The French Senate and National Assembly have voted to ease the pain caused by Brexit to over 60,000 British homeowners who, in future, may be granted automatic long-stay visas in the country.
The French government has been under increasing pressure from its own politicians who have large numbers of UK-owned properties in their constituencies.
The granting of such visas, which would be an automatic right, would allow British homeowners to spend as much of the year as they wish in France – and not count towards the 90-day limit in the rest of the Schengen Area.
Since January 2020, Brits have only been able to spend 90 days in a period of 180 days in the EU – a stark contrast to before we left the bloc, when British citizens enjoyed freedom of movement anywhere within the Schengen Area.
Some groups have been much more affected by the 90-day rule than others. Avid travellers and owners of second homes on the continent have, in particular, found themselves more severely restricted.
Stephen Jolly, of the pressure group France Visa Free, said: “After two years of campaigning it’s a great achievement to see that France is close to lawfully granting long stay visas automatically to those British citizens with a secondary residence in France.
“This is a huge step in the right direction for the France Visa Free campaign, and a recognition that those with a home in France should be allowed to continue living in their homes in just same way that they did before Brexit without having to make France their primary residence.
“The current visa process is time consuming and expensive, and really not equitable or reasonable, given that French people can spend six months per visit in the UK, even if they don’t own property. This legislation recognises the problems and is a credible attempt to address the problems. “
Mr Jolly said that his group is also campaigning so that all British visitors will be able to spend extended periods in France.
Spain’s Tourism Minister, Héctor Gómez, speaking earlier this month, expressed his own anger at Spain’s position when it comes to the 90-day rule.
He said: “Unfortunately, the rule is not something Spain has established by itself or can get rid of. It is in our interest to lobby and convince the EU that we can try to work an exception with them. But the solution must come from them.”
The implications of this new law will be immense, and will provide extra weight, especially for those Spanish politicians who are campaigning for the introduction of a similar ruling for the 800,000 British property owners who currently live in Spain.
With the setting of this important precedent in France, Tourism Minister, Héctor Gómez is already looking to follow the French example for British second and holiday homeowners.
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