Visa options in France
If you’re looking to reside in France as a non-EU/EEA citizen you can lawfully do so for up to 90 days in every 180 without a visa. However, this 90-day period is rolling and includes any time spent in other Schengen Area states.
If you are a non-EU/EEA citizen and wish to reside in France for longer than 90 days in a 180-day period, you will need a long-stay visa or a residence permit. Different options are available, depending on where you’re from, the grounds for obtaining residency and the purpose of your stay.
Long-term visa options in France
Long-stay visa equivalent to a residence permit (VLS-TS)
The visa de long séjour valant titre de séjour (VLS-TS) is a long-stay visa valid for three to twelve months. This visa is equivalent to a residence permit and allows the holder to reside in France without a separate residence permit.
The VLS-TS also allows holders to travel freely within the Schengen Area states, spending up to 90 days in a 180-day period outside of France.
To apply for the VLS-TS visa, you must submit an application (no more than three months before your planned departure to France) with the French consular authorities in the country where you live.
This visa is issued for a variety of reasons including education, work or family reasons.
You will be asked to supply the following documents:
- A passport (or other travel document) that was issued in the last 10 years and is valid for at least three months after the planned date of departure from French territory.
- Long-stay visa application form (Cerfa no. 14571*05), duly completed, signed and dated.
- The OFII form
- Two standard passport photos.
The cost of this visa application is €99.
When you arrive in France, a sticker will be affixed to your passport. For your long-stay visa to be recognised as the equivalent of a residence permit, you must validate your visa within three months of arrival. To do this, simply complete and submit the OFII form online. Once submitted, you may be invited to a medical examination and/or welcome visit.
You shouldn’t worry too much about the medical examination. It is only to confirm you’re not bringing any contagious diseases to France. You must bring the following to your medical examination:
- A currently valid passport
- A recent passport photo
- An accommodation certificate or other proof of accommodation in France
Once these formalities have been completed, an OFII sticker is affixed to the foreign national’s passport allowing them to reside in France until the visa expires.[i]
Visa Visiteur for financially independent foreigners
A fast-track route to living in France is the Visa Visiteur for financially independent foreigners. Please note, this visa type does not allow work or business in France.
To qualify, you must be:
- Over 18 years old
- Buy or rent housing in France
- Prove passive or remote income of €1,800 per month or €21,600 per year or have a bank deposit of at least €30,000, or a combination.
- Purchase medical insurance for your stay in France.
Having a monthly income of €3,500 may increase your chances of approval.
A spouse and dependents (under 18 years) can obtain the visa with the main applicant, but any children should be enrolled in French schools before the application is submitted.
Applications for the Visa Visiteur are processed within two to three weeks, and it is valid for one year.
This visa grants you a social security number but does not allow work or business in France.
Extending your stay in France
Should you wish to extend your stay in France, foreigners have to obtain a Carte de Séjour, valid from one to four years, to continue their stay. Residence permit applications must be submitted to your local prefecture a minimum of two months before your current visa expires.
Applying for permanent residency
Once you have been a legal resident in France for a minimum of five years without interruption, you can apply for an EU long-term resident card (Carte de Résident Longue Durée-UE).
To get an EU long-term resident card in France, applicants must prove:
- An uninterrupted residence in France for at least five years with a qualifying residence permit
- Health insurance coverage in France
- A sufficient income of at least the minimum wage level in France, which is €21,203 per year in 2024
- Knowledge of the French language at an A2 level or above and a signed Republican Integration contract
- Years spent in France on a student visa, do not count towards the three-year minimum residency requirement
The residence permit is valid for 10 years and is renewable.[ii] The cost of this application is currently €99.
After your Carte de Résident Longue Durée-UE runs out, you can apply for a permanent residency card that’s valid for life, Carte de Résident permanent. This permanent residency card grants the right to live and work not only in France but in any other country of the European Union, just like a French citizen.
Applying for French citizenship
After five years of living in France legally, you can apply for French citizenship by naturalisation.
To qualify you must meet the following conditions[iii]:
- Over 18 years old
- Have no issues with the law
- Have a stable source of income in France
- Live, work and pay taxes in France for five years
- Speak French to at least B1 level and prove it at a government-approved language centre or with a certificate
If you fit the above criteria, you can make an application for naturalisation.
Most people can apply online using their current visa number or residence permit number as identifiers. If you can’t, check with your local prefecture to find out how to make an appointment.
Alternatively, you can submit a paper form to apply. This form is known as Cerfa n°12753*03.
[i] https://www.welcometofrance.com/en/fiche/long-stay-visa-equivalent-to-a-residence-permit-vls-ts
[ii] https://www.welcometofrance.com/en/fiche/10-year-certificate-of-residence
[iii] https_immigrantinvest.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fimmigrantinvest.com%2Fblog%2Ffrance-residency-en2F
