Residence Permit in France in 2026

Obtaining a residence permit in France is a reliable way to stay in the Schengen area without time restrictions.

France Residence Permit Benefits

• With a French residence permit, you can travel to Schengen countries without a separate visa: short-term trips are subject to the 90/180-day rule.
• It allows for long-term residence in France, beyond the 90-day limit per six months imposed on tourists.
• A French residence permit provides nearly the same rights as citizenship, except for voting rights and participation in political life.
• It offers access to free education and state health insurance, which covers the majority of medical expenses.
• A French residence permit is usually issued for one year or more and may be renewed. After five years of continuous legal residence in France, a foreign national may apply for permanent residence and, subject to meeting the relevant requirements, for French citizenship.
• Family reunification allows close relatives of a residence permit holder to apply for the same status.

France Residence Permit Types

• A temporary residence permit (Carte de Séjour Temporaire) is valid for up to 1 year and renewable if the grounds for granting it are still valid.
• Permanent residence (Carte de Résident) is issued after 5 years of permanent residence in France and valid for up to 10 years.

How to Get a Residence Permit in France

The conditions for obtaining a residence permit in France are strictly regulated. Faced with the French bureaucracy, it is important to get all the documents right. Any mistake can lead to a refusal to obtain a residence permit. The Migration Service carefully checks the validity of the grounds for issuing a residence permit and the financial stability of foreigners.

Passeport Talent

The Passeport Talent programme was launched in 2016 for foreigners willing to contribute to the economic and cultural development of France. This residence permit is awarded to talented foreigners who have developed unique projects in the fields of science, art or technology, as well as to investors, highly qualified professionals and startup founders. The residence permit is valid for 4 years (renewable) and entitles the holder to pursue a professional activity in France.

Startup founders willing to launch an innovative startup in France can also participate in this programme and receive a French Tech Visa. The applicant must submit a business project for consideration by the French authorities, which can prove interesting and innovative for the country’s economy. French incubators such as Station F, Paris & Co, and BIC Montpellier can be approached for additional funding.

The Tranio team provides the service of obtaining a French Passeport Talent residence permit through the establishment of a startup. Our managers are ready to advise you on all the nuances of participating in the programme.

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Investors can participate in this programme if they invest at least €300,000 in a French company, create jobs in the country and keep them for 4 years. The application can be made by an individual or a legal entity, provided that the applicant is a director or founder of the company (with at least 30% shareholding).

Highly qualified employees may participate in the Passeport Talent programme if they have a Master’s degree, five years’ work experience, and an employment contract with a French employer. Qualified employees must receive a salary of at least €37,310 per year and highly qualified professionals (Blue Card) a salary of at least €59,373 per year.

Financially Independent Individuals

Financially independent individuals can apply for a long-term visitor’s visa without the right to work in France (Visiteur Card). Then a residence permit is issued for 1 year with an option of renewal, and after 5 years of permanent residence, you can apply for a permanent residence permit.

The applicant must document their financial independence and meet all the following requirements:

• To have an account in France with a balance of more than €23,000–30,000 (depending on the family size).
• To have a monthly income of at least €1,867.02 (plus 15% for the spouse and 10% for each minor child).
• To possibly have several different sources of income: salary, rental property, deposits, royalties, bank savings, etc.
• To purchase or rent accommodation in France for one year with a minimum area of 16 m² for two people, plus 9 m² for each additional family member.
• To give an undertaking not to take up gainful employment in France.

Purchasing Real Estate

Purchasing property makes it easier to obtain a visa and provides substantial visa benefits, but it does not constitute the grounds for obtaining a residence permit in France.

Tranio offers its clients to obtain a residence permit for financially independent individuals along with the purchase of real estate.

Studying

Students get visas for the duration of their studies at a university or at French courses. The student must prove their enrollment and their ability to pay. Their parents may act as the student’s sponsor. As a general rule, it is compulsory to have knowledge of the French language in order to study at a French university and to be able to demonstrate this by passing an examination. Students in France may work up to 964 hours per year, equivalent to 60% of the standard annual working time.

