Note from the editor: In light of new guidance on remote working in France as shared by the official French tax office in June 2025, we have also officially changed our stance on remote working for a US company while living in France under the visitor visa. Read more here, and contact us with any questions or concerns. We’re here to help! — MS
Often when people schedule a consultation with me about the profession libérale visa, they do so convinced that this is the right path for them, but on more than one occasion, after asking the right questions, I’ve helped them understand that what they should probably do is obtain (or renew) a visitor visa instead. This original misapprehension is due in part to an unclear understanding of immigration and the visa process in general, and other times it’s due to a lack of clarity as to the why and how of the client’s projected time and future in France. So this article is a hopeful corrective to the confusion about which visa to get.
In brief, I characterize “visitor” status as easy, option-oriented, but repetitive, and “profession libérale” status as all-in, with a path to citizenship, but challenging, as it involves starting an actual business.
Visitor
People consider it a “hassle” to show up once a year with a predictable and easy list of paperwork so that you can continue to legally live in a country in which you have no citizenship. But it’s not a hassle. It’s pretty easy once you get used to it, and it becomes something seasonal, like putting up Christmas decorations. It’s a chore, but you’re so happy when it’s done.
Visitor status does not provide a path to citizenship.
Visitor status requires you to file taxes, even though your visa status ensures you won’t be paying taxes.
Visitor status gives you access to the EU, as you are a French resident. Technically you should be in France the majority of the calendar year, but the French have no real way to verify this, and don’t really care, as long as you fulfill your legal requirements. I know of someone who lives in Malta most of the year, but for some reason has chosen to have French visitor status and flies in for his prefecture appointments.
Visitor status allows you, after the first renewal, to switch to another visa, at any time. You’re not stuck with this status forever. If at any point you want to wind things up, simply leave France. No additional paperwork required: you’ll just expire out of the system.
Profession Libérale
Profession Libérale status (not to be confused with “auto-entrepreneur,” which is a tax classification, not an immigration status and hereafter PL) was a dream fit for me for a number of reasons: I’m a veteran business owner, I want French citizenship, and I wanted the possibility of a multi-year card.
People get very interested in this visa status because of the citizenship path but ignore or downplay that you have to start and validate a business. This means you will enroll in a number of French agencies that will continue to bill you forever. This includes your social charges, health care charges, and your pension, to say nothing of taxes. Visitor status is just about obtaining the right to live in France, whereas PL is about living AND working, and the paperwork is correspondingly more onerous, both in application, verification, and renewal.
If at any point you decide this (by “this” I mean France or running a business) isn’t for you, you’ll need to close your business, close down your bank account, and de-register at all the agencies you are registered at, which otherwise will continue to bill or charge you indefinitely. It also means that your visa will expire at the end of your current term. In that sense, it’s not as traumatic as a traditional work visa, in which you lose your residency rights within 60 days of losing your job, but it does mean that unlike a Visitor visa, a PL visa is connected with something other than your simple will and desire to live in France: it relies on your ability to maintain and keep a business, which is an entirely different set of skills from obtaining a basic visa or having a “regular job.”
Now, if you already have a successful or growing business/freelance career, you would simply start billing your clients through your French entity and such pressures are obviated. Otherwise, if you are starting a business from scratch, you add the pressure of business startup to an immigration visa.
Whatever visa you decide to pursue, remember to banish panic and fear and replace it with knowledge and calm. This process is only as scary as you let it be.
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Hi Stephen, always good to read your posts. Following your advice, my daughter has opted for moving to the UK instead of France, for the english education it offers with resultant wider global options. Thank you again for meeting with us in 2016, she made the move in 2017. God bless, always good to hear from you.
Thanks Michelle! Glad the advice was helpful 🙂
Hey Stephen,
Great post as always. I’ve been curious – if you’re on a profesional liberale visa can you enrol in university? I assume there is no restriction.
Yes. Usually the student visa gives someone legal residence so they can be here long enough to go to school, but if you already have legal residence, you’re free to enroll and don’t need to bother about that visa.
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Hi Stephen! Great post. I’m curious as to why you did not mention the « passeport talent » visa? It seems like a nice medium between PL and Visitor, but I could be totally wrong as there is not much info online. Do you have any good references to read more about the « passeport talent » visa when applying as an American?
