France Immigration by Working Permit and Long term Visa

The multi-year “passeport talent” residence permit was created to help foreign employees and self-employed persons develop France’s economic attractiveness. Your employment contract and your stay in France must exceed three months. It will allow you to stay for a maximum of four years commencing on the date of your arrival in France.

Your family members may also accompany you and will be issued with multi-year residence permits. This permit will authorise your spouse and any children entering into their 18th year to work. In the three months following your arrival in France, you and your family must visit your local police station in France to request a multi-year residence permit corresponding to your situation.

You are a qualified or highly qualified paid employee

You have been hired by a French company or organisation:

Known company “new innovative enterprise”

What is a “new innovative enterprise” ? (in French only)
► Your situation
Your employment contract is for a period exceeding three months and your job must be directly linked to the company’s research and development project;
Your salary must be at least equal to two times the minimum legal wage in France for a full-time worker ;
► Your visa
You will be issued with long-stay visa, bearing the statements “passeport talent” “Salarié qualifié/Entreprise innovante” (Skilled residence permit – qualified employee/innovative enterprise). In the two months following your arrival in France, you can apply for a multi-year residence permit. The period of validity is the same as the duration of the employment contract corresponding to the duration of the contract up to a maximum duration of four years.

If it concerns a permanent employment contract not exceeding twelve months, you will be issued with a long-stay visa, equivalent to a (VLS/TS) residence permit, bearing the statement “passeport talent”.
You must validate it in the three months following your arrival in France.

► Your supporting documentation
In addition to any supporting documents related to your personal situation indicated in the visa wizard, you must enclose with your visa application the form 15614*01 filled in by your future employer and accompanied by documents justifying the situation of the company with regard to tax provisions favouring innovative companies.

Company belonging to the same international group of companies as your employer

► Your situation
You have been employed for at least three months by your company, which belongs to an international group of companies. You have been asked to carry out a mission in a French company belonging to the same group. You will be employed by this company in the context of a French employment contract for more than three months;
Your salary must be at least equal to 1.8 times the minimum legal wage in France for a full-time worker ;
► Your visa
A long-stay visa, bearing the statement “passeport talent” “salarié en mission” (Skilled residence permit – employee on mission) will allow you in the two months following your arrival in France, to apply for a multi-year residence permit. The period of validity will be based on the duration of the employment contract and will be valid for a maximum period of four years.

If the duration of your mission is less than twelve months, you will be issued with a long-stay visa, equivalent to a (VLS/TS) residence permit, bearing the statement “passeport talent”. You must validate it within the three months following your arrival in France.

► Your supporting documentation
In addition to supporting documents related to your personal situation, you must enclose with your visa application the form 15616*01 filled in by your future employer and accompanied by documents justifying the situation of the company.

Public or private research or higher education organisation

► Your situation
You are responsible for a research or higher education mission as part of a hosting agreement of no longer than four years;
You are qualified to at least Master’s level.
When the researcher is part of a European Union programme or a multilateral programme which includes intra-EU mobility measures, or when the mobility is part of an agreement between at least two research organizations located in at least two Member States, a visa marked “Researcher – Mobility” is issued.

► Your visa
You will receive a long-stay visa marked “Talent Passport” “Researcher”, or “Researcher – Mobility”, as appropriate. This will allow you to request your multi-year residence permit within two months of arriving in France, Its validity will be calculated based on the duration of the employment contract, for a maximum period of four years.

If you have a fixed-term contract (CDD) which does not exceed 12 months, you will receive a long-stay visa serving as a residence permit (VLS-TS) marked “Talent Passport” or “Researcher – Mobility”, as appropriate. You must validate it within three months of arriving in France.

► Supporting documents
In addition to documents proving your personal situation, you must enclose the hosting agreement with your visa application. This agreement, which is made with a public or private institution with a research or higher education mission and approved for that purpose, attests that you are a researcher and states the purpose and duration of your stay in France.