Work

A residence permit on this basis is granted to foreigners who have an employment contract with a French company for a minimum period of 12 months and have a work permit. If the contract is valid for less than 1 year, foreigners are given the status of temporary workers (travailleur temporaire). To obtain a temporary residence permit, the employer has to certify in writing to the French migration service that no French nationals are suitable for this job and that a foreign specialist is indispensable. Preference is given to highly qualified candidates.

Family Reunification

French nationals and foreigners who have been legal residents in France for at least 18 months may apply for a residence permit for their close relatives. Spouses, parents, and minor children up to the age of 18 are entitled to a residence permit for family reunification (vie privée et familiale). Proof of relationship and proof of sufficient stable income to support the entire family in France are required. The accommodation must meet the minimum living space requirements: at least 16 m² for two people, plus 9 m² for each additional family member. The family members must not have serious communicable diseases.

Marriage or PACS to a French National

Spouses and registered partners of French nationals may obtain a residence permit in France. Before granting the residence permit, the French authorities conduct a thorough check to ensure that the marriage is not fictitious. In the event of divorce or the end of cohabitation, the right to renew the residence permit may be called into question. The outcome depends on the circumstances, including the length of the marriage, family situation, children, integration, possible domestic violence, and any other grounds for a separate residence status.

How to Apply for Residence Permit in France

First step. First, you need to obtain a long-stay national visa type D at the French consulate, which entitles you to stay in the country for a period of 3 months to 1 year. You can find the grounds and the list of documents required for obtaining this type of visa on the official website of the French visa centre in your country. As a rule, the grounds for issuing a long-term visa are the same as the grounds for a residence permit registration.

Second step. Within 2 months after entering France with a type D visa, you must contact the prefecture at your place of residence to apply for a residence permit. You must submit the original supporting documents and buy a revenue stamp.

Third step. As a rule, a residence permit is issued for one year, but if the grounds for its issuance are still valid, it can be renewed. Renewing a residence permit is not difficult. You have to go to the prefecture two months before the document expires and send your updated application. After the OFII (Office Français de l’Immigration et de l’Intégration) checks your documents, the residence permit is renewed provided there are no serious irregularities.

Required Documents

• A completed application form.
• International passport with a long-term type D visa.
• Three 3.5×4.5 cm photographs in colour.
• Proof of residence: rental or purchase agreement, invitation letter.
• Proof of sufficient funds: bank account statement, statement of employment.
• Proof of sufficient funds for long-term stay in France: studying, family reunification, work, business startup, financially independent person, etc.
• Insurance policy with a minimum coverage of €30,000.
• Documents confirming marital status (marriage certificate, birth certificates of children).
• Certificate of knowledge of French language and culture (if required).

Documents in foreign languages must be translated into French and certified by a notary.

France Residence Permit Processing Time

The statutory deadline for processing a residence permit application is 2 months. In practice, however, documents can be processed between 2 weeks to 6 months. If the application package is returned for correction, the deadline is reset and the countdown begins from start. The processing usually takes less time in larger cities than in the provincial centres.

Fees

• VLS-TS validation fee — €300
• First issue of a residence card — €350
• Residence card renewal — €250

Refusal and Revocation of a Residence Permit in France

Grounds for Refusal to Issue a Residence Permit

• Incorrectly executed documents.
• Providing false information.
• Insufficient income.
• Violation of French law.

Reasons for Revoking a Residence Permit

• Authorities discover that the documents have been falsified.
• The foreigner failed to comply with French law.
• The foreigner committed a crime abroad.

Right to Appeal

A foreigner has the right to appeal against a refusal to grant a residence permit. He has to lodge an appeal with the Migration Service within 2 weeks of the refusal. If the appeal is rejected, an application can be submitted to the court of the first instance within 2 months.