France visa guide: all visa and residence types

Holidays in France of up to 90 days need a Schengen visa applied for on France-Visas and lodged at the French consulate or its visa centre in your country of residence.

Visiting relatives or friends in France for up to 90 days requires a Schengen visa for a private visit.

Nationals of the countries on France's airport transit list, which combines the common EU list with France's own additions such as Türkiye, need an airport transit visa (VTA, type A) to change planes in the international zone of a French airport.

Patients travelling to France for treatment of up to 90 days apply for a Schengen visa for medical reasons, showing the French hospital's confirmation and how the costs will be paid.

Meetings, negotiations, fairs and similar short business trips to France require a Schengen visa for business, supported by an invitation from the French partner and a letter from your employer.

Founders can obtain a Talent card in the "project holder" category in two ways: creating a business with at least EUR 30,000 of funding and a master's degree or five years of experience, or carrying out an innovative economic project recognised by the economy ministry.

Foreign investors who invest at least EUR 300,000 in France, personally or through a company they run or hold at least 30 % of, and create or preserve jobs, can obtain a Talent card valid up to four years for themselves and their family.

Students admitted to French higher education apply through Campus France's "Études en France" platform where that procedure covers their country, then for a VLS-TS student visa on France-Visas.

Researchers and university teachers with at least a master's degree and a hosting agreement (convention d'accueil) with an approved French body receive a Talent card in the researcher category, valid up to four years.

Interns coming to France for more than three months need a long-stay "stagiaire" visa based on a tripartite internship agreement validated by the administration before arrival.

Employees hired by a French employer need a work authorisation that the employer requests online before entry, then a VLS-TS "salarié" (permanent contract) or "travailleur temporaire" (fixed-term contract) visa.

Employees with at least a master's degree hired in France on a contract of more than three months with a gross annual salary of at least EUR 39,582 receive the multi-year Talent card.

France issues the EU Blue Card as a Talent card to highly qualified employees with a contract of at least six months and a gross annual salary of at least EUR 59,373, which is 1.5 times the reference average salary.

Managers and experts transferred within a group to a French entity receive a "salarié détaché ICT" multi-year card for the length of the assignment, up to three years.

A foreign resident who has lived in France lawfully for at least 18 months can bring their spouse and minor children through family reunification, filed with OFII in France.

Spouses of French nationals get a free long-stay visa valid as a residence permit (VLS-TS), applied for on France-Visas and lodged at the French consulate or its visa centre in their country of residence.

People who want to live in France for more than three months without working, such as retirees, apply for a "visiteur" long-stay visa.

After five years of lawful, uninterrupted residence you can apply for the 10-year EU long-term resident card if your own income reaches the minimum wage (EUR 1,867.02 gross a month), you hold B1 French, pass the civic exam and have health insurance.