FranceWork
France Talent passport: qualified employee
Talent residence card – qualified employee (salarié qualifié)
In short
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. The same threshold applies to staff of innovative companies and employees sent within a group ("salarié en mission").
Apply on France-Visas (official visa portal) checked 25 October 2026
Key facts
- Validity
- Length of the contract, up to four years.
- Fee
- €99Long-stay visa fee; in France the multi-year Talent card costs EUR 350 (EUR 300 tax + EUR 50 stamp duty).
- Funds required
- €39,582 per yearMinimum gross annual salary for the qualified-employee, innovative-company and employee-on-assignment routes.
- Work
- The qualified job with the employer.
- Family
- Spouse and minor children receive a "talent – family" card through the simplified accompanying-family procedure, with the right to work.
- Path to permanent residence
- After five years of lawful residence: 10-year resident card or EU long-term resident card, with B1 French and the civic exam.
- Where to apply
- France-Visas, then the French consulate or its visa application centre in your country of residence.
Conditions
For the qualified-employee route you need a diploma at least equal to a master's obtained in France, or a level-1 diploma labelled by the Conférence des grandes écoles and issued by an institution accredited nationally, and a contract of more than three months with a gross salary of at least EUR 39,582 a year. Recruits of a young innovative company or a company recognised as innovative by the economy ministry qualify with the same salary if their duties are directly linked to its research and development project. Employees on assignment within a group need at least three months' seniority in the group, a contract with the employing company in France and the same salary.
Costs
The long-stay visa costs EUR 99 and the Talent card EUR 350 (EUR 300 tax plus EUR 50 stamp duty), paid online with tax stamps.
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.
Family
Spouses and minor children of Talent card holders can travel with you or join later under the simplified accompanying-family procedure, without going through family reunification. They receive a multi-year "talent – family" card that allows them to work.
Refusal
If the prefecture does not answer, the application is deemed refused after four months for most Talent categories, 90 days for the EU Blue Card and 60 days for researchers; you then have two months to appeal. Visa refusals by the consulate first go through the mandatory administrative appeal stated in the notice.
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
Work
- Employment contract over three months with the gross annual salary
Study
- Master's degree or equivalent
Supporting documents (where they apply)
Work
- Innovative company: proof of JEI or innovative status
How to apply, step by step
- Create your long-stay application on France-Visas, choosing the "Talent – qualified employee" purpose, and print the form and receipt.
- 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.
- Pay the visa fee and give fingerprints; the consulate decides on the long-stay visa valid as a residence permit (VLS-TS).
- Within three months of arriving in France, validate the VLS-TS online on the ANEF website and pay the residence tax.
- Attend the OFII appointments if you are summoned (medical visit, integration contract where applicable).
- Apply online for the residence card between four and two months before the VLS-TS expires.
Frequently asked questions
What is the salary threshold?
EUR 39,582 gross a year.
Is a work authorisation needed?
No separate work authorisation is needed for Talent employees; the card itself allows the job.
Can my spouse work?
Yes, with the talent – family card.
Must my master's degree be French?
For the qualified-employee route, yes: Service-Public requires a master's-level diploma obtained in France. The innovative-company and assignment routes do not have this condition.
How long is the card valid?
For the length of the employment contract, up to four years. For stays under one year, a VLS-TS with the "talent" mention is issued instead.
Official sources
- Service-Public.fr – Carte de séjour « talent »
- Service-Public.fr – Carte de séjour « talent famille »
- France-Visas – long-stay visa
- Ministry of the Interior – ANEF online services for foreigners in France
- France-Visas – The visa application process (service providers, fees, decision times)
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
- Tourist visa Maximum stay: Up to 90 days in any 180-day period
- Family and friends visit visa Maximum stay: Up to 90 days in any 180-day period
- Airport transit visa Maximum stay: International transit zone only, no entry into France.
- Medical treatment visa Maximum stay: Up to 90 days in any 180-day period
Business and self-employment
- Business visa Maximum stay: Up to 90 days in any 180-day period
- Entrepreneur and start-up visa Validity: Up to four years.
- Investor visa Validity: Up to four years.
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.
- 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
- Retirement visa Validity: VLS-TS for the first year, then a renewable one-year card.
- 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
- Asylum and international protection Validity: Asylum certificate valid 10 months (normal procedure) or 6 months (accelerated), renewable during the procedure.