Highly qualified employee

► Your situation
Your employment contract is equal to or exceeds one year;
You must hold a qualification demonstrating at least three years of higher education awarded by a State-recognised higher education establishment or have at least five years’ comparable professional experience;
Your salary must be at least equal to 1.5 times the average gross reference salary fixed annually by decree by the Minister of Immigration (€35,891 since June 26, 2016).
► Your visa
A long-stay visa, bearing the statement “ passeport talent” “carte bleue européenne” (Skilled residence permit – EU Blue Card), will allow you in the two months following your arrival in France to apply for a multi-year residence permit. Its duration is the same as the duration of the employment contract and is valid for a maximum of four years.

If it concerns a permanent contract not exceeding twelve months, you will be issued with a long-stay visa, equivalent to a (VLS/TS) residence permit, bearing the statement “talent passeport”. You must validate it within three months following your arrival in France.

► Your supporting documentation
In addition to any supporting documents related to your personal situation, you must enclose with your visa application the form 15615*01 filled in by your future employer and accompanied by documents justifying the situation of the company.

You are a self-employed person or engage in a liberal profession

You plan to:

Create a business in France or take control of one

► Your situation
You can prove that you have a real and serious business creation project in France. However, exceptionally, an acquisition of a stake in an undertaking resulting in control may be regarded as a business creation project depending on the nature and characteristics of the project;
The company can be commercial, artisanal or industrial. These three categories are subject to special rules applicable in French law.
You must invest at least €30,000 in the project;
You must hold a degree at least equivalent to a master’s degree or be able to prove at least five years of professional experience at a comparable level.
► Your visa
You will be issued with a long-stay visa bearing the statement “passeport talent” “créateur d’entreprise” (Skilled residence permit – Business creator). In the two months following your arrival in France, you can apply for a multi-year residence permit. The maximum period of validity is four years.

If the duration of your stay is less than twelve months, you will be issued with a long-stay visa, equivalent to a (VLS/TS) residence permit, bearing the statement “passeport talent” (with no other statement). You must validate it in the three months following your arrival in France.

► Your supporting documentation
In addition to any supporting documents related to your personal situation, you must enclose with your visa application any documents proving the real and serious nature of your project and details about the amount of your personal investment.

Make a direct economic investment

► Your situation
This investment will provide you with a lasting interest in the recipient company. This includes:

Investment in social capital (equity investment of over 10%, real estate investment and capital increase);
Reinvested earnings (undistributed share of the operating income of the subsidiaries and other investments);
Inter-affiliate loans (i.e. direct loans between investors and companies in which they have invested or a loan between companies belonging to the same group).
► Your visa
You will be issued with a long-stay visa bearing the statement “passeport talent” “investisseur économique” (Skilled residence permit – Investor). In the two months following your arrival in France, you can apply for a multi-year residence permit. The maximum period of validity is four years.

If the duration of your stay is less than twelve months, you will be issued with a long-stay visa equivalent to a (VLS/TS) residence permit bearing the statement “passeport talent” (with no other statement). You must validate it in the three months following your arrival in France.

► Your supporting documentation
In addition to any supporting documents related to your personal situation, you must enclose with your visa application proof of your investment and documents making it possible to assess the lasting interest of the beneficiary companies.

Engage in an innovative economic project recognised by a public body

► Your situation
You can justify the innovative economic project that you want to develop in France. Your project will have to be recognised beforehand by a public body.

► Your visa
You will be issued with a long-stay visa bearing the statement “passeport talent” “projet économique innovant” (Skilled residence permit – Innovative economic project). In the two months following your arrival in France, you can apply for a multi-year residence permit. The maximum period of validity is four years.

If the duration of your stay is less than twelve months, you will be issued with a long-stay visa. equivalent to a (VLS/TS) residence permit. bearing the statement “passeport talent” (with no other statement). You must validate it within the three months following your arrival in France.