-Julia
Julia – I don’t mention that visa because it’s nonrenewable and it’s wonky. You need to put together a compelling dossier and only two of the people I’ve ever worked with actually were interested in and obtained it. It’s a “I’m here in France for three years and then I’m leaving” visa and since this blog has always been concerned with making a life in France, I consider it in the au pair and student categories: temporary situations.
Hey Stephen! Thanks for the quick response. Interesting, the wording is really tricky then because the Service-Public website says: “Elle est valable 4 ans maximum et renouvelable.”
-Julia
Bonjour Stephen!
This is great information, thank you. I do have one clarification question. You say that you are not stuck in the Visitors visa and you can change at any time. As a 15 year business owner here in the US, i’m planning on starting a new business in France with my partner who is a French Citizen. We are not quite ready to form the company yet but will be in about 6- 8 months. I’m planning on relocating in May/June of this year. Would you recommend a Visitors Visa first and then transition to the PL?
Merci!
As I said Annette, you cannot transition from Visitor to PL until after your first renewal, so you’ll need to be under visitor status for 2 full years before changing over if you decide to go that route.
Thanks Stephen!
I was unclear as to the time frame of the first renewal.
Hi Stephen –
Super helpful blog. Thanks for doing this. I can vouch for a lot of what you’re saying as I currently have the Profession Liberale visa and just got approved for the Carte de Sejour. I’ve been in France for a year now and I’m also newly PACS’d with my partner. I came across info regarding the Carte de Sejour “Vie Privéee et Familiale”. Do you have any experience with transferring onto this Carte de Sejour (challenges and/or differences with the Profession Liberale one?).
Thanks in advance for any info!
Geraldine – I’m sorry I just saw that I never replied to this post. Did you ever figure this out?
I have been on a cdj visiteur for the past 2 years and I am moving into my 3rd year . I can get a 10 year card after 5 years and apply for citizenship immediately afterwards right?
Not at all Ariya. You need 5 years of paying taxes as one of the conditions of applying for citizenship. Visitor status is not a citizenship path. It’s just a resident path. You can get a ten year card, sure, but you can’t apply for citizenship without paying taxes here, which means you need to change your visa status to one where you pay taxes.
I own an apartment and apart from tax fonciere and d’habitation . And I am planning on declaring my taxes in France from this year onwards. So, despite the fact that I can’t work here , I am planning on visiting a fiscalist who can help me declare my tax forms so I have proof of that. I am residing in Nice . As you know in Nice , the conditions are not as strict as Paris. They accept 3 years of tax payment as well . By paying taxes, you are referring to income tax only right?The declaration of tax forms of the last 3 years prior to citizenship application wouldn’t suffice?
Thanks for your blog in advance
You are required to file taxes regardless of whether you plan to apply for citizenship. I repeat, visitor status is not a path to citizenship, otherwise I would not have gone through the trouble to change visas. Visitor status is one of the easiest to get and maintain.
So you mean even by possessing a permanent residence and filling out the CID forms , they will reject your file because your title was labelled as “ visiteur”? Is there any other way of paying taxes whilst possessing this status? Subletting your apartment or …? Because both My mother and my sister and I possess this status and I don’t think it would be plausible to change the status of the three of us together, right? There has to be a way around this ! I don’t know how I can propose a business plan to persuade the prefecture to grant us profession liberale .
Ariya – I will say this for the third time: Visitor status is not a path to citizenship.
So just to be clear , after getting your resident card and filling out CIR forms and filing for citizenship, they will reject your file based on not having had an income in France and therefore no income taxes to be paid right?
There are so many other things in the application! Including a language and history test.
I meant having all of the requirements except for the one I mentioned.
I repeat for the final time: visitor status is not a path to citizenship.
Stephen, I understand that there is an exception here if you enter France as an already retired person on a CDS temporaire (visitor) and then renew the CDS at the Prefect in one year installments for 4 additional years, the person can then qualify for the 10-year residency and is also eligible for naturalization path to French citizenship.
As a US citizen with retirement income sourced exclusively from the US (pension, SS, 401s) you file for and pay US income taxes but under the US-France tax treaty you are generally exempt from paying French income tax to avoid double-taxation on your US-based retirement income. However, you still need to fill out the necessary French tax paperwork to declare your US-based retirement income and claim the exemption.
