France Long-Stay Visitor Visa (VLS-TS Visiteur)
France FRA
The France Long-Stay Visitor Visa (VLS-TS Visiteur) is a one-year renewable permit for financially independent individuals who wish to reside in France without engaging in any professional activity. Applicants must demonstrate stable and sufficient income from passive sources such as pensions, investment income, or rental income, and may not work remotely or otherwise. After five years of continuous legal residence, holders may apply for a long-term resident card and eventually French citizenship.
Program Details
- Category
- Passive Income
- Processing Time
- 3 months
- Application Fee
- $99
- Minimum Income
- $1,640/mo
- Minimum Investment
- —
- Family Included
- Accompanying family members must each apply for their own VLS-TS Visiteur permit and demonstrate sufficient resources
- Path to PR
- Yes — 5 years
- Path to Citizenship
- Yes — 5 years
- Physical Presence
- Holder must reside primarily in France; the visa is a long-stay visa (visa long séjour valant titre de séjour) valid for 1 year, renewable annually. Must validate the visa within 3 months of arrival via ANEF portal.
- Dual Citizenship
- Allowed
- Tax Impact
- Holders residing in France become French tax residents subject to income tax on worldwide income. Work of any kind — including remote work for foreign employers — is strictly prohibited under this visa category.
- Renewal Cost
- $245
Approximately €1,500/month in demonstrated stable resources (bank statements, pension letters, investment income). The amount is assessed by consular officers and is not a fixed statutory threshold; couples may need to demonstrate proportionally more.
Application Timeline
Apply
3mo processing
Visa Granted
Initial permit
Permanent Residency
After 5 years
Citizenship
After 5 years
Key Requirements
- ✓Proof of stable passive income sufficient to cover living costs without working (typically ≥€1,500/month)
- ✓No professional activity of any kind permitted during the stay
- ✓Proof of health insurance valid in France (or enrollment in French social security where eligible)
- ✓Proof of accommodation in France (lease, property deed, or host attestation)
- ✓Valid passport with at least 6 months validity beyond the intended stay
- ✓Completed application submitted to the French consulate in the country of residence
Am I eligible for France Long-Stay Visitor Visa (VLS-TS Visiteur)?
Quick self-check based on the published criteria. Not legal advice. No data leaves your browser.
Nationality eligibility
Select your nationality to check.
Minimum monthly income
Programme requires $1,640/month.
Fill in the fields above to see a verdict.
This is a heuristic, not a determination. Final eligibility depends on full documentation and immigration-officer discretion.
Nationality Restrictions
This program restricts applications from nationals of: EU/EEA and Swiss nationals have free movement rights and do not require this visa
Application Process — Step by Step
- 01
Gather financial proof (SMIC equivalent)
home countryMust show €1,800+/mo net (indexed to SMIC) for 12 months. Pension statement, savings, rental-income proof, or combination.
Typical duration: 2-4 weekssource ↗
- 02
Attestation sur l'honneur: no paid activity
home countryMandatory sworn statement that you will NOT undertake any paid professional activity in France. This is strictly enforced — remote work for foreign clients sits in a grey zone and is contested.
Typical duration: 1 day
- 03
Apply via France-Visas + in-person at VFS Global
home countrySubmit application, fingerprints, visa fee. Usually decided 2-8 weeks.
Typical duration: 2-8 weekssource ↗
- 04
Arrive + validate VLS-TS online within 3 months
destinationVLS-TS acts as a residence permit for first year once validated on the OFII portal (€200 tax fee).
Typical duration: 1 week
Documents Required
| Document | Issued By | Apostille | Translate to | Validity (days) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Valid passport | Home country | No | — | 180 |
| Proof of income €1,800+/mo for 12 months | Bank / pension | No | fr | 90 |
| Attestation sur l'honneur (no paid work) | Self (notarised) | No | fr | 90 |
| Proof of accommodation (lease or host attestation) | Landlord | No | fr | 90 |
| Private health insurance covering France €30k+ | Insurer | No | fr | 90 |
| Criminal record check | Home country | Yes | fr | 90 |
Realistic Costs
Some figures below are industry estimates rather than officially verified: lawyer_fee_high.
OFII tax €200 on arrival. Subsequent-year Titre de séjour fees €225.
Realistic Timeline
- Consulate wait2–10 weeks
- Decision → arrival2 weeks
- Residence card issuance0 weeks
- Total to residence card6–14 weeks
VLS-TS acts as its own residence permit — no card needed in year 1. Renewal as Titre de séjour visiteur 4-8 months processing.
Renewal
- First renewal after
- 12 months
- Subsequent cycle
- 12 months
- Renewal fee
- $225
- Requirements
- Continued income proof, proof of residence, health insurance, continued no-work attestation.
Path to Permanent Residency — Details
- Years required
- 5
- Language test
- Required
- Integration test
- Required
Path to Citizenship — Details
- Years required
- 5
- Language test
- Yes (B1)
- Civic test
- Required
- Oath
- Not required
- Dual citizenship
- Allowed
Tax Residency
- Trigger
- 183 days/year of presence
- Taxation scope
- Worldwide income
- Exit-tax country
- No
Special regimes
- Impatriate regime (régime des impatriés)source ↗
Health Insurance
- Mandatory
- No
Family Specifics
- Spouse work rights
- Child school enrolment
- Parent inclusion
- Not eligible
- Sibling inclusion
- Not eligible
Gotchas — Things to Watch For
- ⚠Explicitly prohibits professional activity — remote-work-for-foreign-clients grey zone occasionally enforced against "digital nomads"
- ⚠Must pay French income tax on worldwide income once tax-resident (usually after 183 days)
- ⚠Does NOT qualify for PUMA healthcare until 3 months of stable residence
Common Rejection Reasons
- •Financial means below SMIC threshold
- •Intent-to-work suspicion (digital-nomad profile)
- •Incomplete accommodation proof
Recent Legislative Changes
2024-01-26
France's Loi Immigration enacted — tightened family-reunification rules and language requirements for PR/citizenship; VLS-TS visitor visa itself unchanged.source ↗
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I legally work remotely on this visa?+
Technically prohibited. The attestation sur l'honneur commits you to "no professional activity". Remote work for foreign clients has been a grey zone historically, but the 2023 Loi Immigration explicitly clarified that remote work undertaken from French soil constitutes economic activity. Use a talent/freelance visa instead if you need to work.
Good Fit For
Applying from a specific country? Your home-country tax rules, banking access, and dual-citizenship options affect every programme differently. Browse nationality guides → for tax obligations, renunciation rules, and second-passport routes.
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