Schengen short stay (tourist): US citizens are visa exempt for Schengen short stays. The official EU ETIAS page, checked 2026-10-15, states that ETIAS is currently not in operation, shows a fee of EUR 20 for when the system starts, and says the EU will announce the start date several months in advance. A stay over 90 days requires a long stay visa obtained before travel; the short stay allowance cannot be extended in France except in rare exceptional cases.
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Living in France long term
France runs on renewable residence cards rather than named visa programs. The main self funded route is the long stay visitor visa (VLS-TS visiteur), which bars all work in France and tests resources against the minimum wage. Skilled and founder routes sit in the Talent Passport family of cards, valid up to 4 years. Five years of regular residence open the 10 year resident card, and five years of habitual residence open naturalisation, cut to two years for graduates of French higher education.
Numbers on this page apply to holders of a US passport. Page last verified: 2026-10-15
Rules change. Confirm the current rules with the official source or the consulate for France before you apply, pay a fee, or book travel around a date in this table.
Every route, with the math
Scroll sideways for the full table. The route name stays in view.
| Route | Income required | Investment required | Total cost | Processing time | Days allowed | Renewal rules | Tax residency trigger | Years to permanent residency | Years to citizenship | Last verified | Official source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Schengen short stay (tourist) Tourist allowance | Not applicable | Not applicable | No fee as of October 2026. Entry is visa free and ETIAS was not yet in operation, so no authorization fee was charged. The official EU ETIAS site lists a fee of EUR 20 for when the system starts. | No advance application as of this check. ETIAS is not yet in operation. | 90 days in any 180 day period across the Schengen area | Not renewable. Time outside the Schengen area does not reset the rolling 180 day window. | Not triggered by short stays on their own. French tax residence is not a day count test: under Article 4 B of the Tax Code (CGI), a person is tax resident if their home (foyer) or main place of stay is in France, or their main professional activity is in France, or the center of their economic interests is in France. Any one test is enough. | Not a residence status. Short stays do not count toward the 5 years of regular residence required for the resident card. | Not a residence status. Short stays do not count toward the 5 years of habitual residence required for naturalisation. | 2026-10-15 | Official source |
| Long-stay visitor visa (VLS-TS visiteur) Passive income | At least EUR 1,477.93 net per month, EUR 17,735.19 per year, for a single applicant. Service Public states this as the minimum resources for the visitor status; it is the annual net minimum wage (SMIC) test applied by France Visas. Resources can be your own (pensions, rents, investment income, savings) or those of a solvent guarantor such as a family member. Family allowances do not count. Housing costs are weighed in the assessment. | Not applicable. No investment is required or accepted as a substitute for the resources test. | EUR 99 long stay visa fee (France Visas fee schedule). Validating the VLS-TS online after arrival carries a EUR 300 tax (reported; it was EUR 200 until the 2026 finance law raised first issuance taxes from May 1, 2026, and the VLS-TS validation tax matches the tax on the title it replaces). The follow on visiteur card costs EUR 350 on first issuance (EUR 300 tax plus EUR 50 stamp duty, per Service Public) and EUR 250 on renewal. | (reported) France Visas publishes no official decision deadline for long stay visas. Reported consular decision times run about 2 to 8 weeks outside the April to August peak (Selectra 2026 guide), and Connexion France has reported 5 to 6 weeks at busy posts. In France, card decisions have a legal outer window: no prefecture answer within 4 months is an implicit refusal (Service Public). | Up to 365 days. The visitor visa for a stay of 12 months is a VLS-TS: it counts as a residence permit once validated online on the ANEF portal within 3 months of arrival. Shorter visitor visas (VLS-T, 4 to 6 months) do not lead to a residence card and cannot be renewed in France. | Renewed as a 1 year visiteur residence card on ANEF, filing between 4 and 2 months before the current title expires. The same resources test applies (EUR 17,735.19 per year for a single applicant), plus health insurance and a fresh signed promise not to work. Renewal fee EUR 250 (Service Public). Filing late adds a EUR 180 regularization fee. After 5 years of regular residence the holder can apply for the 10 year resident card. | Not a day count. Under Article 4 B of the Tax Code (CGI), tax residence follows any one of: home (foyer) or main place of stay in France, main professional activity in France, or center of economic interests in France. A visitor who moves their home to France full time meets the foyer test from the move, even though the visa bars French work. The US France tax treaty can reassign residence if both countries claim it. | 5 | 5 | 2026-10-15 | Official source |
