Laurie’s story: from France Working Holiday Visa to family residence permit

My name is Laurie. I’m from the Greater Montreal area in Quebec, Canada. Now I live by the sea in the beautiful town of Sète in the south of France.

I love travelling and discovering new cultures and landscapes. I lived and worked in Australia, in Western Canada, and now in France for the past four years. I met my French husband at the beginning of my working holiday in France; he had just come back from spending two years in Canada on an IEC Working Holiday Permit. We created an online boutique together, as well as pop-up events selling Canadian products in France and Europe. We are slowly building our dream life together!

I arrived in France on my own in December 2021. I first did a ski season from December to April in the Alps, in Chamonix, a paradise for mountain lovers! I had a server contract that included room and board, which really helps when arriving in a new country on a Working Holiday Visa. I explained everything in detail in my first interview in 2023.

Yes, I applied for an APS for my second year about one to two months before my Working Holiday Visa expired. I was living in Montpellier at the time, so I completed the process online through the Hérault prefecture, which was located right next to where I lived. I was lucky because there was a specific APS-WH application form at the Hérault prefecture and the staff seemed familiar with this type of request so everything went relatively smoothly.

I obtained my APS shortly before my Working Holiday Visa expired. I’m aware that in some prefectures, the APS-WH is not well known, and so many applicants struggle to get answers.

As I was in a serious relationship with my French partner, we decided that we wanted to stay in France for the foreseeable future. We looked into the different visa options that would allow me to stay in France after my APS, and the most logical and simplest option in my situation was applying for a “Vie privée et familiale” residence permit.

I started researching the process at least six months before the end of my APS and we made sure that everything we shared was in both our names (lease, electricity bill, internet bill, joint bank account, etc.). We got married at the Montpellier city hall a few months later.

One to two months before my APS expired, I submitted my online application from France for the “Vie privée et familiale” residence permit through the Hérault prefecture. I then had an in-person appointment with proof of our shared life, and I received my one-year residence permit shortly before my APS expired. After the first year of my “Vie privée et familiale” permit, I was able to renew it for two years, and this year I should be able to apply for a ten-year permit. Depending on the prefecture, renewal durations can vary. I should also be able to apply for French nationality through marriage next year, since I think it becomes possible after four years of marriage.

I was fortunate to be able to complete all my residence permit applications and renewals from within France. I don’t know whether it’s possible to do it from Canada; I personally felt more reassured handling everything from France and not having to return to Canada just for paperwork. I’ve made several short trips back to Canada since then, and I always made sure my visa was valid so I could return to France with peace of mind.

I read quite a few horror stories from other Canadians in Facebook groups: people being forced to return to Canada for renewals or applications, not hearing back from prefectures for months with no way to contact them, having to renew their “Vie privée et familiale” residence permit every year…

I therefore consider myself relatively lucky in my dealings with the Hérault prefecture, as I always received positive responses to my applications before my previous permit expired.

One difficulty I did encounter was that once my online application was submitted, I received a confirmation stating that I would receive an email with my appointment summons at the prefecture for the final submission — but I never received that appointment email. I had to be quite persistent, sending multiple follow-up emails and explaining that my job (and my life!) was at stake. I did a lot of research online through Facebook groups and word of mouth to find the right email addresses to contact repeatedly in order to secure that appointment. It’s not possible to show up at the Hérault prefecture without an appointment because there is a security guard who checks for proof of an appointment.

I briefly looked at other visas, but the “Vie privée et familiale” residence permit was the most suitable option for my situation.

I recommend preparing in advance, starting the process early, and being persistent if you’re not getting responses. The pvtistes.net website, Facebook groups for Canadians in France, and word of mouth are all very helpful. Even better if you can get advice from someone who has gone through the process in your region, since each prefecture operates differently.

I also recommend bringing as many documents as possible to your prefecture appointment to prove the legitimacy of your residence permit application. It’s always better to have too many documents than not enough. I had a massive file for my first residence permit application. I even printed photos of my partner and me. No one looked at them, but YOU NEVER KNOW!

There can also sometimes be a significant delay between the prefecture appointment where you normally receive a récépissé de demande for your residence permit application or renewal, and the second appointment to collect the actual residence permit. It’s therefore important to make sure you leave with a receipt that states “authorizes the holder to work,” so you can continue working while waiting for the card.

If applicable, you should also remember to pay the fiscal stamp before your prefecture appointment for a residence permit application or renewal. The fiscal stamp is proof of payment used to pay administrative fees, taxes, or duties in France. I didn’t know this during my first residence permit application, but the prefecture employee was patient and allowed me to complete the electronic payment on my phone during the appointment.

To keep building our dream life, enjoying everything France has to offer: its landscapes, its gastronomy, and surrounding ourselves with the right people! Finding a balance between taking advantage of our proximity to all these beautiful neighbouring countries to travel (we’re going to Madeira soon!) and going back to Québec to see my loved ones. Working hard to continue developing our business (Okanada), our vision, and our online shop Saveur à L’Érable (the best Québecois and Canadian products in Europe).

I’ve travelled a lot, moved around a lot, and been on the move over the past six years, and I’m truly grateful for all of these experiences, especially thanks to the Working Holiday Visa and our business. Now I feel the desire to put down roots here, build long-term connections, establish routines, and slow down (a little).