Residence Permit in France for an Israeli Citizen Through UAE

Friends, we are often asked how likely it is to be refused a European residence permit when applying through other countries. Due to recent events, the statistics on the issuance of immigrant visas to Russians have deteriorated. Even holders of Israeli darcon and les passé are not immune from refusal. And yet today in Europe there are still states that can be called conditionally available to our compatriots. To get the coveted residence permit in the EU, you must choose the right strategy. For many financially independent citizens of the Russian Federation, one of the priority destinations is France. If you have a legal source of income, enough savings in an account abroad, and a permanent French address, it is not as difficult as it may seem. We are sharing with you another success story of our clients, whom we helped to obtain a residence permit in France through the UAE in 3.5 months.

How did we do it? Read below.

Case History: French Residence Permit for an Israeli Citizen Through UAE

In March Emmanuel contacted our agency. The young entrepreneur from St. Petersburg is engaged in producing small medical equipment, is married, and has a minor son. In the middle of 2022, he was planning to relocate his actively developing business to Europe. The choice fell on France, as the family has relatives living in that country.

Through intermediaries in St. Petersburg, the businessman applied for a residence permit for himself and his family through the opening of an innovative company under the “Passport Talent” category. Then Emmanuel was rejected for the first time and thought about applying for Israeli citizenship. The man gathered proof that he was an ethnic Jew on his mother's side. It all worked out, and by the end of 2022, after consular inspection and registration of a repatriate visa, he, his wife Irina, and their 11-year-old son Boris became holders of national passports. For personal reasons, the family moved to Haifa for permanent residence.

In the new place, they quickly settled in and traveled extensively throughout Europe and Asia. Since the middle of 2023, entry to Schengen countries has been complicated by the introduction of the ETIAS online migration registration system. According to the new rules, it was mandatory to get pre-approval before traveling. The innovation significantly restricted our client's movements, and he again thought about a European residence permit to bypass this procedure.

With this request, Emmanuel came to the migration agency in Israel. This time he was offered to apply for a new status under the category of FNP (financially independent person). The businessman collected the necessary documents but was again rejected. The man told his business partner about his failure, who had previously successfully applied to us.

With little hope of rectifying the situation, Emmanuel came to GARANT.in for a consultation. In addition to the sad story of our client's travails, we learned that he was a holder of a UAE Golden Visa based on purchasing luxury real estate in Dubai at the off-plan stage. The client hoped to earn money on the resale of the apartments after commissioning.

The manager immediately grasped this fact, as our agency has a branch in Dubai. To minimize the probability of rejection, we suggested Emmanuel apply for a French residence permit through the UAE. After discussing with the specialist all the advantages of the alternative plan and asking all the questions, he agreed and our specialists started working with the case.

Preparation of the dossier

The procedure of registration of the European category status for FNP involves obtaining a long-term visa Visiteur national visa D VLS-TS for 1 year with subsequent exchange to a plastic residence permit card with the possibility of extension. To participate in the program, the candidate must meet several conditions:

• Have a stable confirmed income of at least 2,000€/person per month;
• show sufficient bank account balance (not less than 30 000 €/person or from 60 000 € for a family);
• have a permanent residence address in the country;
• have health insurance;
• give a written undertaking not to engage in employment in France;
• to have a visa history with marks on visits to Schengen countries without violations.

Emmanuel sent the personal and financial documentation to the manager electronically when ready. Our specialists made translations and apostilled them. Further, on behalf of the client, we made an appointment at the French Consulate in Dubai to obtain a long-term visitor visa. The positive decision on this issue almost coincided with the completion of the collection of the full case. Within a month we managed to prepare the following documents:

• copies of passports;
• Israeli national passports;
• confirmed D visa;
• color photographs;
• receipts of paid fees;
• tax returns for 5 years;
• Arab and Israeli bank statements;
• written confirmation of permanent address from Emmanuel's relatives in Marseille;
• paid medical insurance with full coverage (taken out by clients back in Israel);
• certificates of no criminal record.

Emmanuel and his family traveled to Marseille to validate the visa obtained with OFII. After that, in the personal cabinet of the online system of the official resource, we filled in the application form for the eID card, which certifies the identity of the applicant. Emmanuel received this document for digital services in 10 days after paying the state fee of 37€.

At the same time, we were engaged in opening a bank account in a European bank and began to search for real estate in Marseille at the request of the client, as well as helped him to change his Israeli driver's license to a French one.

Features of the French residence permit for citizens of Israel

Darkon and other forms of Israeli residency give candidates for a European residence permit several advantages. Namely:

• The possibility of submitting documents at the embassy, rather than through a visa center;
• appointment in a shorter period compared to other candidates;
• loyalty in the consideration of the application.

After 5 years, residents can apply for EU citizenship. An important plus is the absence of the need to become a tax resident of the country regardless of the period of stay in the country. Together with the main applicant, spouses, and minor children can claim European status. And applying through Dubai practically reduces the risk of rejection to 0%.

If such a change is in your plans, contact GARANT.in for help. There are no unsolvable tasks for our specialists. We are always happy to support our clients' positive endeavors.