| Talent Passport, qualified employee (talent salarié qualifié) Work | Gross salary of at least EUR 39,582 per year, the threshold Service Public states for the qualified employee track. The same EUR 39,582 threshold applies to employees of an innovative company and to employees on assignment (see the assignment route). A French master level degree (or a level 1 diploma labeled by the Conference des grandes ecoles) is required for the qualified employee track; the innovative company track requires a role tied to the company research and development project instead. | Not applicable | EUR 99 long stay visa fee. The talent card costs EUR 350 on first issuance (EUR 300 tax plus EUR 50 stamp duty, per Service Public) and EUR 250 on renewal. For a stay under 12 months on a VLS-TS talent, the online validation tax is EUR 300 (reported; raised from EUR 200 on May 1, 2026). | (reported) Consular visa decisions for long stay talent visas usually run about 15 working days to 8 weeks (Selectra 2026 guide reports talent files at the fast end). Card applications in France carry the standard legal window: no prefecture answer within 4 months is an implicit refusal (Service Public). | The card is issued for the length of the work contract, up to 4 years. For a stay under 12 months the consulate issues a VLS-TS marked talent instead, to be validated online within 3 months of arrival. | Renewable while the qualifying job continues and the salary stays at or above the threshold. File on ANEF between 4 and 2 months before expiry. Renewal fee EUR 250 (Service Public). After 5 years of regular residence the holder can apply for the 10 year resident card. | Not a day count. Under Article 4 B of the Tax Code (CGI), tax residence follows any one of: home (foyer) or main place of stay in France, main professional activity in France, or center of economic interests in France. A full time job in France meets the professional activity test on its own. | 5 | 5 | 2026-10-15 | Official source |
| Talent Passport, EU Blue Card (talent carte bleue européenne) Work | Gross salary of at least EUR 59,373 per year, which Service Public states as 1.5 times the reference average gross salary. Requires a diploma covering at least 3 years of higher education, or 5 years of professional experience of a comparable level (3 years within the last 7 for listed shortage occupations). The contract must run at least 6 months. | Not applicable | EUR 99 long stay visa fee. The talent card costs EUR 350 on first issuance (EUR 300 tax plus EUR 50 stamp duty, per Service Public) and EUR 250 on renewal. For a stay under 12 months on a VLS-TS talent, the online validation tax is EUR 300 (reported; raised from EUR 200 on May 1, 2026). | (reported) Consular visa decisions for long stay talent visas usually run about 15 working days to 8 weeks (Selectra 2026 guide). Card applications in France carry the standard legal window: no prefecture answer within 4 months is an implicit refusal (Service Public). | For a contract of at least 2 years, the card runs for the contract length up to 4 years. For a shorter contract, the card runs for the contract length plus 3 months, up to 2 years. | Renewable while the qualifying job continues and the salary stays at or above the threshold. File on ANEF between 4 and 2 months before expiry. Renewal fee EUR 250 (Service Public). After 5 years of regular residence the holder can apply for the 10 year resident card or the EU long term resident card. | Not a day count. Under Article 4 B of the Tax Code (CGI), tax residence follows any one of: home (foyer) or main place of stay in France, main professional activity in France, or center of economic interests in France. A full time job in France meets the professional activity test on its own. | 5 | 5 | 2026-10-15 | Official source |
