Long-stay visa (stay of more than 3 months to 1 year)

Verified 28 March 2024 - Directorate for Legal and Administrative Information (Prime Minister)

To enter and stay in France for more than 3 months, a foreigner must hold a long-stay visa (type D). This visa is granted by the French consular authorities. It is issued most often for education, work or family reasons. What are the types of long-stay visas? How to apply for a long-stay visa? What's the cost? We are taking stock of the regulations.

A visa is a sticker affixed by a country's administration to a person's passport to allow him or her to enter and stay for a specified period of time.

You you don't need of this document if you are a citizen European, Andorran, Monaco, San Marino, Holy See/Vatican.

The long-stay visa, type D, allows you to enter and stay in France 4 months to 1 year. It also allows you to move around (without any other visa) in the whole area Schengen, provided that not to exceed 90 days during its period of validity.

If you are an adult, you must apply for a long-stay visa even if your nationality does not require a short-stay visa.

Please note

The visa shall not be issued in the following cases:

  • a foreigner who has been under an obligation to leave France for less than five years and who does not provide proof that he has left France within the period granted, except in humanitarian circumstances
  • Nationals of states that do not cooperate sufficiently in readmission, except for spouses of French nationals
  • Foreigner who has been subject to a judicial prohibition of entry, an expulsion order, a prohibition on return to French territory, a prohibition on movement within French territory or an administrative prohibition on entry

There are different types of visas depending on the reason and length of your stay and your intention to settle you in France.

Long-stay visa as residence permit (VLS-TS): valid for 4 to 12 months

This visa, says VLS-TS, is valid as a residence permit and you do not need to apply for a residence card in the prefecture as soon as you arrive in France.

This applies in particular to the following cases:

  • Student
  • Employee (holder of a contract of indefinite duration)
  • Husband of French
  • Talents Residence Card

FYI  

If you are married to a Frenchman, the VLS-TS is issued to you without conditions. It may be refused if your marriage is fraudulent or has been canceled or if you pose a threat to public order.

VLS-TS Validation

Within 3 months of your arrival in France, you must validate your VLS-TS and pay a tax in addition to the visa fee.

The Internet approach makes it possible to be in regular stay and to be able to cross the border again from the Schengen area.

Validate a long-stay visa as a residence permit (VLS-TS) and pay the tax

Visa mention "residence card to be requested within 2 months of arrival"

The endorsement shall bear the residence card to be requested within 2 months of arrival. It allows you to enter France and obtain a residence card in the prefecture.

It is given to you in order to benefit from a residence card (annual, multiannual or 10 years depending on your situation), in particular in the following cases:

  • Family of French (child aged 16 to 21 or dependent of a French, ascendant dependent on a Frenchman and his husband)
  • Professional or independent (tradesman, craftsman, etc.)
  • Worker (employee on assignment, EU Blue Card, seasonal, talent passport) or worker family
  • Retired or retired spouse
  • Artist

Working holiday visa

This visa can only be issued to you if your country is bound by a bilateral "working holiday" agreement with France. It may also be issued without bilateral agreement for Taiwanese nationals.

The duration is set at a maximum of 1 year. You will not be able to extend your stay beyond this date, but there may be exceptions provided for in the agreements.

The regulations vary according to the nationality of the foreigner.

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Argentina

This visa is intended for young people from 18 to 35 years. It has a maximum duration of 12 months and waives the need to apply for a residence card.

You will not be able to extend your stay beyond the authorized period.

You cannot apply for a residence card for any other reason, but there is an exception if you meet the conditions for issuing a multi-year residence card "talent passport".

The application for a “talent passport” must be made 3 months before the end date of your “Working Holiday” visa.

Australia

This visa is intended for young people from 18 to 35 years. It has a maximum duration of 12 months and waives the need to apply for a residence card.

You will not be able to extend your stay beyond the authorized period, nor ask for a residence card for any other reason.

Brazil

This visa is intended for young people from 18 to 30 years. It has a maximum duration of 12 months and you do not need to ask for a residence card.

You will not be able to extend your stay beyond the authorized period, nor ask for a residence card for any other reason.

Canada

This visa is intended for young people from 18 to 35 years. It has a maximum duration of 12 months and waives the need to apply for a residence card.

The length of stay can be up to 24 months. In some specific cases, it may be up to 36 months:

  • Students wishing to complete part of their university course in a French institution under an interuniversity agreement
  • Students or young people in training, enrolled in an educational establishment or training center, wishing to complete a practical internship.

