France’s Constitutional Court has made a decision to reject an amendment that would have allowed Britons with second homes in the country to stay for more than 90 days, citing it as unconstitutional.
The legislation would have enabled British homeowners in France to spend unlimited time in the country, in contrast to the 90-day limit for non-Schengen countries. After Brexit, Brits, like other non-Schengen countries with a visa facilitation agreement, are permitted to stay in the country for 90 days every 180-day period. For longer stays, Brits still need to apply for a long-stay visa, which usually has a validity of up to six months.
The proposed amendment was initiated by Martine Berth, a French senator, in response to complaints from British second homeowners in her region who pointed out that British citizens contribute to the local economy. The proposal was expected to address the increasing number of vacant properties in tourist areas of France.
After the amendment was passed in November, interest from British citizens in purchasing property in France soared, with a 582% increase noticed in Britons searching for French properties on an international property website.
The immigration bill, including the amendment for Britons to stay longer, has sparked a debate and criticism in France for being perceived as unjust. The UN’s special rapporteur for racism, Ashwini KP, criticized France’s contested immigration bill, stating that it defies one of the most fundamental principles of the country.
Tens of thousands of protesters marched the streets of French cities, urging President Macron not to sign the changes. The new legislation is expected to be one of the most stringent laws for immigrants as it limits their access to state healthcare and deports those with a criminal record, among others.
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