| Talent Passport, employee on assignment (talent salarié en mission) Work | Gross salary of at least EUR 39,582 per year, the threshold Service Public states for the employee on assignment track. Requires at least 3 months of seniority with the foreign group employer and a work contract with the French entity. A related track, talent mandataire social, covers legal representatives of a French company and requires pay of at least 3 times the minimum wage, EUR 67,212.60 gross per year, plus 3 months in the role inside the same group (Service Public). | Not applicable | EUR 99 long stay visa fee. The talent card costs EUR 350 on first issuance (EUR 300 tax plus EUR 50 stamp duty, per Service Public) and EUR 250 on renewal. For a stay under 12 months on a VLS-TS talent, the online validation tax is EUR 300 (reported; raised from EUR 200 on May 1, 2026). | (reported) Consular visa decisions for long stay talent visas usually run about 15 working days to 8 weeks (Selectra 2026 guide). Card applications in France carry the standard legal window: no prefecture answer within 4 months is an implicit refusal (Service Public). | The card is issued for the length of the French contract, up to 4 years. For a stay under 12 months the consulate issues a VLS-TS marked talent instead, to be validated online within 3 months of arrival. | Renewable while the assignment and the salary condition continue. File on ANEF between 4 and 2 months before expiry. Renewal fee EUR 250 (Service Public). After 5 years of regular residence the holder can apply for the 10 year resident card. | Not a day count. Under Article 4 B of the Tax Code (CGI), tax residence follows any one of: home (foyer) or main place of stay in France, main professional activity in France, or center of economic interests in France. Working in France as the main job meets the professional activity test, subject to the US France tax treaty and any secondment rules. | 5 | 5 | 2026-10-15 | Official source |
| Talent Passport, researcher (talent chercheur) Work | No salary threshold in the card rules themselves. The entry ticket is a hosting agreement (convention d accueil) with an approved public or private research or higher education body, plus a degree at least equal to a master. Service Public notes that a minimum pay of EUR 2,200 gross per month applies to researchers hosted under a research stay agreement (convention de séjour de recherche). | Not applicable | EUR 99 long stay visa fee. The talent card costs EUR 350 on first issuance (EUR 300 tax plus EUR 50 stamp duty, per Service Public) and EUR 250 on renewal. For a stay under 12 months on a VLS-TS talent, the online validation tax is EUR 300 (reported; raised from EUR 200 on May 1, 2026). | (reported) Consular visa decisions for long stay talent visas usually run about 15 working days to 8 weeks (Selectra 2026 guide). For the card itself, Service Public states that no prefecture answer within 60 days is an implicit refusal for the researcher card. | The card is issued for the length of the hosting agreement or research stay, up to 4 years. For a stay under 12 months the consulate issues a VLS-TS marked talent instead, to be validated online within 3 months of arrival. | Renewable while the hosting agreement or research activity continues. File on ANEF between 4 and 2 months before expiry. Renewal fee EUR 250 (Service Public). After 5 years of regular residence the holder can apply for the 10 year resident card. | Not a day count. Under Article 4 B of the Tax Code (CGI), tax residence follows any one of: home (foyer) or main place of stay in France, main professional activity in France, or center of economic interests in France. Research or teaching in France as the main activity meets the professional activity test. | 5 | 5 | 2026-10-15 | Official source |
| Talent Passport, company creation (talent porteur de projet, création d entreprise) Investor | Personal resources of at least the full time gross annual minimum wage, EUR 22,404.20 per year (Service Public), enough to support the applicant and any family members. A degree at least equal to a master, or 5 years of professional experience at a comparable level, is also required, along with a real and serious company creation project. | At least EUR 30,000 of funding committed to the company creation project (Service Public). This is project funding, not a passive deposit: the business must be a genuine commercial, craft, or industrial activity in France. | EUR 99 long stay visa fee. The talent card costs EUR 350 on first issuance (EUR 300 tax plus EUR 50 stamp duty, per Service Public) and EUR 250 on renewal. For a stay under 12 months on a VLS-TS talent, the online validation tax is EUR 300 (reported; raised from EUR 200 on May 1, 2026). | (reported) The Ministry of the Economy project opinion comes first and adds time before the consular stage; consular visa decisions then usually run about 15 working days to 8 weeks (Selectra 2026 guide). Card applications in France carry the standard legal window: no prefecture answer within 4 months is an implicit refusal (Service Public). | Up to 4 years on the card. For a stay under 12 months the consulate issues a VLS-TS marked talent instead, to be validated online within 3 months of arrival. | Renewable while the business is real, active, and still meets the conditions. File on ANEF between 4 and 2 months before expiry. Renewal fee EUR 250 (Service Public). After 5 years of regular residence the holder can apply for the 10 year resident card. | Not a day count. Under Article 4 B of the Tax Code (CGI), tax residence follows any one of: home (foyer) or main place of stay in France, main professional activity in France, or center of economic interests in France. Running a company in France normally meets both the professional activity and the economic interests tests. | 5 | 5 | 2026-10-15 | Official source |