Here is some more information on the issue of US retirees in France being eligible for citizenship (via naturalization) after 5 years of being a resident under a CDS-visitor.
https://www.escapeartist.com/blog/how-to-retire-in-france-as-an-expat/
Interesting! Do they have any case studies of people who have successfully done it?
David – the assertion is made in this article about retirees getting citizenship, but I simply don’t see any proof of that in the article. I’m not saying it’s not possible; I’ve just not met a single retiree in France who’s done that, and I’ve met dozens. Many of them don’t even have a ten year card, because they can’t pass the A2 language exam necessary to gain that card.
I just want to thank you for taking the time to document all of these details and provide such valuable information!
Thanks!
Hi Stephen! Really amazing information here, thank you so much for your generous posts. Clear, concise and easy to follow, for the most part.
Question please, I am hoping to move to France by next year. I have an existing small business as a global coach (which I plan on bringing with me) but also want to study the language full time And enroll in a school. So this may be obvious, but would I shoot for the “Profession Liberale” visa? Even if the income could be quite low? (It is a changing business so I don’t really know)
As if I were to try for a student visa I am not able to work…? Is my understanding.
Any advice would be greatly appreciated! Thanking you in advance and I look forward to reading more!
Alicia
Alicia actually a student visa allows you to work up to 20 hours a week.
As long as the business can bring in at least 15-20k a year you’ll successfully renew. If you don’t think you can get it up to that in time, why not just get a student visa and keep your coaching business as a US based entity?
Great advice Stephen, thank you! Only thing is I can’t be a student forever…
So you are saying that if the business can bring in 15-20k, annually on consistent basis, should be no problem with applying for PL visa? (Self employed). And is it still considered a US based business, registered in the US?
I need both! Let’s say I apply as student for over 6 months to a year. Working 20 hours a week…am I able to apply for a PL visa while still in France After that time period? Or will I need to return to the US to apply since it’s a different visa..? ( side bar, have alternative income not related to my coaching business does not count? Or could help? Showing sufficient funds??)
Thank you again!
Alicia
Your US based business has nothing to do with the French. They have no power to stop you from earning money in other parts of the world, legally or morally.
The question for Profession Liberale is regarding a FRENCH business. You will have to make 15-20k (in euros) per year in order to keep a Profession Liberale visa.
You can change status while a student to different visa classifications, including Profession Liberale.
As far as the “alternative income” – the French don’t care how you have access to funds to sustain yourself as your Profession Liberale business gets off the ground, just that you have funds. I sent you an email on this.
Hi Stephen!
I’m interested in becoming a freelance English teacher in France and not sure what visa to apply for since I would technically be self employed. I’m currently teaching (and a resident) in Germany and was also wondering if it’s even possible to apply for a visa from here.
Thank you!
Probably PL. what’s your country of nationality?
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Hello! Thank you for this guide. I’m a freelance graphic designer, I work remotely – but am paid by a production payroll company. Which route would you recommend I take ? I’d be interested in citizenship but almost want to go the visitor route to make sure I want to commit fully to the country. Being that I don’t have my own business per se, but also can work as a graphic designer via Freelance and Fiver. Just unclear as to how to approach this, please advise.
Mel – you’re a remote worker and want to “try before you buy” — visitor is a good route.
I will have had 5 years of visitor status . Can I apply for carte de resident ?
Yes, but you need documented A2 competency and at least 5 years of French tax returns.
What taxes? Because I can’t and haven’t worked in France so I don’t pay taxes. Do you mean tax foncier and tax d’habitation?
Ariya
France, like the United States, requires its fiscal residents to FILE taxes every year, even if you don’t OWE taxes. I think there is an amnesty in which you can file for multiple back years with the French (the US only require the last three, I think, when you try to get back on track with them…ask an accountant to be sure) but you have absolutely ZERO chance of getting a carte de resident until you’re holding five years of tax returns in your hands.
If you read the articles on this site I frequently explain the need to file taxes and how valuable those tax returns are as administrative documents.
Again, owing taxes is not relevant here. It is filing them that matters.
Thank you so much for this information, I’ve learned so much from reading your responses to the other questions! I have an art business that I operate with my partner. If he is a part of the business do we need to earn double the annual requirement or does he need a separate visa all together? Thanks again! Katherine
Katherine
I’ve heard of cases that were approved in which the amount earned was not quite double, but 80% of a double amount. In any case, double would be your safest bet.
