If you plan to stay in France for more than three months in a row or more than 180 days in a year, a regular visa will not be enough. In this case, you need to apply for a residence permit in France or a long-term visa. There are several options for foreigners depending on the purpose of the visit and the applicant’s country of residence.
Read on to find out more about the three types of visas for a long-term stay in France:
- Long-term visa — Visa de Long Séjour — Titre de Séjour (VLS-TS).
- Residence permit — Carte de Séjour.
- Resident card — Carte de Résident.
Who Needs a Residence Permit in France
You have to apply for a special permit for a long-term stay in France if you come from a non-European country. Citizens of the European Union and the European Economic Area, as well as Switzerland, Andorra, San Marino, Monaco and the Vatican can live in France without restrictions. If the citizenship of any of these countries is your second citizenship, you also do not need a visa.
Photo by John Towner (Unsplash)
The VLS-TS Visa: Period of Stay from Three to 12 Months
If you are coming to France for a period of three to 12 months, the VLS-TS is right for you. For example, the purpose of your trip is an exchange study for one semester or an internship for several months to upgrade your skills.
You can also get a VLS-TS visa as your first residence permit. For example, you are going to study for three or four years, but before that you did not have a long-term residence permit in France. Then you will probably start with a VLS-TS visa for your first year.
The VLS-TS residence permit in France varies depending on the purpose of stay in the country. There are several types of cards, here are the most common ones:
- VLS-TS Étudiant is a resident permit for those who come to France to study at university.
- VLS-TS Salarié is a residence permit for employees of local companies or divisions of international companies.
- VLS-TS Travailleur Temporaire is also a work residence permit, but unlike the previous option, this is a residence permit for those who come on a temporary or short-term contract, but for more than 90 days.
- VLS-TS Vie Privée Et Familiale is a residence permit for those who reunite with their family: for spouses, partners, children or dependent parents of holders of a permanent residence permit in France.
There are also special VLS-TS visas for information and communication technology workers, four- and six-month visas for digital nomads, retirees, and tourists.
We should also mention the so-called talent visa for those who can contribute to the French economy: famous artists, actors, investors and business owners, highly qualified freelancers and employees. This visa can help you immigrate to France without a prepared employment contract with a local employer.
To obtain a VLS-TS residence permit in France, you need to prove that you need to stay in the country for three to 12 months for one of the reasons listed above.
You submit the application three months in advance on the official website or in person at the consulate. The migration agency reviews your documents, and then invites you for an interview. It takes place at the embassy or consulate in your country of residence. On average, applications are pending for two to three weeks, but it is better to have time to spare, especially if you need to complete the process before your study or work contract starts.
The set of documents includes:
- travel passport;
- medical insurance for the entire duration of stay;
- proof of residence in France (rental contract, title deed, letter from your relatives if they are hosting you at their place);
- proof that you need to stay in the country for a long time (acceptance letter from your university, work contract, marriage certificate, depending on the category of VLS-TS visa).
The price of a VLS-TS is €80 to €250 depending on the grounds for obtaining a visa.
After your documents have been reviewed, you’ll get a long-term French visa pasted into your passport. With a VLS-TS visa, you can travel to other Schengen countries, but long-term residence is allowed in France only.
Photo by Soroush Karimi (Unsplash)
Why You Need to Validate Your VLS-TS Visa and How to Do It
Note: this pasted sticker is only valid in the beginning. After moving to France, you will need to validate it. You have three months to do it, if you plan your entire stay with the VLS-TS visa, or two months, if you need to apply for a residence permit later.
You do not need to validate your VLS-TS visa if you are coming to France on a long-term holiday, if you are an underage student, or if you are getting a VLS-T Visiteur visa. This is a visa issued for digital nomads, tourists, retirees, and for everyone who plans to stay for more than three months and undertakes not to seek employment in France.
To validate your VLS-TS upon arrival, you need to:
- fill in an online form or send it by email along with a copy of your passport;
- wait for an invitation from the French Office for Immigration and Integration (OFII);
- undergo a medical check-up.