| Talent Passport, innovative economic project (French Tech Visa) Other | Personal resources of at least the full time gross annual minimum wage, EUR 22,404.20 per year (Service Public), enough to support the applicant and any family members. No separate salary or revenue test applies. | No minimum investment is set for this track. The tests are the innovative character of the project and its recognition by the Ministry of the Economy. | EUR 99 long stay visa fee. The talent card costs EUR 350 on first issuance (EUR 300 tax plus EUR 50 stamp duty, per Service Public) and EUR 250 on renewal. For a stay under 12 months on a VLS-TS talent, the online validation tax is EUR 300 (reported; raised from EUR 200 on May 1, 2026). | (reported) The Ministry of the Economy recognition comes first and adds time before the consular stage; consular visa decisions then usually run about 15 working days to 8 weeks (Selectra 2026 guide). Card applications in France carry the standard legal window: no prefecture answer within 4 months is an implicit refusal (Service Public). | Up to 4 years on the card. For a stay under 12 months the consulate issues a VLS-TS marked talent instead, to be validated online within 3 months of arrival. | Renewable while the recognized project continues and resources stay at or above the minimum wage level. File on ANEF between 4 and 2 months before expiry. Renewal fee EUR 250 (Service Public). After 5 years of regular residence the holder can apply for the 10 year resident card. | Not a day count. Under Article 4 B of the Tax Code (CGI), tax residence follows any one of: home (foyer) or main place of stay in France, main professional activity in France, or center of economic interests in France. Building a startup in France normally meets both the professional activity and the economic interests tests. | 5 | 5 | 2026-10-15 | Official source |
| Talent Passport, direct economic investment (talent investisseur) Investor | No separate income test is stated for this track. The tests are the size of the direct investment and the commitment to create or protect jobs in France within 4 years of the investment. | At least EUR 300,000 invested in tangible or intangible fixed assets in France. The investment can be personal, or made through a company the applicant directs or holds at least 30 percent of. It must be paired with creating or safeguarding jobs, or a commitment to do so, within 4 years of the investment (Service Public). | EUR 99 long stay visa fee. The talent card costs EUR 350 on first issuance (EUR 300 tax plus EUR 50 stamp duty, per Service Public) and EUR 250 on renewal. For a stay under 12 months on a VLS-TS talent, the online validation tax is EUR 300 (reported; raised from EUR 200 on May 1, 2026). | (reported) Consular visa decisions for long stay talent visas usually run about 15 working days to 8 weeks (Selectra 2026 guide). Card applications in France carry the standard legal window: no prefecture answer within 4 months is an implicit refusal (Service Public). | Up to 4 years on the card. | Renewable while the investment is maintained and the jobs commitment is being met. File on ANEF between 4 and 2 months before expiry. Renewal fee EUR 250 (Service Public). After 5 years of regular residence the holder can apply for the 10 year resident card. | Not a day count. Under Article 4 B of the Tax Code (CGI), tax residence follows any one of: home (foyer) or main place of stay in France, main professional activity in France, or center of economic interests in France. Holding a residence card alone does not trigger tax residence; an investor who keeps their home, main stay, and economic center outside France is not French tax resident, and the US France tax treaty settles dual residence cases. | 5 | 5 | 2026-10-15 | Official source |
