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‘Not just selfies by the Eiffel Tower’ – Inside the new Paris-based US reality TV show

Real Girlfriends in Paris is the latest American television series to take a look at life in France. The Local spoke with one of the stars of the reality TV show about what she hopes other Americans in France can get out of it.

Published: 5 September 2022 17:10 CEST
'Not just selfies by the Eiffel Tower' - Inside the new Paris-based US reality TV show
Kacey Margo, one of the stars of Real Girlfriends in Paris, in front of the Louvre. (Photo Credit: Kacey Margo)

Referred to as a mélange between Sex and the City and Emily in Paris, the new series from US TV channel Bravo, Real Girlfriends in Paris, promises to tell the honest stories (with a healthy dose of drama) of six Americans trying to build their lives in the City of Light. 

The Local spoke with Kacey Margo, one of the six Girlfriends, about what to expect from the show and why other Americans living in Paris should tune in. 

Similar to many other Americans who made their way to France via study abroad or teaching English, Kacey Margo also studied French in high school and university. She first moved for a study abroad program and then came back to teach English, with the program TAPIF.

“I wanted to stay after I really started to fit in here. I felt at home here, and I felt that I had a skill (teaching English) that was sought after.” 

Kacey has been in France for over three years now, and more recently became famous on TikTok for portraying her life as an American in France, which ended up being a gateway onto Real Girlfriends in Paris. 

Part of the reason Margo wanted to go on the show was to show an authentic version of life in Paris.

“I wanted to prove to everyone that I am not just taking pictures in front of the Eiffel tower every day or just eating cheese. I’m working and giving back to the community by teaching English.

“Being an American living in Paris is super interesting because people always assume you’re a tourist. It’s like no, I live here, I speak French, I am a permanent fixture. I am here to make a living.” 

Kacey thinks other Americans in Paris will relate to that, especially after the Netflix show Emily in Paris – a series that led many frustrated Op-Eds and Twitter threads from French people who felt their culture had been mocked. 

“Emily in Paris is fake,” Kacey said, laughing. “I hate when people assume that we don’t speak any French or that we don’t know the city. We’ve all been here for a while.”

Another experience, though a not-so positive one, that the English-teacher turned reality TV star thinks other Americans in France will relate to is visa-related.

“I think that any American in Paris’ ‘status’ is a central part of their life here,” said Margo. According to the Bravo website, this will be a central dilemma for her, as she is “determined to stay” but “unfortunately, complications with her visa could get in the way.”

While she could not go into detail about what viewers can expect for her visa situation (you’ll have to watch the show), Kacey did have some advice for other Americans who have found themselves in less-than-ideal residency situations:

“It’s like voting in the US: stay in line. Go to the préfecture, show them that you care about staying, show them that you have all the paperwork, show them you have a skill that is applicable in France. Once you have your foot in the door, don’t give up.”

Kacey wants other Americans in Paris to tune in for the show “because they will be able to see themselves in one of the six of us. You’ll see all of the problems that expats go through.”

Adding that “it’s super easy to feel alone, whether that’s because you are dealing with visa issues, marriage issues, or work issues, or any other problems expats experience, it’s so nice to see someone else in the same boat as you.”

And for Americans looking to make the move to France, Margo had some words of wisdom too, speaking frankly, she said “it’s not for everyone. If you are not prepared to go outside and live every day in French then I would not recommend it. Take the time to become fluent and adjust.”

The show premieres on Monday, September 5th at 9:15pm EST on Bravo – on TV or online – in the United States, but will also be shown from September 6th on the European paid-for streaming service, Hayu.

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AMERICANS IN FRANCE

Is there really a 1949 treaty that allows Americans an extra three months in France?

You might have heard rumours about an old but never-repealed treaty between France and the USA that allows Americans an extra three-month stay in France without requiring a visa. But is it still valid?

Published: 24 June 2024 15:06 CEST
Is there really a 1949 treaty that allows Americans an extra three months in France?

It sounds almost too good to be true – an obscure treaty that would potentially allow Americans to stay up to six months in Europe without needing a visa . . .

The agreement exists, it was one of several bilateral travel agreements that France made in 1949.

It states: “From April 1st 1949, citizens of the US can enter the following countries on the simple presentation of a valid passport, without a visa, and stay between one day and three months; France, Andorra, Algeria, Morocco, Gaudeloupe, Martinique, French Guiana and Réunion (or Tunisia for two months).”

