and anyone having a paid activity in France (please refer to the section on work visas)
• students (please refer to the section on student visas)
http://www.ambafrance-us.org/v...
If you are dreaming of an adventure-filled new life kicking about Europe, before booking that open-ended return ticket to glamorous Paris, there are some things you should know unless you want to wind up back home, broke and disappointed a few short months later.
Most of the Americans, Australians, Canadians and New Zealanders living and working in France fall into one of three categories:
1. They are married to a French (or another national of the European Union) citizen.
2. They inherited dual citizenship from their parents.
3. They are highly-skilled professionals sent to their company’s French office to achieve a specific task.
France currently has working holiday agreements whereby Canadian, Australian and New Zealander citizens aged between 18 and 30 years can undertake paid employment for up to one year.
The options for American citizens, however, are a bit more complicated.
Logically, your first option should be to apply for a work visa. But is this the best way to go? According to the French Embassy, Americans can stay in France (without working) for up to three months on a tourist visa. If you want to stay longer than that you need to apply for a work visa. The problem is, you must have secured a job before you can apply for a work visa.
Tony Perla, an American who has worked in the south of France for the past three years as a self-employed builder, says:
”The first challenge is to find a job, not the work permit — hiring someone legally is prohibitive from the point of view of employer commitments (salary, pension, health care, etc.)”
“This leaves very highly specialized people who have a particular talent (programmers, systems analysts, etc.),” says Tony, who is also a board member of the association Americans in Toulouse, “for these jobs, the person must find a company that will sponsor them. That company must then justify that they really need this person because they cannot find an EU-alternative national.”
Self Employment
An American who works in France in whichever field, without being married to a French person is, as Tony puts it, “a very rare animal indeed and is likely here on his/her own means.”
“It is virtually impossible for them obtain a job with an existing French or American company any longer. The French authorities will require justification that the person has skills that simply do not exist in France, which is quite rare.” he says.
“It is possible for them to start a company and employ themselves — that’s about all. This will require the usual minimum amounts financially that must be justified as well as payments of all local taxes from which they will not be exonerated (as any resident starting a company would be.)” says Tony.
“There are few restrictions in place if you plan to come over and employ yourself without asking the French government for anything. Some people come over and buy a vineyard for example, and pay taxes etc.” Tony adds.
You don't speak much French? Well, learn. You have to learn it sometime; if you're going to work in France, you might as well start now. Take French classes, rent French movies, buy French language courses on cassette or CD-ROM, trade English lessons for French ones with any French speakers you know. (Note: if you're going to France, learn French from a European French speaker.)
French Anti-Americanism
American culture is everywhere in France, on television (Columbo, The Sopranos), music (Bruce Springsteen, Tracy Chapman), movies (Fill in the number one movie in American here), books (John Grisham). This before mentioning McDonalds, which is just as widespread in France as in America. This makes it hard for me to see the French as anti-American. How can a people so willing to embrace American culture, hate America? The answer is they don't.
Yes, there is a backlash to this embrace of American culture. For example, some demand there be a limit to the number of American films that can play in a movie house at any one time. This view is not widely held and could not be enacted. Why? There wouldn't be enough films for the existing movie theaters!
The Bush Administration is not loved in France. Frequently cited is its present policy on Iraq. The French government took the lead in demanding that war be avoided at all costs. This is a very popular view in France; over 70% of the French population oppose a war. This anti-Bush Administration feeling is not carried over to Americans in general. A distinction is made between the American government and its people.
One to one the French have no problem with Americans. I never hide my nationality. I always tell people where I am from; more times than not, most then tell me of their vacation spent somewhere in America, or the fact that they would like to someday visit.
The French government wants Americans to come to France and spend tourist dollars. The French economy relies greatly on tourism.
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