| Self-employed card (carte de séjour entrepreneur / profession libérale) Work | The activity must be viable and able to generate income at least equal to the full time minimum wage: EUR 1,867.02 gross per month, EUR 22,404.20 per year (Service Public). For a liberal profession, the applicant registers with URSSAF and shows the activity can produce at least that income; regulated professions also need authorization or registration with the professional order. | Not applicable. No set investment floor exists for this card; the test is the viability of the activity and the income it can generate. | EUR 99 long stay visa fee, then EUR 350 for the first card (EUR 300 tax plus EUR 50 stamp duty, per Service Public) and EUR 250 on renewal. | (reported) Consular visa decisions usually run about 2 to 8 weeks outside peak season (Selectra 2026 guide). In France, the card decision carries the standard legal window: no prefecture answer within 4 months is an implicit refusal (Service Public). | 1 year on the first card. After the first temporary card, a 4 year multi-year card can be issued. | Renewable yearly while the activity continues and pays at least the minimum wage level. After the first card, a 4 year multi-year card can be issued if the republican integration conditions are met, including French at A2 level. Renewal fee EUR 250 (Service Public). Late filing adds a EUR 180 regularization fee. After 5 years of regular residence the holder can apply for the 10 year resident card. | Not a day count. Under Article 4 B of the Tax Code (CGI), tax residence follows any one of: home (foyer) or main place of stay in France, main professional activity in France, or center of economic interests in France. A self employed activity run from France meets the professional activity test. | 5 | 5 | 2026-10-15 | Official source |
| Employee route (VLS-TS salarié and carte de séjour salarié) Work | The job must pay at least the full time minimum wage for the hours worked: EUR 1,867.02 gross per month, EUR 22,404.20 per year full time (the 2026 SMIC as stated by Service Public). The French employer must first obtain a work authorization for the hire through the ANEF foreign labor platform; the job is tested against the employment situation unless it is on the shortage occupations list. | Not applicable | EUR 99 long stay visa fee. The salarié card costs EUR 350 on first issuance (EUR 300 tax plus EUR 50 stamp duty, per Service Public) and EUR 250 on renewal. For the first year on a VLS-TS salarié, the online validation tax is EUR 300 (reported; raised from EUR 200 on May 1, 2026). | (reported) The employer work authorization step adds several weeks before the visa application (reported in consular and employer guidance). Consular visa decisions then usually run about 2 to 8 weeks outside peak season (Selectra 2026 guide). In France, card decisions carry the standard legal window: no prefecture answer within 4 months is an implicit refusal (Service Public). | A permanent contract (CDI) leads to a VLS-TS salarié valid 12 months, validated online after arrival. The follow on residence card runs 1 year for a fixed term contract and up to 4 years (multi-year card) for a permanent contract. | Renewable while the job continues. Permanent contract holders move to a 4 year multi-year card after the first year; French at A2 level is required for the first multi-year card. Renewal fee EUR 250 (Service Public). After 5 years of regular residence the holder can apply for the 10 year resident card. | Not a day count. Under Article 4 B of the Tax Code (CGI), tax residence follows any one of: home (foyer) or main place of stay in France, main professional activity in France, or center of economic interests in France. A full time job in France meets the professional activity test on its own. | 5 | 5 | 2026-10-15 | Official source |
| Student long-stay visa (VLS-TS étudiant) Study | At least EUR 615 per month in resources, EUR 7,380 per year (France Visas standard for student visas). Resources can come from personal funds, a scholarship, or a guarantor who commits to regular transfers. Enrollment in a French higher education institution is required, and US applicants go through the Etudes en France procedure run by Campus France USA before the consular appointment. | Not applicable | EUR 50 long stay student visa fee for applicants who completed the Etudes en France procedure (the standard long stay fee is EUR 99), per the France Visas fee schedule. Validating the student VLS-TS costs EUR 150 (reported, Campus France guidance, matching the reduced first issuance rate). The student card costs EUR 150 on first issuance and EUR 100 on renewal (reduced rates, Service Public). | (reported) Student visa decisions usually run about 15 days to 3 weeks in normal periods and longer in the June to August peak (SKEMA guide citing France Visas, 2026). The upstream Etudes en France procedure adds a reported 4 to 12 weeks (Selectra 2026 guide), so a file for a fall start should open by spring. | The student VLS-TS runs up to 12 months and must be validated online within 3 months of arrival. A multi-year student card can then cover the rest of the study cycle, up to 4 years. | Renewable yearly on ANEF with proof of enrollment, study progress (exam results), and EUR 615 per month in resources. Renewal fee EUR 100 (reduced rate, Service Public). A multi-year card can cover a full degree cycle so yearly renewals are not always needed. | Not a day count. Under Article 4 B of the Tax Code (CGI), tax residence follows any one of: home (foyer) or main place of stay in France, main professional activity in France, or center of economic interests in France. A student living in France for the academic year normally has their main place of stay in France; scholarships and part time work are treated under specific rules and the US France treaty. | 5 | 5 | 2026-10-15 | Official source |