First things first, we would strongly advise against turning up at the border of Algeria, Tunisia or Morocco and claiming your right to free entry based on an agreement that France made for them back in the days when they were colonised. Awkward.

The Caribbean islands of Guadeloupe and Martinique, the Indian ocean island of La Réunion and the South-American territory of French Guiana remain French. For administrative purposes they are part of France, but they are not part of the Schengen zone so have slightly different travel rules. Andorra is different again.

Schengen rules

These days France is part of the EU’s Schengen zone and that has its own rules for travel.

Americans are one of several nationalities covered by the ’90-day rule’ – this allows for stays of up to 90 days in every 180 in the Schengen zone, without the requirement for a visa. In total over a year you can spend 180 days visa free, but they cannot be consecutive – within any 180-day period you must not stay for more than 90 days.

READ ALSO How does the 90-day rule work?

The 90-day limit covers time spent in any of the Schengen zone countries – so for example if you are travelling around France, Italy, Spain and Austria you get 90 days total, not 90 days in each country.

The 1949 agreement allows three months visa-free in France, while the Schengen zone agreement allows 90-days visa free in France – basically the same amount.

However where the 1949 agreement could potentially be an advantage is for Americans who want to travel around Europe for several months – essentially giving them three months in France plus 90 days in the rest of the Schengen zone countries, allowing for a six-month visa-free stay in Europe.

Neither rule allows for more than 90 days in France without getting a visa – if you want to stay longer than that in France, you will need a visa (unless you have dual nationality with an EU country).

Schengen rules versus pre-existing bilateral agreements

But is the 1949 agreement still valid? It’s true that the agreement was never specifically cancelled, but since then something big has happened – the creation of the Schengen free travel area which came into force in 1990.

The Schengen agreement creates a free travel zone (expanded several times since 1990 and now encompassing 29 countries and about 420 million people).

Countries that are part of the Schengen area;

  • do not carry out checks at their internal borders, except in cases of specific threats
  • carry out harmonised controls at their external borders, based on clearly defined criteria

The rules are covered by the Schengen Borders Code, which involves countries adopting a common visas policy – in brief this means that countries are free to set their own visa policy (eg types of visa offered, visa costs/duration) but must agree on who needs a visa and who does not.

The European Council explains: “An EU common visa policy is necessary for the effective functioning of the border-free Schengen area as it facilitates the entry of visitors into the EU, while strengthening internal security.

“The EU has established a visa policy for: intended short stays in or transit through the territory of a Schengen state; transit through the international transit areas of airports of the Schengen states; short stays are stays of no more than 90 days within any 180-day period.”

So the EU is clear that it operates a common visas policy – limiting visa-free stays to no more than 90 days in every 180.

French policy 

Part of the confusion over this historic agreement seems to be that over the years several French consulates have provided contradictory or confusing advice suggesting that the 1949 agreement is still in force.

You may be lucky and find a border guard who agrees with their interpretation – but if you find someone who interprets the Schengen rules as superseding the 1949 treaty, they will be able to provide a lot of more up-to-date and clearer statements of the rules specifying that non-EU citizens such as Americans are limited to 90 days in every 180 within the Schengen zone.

If you lose your argument at the border, you are liable to end up with an ‘over-stayer’ stamp in your passport which may make it difficult for you to re-enter any EU country, or to get a visa for any EU country.

Is it really worth taking that risk?

EES

Starting later in 2024 – probably October although it could be delayed again – is the EU’s new Entry & Exit System.

You can find a full explanation of it here, but it basically automates the counting of the 90-day allowance – passports will be scanned on entry and exit of the Schengen zone and dates automatically tallied.

There are exemptions for people who have residency permits or visas, but there is no provision built into the system to show old treaties at the border.

French citizens

The 1949 agreement is a bilateral one, so it also includes a provision for French people wanting to go the USA.

It states: “French citizens wishing to travel to the United States for stays not exceeding three consecutive months may, if they wish, receive free visas valid for two years and for an unlimited number of trips during that period.”

Sadly, this is no longer valid either – the US does not allow visa-free travel and French citizens wishing to go even for a short holiday will need to complete the ESTA visa-waiver online before travelling. Anyone who has failed to complete this form (which is not free) will be denied boarding by their airline.

Once completed, the ESTA visa waiver covers multiple trips for two years (unless your passport is renewed in that time, in which case you have to do it again).

The ESTA visa allows trips of up to 90 days per visit, French people wishing to stay for longer will need to apply for a visa.

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