Chile

This visa is intended for young people from 18 to 30 years. It has a maximum duration of 12 months and you do not need to ask for a residence card.

You will not be able to extend your stay beyond the authorized period, nor ask for a residence card for any other reason.

China (Hong Kong)

This visa is intended for young people from 18 to 30 years. It has a maximum duration of 12 months and you do not need to ask for a residence card.

You will not be able to extend your stay beyond the authorized period, nor ask for a residence card for any other reason.

Colombia

This visa is intended for young people from 18 to 30 years. It has a maximum duration of 12 months and you do not need to ask for a residence card.

You will not be able to extend your stay beyond the authorized period, nor ask for a residence card for any other reason.

South Korea

This visa is intended for young people from 18 to 30 years. It has a maximum duration of 12 months and you do not need to ask for a residence card.

You will not be able to extend your stay beyond the authorized period, nor ask for a residence card for any other reason.

Ecuador

This visa is intended for young people from 18 to 30 years. It has a maximum duration of 12 months and you do not need to ask for a residence card.

You will not be able to extend your stay beyond the authorized period, nor ask for a residence card for any other reason.

Japan

This visa is intended for young people from 18 to 30 years. It has a maximum duration of 12 months and you do not need to ask for a residence card.

You will not be able to extend your stay beyond the authorized period, nor ask for a residence card for any other reason.

Mexico

This visa is intended for young people from 18 to 30 years. It has a maximum duration of 12 months and you do not need to ask for a residence card.

You will not be able to extend your stay beyond the authorized period, nor ask for a residence card for any other reason.

New Zealand

This visa is intended for young people from 18 to 30 years. It has a maximum duration of 12 months and you do not need to ask for a residence card.

You will not be able to extend your stay beyond the authorized period, nor ask for a residence card for any other reason.

Peru

This visa is intended for young people from 18 to 30 years. It has a maximum duration of 12 months and you do not need to ask for a residence card.

You will not be able to extend your stay beyond the authorized period, nor ask for a residence card for any other reason.

Russia

This visa is intended for young people from 18 to 30 years. It has a maximum duration of 12 months and you do not need to ask for a residence card.

You will not be able to extend your stay beyond the authorized period, nor ask for a residence card for any other reason.

Taiwan

This visa is intended for young people from 18 to 30 years. It has a maximum duration of 12 months and you do not need to ask for a residence card.

You will not be able to extend your stay beyond the authorized period, nor ask for a residence card for any other reason.

Uruguay

This visa is intended for young people from 18 to 30 years. It has a maximum duration of 12 months and you do not need to ask for a residence card.

You will not be able to extend your stay beyond the authorized period, nor ask for a residence card for any other reason.

Minor visa in France: valid for 11 months maximum

You can benefit from this visa if you meet the following conditions:

  • Under 18
  • Follow your education or studies in France for more than 3 months
  • Residence of parents abroad

This visa allows you to enter France as many times as you want during its period of validity, without having to apply for a new visa.

Please note

If you're a minor, you don't have to detain residence card.

Temporary long-stay visa: valid for 4 to 6 months

This visa lasts between 4 and 6 months maximum. It is worth a temporary authorization to stay in France.

It can be issued to you if you come to France in one of the following cases:

  • Take a short education
  • Perform an artistic activity
  • Visitor (you must be able to live off your own resources)

During the validity of your visa, you are exempt from applying for a residence card in the prefecture. At the end, you have to go back to your country of origin.

The long-stay visa allows you to settle in France. The documents to be presented vary according to the reason for your stay: as employee, student, family of Frenchman or a foreigner regularly settled in France, etc.

You must consult the France-Visas portal to know, depending on your situation, the list of documents to be provided.

France-Visas - Visa Assistants - List of documents to be supplied

General case
Where to apply?

You must submit your visa application (no more than 3 months before departure planned) with the French consular authorities of the country where you live:

Apply for a visa

Validity of the passport

Your passport must be valid at least 3 months after your visa ends. It must include at least 2 blank pages. It must have been issued since then under 10 years.

Student

In general, you must apply for a visa (no more than 3 months) before departure planned) with the French consular authorities of the country where you live:

Apply for a visa

But beware:

Foreigners from 68 countries must apply for a visa on the Studies in France at the time of online pre-enrollment in French higher education.

