FranceResidence

France visitor visa for retirees and non-working stays

Long-stay visa « visiteur » (stay without working, e.g. retirees)

In short

People who want to live in France for more than three months without working, such as retirees, apply for a "visiteur" long-stay visa. You must show resources of at least EUR 1,477.93 net per month (EUR 17,735.19 a year), health insurance for the whole stay and a commitment not to work.

Apply on France-Visas (official visa portal) checked 25 October 2026

Key facts

Validity
VLS-TS for the first year, then a renewable one-year card.
Fee
€99Standard long-stay visa fee in the official France-Visas fee table. The first visitor card costs EUR 350 and renewal EUR 250.
Funds required
€1,477.93 per monthMinimum net resources for a single person (EUR 17,735.19 a year); family allowances do not count; a solvent guarantor or family member can contribute.
Work
No work of any kind.
Path to permanent residence
After five years of lawful residence, a resident card may be requested if the conditions (resources, B1 French, civic exam) are met.
Where to apply
France-Visas, then the French consulate or its visa application centre in your country of residence.

Who can use the visitor route

The visitor status suits retirees, people living on their own income, parents of children legally resident in France and others who will not work in any form, whether employed, self-employed or in a liberal profession. Respecting this ban is a condition of renewal.

Resources and insurance

Service-Public sets the minimum at EUR 1,477.93 net per month for a single person over one year, i.e. EUR 17,735.19. Pensions, rental income and savings count; family allowances do not. You also need health insurance covering the entire stay and must later provide an OFII medical certificate.

If a third person supports you, add proof of the guarantor's sufficient resources, a signed certificate of financial support and the guarantor's identity card. Housing conditions are also taken into account when resources are assessed.

After arrival: VLS-TS, OFII and residence card

Validate the VLS-TS online on the ANEF website within three months of arrival and pay the residence tax; without validation you are not lawfully resident and cannot travel back to France after leaving. OFII may summon you for a medical visit. Apply online for the next card between four and two months before the visa expires.

Renewal

Apply online between four and two months before the visa or card expires. The renewal costs EUR 250; late filing adds EUR 180.

Decision and appeals

If the prefecture has not answered a visitor card application after four months, it is an implicit refusal; you then have two months to file an administrative appeal with the prefect or the Interior Minister and/or a court appeal before the administrative court, without needing a lawyer. An explicit refusal usually comes with an obligation to leave France. The prefecture can refuse the card after document fraud, serious offences, violence against public officials or failure to respect an earlier order to leave.

Documents

Required documents

Identity

  • France-Visas long-stay form and receipt, signed
  • Passport valid for the stay, issued less than 10 years ago, with copies
  • Recent ICAO-standard photo and proof of legal residence in the country where you apply

Travel

  • Proof of accommodation in France

Money

  • Proof of resources of at least EUR 17,735.19 a year (pension, income, savings)

Insurance

  • Health insurance covering the whole stay

Other

  • Signed commitment not to work in France

Supporting documents (where they apply)

Money

  • Guarantor's resources, signed financial support certificate and guarantor's ID

How to apply, step by step

  1. Create your long-stay application on France-Visas, choosing the "visitor" purpose, and print the form and receipt.
  2. Book an appointment with the French consulate or the visa application centre it uses in your country of residence, and attend in person with originals and copies.
  3. Pay the visa fee and give fingerprints; the consulate decides on the long-stay visa valid as a residence permit (VLS-TS).
  4. Within three months of arriving in France, validate the VLS-TS online on the ANEF website and pay the residence tax.
  5. Attend the OFII appointments if you are summoned (medical visit, integration contract where applicable).
  6. Apply online for the residence card between four and two months before the VLS-TS expires.

Frequently asked questions

How much income does a retiree need?

At least EUR 1,477.93 net a month for a single person.

Can I work remotely for a company abroad?

The visitor status excludes work in any form, so remote work is not covered.

Is the card renewable?

Yes, yearly, for EUR 250.

Who else can use the visitor status?

Among others, dependent parents of children legally resident in France, PACS partners with less than one year of life together, and ministers of religion coming to perform their duties.

What does the first visitor card cost?

EUR 350 (EUR 300 tax plus EUR 50 stamp duty) in tax stamps, shown when the card is handed over.

Official sources

Summarised from the official sources above. Rules, fees and processing times change: confirm with the embassy or the official portal before you apply.

Other visa types for France

Visits and short stays

Business and self-employment

Study and training

  • Student visa Validity: VLS-TS from four months to one year; then a one-year card, followed by a multi-year card for the rest of the degree.
  • Researcher visa Validity: Length of the hosting agreement, up to four years.
  • Internship and trainee visa Maximum stay: Company internship: six months initially; continuing training: 12 months, renewable once up to 18 months.

Work

  • Work visa Validity: First year on the VLS-TS; then a four-year multi-year card for permanent employees still in the job, or a card matching the fixed-term contract.
  • Skilled worker visa Validity: Length of the contract, up to four years.
  • EU Blue Card Validity: Contracts of two years or more: length of the contract up to four years; shorter contracts: contract plus three months, up to two years.
  • Intra-company transfer visa Validity: Length of the assignment, up to three years, minus time already spent on the visa; not renewable.

Family

  • Family reunification visa Processing time: The mayor checks resources and housing within two months; the prefect decides within six months of the complete file reaching OFII (silence means refusal).
  • Spouse and partner visa Validity: VLS-TS valid one year; then a multi-year card of two to four years.

Residence

  • Permanent residence Validity: 10 years, renewable. The EU card lapses after more than three consecutive years outside the EU or six years outside France; the ordinary resident card after more than three consecutive years outside France.

Protection

France visa guide