If you belong to the category of applicants who need to change their VLS-TS visa to a residence permit, you will also need to sign the Republican Integration Contract. According to this contract, you commit to taking courses that will help you integrate into society. This document is signed by all non-European immigrants who wish to live in France.
Carte de Séjour Residence Permit: Period of Stay from One to Four Years
While VLS-TS is more like a classic visa, Carte de Séjour is a residence permit for those who are determined to stay in France for as long as possible or maybe even forever.
The validity period of the first residence permit in France is usually one year. This document is called Carte de Séjour temporaire. After a few years, you can apply for a long-term residence permit, Carte de Séjour pluriannuelle. It is usually issued for a period of four years.
All citizens of non-EU countries have to apply for the Carte de Séjour residence permit. Some categories of applicants need to do this immediately upon arrival on a VLS-TS visa, within two months. Others can change the type of document after a year: the application is submitted two months before visa expiration. It is better to clarify the details in the French Office for Immigration and Integration. The staff will advise on each specific case.
Just like the VLS-TS visa, Carte de Séjour will have the grounds for issuing indicated on it: work, study, family reunion, etc. The difference is that students receive a Carte de Séjour for the entire duration of their studies at once. All other categories first receive a temporary card, and then, a year later, they apply for a long-term visa for up to four years.
You can apply for a Carte de Séjour residence permit in France online or offline, at the nearest prefecture of Paris or at the police station. The application fee is €225.
Strasbourg, France. Photo by Patrick Robert Doyle
Residence Card: Period of Stay from 10 Years
Next step after Carte de Séjour is a residence card. There are three types:
- Carte de Résident de 10 ans is a residence permit for 10 years
- La carte de Résident Longue Durée – UE is a long-term EU residence card
- Carte de Résident Permanent is a permanent residence permit
The 10-year residence card is usually issued after the permanent Carte de Séjour card. However, some applicants can obtain a ten-year residence permit immediately after entering France. These include:
- spouses of French citizens if the marriage took place more than three years ago;
- children under 21 if at least one of the parents is a French citizen;
- dependant parents or grandparents of French citizens (elderly or sick people who need constant care);
- retirees who intend to live in France and are able to support themselves.
Employees who plan to settle in France usually receive La carte de Résident Longue Durée - UE after the Carte de Séjour pluriannuelle. This residence permit is valid for 10 years. You can get it several times. To apply for such a document, you need to have lived in France for five consecutive years or have an EU Blue Card for highly qualified workers.
When considering an application for La carte de Résident Longue Durée – UE, the authorities will mainly check the financial security of the applicant. Your proven income has to be more than €20,147 per year (the amount is regularly indexed). You also have to provide health insurance. In addition, you have to show that you are prepared to integrate into local society. This means that your French is at least A2 level, and that you signed the Republican Integration Contract.
They will also check the duration of your stay in France. You should not leave the country for more than six months in a row and for more than 10 months in total within five years prior to the submission of the application.
The final step is the Carte de Résident Permanent. This type of residence permit allows you to stay in France permanently. You have to renew the card every ten years, but you will no longer have to go through the procedure of assessing your income or the level of your integration into society. This is merely a formality.
You can obtain the Carte de Résident Permanent only if you have lived in France for ten years with Carte de Résident de 10 ans or La carte de Résident Longue Durée – UE.
You can apply for all three types of resident cards online or offline, at the nearest prefecture or at the police station. This has to be done four months before your previous residence permit expires. The application fee is €225.
In a Nutshell
In France, residence permits vary by duration and can be valid for one year, four years or 10 years. There are also educational residence permits valid only for the period of the study programme. Authorities pay great attention not only to the applicant’s insurance and their ability to provide for themselves, but also their willingness to integrate into local society. Therefore, to obtain long-term residence permits, you need to pass a French language exam at a minimum of A2 level, as well as take special courses.
Cover photo: Anthony Delanoix (Unsplash)