Thanks so much!
I greatly appreciate the information conveyed here as well as detail of your responses to a wide variety of needs, issues, and experience. Will be rereading for sure. Thank you.
Thanks Frances!
Why do you say the visitor visa isn’t a path to citizenship? If I renew it enough and get 5 years….
There’s no “five year,” I’m guessing you mean the ten year card. But a ten year card isn’t a path to citizenship. You need to be a tax-paying citizen and as a visitor you’re only a tax-filing citizen. I’m happy to be proven wrong but I don’t know anyone who has obtained citizenship on a visitor visa.
Thank you very much for your exhaustive answers and deep insight into the subject matter. Is this 10 year card renewable? If yes, for how many years? Does it mean permanent residency? Also, if one gets a 10 year card, can one go to any other Schengen country and stay there and try to get residency of that country by naturalisation? What are the options with “Visitor” visa to obtain permanent residency of France or any other Schengen country as thought above?
Manish
The ten-year card is renewable for a ten-year term, as many ten-year terms as you need. 🙂
I don’t believe there’s any such thing as “permanent residency” worldwide, as it always comes with stipulations, so how can it be called “permanent”? But it does provide long-term residency.
You cannot be eligible for naturalization in another EU country just by using your residence card from France. Anyone, including EU citizens, have to go through the same process as anyone else if they wish to gain nationality in another country.
The visitor visa is even more limited than the 10 year card (Carte de Resident) as it does not really envision your living outside of France ever, whereas the Carte de Resident explicitly permits it, up to three years within your ten year period.
Short story? If you want citizenship in another country, you cannot use a French residence card, even a nice fat ten year card, as the basis for it. The right to live and work in France does not give you the right to live and work in Germany. You’re thinking of EU citizenship, not EU residence.
Thank you for your detailed reply. When I was saying shift to another EU country, I didn’t mean work there. Let me ask it in a different way:
If I have 10 year card, can I go to another EU country, register myself there with police station and start staying there as financially independent person (Without working in that country), or digital nomad or under any other program allowed by that country? What I mean to say is, will I be treated like EU citizen/resident for various VISA programs in other EU countries?
Excuse me if I sound foolish.
Manish
The short answer is you apply for visas from whatever country you have residence in. So this card gives you status to apply in France for a work visa in Germany, for example. And yes, you can hold multiple statuses in multiple countries but that gets complicated quickly. I’ve held Swiss work permits while holding French visitor status but those were only 3 month Swiss permits each time.
An American client a couple years ago was in Germany on a work permit and he applied for a French PL visa from Germany because he had residence there. But having a French ten year card does not give you status in Germany such that you could apply for other visas from Germany, even should you choose to live in Berlin.
Unsolicited answer: if you have what it takes to get a French ten year card, you should immediately apply for citizenship after you receive it and wait it out. Then you don’t have to worry about what you mention…you can roam around Schengen to your heart’s content (but you’ll still need to be tax-domiciled somewhere).
I feel like you are interpreting the card to be a sub-passport (it’s not) when it’s really just a muscular French residence and work permit.
I can’t really help you if I don’t know what your long term plans are. If you want to schedule a consultation I’d be happy to help further. 😉
I have already sent my details. Yes I would like to schedule a consultation.
Hi Stephen, all reading this.
Does anyone have any suggestions of bonafide european health insurance companies which offer affordable cover to meet minimum visitor visa requirements of 30,000 euros? I’ve come across various fake sites and all the real ones seem to cover up to 1000,000’s and charge a fortune!? Any suggestions very welcome! THanks
Lucy
I consistently recommend Cigna Global, as coming from a reputable company, and one of the companies I first used almost a decade ago now when I came to France.
Stephen,
Thank you for this great post!
You mentioned that it’s not possible to change one’s status from visitor to, say, PLV before 2 years have passed. Can you possibly share your reference about that?
Mary
One of those unwritten rules that I’ve only discovered by talking to those who have attempted to change and been told no.
Hello, how do we include children on those applications ? My wife and I plan on applying for one of those visas but I don’t see anything about child dependent ? Thank you!!
Max
Do you mean we don’t mention anything about it in the article, or you can’t find a space on the form?
https://demarchesadministratives.fr/formulaires/cerfa-14052-demande-de-visa-long-sejour
On this form it’s #28.
