Moving to France
8 routes for people from the US, Canada and the UK, each checked against official sources. Find the one that fits, then check it with the source before you apply.
Retire or live on savings changing
Long-stay visitor visa (retiree / passive income)
Visa de long séjour valant titre de séjour (VLS-TS) 'visiteur', then carte de séjour temporaire 'visiteur'
Retirees and people living on pensions, savings or investment income who will not work in France.
- What you need
- Stable resources of at least EUR 1,477.93 net per month for a single person (EUR 17,735.19 a year per the documents list). Pensions, investment income or savings can be used; family allowances and minimum social benefits do not count. (EUR 1,477.93 a month)
- Health insurance covering the whole stay; a standard EUR 30,000 Schengen travel policy is usually not accepted by consulates.
- Written undertaking not to work in France.
- Proof of accommodation in France (consulates commonly ask for a lease or deed).
- Not for
- Any paid work in France, including remote work for French clients; consulates also scrutinise remote work for foreign employers
- People who cannot show the income from passive sources
- Where you apply
- From home, at a consulate. Apply on France-Visas, then attend the visa centre for the consulate covering your state of residence. In the US the French visa centre provider changed from VFS Global to TLScontact in 2025 (secondary source); check which centre your France-Visas application routes you to. After arrival, validate the VLS-TS online on ANEF within 3 months; to stay beyond year one, apply online for the visitor residence card 4 to 2 months before expiry.
- How long it takes
- Not officially stated. Secondary sources advise applying about 2-3 months before departure.
- First permit
- VLS-TS valid 1 year; the carte de séjour visiteur is valid up to 1 year and renewable.
- Renewal
- Online, between 4 and 2 months before expiry; same resource test. Renewal tax stamps EUR 250 per Service-Public.
- Longer term
- Permanent residence after about 5 years. Citizenship after about 5 years.
- Family
- A spouse must qualify in their own right (each applies as a visitor); consulates expect resources to cover the household. No fixed per-dependant amount is published on Service-Public.
Freelance or your own business
France self-employed / freelancer permit
Carte de séjour temporaire 'entrepreneur / profession libérale'
Freelancers, sole traders (micro-entrepreneurs) and small business owners who can earn at least the minimum wage from their activity in France.
- What you need
- Viable activity producing resources at least equal to the full-time SMIC (prefectures ask for business plan or past accounts). (EUR 22,404.2 a year)
- Registration of the business (immatriculation) and any professional licence required for the activity; entry on the matching long-stay visa.
- Not for
- Activities without a credible French revenue plan
- Regulated professions without the required French authorisation
- Where you apply
- From home, at a consulate. Long-stay visa 'entrepreneur/profession libérale' via France-Visas at the consulate; then validate and apply for the card in France.
- How long it takes
- Not officially stated.
- First permit
- 1 year (VLS-TS/temporary card); a multi-year card can follow.
- Renewal
- Annual, showing SMIC-level income from the activity (tax returns, accounts).
- Longer term
- Permanent residence after about 5 years. Citizenship after about 5 years.
- Family
- Family members generally join through family reunification after 18 months, or apply in their own right; no fixed per-dependant figure found.
Freelance or your own business
Talent card for business creators and innovative projects
Carte de séjour pluriannuelle 'Talent – porteur de projet' (création d'entreprise / projet économique innovant)
Founders with a master's degree or 5 years' experience and EUR 30,000 of funding for a real business in France, or founders whose innovative project is recognised by a public body.
- What you need
- Business creation: financing of at least EUR 30,000 for a real and serious project in France, plus a master-level diploma or 5 years of professional experience. (EUR 30,000 a lump_sum)
- Resources at least equal to the full-time annual gross SMIC (EUR 22,404.20). Applies to business creation and innovative-project tracks. (EUR 22,404.2 a year)
- Innovative-project track: project recognised as innovative by a public body (economy ministry); the French Tech Visa for founders runs through this track.
- Not for
- Freelancers without a company-creation project (see entrepreneur/profession libérale card)
- Where you apply
- From home or inside the country. Consulate via France-Visas from abroad; business-creation files may be reviewed through the dedicated online procedure.
- How long it takes
- Prefecture silence for 4 months counts as refusal; no official target time.
- First permit
- Up to 4 years.
- Renewal
- Renewable if the business is real and the resource condition is met.
- Longer term
- Permanent residence after about 5 years. Citizenship after about 5 years.
- Family
- Spouse and minor children get 'talent-famille' cards; the spouse may work.
A job offer
EU Blue Card (France)
Carte de séjour pluriannuelle 'Talent – carte bleue européenne'
Graduates or experienced professionals with a French job offer paying at least EUR 59,373 gross a year.
- What you need
- Employment contract of at least 6 months with gross annual pay of at least EUR 59,373. (EUR 59,373 a year)
- Higher-education diploma of at least 3 years, or 5 years of comparable professional experience (3 years within the last 7 for certain listed IT professions).
