France residence and citizenship
The lowest comparable cited investment amount on file for a residence route in France is $348,000, for the Talent residence card – direct economic investment. Ordinary naturalisation in France needs 5 years of legal residence.
Partly checked — So far the automated review covers EU free movement and employee VLS-TS only (sources read 10 November 2026). Everything else on this page is provisional.
Residence routes in France
Investment, own-income, remote-work and permanent routes. Scroll across the table to see every column.
| Route | Kind | Minimum | Processing | To citizenship |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Talent residence card – direct economic investment* | Investor | $348,000 | — | 5 years |
| Temporary residence card – visitor (visiteur)* | Retirement or own income | income $20,600/yr | — | 5 years |
"Minimum" is a cited investment threshold in its stated currency. A USD figure appears only when a supported conversion is on file; "—" means no supported amount is on file, not that it is free. "To citizenship" counts the years of residence before a naturalisation application. A zero-year entry states no residence wait; citizenship still needs a separate decision.
Work, family, study and other routes (2)
| Route | Kind | Minimum | Processing | To citizenship |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Employee long-stay visa (VLS-TS) | Work | — | — | — |
| EU citizen residence right (Directive 2004/38/EC) | EU / EEA free movement | — | — | — |
* Provisional — not yet verified by the automated source check. Talent residence card – direct economic investment: from Service-Public.fr (French government), read 10 November 2026. EUR 300,000 per the source, in tangible or intangible business assets in France, personally or via a company you run or own 30%+. Must create or keep jobs. Temporary residence card – visitor (visiteur): from Service-Public.fr (French government), read 10 November 2026. EUR 17,735.19 a year per the source (single person). No work allowed. Valid 1 year, renewable. Health insurance for the whole stay. Years to naturalisation: from Service-Public.fr (French government), read 10 November 2026. Five years of residence. Two years after a French higher-education degree or for important services or exceptional integration; none in some cases (e.g. refugees). Years to permanent residence: from Service-Public.fr (French government), read 10 November 2026. 10-year EU long-term resident card after 5 years of legal, uninterrupted residence. Income must reach at least the SMIC. Dual citizenship: from Service-Public.fr (French government), read 10 November 2026. French law does not require a new French citizen to give up the original nationality.
Each route's conditions and sources
Employee long-stay visa (VLS-TS)
Not for EU citizens, EEA citizens, Swiss citizens.
The official guidance lists a EUR 200 VLS-TS validation tax and a later EUR 225 card fee. It does not establish the complete initial visa charge for every applicant here.
Sources: Employee long-stay visa and residence procedure (French Directorate of Legal and Administrative Information)
EU citizen residence right (Directive 2004/38/EC)
Only for EU citizens.
This is an EU citizen's residence right, not a residence visa. For stays over three months, the person generally must work, be self-employed, study, or have sufficient resources and health insurance. The host country may require registration. National office, documents, fee and timing are not yet verified; tax residence is a separate test.
Sources: Directive 2004/38/EC, Article 7: residence over three months (European Union, EUR-Lex), Directive 2004/38/EC, Article 8: national registration option (European Union, EUR-Lex), EU residence registration guidance (European Commission, Your Europe)
Citizenship in France
- Years of residence before naturalisation: 5 years*
- Years before permanent residence: 5 years*
- Dual citizenship allowed: Yes*
What is the cheapest residence visa in France?
The lowest comparable cited investment amount on file for a residence route in France is $348,000, for the Talent residence card – direct economic investment. Provisional — from Service-Public.fr (French government), read 10 November 2026; not yet verified. EUR 300,000 per the source, in tangible or intangible business assets in France, personally or via a company you run or own 30%+. Must create or keep jobs. Routes for people living on their own income or working remotely (Temporary residence card – visitor (visiteur)) ask for proof of income, not an investment.
How many years to citizenship in France?
Ordinary naturalisation in France needs 5 years of legal residence. Provisional — from Service-Public.fr (French government), read 10 November 2026; not yet verified. Five years of residence. Two years after a French higher-education degree or for important services or exceptional integration; none in some cases (e.g. refugees). Permanent residence is possible after 5 years. Provisional — from Service-Public.fr (French government), read 10 November 2026; not yet verified. 10-year EU long-term resident card after 5 years of legal, uninterrupted residence. Income must reach at least the SMIC.
Does France allow dual citizenship?
Yes. France lets a new citizen keep another nationality, subject to the other country's rules. Provisional — from Service-Public.fr (French government), read 10 November 2026; not yet verified. French law does not require a new French citizen to give up the original nationality.
Tax and residence days
A residence permit and tax residence are different tests. See the France tax rates, count your days with the France day test and see what changed in the data, day by day.
Sources
The France profile cites 4 sources, 4 of them from a government or a statute. Data as of 2026-Q4.
- Directive 2004/38/EC, Article 7: residence over three months · European Union, EUR-Lex, official, read 10 November 2026
- Directive 2004/38/EC, Article 8: national registration option · European Union, EUR-Lex, official, read 10 November 2026
- EU residence registration guidance · European Commission, Your Europe, official, read 10 November 2026
- Employee long-stay visa and residence procedure · French Directorate of Legal and Administrative Information, official, read 10 November 2026
Rules, fees and minimums change, and many routes have conditions not shown here. Did you find an error? Tell us, with the source.
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