dusaboss
Hyper Active Member
If you did get tourist visa once what will stop you for getting it again after 2 years?
You just need little planning in advance.
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Process in the Legion for visiting home country
- Thread starter Tihor hgnis
- Start date
If you did get tourist visa once what will stop you for getting it again after 2 years?
You just need little planning in advance.
Surfguy
Super Active Member
Would the travelling legionnaire's Id card get him back into France?
Rapace
Moderator
Unsure. Probably not, if it has the Legion name, since in that case the Carte d'Identité Militaire bears the mention “not valid for any administrative formalities”. What if the CIM is bearing the legionnaire's real name (after rectification) ? I don't know, but I even in that case, I doubt it can be enough for the French immigration officers. Actually, the only ‘safe’ situation would be if the legionnaire (after rectification) receives an official residency card (in French carte de séjour). Then, no passport and no visa needed to enter France, whichever country you're from.
keegan mactavish
Member
I still go fo
I am from Egypt, I got a tourist visa to France in 2016 but when you're a middle eastern man....it is all about luck I can get rejected when I apply again even though I didn't break any law or do anything wrong in france and I just stayed for 5 days
I believe that I have recounted this one before, but never mind. It has to be mentioned that on your CIM is your place of birth, in my case NZ. Again no big deal in legion circles, there's guys from all over the world.
I was on leave (CFC - congé fin de compagne ) from Guyane, and in those days you saved practically all your leave up until the two years were over. I had 105 days leave! With no where else to go all I had left was FdeN or Malmousque. I didn't get rectified until 4.5 years service. Which is why I don't have that much sympathy for Tihor Hgnis who is talking about going home before even joining.
Anyway got slightly side tracked there. So I've got all this leave and my prime from the two years (and all dressed up) with no place to go. So I decided to go to Andorra. It's this tiny principality between France and Spain and duty free. Going over the border was easy and I had a great time. But coming back the French customs officers and, relatively rare in those days, immigration, check the coach. Back track, you take the coach from Andorra into France which drops you off at the train station.
So they are checking everyone's ID when they come to mine. Because it has written place of birth NLLE ZELANDE, he tries to speak English to me. I answer, it's alright I speak french, in French. I don't know if he thought I was trying to belittle him, but he got annoyed and started shouting passport. I tried to explain,quietly that I was a legionnaire and that the legion had my passport. He said that I could not enter France without a proper civilian ID card or a passport. By this time the whole bus is looking at me as if I'm on Frances' Persona non grata's A list.
I'm starting to get P*ssed off with his attitude and ask him what should I do, stay in Andorra? Luckily someone with a bit of rank took over and warned me not to try and cross the border without proper ID again.
Not quite the same thing. Once going back to Calvi after leave, I get to the SNCM office and book my passage and a cabin. I'm a Cch and rectified and have a passport but I'm only taking leave in France, the passport is safe back in Calvi. The girl on the counter is obviously new because she said that they cannot accept a Military ID. Luckily she was smart enough to call over her supervisor.
And another time which again I believe I have recounted, but won't go into again. Entering French Polynesia with my "legion" passport and going on leave with my NZ passport to France with no entry stamp on it. I won't go into it again.
SnafuSmite
Active Member
For South Africa it's a whole application process with proof of residence, income, bank statements and that takes about a month including interviews and such. Even then you're not even close to be guaranteed to get your visa.
Le petit caporal
Legionnaire
I have no valid Id and was told by the SNCF I would need one if wanted to travel on the Eurostar. If I travel without a valid Id, it would be at my own risk of being refused entry... They even went on to explain an example of one of their cadre, who was to participate at a work meeting in London... Mme X passport was still in her Maiden name. She had to get her documents à jour in order to travel (was at the beginning of this immigration/refugees crises thing). France nor the UK still haven't got their act together and am not wasting money attempting a travel that might or not refused... Je suis, j'y reste... L'Empereur (in exile).
SnafuSmite
Active Member
Yep, unless your lucky and have dual nationality for example lots of Saffas have a British Passport and a South African Passport, they'll join on their ZA one and travel on a UK one.
keegan mactavish
Member
Wow...I spent 22 years of my life living in the shit hole called Egypt without leaving it once. I think I am quite sure I can handle living in France for 5 years without leaving it once with the deployment privilege at least until I get my shit together. Personally speaking, I don't think that's ever gonna be a problem for someone like me who wants to leave his country behind him. I think all the dudes who hate their life in their own country shouldn't be worrying about such a matter. Eventually, if you miss a family member they can visit you. The whole process won't probably cost you more than half of your monthly salary.