Residence card "entrepreneur/liberal profession" of a foreigner in France

Verified 01 November 2024 - Directorate for Legal and Administrative Information (Prime Minister)

Are you a foreigner and you come to France to carry out a commercial, craft or liberal activity for a period of more than 3 months? You can ask for the residence card entrepreneur/professional. We present you with the information you need to know.

You are affected by this card if you wish to reside in France to carry out a commercial, craft or industrial activity. It can also be a liberal activity.

Your activity must be exercised principally. It must be subject to a registration in the one-stop shop for company formalities.

Your activity must be economically viable. It must also provide you with sufficient means of livelihood.

Your activity must match your qualifications or professional experience.

Warning  

The prefecture may refuse to deliver you your residence card if you are in one of the following cases:

  • You have not complied with an obligation to leave the territory (OQTF)
  • You committed acts of forgery and used false documents
  • You committed crimes offenses bass or crimes (drug trafficking, trafficking in human beings, procuring, working conditions or undignified accommodation, in particular)
  • You have committed acts of violence against elected officials, public officials or security officers.

You must submit your application to the prefecture.

You must provide documents that depend on the nature of the activity you wish to perform.

Filing of the application

You must submit your application to the prefecture or sub-prefecture of your residence, within 2 months before the expiry date of your residence card. Find out more on your prefecture's website.

Who shall I contact

Warning  

It is not possible to carry out the procedures in some sub-prefectures. Find out more on your prefecture's website.

Documents to be provided

In all cases, you must provide the following documents:

  • Long-stay visa or valid residence permit
  • Proof of nationality (passport, identity card, consular card)
  • Proof of residence under 6 months
  • 3 identity photos
  • Proof of payment of stamp duty (to be submitted at the time of issue of the license)
  • Medical certificate issued by theOfii: titleContent (to be delivered at the time of delivery of the security)

Depending on your situation, you must also provide:

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Commercial, industrial or craft activity

Creation of a commercial, industrial or craft activity

You must provide the following:

  • Cerfa "trader, craftsman, industrialist" form completed
  • If you reside outside France, extract from the criminal record or equivalent document of your country of origin
  • If you are resident in France, a tax status slip concerning the payment of income tax
  • Evidence of your ability to carry out commercial, industrial or craft activities

You must also provide theopinion of the platform for foreign workers competent in the department in which the project is planned.

In addition, you must provide the following:

  • Proof of registration of the company (statutes, K or Kbis extract) or membership of the social security scheme of self-employed persons (to be presented when the card is manufactured)
  • Presentation on free paper of the creation project, the business plan and a multi-year provisional budget
  • Proof of security taken by a credit institution or an insurance company authorized in France, or proof of credit balance of an account in your name opened in France.

Specific documents in own name:

  • In the case of company creation: copy of the promise of lease (or sublease contract mentioning the activity and possibly authorization of the owner of the premises) or copy of the domiciliation contract
  • In the event of a trade fund being taken over: copy of the promise to sell or the contract to sell the fund
  • In case of management leasing: copy of the promise or the management leasing contract, extract from the entry in the commercial and business register or in the business register of the previous operator (less than 3 months), copy of the lease in the name of the owner of the land.

Specific documents in business:

  • In the case of the creation of a business governed by French law: copy of the promise of commercial lease or sub-lease contract mentioning the activity and possibly authorization of the owner of the premises + copy of the draft statutes of the business indicating the draft share capital allocation
  • In the case of the creation of a business governed by French law, a subsidiary of a foreign business: proof of the appointment or, possibly, a letter of intent from the body responsible for the appointment + copy of the statutes of the legal person governed by foreigners law + copy of the promise of a commercial lease or sub-lease agreement mentioning the activity and possibly authorization of the owner of the premises + copy of the draft statutes of the business indicating the draft share capital allocation
  • In the case of the establishment of a foreign legal person: proof of appointment or letter of intent from the body responsible for the appointment + copy of the statutes of the legal person governed by foreigners law.
Insertion into an existing commercial, industrial or craft activity
  • Justification for the appointment or letter of intent of the body responsible for the appointment
  • proof of registration of the company (status, K-extract or SIREN number) or of affiliation to the social security scheme of self-employed persons
  • Copying company Statuses When Inserted into a business
  • Company tax status slip (P237)
  • Up-to-date company account certificate issued by theUrssaf: titleContent
  • Original and copy of the employment contract if you are an employee
  • Any certified accounting evidence that the company is able to provide you with revenues at least equal to €1,801.80 monthly, if you are not a salaried employee
  • Any evidence of the economic viability of the company creation project.
Pursuit of a commercial, industrial or craft activity

