French Long stay visa: Travel to Germany

[retish]

Hi,
I am an Indian national and a French LONG STAY visa holder who has arrived In Paris last month (2 Nov 2004) for my postdoctoral research.

My Visa says:

Valid for FRANCE (+1 TRANSIT SCHENGEN)

Since my arrival I have applied for my resident permit, for which I have been given a reciept by the Prefecture of Police.

I now plan to travel to Germany to meet my girl friend (an Indian national with a german resident permit for past 4 years) during Xmas this month.

Do I need a german visa to enter Germany?

Thanks,
retish

[John]

The internal borders within the Schengen area are open. That is, if you drive, the only indication you will see that you are leaving France and entering Germany are some signs.

If flying, you may need to use your passport as photo-ID to check-in, but again there are no immigration-style checks, either at the French airport or at the German one.

Or put it another way, prior to my wife getting her British passport she needed to get a Schengen visa to enter any Schengen country (from the UK where we live). We got one from the French consulate and duly had a holiday in the south of France. During that holiday we also entered Spain, Italy and Monaco .... but none of those countries ever knew she was there. The same will apply if you go from France to Germany and back.

[retish]

Thanks John,

I will be travelling to Germany by Train. I understand from some friends who frequently travel between France and Germany by train, that there are occasional checks (but these I am informed, are done by local police and not immigration authorities) at the border.

In my case, the visa stamped is not "SCHENGEN". Its only a LONG STAY VISA (type D) valid for the territory of FRANCE plus 1 TRANSIT SCHENGEN , which is just a single entry transit visa to facilitate my arrival in France. As per European Commission regulations I can visit other countries of the EC with my French Resident Permit. But it doesn't say anything about a person, who has applied for a Resident Permit and is awaiting its issual.

Thats my dilemma.

[quote="John"]The internal borders within the Schengen area are open. That is, if you drive, the only indication you will see that you are leaving France and entering Germany are some signs.

If flying, you may need to use your passport as photo-ID to check-in, but again there are no immigration-style checks, either at the French airport or at the German one.

Or put it another way, prior to my wife getting her British passport she needed to get a Schengen visa to enter any Schengen country (from the UK where we live). We got one from the French consulate and duly had a holiday in the south of France. During that holiday we also entered Spain, Italy and Monaco .... but none of those countries ever knew she was there. The same will apply if you go from France to Germany and back.[/quote]

[gani999]

Hi,
I am an Indian national and a French LONG STAY visa holder who has arrived In Paris last month (2 Nov 2004) for my postdoctoral research.

My Visa says:

Valid for FRANCE (+1 TRANSIT SCHENGEN)

Since my arrival I have applied for my resident permit, for which I have been given a reciept by the Prefecture of Police.

I now plan to travel to Germany to meet my girl friend (an Indian national with a german resident permit for past 4 years) during Xmas this month.

Do I need a german visa to enter Germany?

Thanks,
retish

Retish, you can travel to Germany with your passport and Schenegan visa. Just keep the receipt from the Perfecture of Police, with you as a proof that you have applied for a residence permit and show that to anyone who checks.