Hello,
If I get my profession libérale visa and whilst I am in France, someone wants to employee me as a salaried worker, is this allowed ? Or do I have to change visa status ? And if so, is that process difficult ?
Tara
You need to understand that in order to hire a foreigner the employer is going to have to pay a 10k euro bounty and then a 25% tax on your salary every month forever. You are highly unlikely to be hired in France unless you possess a particular set of skills or a certification that is rare in Europe.
A PL visa is not an employment visa. It is a freelancer visa, allowing you to work as a contractor with an annual income cap. If you want to get a job, pursue that, not a PL visa.
In the unlikely event you would get hired for a job while already in possession of a PL visa, yes you’ll need a visa and someone at that company will probably help you with all those details. What they probably can’t help you with is the shut down of your PL business and all the fun paperwork that goes along with that.
This is very interesting as I thought I would want the talent entrepreneur visa because it lasts for 4 years, but it is better to get the 1 – year entrepreneur visa and then renew for 4 years? I run a parent company formed in the US and am now starting a subsidiary in France, but with the intention of living there and building a life.
Madison
I’m afraid that you’ve misunderstood the PL visa as some equivalent to the Talent visa. It is not. If you want to start a subsidiary of an existing company, Talent is the way to go. PL is a freelancer visa with an income cap, which doesn’t sound like it fits you at all.
Hello,
Are you sure that a visitor visa qualifies for the 10-year residency card? I’ve been living in France for 5 years, but only my first year was under long stay one year visitor visa. For the last 4 years, I’ve held a “carte de séjour” VPF. A few days ago, I had an interview at the prefecture to renew my card, during which I specifically requested the 10-year card and provided all the required documents, language test, taxes, bank statements…etc. However, I was informed that I need one more year of residency under my current status to meet the 5-year residency requirement. According to them, the first year doesn’t count because it was under a long stay visitor visa. Based on this, I don’t believe the visitor visa qualifies you to apply for the 10-year card as mentioned in this post. Thoughts?
Ned
I don’t think your conclusion is correct, in part because I know people who got a ten-year card from visitor status. 😉
Could it be perhaps that you didn’t have five years of tax returns? For the ten-year card the time living in France is less relevant than the number of tax returns you have, and perhaps with five years you only have four avis d’impot, and sloppily, whomever conveyed the message to you somehow missed that a visitor visa is not some “leper” status that doesn’t qualify for a ten-year card…you have to be a fiscal resident of France, even on visitor status, and that is only one part of your qualification anyway. Did you file a return when you were a visitor? If not, that’s the answer to why you didn’t get it.
Hi Stephen,
Thanks for your response. I just saw your message. I’ve filed a French tax return for every year I’ve lived here, including the year I was a visitor. However, you’re correct that I only have 4 avis d’impôt instead of 5, since I officially moved to France on the last day of December 2019. According to the tax office, I didn’t have to file taxes for 2019, and I haven’t filed my 2024 taxes yet. So, at the end of this month, I will have officially completed 5 years of residency in France. It’s also the date my current TDS expires. Every renewal so far has aligned with the previous expiration date.
I think you may be right—maybe the worker at the prefecture made a mistake. They did, however, ask me to provide my 2019 tax returns, which didn’t make sense to me since I officially lived in France for less than 24 hours in 2019. I gave them my U.S. tax returns instead, and they accepted them.
Assuming they only grant me a 2-year renewal instead of a 10-year carte de séjour, do you think I’ll be able to request the 10-year card after filing my 2024 French taxes next year? Or would I have to wait until the next renewal of what I assume will be a 2-year card? The timing of my move makes this so tricky! I did provide them with pay stubs and bank statements for 2024 since I didn’t have the tax return for this year yet. So there is still chance maybe I will get the 10 years card. But if you think the residency doesn’t matter and it’s all about how many tax returns I have then yes you are correct. I don’t have one yet for the 5th year. Thank you,
Ned
Ned
I’m not implying you need to file for that year. I arrived December 13th myself, so didn’t file that year either.
