[dehovitch3]

I'm a retired person and about to apply for a Schengen visa through Italy or France. My ideal goal is to get something like a Permanent Resident visa but I understand that France and Italy have no such category. My fallback goal is ask for permission to stay five years but not less than two years in either country. My real concern is being rejected for failing to meet certain minimum financial support requirements given my desired length of stay. Does anyone have information for retiree applicants in regard to French and Italian financial support demands? Is it difficult to renew Long Stay visas in these host countries?