UKH

We are planning to go to the EU to visit my partner's family in December. This will be the first time I may have to prove I have sufficient funds to support myself.

I don't do phone banking.

Do you have any tips on the best way to go about this ?

Has anyone been asked to prove they have sufficient funds entering France ?

Thanks

Andy

I had to do something like this for a US VISA, along with proof of ties to the UK. Go into your bank branch and ask them for an authenticated balance sheet of your most baller accounts.

I went to France recently and wasn't asked anything about funds. No one else I know who has been this year has been asked either.

I was surprised by your question but looking online confirms it.

This  -

At French border control your passport may be stamped on entry and exit. You should also be prepared to:

Queue in separate lanes from EU, EEA or Swiss citizens.

Show proof of where you intend to stay, for example, a booking confirmation or proof of address if visiting your own property (e.g. second home). Further information is detailed below.

Show proof of insurance for your trip. Please check the guidance on travel insurance here.

Show a return or onward ticket

Prove that you have enough money for the duration of your stay. Further information is detailed below.

France categorises possible accommodation arrangements for visitors as follows:

Staying with family, friends or third party - you may be asked to provide an ’attestation d’accueil’ (welcome invitation) from your host if you are staying with friends or family. The French resident hosting you will need to obtain this attestation d’accueil from their local Mayor’s office, and send the original attestation before you enter France. You should also be prepared to show proof of funds of at least €32.50 per day, for the duration of your stay. If you do not have an ‘attestation d’accueil’ you should be ready to fulfil the requirements of option 4 below.

You have a second home in France - you will need to be able to prove ownership or tenancy of your property e.g. a tax or utility bill.

You are staying in a hotel or other commercially provided accommodation - you may be asked for confirmation of your reservation when entering France. You should also be prepared to show proof of funds of at least €65 per day for the duration of your stay.

You do not have an ‘attestation d’accueil’ or any pre-booked accommodation - in this instance, you may be asked to prove you have sufficient means for your visit, of at least €120 per day for the duration of your stay.

is from https://www.gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice/france/entry-requirements.

From what SD says it does not appear to be enforced, but it clearly is a possibility.

Dave

I hadn't read all that either but FWIW, FFS.

Sunny uplands! Focus on the sunny uplands!

FWIW I've never had to show any of that entering any country (not even the notoriously fussy USA).  Unless they're "working to rule" to annoy us re Brexit, it depends what they reckon you look like!  That is, someone who looks like they're moving there is likely to be questioned far more than someone who looks like they've popped over for a weekend break.

Regarding proof of funds, I suspect waving a major credit card at them would do for a short trip, even though they wouldn't have a way of checking it wasn't maxed out.

Maybe just get your banks app? It will give you much better security and control over your money. However I can't see showing them your online bank account is an acceptable way to prove your funds (I certainly wouldn't want to do it) so I'm not sure how this would ever be done in practice. I think it's a hangover from the days of cash and traveller's cheques. 

No. I live in France and the inlaws came to stay on Sunday. Nobody asked. As terrible as it is I presume if you're white you won't be asked. 

I'm not sure if you're meant to have an attestation d'accueil anyway if you're staying at their house but it's just a joke in terms of the hassle (my inlaws decided to come with less notice than how it takes to get one). 

Still, I flew to the UK this morning and got a nice stamp on my shiny new blue passport (despite not needing a stamp and even showing the guy my residence permit - everyone is making this up as they go along) so surely Brexit was worth it. 

For what it's worth, they stamped our passports in and out over the summer, that's never happened before.

I have, entering the US at JFK years ago. Immigration took me to a separate office alone where I was grilled for a while, 'Why did you come here?', 'How much money have you got?" (he then flicked through my pile of US dollars and said 'How much is this?'), unpacked my bag and took out every sheet of paper one by one, probably looking for a CV, job offer, certificates

It took a while and wasn't very friendly

Edit, I had a UK passport

Surely we can just show them all that sovereignty we've got? 

Thanks everyone.

I just carry a grand or two in cash, enough to know I can always get home from wherever I am. The only flights out of the Ukraine in the early 90's were cash only in dollars. Other countries I've been to would accept a charge on a Visa card though like hire-car companies.

An ex-colleague gets this treatment every time he visits his brother in NJ or goes on business trips to NY. He is also a British passport holder but moved here from Iran in early 80’s. Count yourself lucky it only happened once!!!

Wow, that's a list!

If it was ever going to be enforced by picky french border people, now would seem the likely time

I used to work regularly in the US and had a working VISA. It was harder to get in than as a tourist & and took much longer too

Visited France last week and the only documentation/information I was asked for was Passport and Covid vaccination status. I had also completed the Covid "déclaration sur l’honneur" as mentioned on the UK.GOV website, but this was never asked for.

We've had a few visitors from the UK to see us in France this year - no-one has been asked about funds, return ticket or health insurance.

Not to say that might change soon...

My sister, brother and I have been to France a combined five times since mid Summer and none of us have been asked for any of that. The last time, I had to show vaccine certificates in and out and the passenger locator form going back, but noone wanted to see the sworn statement. 

Yup. And I'd say it will start being enforced at some indeterminate point in the future but at short notice as part of some tit for tat disagreement between France/the EU and the UK. (and sods law guarantees it will be at the most awkward time!)

Yet another reason to be grateful to my grandmother for having the foresight to be born in Ireland!

I was once asked for proof of funds trying to get into Bosnia at 3am.

Proof of funds quickly led the need for a cash money 'visa'

Apparently debit cards and travellers cheques didn't cut it!