| Resident card (carte de résident, 10 years) Other | Sufficient, stable, and regular resources, assessed by the prefecture against the minimum wage level (EUR 22,404.20 gross per year full time), not counting certain social benefits. This resources condition applies to the standard 5 year residence ground; some grounds (spouse of a French citizen after 3 years of marriage, parent of a French child, family reunification) have their own conditions listed on the Service Public resident card page. | Not applicable | EUR 350 on first issuance (EUR 300 tax plus EUR 50 stamp duty, per Service Public) and EUR 250 on renewal. | Applications are filed on ANEF between 4 and 2 months before the current title expires. The prefecture decision carries the standard legal window: no answer within 4 months is an implicit refusal (Service Public). | 10 years. The card authorizes any work in France with no employer authorization needed. | Renewable every 10 years. Renewal of a first resident card leads to the permanent resident card if the original conditions are still met; there is no fresh 5 year wait. Renewal fee EUR 250 (Service Public). Holders who leave France for more than 3 consecutive years can lose the card. | Not a day count. Under Article 4 B of the Tax Code (CGI), tax residence follows any one of: home (foyer) or main place of stay in France, main professional activity in France, or center of economic interests in France. Anyone who qualifies for this card through 5 years of residence will normally already be French tax resident under the foyer test. | This card is the permanent residence step. It is reached after 5 years of regular residence on the standard ground. | 5 | 2026-10-15 | Official source |
Route notes
Long-stay visitor visa (VLS-TS visiteur): The main self funded route into France. The holder signs a sworn statement not to work in France in any capacity: no French employment, no self employment, no auto-entrepreneur activity. Private health insurance covering the stay is required. Apply through France Visas and a consulate or visa center in your country of residence, up to 3 months before travel. After the first year the status continues as a 1 year visiteur residence card, not as a new visa. Five years on this status count toward the resident card, and the years also count as habitual residence for naturalisation, but the no work rule makes the route a poor fit for anyone who needs French income.
Talent Passport, qualified employee (talent salarié qualifié): No separate work permit is needed and the employer pays no foreign worker tax. Spouse and minor children qualify for talent famille cards under a simplified procedure, and the spouse may work. The master degree condition makes this track a poor fit for experienced hires without a French degree; the EU Blue Card track (next route) accepts 3 years of higher education or 5 years of comparable experience instead. Figures checked on the Service Public talent card page on 2026-10-15.
Talent Passport, EU Blue Card (talent carte bleue européenne): No separate work permit is needed and the employer pays no foreign worker tax. Holders who spent at least 12 months in another EU state on an EU Blue Card can move to France on this card and must apply within 1 month of entry; the minimum prior stay drops to 6 months from the second move. Spouse and minor children qualify for talent famille cards and the spouse may work. Blue Card time in other EU states can count toward the EU long term resident status. Figures checked on the Service Public talent card page on 2026-10-15.
Talent Passport, employee on assignment (talent salarié en mission): Intra group mobility route: the applicant stays employed within the same corporate group and is assigned to the French entity. No separate work permit is needed and the employer pays no foreign worker tax. A social security detachment certificate or a sworn statement of French registration is part of the file. Spouse and minor children qualify for talent famille cards and the spouse may work. Figures checked on the Service Public talent card page on 2026-10-15.
