Visa Renewal

Is it possible to renew my French Polynesia 90 day visa by flying out of Tahiti and then coming back a few days/week later? We are thinking of flying to the Cook Islands or somewhere fairly close in order to renew our visas. We arrived on our boat and aren't done cruising this beautiful area! Trying to get an extension in country seems to be nearly impossible, and we weren't able to apply for the extended visa prior to arrival (its a real hassle if you live on a boat).

Any advice is appreciated! Thanks!

If you have not already done so, try posting this on the forum at www.tahiti-explorer.com - there were(I haven't checked lately) a number of locals answering questions, they might be able to get the information you need. There is also a fairly active board at tripadvisor.com that may help, although a lot of talk there is about the upscale resorts, but it might be worth a try!

Remarah,

What country are you from? Visitors from the USA can now stay in French Polynesia for up to 90 days in a six-month period without a visa (increased from former 30-day stay), effective January 1, 2010. Beyond that, you would need a short-stay visa issued from the French Consulate before you depart.

Beyond that time, you must exit the country to either your originating destination OR to "two continuing destinations" before returning to FP. We had the same idea about taking a 10-day side trip to the Cook Islands and then returning, but it is unclear whether visiting two islands in the Cooks (Rarotonga and Aitutaki) would count as "two destinations." I have been told that "destination" means a separate stamp in your passport, so the Cooks only count as "one destination."

Best bet is to check with your nearest French Consulate. It's almost impossible now to extend a stay beyond visa time after arriving in FP.