Tableau - Student visa application procedure by country of large regional areas

Regional area

Nationality

Application procedure

Africa

South Africa

Benin

Studies in France

Burkina Faso

Burundi

Cameroon

Comoros

Congo Brazzaville

Côte d'Ivoire

Djibouti

Ethiopia

Gabon

Ghana

Guinea

Kenya

Madagascar

Mali

Mauritius

Mauritania

Niger

Nigeria

Democratic Republic of Congo

Senegal

Chad

Togo

Other country

Apply for a visa

Asia / Oceania

Cambodia

Studies in France

China

South Korea

India

Indonesia

Japan

Malaysia

Nepal

Pakistan

Singapore

Taiwan

Thailand

Vietnam

Other country

Apply for a visa

Europe

Azerbaijan

Studies in France

Georgia

United Kingdom

Russia

Turkey

Ukraine

Other country

Apply for a visa

America

Argentina

Studies in France

Bolivia

Brazil

Canada

Chile

Colombia

Ecuador

United States

Haiti

Mexico

Peru

Dominican Republic

Other country

Apply for a visa

North Africa / Middle East

Algeria

Studies in France

Saudi Arabia

Barhein

Egypt

United Arab Emirates

Iran

Israel

Jordan

Kuwait

Lebanon

Morocco

Qatar

Tunisia

Other country

Apply for a visa

The request is made on the site Studies in France at the time of online pre-enrollment in french higher education:

Enrollment in French higher education / application for a student visa procedure "Studies in France"

Recording of the applicant's data

Your biometric data is stored in a file, called Visabio.

This data is the scanned images of the following information:

  • Photo ID
  • Fingerprints (except children under 12 years)

You cannot object to this registration (you have a right of access and rectification to the file).

The amount of the visa fee varies. It is expressed in euros or CFA francs, depending on the country.

To find out, you should see Rate country pages of the France-Visas Assistant.

France-Visas - Cost of visa according to country

However, some applicants are exempt from visa fees, including:

  • Husband of French
  • Non-European family member of a European (other than French) or Swiss
  • Seasonal worker
  • Turkish, Serbian or Montenegrin wage earner and his family reunited with their families
  • French teacher
  • Foreign Language Assistant or Reader
  • Some working holiday visa recipients
  • Holder of a diplomatic or service passport
  • Scholarship student from the French government or a foreigners government or a foreign foundation
  • Guest from an intergovernmental organization based in France
  • Veteran with a free care notebook coming to France for medical treatment

Grounds for refusal of visa 

Any refusal to grant a visa must state the reasons for the refusal.

Appeal against refusal of visa

In case of refusal of your visa application, you can form a ex gratia appeal to the consulate asking it to review its decision.

You can also appeal to the Board of Appeal against decisions refusing entry visas to France (CRRV).

This remedy is obligatory before any appeal to the administrative judge. It is imperative that you present it in 30 days next:

  • Either the notification of the written refusal
  • Implicit refusal of your visa application (if the consulate has not replied to you within 2 months)

You must give reasons for your appeal (set out the legal and factual elements). You must write it in French, sign it and attach any useful documents.

The VAC can be referred by you, your lawyer, or anyone with an interest in challenging the visa refusal (for example, a family member).

The VAC may:

  • Dismiss your appeal (if no reply is received within 2 months, this is an implied rejection)
  • Or recommend to the Minister of Foreign Affairs and the Minister of the Interior to grant you the visa

Please note

If your appeal is manifestly inadmissible or unfounded, the Chairperson of the VRC may dismiss your appeal on his or her own, without convening the VRC.

If the VAC rejects your appeal, or if the ministers confirm the visa refusal despite the VAC's favorable opinion, you can file an appeal for cancelation within 2 months. This appeal must be lodged with the Administrative Court of Nantes.

Your long-stay visa as a residence permit may be revoked by the Prefect for one of the following 3 reasons:

  • Obtaining your visa fraudulently
  • Entry to France for an installation for purposes other than the issuing of your visa
  • Disturbing public order

The prefect responsible for deciding whether to revoke your visa is the one where you are staying or the one where you have been checked.

You may appeal the decision to repeal one ex gratia appeal to the prefect and/or a hierarchical appeal to the minister of the interior.

Who shall I contact

You can also refer a case to the administrative judge action for annulment in the following cases:

  • Administrative appeals have not been successful
  • Or directly without going through those administrative remedies
Who shall I contact

If you wish stay in France, you must file a application for a residence card within 2 months before the end of your visa to the prefecture or sub-prefecture of your home.

Find out more on your prefecture's website.

Who can help me?

Find who can answer your questions in your region

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