I just think the “proof” is what the French are always looking for in bureaucratic functions and the only proof we would have is the passport stamp next to our original visa, but I’ve never been asked for that in any context outside of my first OFII visit. Additionally, everything administrative I’ve participated in since then that requires “proof” has always revolved around French tax returns, including my recently-submitted citizenship application. When you say “2-year renewal” are you on vie privee? That’s the only visa classification I know that does 2-year renewals.
I think if you think of the math of it, you will only be in possession of the “fifth year” after the renewal, whereas what the ten year card is asking is for five years at the time of submitting. So, since you haven’t renewed yet, you only will have four years at the time of submitting, which makes you ineligible.
Whatever the functionary is saying, I think you’re going to be fine applying at your next renewal. You cannot request an early renewal without a serious reason, i.e. change of status (marriage/divorce).
What’s the rush? Are you planning to move?
Hi,
Yes, I have a VPF. There’s no rush; it’s just about renewing and making payments more frequently. I guess I can wait and see.
Thank you for this, it is so helpful. I’m an American on a work visa in the UK, and looking to move back to France (where I previously had a student visa).
I have a full-time salaried role in the UK and have freelance clients on the side who pay me directly into my bank account.
I was, like many, convinced that PL made the most sense for me, and was planning to go freelance with my full-time role and continue working with other clients (I have even discussed it with my employer). Now, I’m not so sure.
Would I not be able to continue to be paid in pounds/dollars in an american or british bank account on PL? I know I’d need interest from French clients for the application and would intend to secure said clients.
I can’t tell if long stay visitor makes the most sense. If anyone has thoughts, they would be much appreciated
as an aside some of my freelance clients in the UK include taxes in the paystubs, so I don’t have to file them to the UK. But it seems like i would then be double taxed on them if i got PL.
Carla
Why would the French approve you to start a French company and then benefit another country (i.e. have deposits go somewhere outside of France)?
A PL visa is about you starting a French company in France, meaning you are going to get paid in euros to your French freelancing business. You can continue to get paid wherever else you want for some segment of your business, but none of that income will be counted towards your PL business, which needs to be at a certain income level every year in order to stay valid.
If you’d like to do a consultation to look at your specific case, feel free to make a booking in the sidebar and we can chat more. 🙂
Hi Stephen,
Thank you so much for such a complete blog. It is so well written and clear to understand.
I am currently considering to apply for a Visiteur visa so I can live with my french boyfriend and “taste” Paris before I move long term. I have concerns around taxes though. I’m an independent contractor working for a US company. I pay taxes in my home country (Peru) as freelancer. I understand I would “file” taxes in France, and not necessarily “pay” for them. So here are my 2 concerns:
– 1. If I keep paying taxes in Peru, is there a risk that France “chases me down” for taxes due to me being a tax resident? (there is no double taxation agreement between Peru and France)
Additionally, my income is above the threshold of micro-entrepreneur level, which means that , if /when I change my visa status, I would have to set up a company and pay corporate tax and way more that (according to calculators) would ear up to 70% of my total earnings.
This was a huge question, I am mainly interested in getting an answer for the first question and not the last one above and I guess I will take it from there 🙂
Maria
It’s not so much that they will “chase you down” it’s that when you file your taxes in France there’s a line item for worldwide income and taxation in France depends on whether there’s a tax treaty. I would refer you to an accountant for these questions, as that’s their specialty. Check with Hadtax here: https://theamericaninparis.com/our-accountant-recommendations/
Thank you for this blog post. It answered some questions but raised others.
I’m a US citizen intending to move to France by the end of this year, with the goal of applying for French citizenship after 5 years. I’ve run my own consulting company for over 20 years (S-corp, sole owner, sole employee). My income is done as a W-2 employee through my S corp. I only have a couple of long-term clients based in the US and UK. I do not want to change anything from my client’s perspective.
Can I use a PL visa to establish a french company that has my US company as the sole client? Or perhaps create a french branch of my US company?
Christa
Your proposed use of the visa will not pass muster with the French.
The PL visa is a freelancer visa (equivalent to a US sole proprietorship, not a US S-corp) with an income cap (no income cap in the US) in which you make the case that you will create a French business with at least some French clients (no such requirements for a US company). What you articulated does not currently exist in the French visa regime.
If you want to pursue this path you need to create a slightly different business idea which can attract French clients, which you will need to provide the possibility of obtaining at your first visa proposal and fiscal evidence of at your first renewal.
