Permanent Residence in France
One documented route of this kind in France, with its conditions, documents, official government fees and process.
Visitor long-stay visa (VLS-TS Visiteur) — non-working stays incl. retirees
Long-stay visa application fee from 1 May 2026: €300 (standard rate). The VLS-TS itself acts as the residence permit for the first year and does not require a separate permit fee upon arrival validation. If the holder subsequently applies for a carte de séjour temporaire 'visiteur' (year 2 onward), the first-issue fee is €350 (€300 tax + €50 stamp). Minimum income requirement: €1,477.93 net/month.
- Processing time
- Not fixed; set by each consulate. Track online at France-Visas.
- Validity
- Up to 1 year, renewable
- Language requirement
- No language requirement for the Visitor visa; French is required for later naturalization.
- Permanent residence
- Eligible for long-term resident status after generally 5 years of legal residence
- Citizenship
- Naturalization generally after 5 years of habitual residence
Requirements
- Adequate stable income (generally ≥ French SMIC, ~€1,430 net/month as of 2026)
- Signed declaration not to work in France
- Private health insurance covering France
- Proof of accommodation
- Valid passport
Required Documents
- Proof of income/pension required
- Private health insurance covering France required
- Proof of accommodation required
- Valid passport required
- Signed declaration not to work required
Official fees
- Long-stay visa (standard, from 1 May 2026) 300 EUR
- ANEF validation tax
Process Steps
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1
France-Visas application
Complete the standard France-Visas process: visa assistant, online form, supporting documents.
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2
Appointment + biometrics
Book and attend the consulate appointment, submit documents, and give biometrics.
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3
Validate on arrival
Validate the VLS-TS online within 3 months of arrival on the ANEF portal and pay the validation tax.
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4
Renew
Renew at the prefecture before expiry to continue the non-working stay.