► Your supporting documentation
In addition to any supporting documents related to your personal and professional situation indicated in the visa wizard, you must enclose with your visa application the notification document from the public body. You must prove that have you sufficient means of subsistence i.e. at least corresponding to the equivalent of the minimum legal wage in France for a full-time worker .

Take up a corporate appointment in a French company

► Your situation
You have worked as an employee or corporate officer in an establishment or a company of the same group for at least three months;
You must hold a mandate to enable you to act as a legal representative on French territory on behalf of that establishment;
Your salary must be at least equal to three times the minimum legal wage in France for a full-time worker .
► Your visa
You will be issued with a long-stay visa bearing the statement “passeport talent” “mandataire social” (Skilled residence permit – Company representative). In the two months following your arrival in France, you can apply for a multi-year residence permit. The maximum period of validity is four years.

If the duration of your stay is less than twelve months, you will be issued with a long-stay visa, equivalent to a (VLS/TS) residence permit, bearing the statement “passeport talent” (with no other statement). You must validate it within the three months following your arrival in France.

► Your supporting documentation
In addition to any supporting documents related to your personal and professional situation indicated in the visa wizard, you must enclose with your visa application, the mandate enabling you to act as a legal representative on French territory and details about the remuneration you will receive.

You are able to prove your national or international reputation

You plan to:

Engage in an activity in France linked to your national or international reputation

► Your situation
You plan to engage in an activity in France in the domains of science, literature, the arts, academia, education or sports;
Your stay in France must exceed three months;
You must prove that have you sufficient means of subsistence i.e. at least corresponding to the equivalent of the minimum legal wage in France for a full-time worker .
► Your visa
You will be issued with a long-stay visa bearing the statement “passeport talent” “ renommée nationale ou internationale” (Skilled residence permit – Person with a national or international reputation). In the two months following your arrival in France, you can apply for a multi-year residence permit. The maximum period of validity is four years.

► Your supporting documentation
In addition to any supporting documents related to your personal and professional situation indicated in the visa wizard, you must submit all relevant documentation that has yet to be drafted or specified.

Your reputation in your domain and your recognition in this professional environment;
The nature, purpose and duration of your project on French territory;
The financial resources or resources in kind that you will have access to during your stay.

You are a performer or have created a literary or artistic work

You work as a performer or have created a literary or artistic work:

You are employed as a performer

► Your situation
You want to work as a performer for a period exceeding three months on French territory justified by one or more employment contracts declared by your employer in form 15617*01 and accompanied by supporting documents about the company’s situation and any relevant entertainment licences.

► Your visa
You will be issued with a long-stay visa bearing the statement “passeport talent” “profession artistique et culturelle” (Skilled residence permit – artistic and cultural profession). In the two months following your arrival in France, you can apply for a multi-year residence permit. The period of validity will be based on the nature and duration of the engagements and/or employment contracts you present and will be valid for a maximum period of four years.

► Your supporting documentation
In addition to any supporting documents related to your personal and professional situation indicated in the visa wizard, along with your visa application, you must also submit the form duly completed by your employers.

You must provide proof of your financial resources, primarily originating from your activity, for the period of your planned stay i.e.an amount at least equivalent to 70% of the minimum legal wage in France for a full-time worker for every month you stay in France.

In addition to the resources generated by your activity, your own resources, up to a limit of 49% of the total resources required, may be also be considered.

Any unemployment benefit payments paid by the French authorities can not be considered.

As a self-employed performer

► Your situation
You are able to justify a production or performance engagement for a duration of at least three months in order to carry out your activity as a performer or creator of a literary or artistic work on French territory.

► Your supporting documentation
In addition to any supporting documents related to your personal and professional situation indicated in the visa wizard, along with your visa application, you must submit all documents attesting to your role as an artist or creator of a literary or artistic work, your engagements in France, and your financial resources.