A list of resources for Americans (scientists, in particular) working in France
(this is under construction) Last Updated 12/5/2013
Getting your Guest Researcher Visa
1) First, of course, you must find a host lab. There are many ways to go about this, but here is a 2006 Science list of funding opportunities for foreign researchers wishing to come to France, most of which still apply. You must get in touch personally with a lab - and Yes, you can do this in English.
2) You must get a "Convention d'Accueil" (Official Invitation Contract) from your host lab, which can take months as it must go through the Prefecture (French City Hall), in addition to dozens of other hands. Then they have to mail it to you. Specify rush or at least signature-approval delivery if possible. Mine took several weeks from the time they mailed it just to arrive in the US.
3) Convention in hand, you may now apply for a visa from the French Consulate assigned to the state in which you are a registered resident (required!). Be aware, it usually takes a week or two to get an appointment, so once you hear that your Convention is in the mail, it's a good idea to get an appointment and just cancel if it hasn't arrived in time.
- IF you are staying for less than 3 months and not getting paid from an employer based in France, a tourist visa should cover you, so this is all likely unnecessary unless your French lab needs to secure the Convention for insurance reasons. Be sure to ask about this, as in France, you need to secure personal liability insurance (like renter's insurance, but covers everything you could possibly imagine, and it's not very expensive) to step foot in a lab. In the states, the lab is insured in case you sue them. In France, you are insured in case you break something or hurt yourself and the lab sues you.
- IF you are getting paid from France or plan to take a few trips back and forth but the total time is longer than 90 days within a 6-month period, you need a short stay visa.
- IF you are staying for a year or more, you need a long stay visa.
4) Wait two weeks. They used to stamp and hand it to you on the same day. Now, since the U.S. decided to make French nationals wait for two weeks to have their visas after the application is submitted, France said "Oh yeah? Two can play this game." Unfortunately, for some consulates, they do not mail it to you - you must pick it up in person. This can be tricky if you no longer live in the state of your official residency. However, I have been informed that at least the NY consulate does allow for friends to pick up your visa for you, granted you have someone you trust who is willing to do so.
5) Ah, finally, you can purchase a ticket! Unfortunately, one-way airfare on most carriers is twice the price instead of half. The solution: Get yourself to Boston and Aer Lingus (out of Ireland) offers a number of one-way destinations at (gasp!) HALF the price of a RT ticket! You're welcome.
Before you Arrive
Be sure to bring with you:
1) an official (read: original, not a photocopy) of your birth certificate (and marriage license if married). You can get this from the personal records office of the city/county where you were born. Usually, it can be purchased and mailed to you from online. While you're at it, might as well get two.
2) a color copy of your master's or doctorate degree (it’s a good idea to also get an original signed letter from the registrar certifying that you are the holder of said degree)
3) color copy (front and back) and original driver’s license if you plan to stay for more than a year and ever rent a car. Note: if your state is NOT on this list, be sure to somehow secure a license from a state on this list. It will make life easier. The consequences of not doing so are also outlined via that link (and I'll post more on driving in France soon).
4) a sworn translation of the above documents (This lady is super efficient and reliable! Cristine Gouron: email her in English to get instructions if you can’t navigate the website: christine@traduction-assermentee-anglais.fr). Another vouched for by friends is Hélène Corbiere, hcorbiere@free.fr, who is local to Montpellier, France. Normal prices run 30-50 Euros per page.
5) your original Convention d’Accueil. And any other official documents you submitted for your visa.
6) copious copies of all of these documents. In fact, it's the digital age: make sure you have scanned copies of all of these documents. Sometimes you can email them when necessary, and it makes it easy to get them to the translator, who sometimes will scan the translated documents and send them to you to speed along the process (as long as you don't need to submit the originals). Don't have a scanner? Take a digital photo - as long as it has a neutral background and fingers are cropped out, they'll never know the difference.
After you Arrive
to be continued...
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