Centre-right senator Lauriane Josende sparked fresh debate over post-Brexit mobility by calling on the French government to relax long-stay visa rules for British citizens who own holiday homes in France. In an interview published on 21 September 2026, the law-maker argued that owners need greater flexibility to visit outside the standard 90/180-day Schengen allowance so they can carry out mandatory brush-clearing and fire-prevention work introduced after this summer’s record blazes. Under current policy, non-EU citizens must apply for a six-month ‘visiteur’ visa—or split their stays across multiple trips—if they need more than 90 days in any 180-day window. Applicants face biometric appointments, proof-of-income requirements and processing fees of €99, hurdles many retiree owners consider onerous. Josende proposes a simplified multi-entry visa, valid five years, issued on proof of property ownership and local tax payments. She claims the change would encourage owners to comply with new débroussaillage (vegetation clearance) obligations designed to protect villages that sit in wildfire-prone départements such as Var, Bouches-du-Rhône and Pyrénées-Orientales. The idea is backed by several regional mayors who fear absentee owners may skip maintenance trips, increasing fire risk for permanent residents. Tourism boards also argue that longer, maintenance-focused stays generate off-season economic activity without adding summer crowding. The Interior Ministry has yet to respond, but officials note that any new scheme would need to remain consistent with EU visa code rules and reciprocal UK concessions. Mobility advisers for multinational companies say the debate highlights how environmental regulations are influencing immigration policy and advise British nationals with French assets to monitor the proposal and keep detailed travel logs to avoid overstays.
Source: The Connexion
