France long-stay visitor visa (visiteur)

Key requirements

We use about one SMIC per month plus roughly €24,000 in savings because many consulates want a full year of runway even with monthly income.

• Income we use for estimates~$2,000 / month (estimate)
• SavingsOften ~$24,000+
• Accepted income typesPassive income, Pension, Savings only, Remote salary, Freelance income
• Remote work allowedYes
• Local employment allowedNo
• Health insuranceUsually required
• Criminal record checkUsually required
• Accommodation proofUsually required
• Bank accountUsually required
• Processing (rough)Several weeks to a few months (TLS and consulate)

Appointments and document preferences vary by post. Follow the consulate that handles applications from your legal residence.

1. 1

   Confirm visitor category fits your work

   Check that your stay is visitor-based: no French employer, no French clients, and remote work only for a foreign company under foreign law if you plan to work from France.

2. 2

   Gather income and savings proof

   Prepare pension, remote salary, dividend, rental, or annuity proofs and bank history showing you can support your planned stay.

   • •Add a 12-month budget table that matches your statements.
3. 3

   Buy compliant health insurance

   Obtain cover valid for the full planned stay in France without major gaps.

4. 4

   Prepare accommodation proof

   Provide lease, title, hosting proof, or other housing documents in the format your consulate requests.

5. 5

   Complete visitor declarations

   Sign the forms your consulate requires, keeping your work story consistent: no French labour market activity beyond allowed foreign remote work.

6. 6

   Collect police and civil records

   Prepare criminal and civil-status documents with apostille and translations where the post requires them.

7. 7

   Apply on France-Visas and attend appointment

   Complete online steps, book your slot, submit biometrics and documents, and keep copies of forms and receipts.

8. 8

   Enter France and validate VLS-TS

   After arrival, complete mandatory online validation within the deadline and save confirmation records.

9. 9

   Attend post-arrival formalities if summoned

   Go to any medical or administrative steps authorities request during your first year.

10. 10

    Renew to a visitor residence card

    If staying longer, prepare renewal early with updated income, insurance, and compliance proof beyond the initial VLS-TS period.

This is general information, not legal or tax advice. France visitor visa standards and consulate practice can change. Verify with official France-Visas and your consulate before you file.

Pathway last reviewed: 2026-07-15

Citizenship & nationality

Any nationality can apply in theory. EU citizens use free movement instead of this visa. After the June 2026 Interior Ministry answer, remote work for a foreign employer with no French economic link may fit visitor status. French clients, French payroll, or work tied to France still need a work permit and a different category.

• •Remote work is allowed only when the job stays outside France: foreign employer, foreign-law contract, pay from abroad, and no services or clients in France.
• •You still need enough money for the stay. Officers look at pensions, dividends, rent, savings, or steady remote income. Many files use about one SMIC per month as a guide for one person.
• •Insurance must cover your full stay without relying on French public healthcare. Weak or short policies often get rejected.
• •Initial VLS-TS stays usually run 3 to 12 months. After arrival you validate online, complete any OFII steps, and may renew toward a visitor carte de séjour through ANEF.
• •French tax rules are separate. Work physically performed in France can still create tax duties even when immigration status allows remote pay from abroad.

Use the France-Visas wizard for long-stay visitor, then confirm details with the consulate that handles applications from where you live.

Best for

• •Passive or stable recurring income from pensions, rent, or dividends
• •Remote employment or freelance income from outside the host country
• •People planning to stay several years with a clear residence record
• •EU settlement plans (check Schengen travel vs national residence rules)

Long-term path

• Permanent residence: Yes
• Citizenship: Possible, but depends on your case

Later renewals may require French language and integration steps. Citizenship is a separate long path with its own residence counting rules.

Practical difficulty

medium

Rough guide only. Your case depends on papers, timing, and rule changes.

Rated medium because consulates have discretion, remote-work files need a clean foreign-employer story, and tax advice may be needed alongside immigration papers.