Talent Passport, researcher (talent chercheur): Covers research work and university level teaching. Researchers already working in another EU state can come for a stay over 3 months on the mobility version of the card without a long stay visa. No separate work permit is needed and the host body pays no foreign worker tax. Spouse and minor children qualify for talent famille cards and the spouse may work. Service Public sets a shorter silence rule for this card: no prefecture answer within 60 days is an implicit refusal. Figures checked on the Service Public talent card page on 2026-10-15.
Talent Passport, company creation (talent porteur de projet, création d entreprise): Founders applying from abroad must first get an opinion from the Ministry of the Economy on whether the project is real and serious, before the consulate decides the visa. The card authorizes the holder to run the business activity tied to the project. Spouse and minor children qualify for talent famille cards and the spouse may work. Figures checked on the Service Public talent card page on 2026-10-15. This is the current name of the route older guides call the talent passport for business founders.
Talent Passport, innovative economic project (French Tech Visa): This is the residence card behind the French Tech Visa for founders: an innovative economic project recognized by the Ministry of the Economy, with a support letter from a French Tech partner incubator or accelerator used in practice to win that recognition. Employees of recognized innovative companies use the qualified employee route instead (EUR 39,582 salary threshold). Unlike the company creation track, no master degree and no EUR 30,000 funding floor are written into this track by Service Public; the project recognition is the gate. Spouse and minor children qualify for talent famille cards and the spouse may work. Figures checked on the Service Public talent card page on 2026-10-15.
Talent Passport, direct economic investment (talent investisseur): France has no golden visa: this is an active business investment route, not a passive real estate or fund route, and buying property alone does not qualify. The investment is made in France after the file is approved in principle; the application file includes proof of the investment or the commitment, a business plan with a yearly jobs plan, and proof of directing the company or holding at least 30 percent of it. Spouse and minor children qualify for talent famille cards and the spouse may work. Figures checked on the Service Public talent card page on 2026-10-15.
Self-employed card (carte de séjour entrepreneur / profession libérale): This is the route used by freelancers and auto-entrepreneurs who are not on a talent track. Entry is on a long stay visa marked for a residence card application: the card is requested in France within 2 months of arrival, not validated online. An opinion from the foreign labor platform is part of the file for a new liberal activity. The same ground cannot be renewed more than 3 times in a row; the multi-year card after year one requires French at A2 level. Figures checked on the Service Public entrepreneur and liberal profession card page on 2026-10-15.
Employee route (VLS-TS salarié and carte de séjour salarié): The standard route for a French job offer outside the talent tracks. The employer files the work authorization request and pays the foreign worker tax; the employee then applies for the long stay visa with the authorization. Changing employer in the first period is restricted because the authorization is tied to the job and the employer. Figures checked against Service Public pages on 2026-10-15; the work authorization step runs on the ANEF administration etrangers portal.
Student long-stay visa (VLS-TS étudiant): Students may work part time up to 964 hours per year. The EUR 615 per month figure is the France Visas resources standard, restated by French universities in their renewal guidance. Student years count in full toward the 5 years of habitual residence for naturalisation, and graduates who completed 2 years of higher education in France with a French degree get the reduced 2 year residence condition for naturalisation (Civil Code Article 21-18). After graduation, a job search or business creation permit (EUR 150 first issuance at the reduced rate) bridges to a work card. Figures checked on 2026-10-15.
Resident card (carte de résident, 10 years): Conditions for the standard ground: 5 years of uninterrupted regular residence in France, the resources condition, republican integration, French at level B1, and a pass on the civic exam for a first resident card (Service Public). Absences are assessed for continuity; long absences can break the 5 year count. After a first resident card, the permanent resident card (carte de résident permanent) follows on renewal with no end to the right of residence. Naturalisation is a separate step: 5 years of habitual residence (Civil Code Article 21-17), cut to 2 years for applicants who completed 2 years of higher education in France and earned a French degree (Article 21-18), with a EUR 255 stamp duty since May 1, 2026 (Tax Code Article 958) and a statutory decision window of 18 months, or 12 months for applicants resident 10 years or more (Article 21-25-1). Le Monde reported in October 2026 that the language bar for naturalisation is now B2 under the 2024 immigration law.