We offer consultations on this and I took an analogous path when I obtained and retained my visa, starting a French practice similar to what I had and maintained in the US contemporaneously. Feel free to reach out using the contact us form.
Thanks so much for this, Stephen! This post solidified that I will apply for Long-Term-Visitor visas for myself and my family.
My concern now is this: We plan to leave around the last week of July, 2025. My minor son’s visa expires in April of 2026, and mine in September of 2026. I was told directly by an “expert” (whose credibility has now come into question) that I shouldn’t worry about our visas expiring during and close to the end of the year we’re requesting to use them; that we can “just” renew them at the embassy while in France. I’ve expedited my passports in the past, but I’m a little wary these days about sending in our passports with the expectation of receiving them back any time soon.
What’s your experience with this? Do passport expiration dates of less than/close to one year impact whether or not one is approved for LSVVs?
It’s the six-month rule that most countries observe with regards to granting visas. Some countries even have a three-month rule. Given that your visa is literally a sticker inside your passport for your first year, and then you’ll have to give away that passport (and it will lose its validity) to renew, I advise you to just renew your passports early and obviate this concern. You’re going to have to renew at some point. Better not to do it with a sticker inside that you (technically) need for life in France.
As other person noted–YES—The Nice prefecture is telling folks in writing that they can work on French soil with French projects, clients. They are actively rejecting PL and passport talent proposals and the prefecture is telling renewal visa holders that they can do their French work with their visitor visa. Is this intentional to give illegal work advice to limit immigration and or incompetence ? Of course, they do not answer emails, telephones, nor written correspondence for specific clarifications as they strive for strategic ambiguity get money from visa applicants and current holders.
Hi Claudette, I wouldn’t say it’s intentional to limit immigration, more so that the governmental offices in France are mostly siloed and do not interact with each other. The folks in immigration likely don’t know or care to know what the tax implications are of working for a US company under the visitor visa.
Thank you kindly Molli. Another friend of ours received a recent passport talent rejection for a French project; person had doctorates in litterature, wrote many publications in publishing houses, not “bloggers”, or “you tubeur”, etc.
She was writing a book in French for the French people, enhancing the french culture, letters of support from French orgs, etc, etc. had full 4 year artistic command etc ..Yet rejected. REJECTED,, did not even open their file.
The prefecture ‘s response was that their passport talent work could be done-satisfied with their current visiteur visa! This was in writing by the prefecture.
So, one can now work in France on a current visiteurs visa with French clients, french projects, etc. One is now given govt permission to basically “rob a bank” and work illegally with French clients, French associations, French soil etc.
Respectfully, this illegal information and visa rejections appears intentional to limit the massive influx of likely Anglosaxon country “expats” and immigrants. Seems going forward, outside of marrying a native, the immigration visa route is closing and most will be tourist long stays (‘visiteurs’) in a one year per term purgatory; this is horrible.
Many are elderly thinking they are “moving” to France. They really “think” they moved….This is malfeascence on many of the “relocation experts” who do not disclose the realities of France and chose to chat abt lavender fields and tilleul honey. Thank you for a honest website and real deal chats.
As a note, the passeport talent is one of the MOST difficult visas to obtain — I’m not sure why but in recent years many people online have started promoting it as an easy way to move to France. In my experience, it very difficult to get and is getting even more difficult, my guess is that there is an influx of people who are not inherently qualified who have begun applying. I’m not saying your friend doesn’t qualify, but it’s important to note the exact qualifications for this visa. They are very specific and so I’m assuming there was some sort of issue with her application.
Thanks Molli! She applied for the artist litterary, non salary, funded for four years above the SMIC, letters of support from french orgs, CV from ivy league, doctorate, with real publications from known publishers. The Nice prefecture stated she could work on a visitor visa for her french work project, and refused her changing the visitor to passport talent application. So she will work illegally in france due to the prefecture,s ruling that visitor visa one can work on a french project on french soil with french clients and it is in writing from the prefecture.
in effect, she is not on any immigration path and is a long term tourist with little to no chance at permanent residency etc. It is year to year visitor visa touristy thing now.
In that case I would definitely recommend she contact an immigration lawyer about her situation! I have one in Paris who I like, but not sure if she works with folks in Nice. Her name is Maitre Nessah (+33 1 45 20 60 56) and she specializes in immigration law and may be worth a call.