You must provide the following:

  • Proof of registration of the company (articles of association, K or KBis extract) or of affiliation to the social security scheme of the self-employed
  • Any evidence of the effectiveness of the company and of the resources derived from the activity at least equal to €1,801.80 monthly.
To continue the activity you created
  • Copy of the lease or domiciliation contract
  • Company tax status slip (P237)
  • Certificate of insurance covering, depending on the nature of the activity, the premises occupied, the vehicle or any other property necessary for the activity
  • Income Tax Notice
  • If you are an employee, salary slips for the last 3 months or, in the absence of a tax notice, for the last 12 months
  • If you are not an employee, extract from the account book showing your remuneration for the last 3 months or, in the absence of a tax notice, for the last 12 months
To continue participating in an existing activity or company
  • Income Tax Notice
  • If you are an employee, salary slips for the last 3 months or, in the absence of a tax notice, for the last 12 months
  • If you are not an employee, extract from the account book showing your remuneration for the last 3 months or, in the absence of a tax notice, for the last 12 months

Liberal activity

In all cases, you must provide the following documents:

  • Long-stay visa or valid residence permit
  • Proof of nationality (passport, identity card, consular card)
  • Proof of residence under 6 months
  • 3 identity photos
  • Proof of payment of stamp duty (to be submitted at the time of issue of the license)
  • Medical certificate issued by theOfii: titleContent (to be delivered at the time of delivery of the security)

Depending on your situation, you must also provide:

  • Creation of a liberal activity:
    • Proof of registration Urssaf: titleContent
    • Proof of the activity's capacity to generate income at least equal to €1,801.80 monthly
    • Authorization to practice or registration with the relevant order in the case of a regulated profession.
  • Continuation of a liberal activity:
    • Justification for continuing the activity
    • Justification of the resources from the activity at least equal to €1,801.80 monthly
    • Authorization to practice or registration with the relevant order in the case of a regulated profession.

Cost

You need to pay €225 (stamp duty of €25 + tax €200) by tax stamps.

Proof of payment of stamp duty and tax is requested when the card is handed over.

The card is valid 1 year.

Conditions to be fulfilled

In order to renew your residence card, you must continue to fulfill the conditions of issue.

At the end of 1re temporary residence card, you can request the issuance of a multi-annual residence permit of 4 years duration.

Warning  

The prefecture may refuse to renew your residence card:

  • If you have not fulfilled an obligation to leave the territory (OQTF)
  • If you committed acts of forgery and use of false documents
  • If you have committed offenses bass or crimes (drug trafficking, trafficking in human beings, procuring, working conditions or undignified accommodation, in particular)
  • If you have committed acts of violence against elected officials, public officials or security guards

In addition, your temporary residence card cannot be renewed more than 3 consecutive times with the same reason.

Filing of the application

You must submit the application for renewal of your residence card to the prefecture or sub-prefecture of your residence, within 2 months before its end date. Find out more on your prefecture's website.

If you submit your application after the deadline, except in cases of force majeure or presentation of a valid visa, you will have to pay, in addition to the cost of the card, a visa fee for regularization of the €180.

Who shall I contact

Warning  

It is not possible to carry out the procedures in some sub-prefectures. Find out more on your prefecture's website.

Documents to be provided

The documents to be supplied are the same as for item 1re request.

Cost

You need to pay €225 (stamp duty of €25 + tax €200) by tax stamps.

Proof of payment of stamp duty and tax is requested when the card is handed over.

Card Duration

The duration of the card varies depending on the type of card you have.

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You have a temporary residence card

This card is valid 1 year.

You have a multi-year residence card

This card is valid 4 years.