- Not for
- Self-employed or freelance work
- Jobs paying below the threshold
- Where you apply
- From home or inside the country. From abroad: long-stay visa at the French consulate via France-Visas (stay of 1 year or more gets a 3-month visa, then apply online for the card). From France: online within 2 months of entry on a long-stay visa. Spouse applications can be processed at the same time since the June 2025 reform.
- How long it takes
- Prefecture silence for 90 days counts as refusal (30 days if already a Blue Card holder in another EU state), per Service-Public. No official target time beyond that.
- First permit
- Contract length up to 4 years (contracts under 2 years: contract length plus 3 months, max 2 years).
- Renewal
- Renewable while the conditions remain met.
- Longer term
- Permanent residence after about 5 years. Citizenship after about 5 years.
- Family
- Spouse and minor children get a 'talent-famille' card for the same duration without the family-reunification procedure; the spouse may work. No extra income amount per dependant is published.
A job offer
Talent card for qualified employees / innovative-company employees
Carte de séjour pluriannuelle 'Talent – salarié qualifié' (incl. employee of an innovative company)
Holders of a French master's degree, staff hired by a recognised innovative company (JEI or ministry-recognised) for R&D-linked work, or intra-group transferees, earning at least EUR 39,582 gross a year.
- What you need
- Gross annual pay of at least EUR 39,582. (EUR 39,582 a year)
- One of: a master-level diploma obtained in France with a contract over 3 months; or a job with a young innovative company (JEI) or company recognised as innovative by the economy ministry, with duties tied to its R&D project; or an intra-group transfer with 3 months' seniority in the group.
- Not for
- Graduates of non-French universities unless hired by a recognised innovative company or transferred within a group
- Where you apply
- From home or inside the country. Consulate via France-Visas from abroad, or online in France within 2 months of entry on a long-stay visa.
- How long it takes
- Prefecture silence for 4 months counts as refusal; no official target time.
- First permit
- Contract length, up to 4 years.
- Renewal
- Renewable while the conditions remain met.
- Longer term
- Permanent residence after about 5 years. Citizenship after about 5 years.
- Family
- Spouse and minor children get 'talent-famille' cards; the spouse may work.
Invest
France investor talent card
Carte de séjour pluriannuelle 'Talent – porteur de projet' (investissement économique direct)
Investors putting at least EUR 300,000 into tangible or intangible business assets in France that create or preserve jobs.
- What you need
- Direct economic investment of at least EUR 300,000 in tangible or intangible assets in France, personally or through a company you run or hold at least 30% of, creating or preserving jobs. Real estate purchase for personal use does not qualify. (EUR 300,000 a lump_sum)
- Not for
- Passive property or portfolio investment
- Investments that do not create or preserve jobs in France
- Where you apply
- From home or inside the country. Consulate via France-Visas from abroad, or in France on a long-stay visa.
- How long it takes
- Prefecture silence for 4 months counts as refusal; no official target time.
- First permit
- Up to 4 years.
- Renewal
- Renewable while the investment and job conditions are met.
- Longer term
- Permanent residence after about 5 years. Citizenship after about 5 years.
- Family
- Spouse and minor children get 'talent-famille' cards; the spouse may work.
Study changing
France student visa
VLS-TS 'étudiant' and carte de séjour pluriannuelle 'étudiant'
People admitted to a French higher-education programme.
- What you need
- Resources of at least EUR 877.50 per month (scholarship, parental support or savings). (EUR 877.5 a month)
- Admission to a French institution. Applicants from countries on the 'Études en France' list (the US among them) apply through the Campus France 'Études en France' platform before the visa appointment.
- Not for
- Full-time work (student work is capped at 964 hours a year, about 60% of full time)
- Where you apply
- From home, at a consulate. US students: Campus France USA 'Études en France' procedure, then visa application at the consulate's visa centre.
- How long it takes
- Not officially stated; Campus France advises starting months ahead of the academic year.
- First permit
- VLS-TS 4 months to 1 year; then a multi-year student card for the rest of the study cycle (2 to 4 years).
- Renewal
- Multi-year card matched to the remaining study cycle.
- Family
- No simplified family route for students; family members need their own status.
Treaties and special cases
Talent card for recognised renown
Carte de séjour pluriannuelle 'Talent' (renommée nationale ou internationale)
People with national or international renown in science, literature, arts, intellectual, educational or sports fields who will contribute to France.
- What you need
- National or international renown, or ability to contribute significantly and lastingly to France's economic development or influence, in a scientific, literary, artistic, intellectual, educational or sports field.
- Resources at least equal to the full-time annual gross SMIC. (EUR 22,404.2 a year)
- Not for
- People without documented public recognition
- Where you apply
- From home or inside the country. Consulate via France-Visas, or in France on a long-stay visa.
- How long it takes
- Prefecture silence for 4 months counts as refusal.
- First permit
- Up to 4 years.
- Renewal
- Renewable.
- Longer term
- Permanent residence after about 5 years. Citizenship after about 5 years.
- Family
- Spouse and minor children get 'talent-famille' cards.