Work / Employment in France
One documented route of this kind in France, with its conditions, documents, official government fees and process.
Talent Passport — Qualified Employee (Passeport Talent, salarié qualifié)
Government fees from 1 May 2026: long-stay visa (standard rate) €300 + first-issue residence permit €350 (€300 tax + €50 stamp) = €650 total. The displayed total of €650 is correct under the post-May 2026 fee schedule. Salary threshold is €39,582 gross per year as set by the ministerial decree of 29 August 2025; this figure is subject to annual update.
- Processing time
- Not fixed; set by each consulate. Track online at France-Visas.
- Validity
- Up to 4 years, renewable
- Language requirement
- No language requirement for the Talent Passport itself; French is required for later naturalization.
- Permanent residence
- Eligible for a long-term resident card after generally 5 years of legal residence
- Citizenship
- Naturalization generally available after 5 years of habitual residence
Requirements
- Gross annual salary ≥ €39,582 (SMIC-indexed; verify current figure on France-Visas)
- Permanent or fixed-term (≥3 months) employment contract with a France-established employer
- Recognized qualification (diploma) or equivalent professional experience
- Valid passport
Required Documents
- Employment contract required
- Proof of qualifications (diploma or professional experience) required
- Employer documents required
- Valid passport required
- Salary evidence required
Official fees
- Long-stay visa (standard, from 1 May 2026) 300 EUR
- Residence-permit first-issue tax 300 EUR
- Stamp duty (on collection) 50 EUR
Process Steps
-
1
Apply online
Submit the long-stay 'Talent' visa application on France-Visas, up to 3 months before arrival.
-
2
Consulate appointment + biometrics
Attend the consulate/VFS/TLScontact appointment, give biometrics, and pay the visa fee.
-
3
Finalize residence permit on ANEF
On arrival, complete the residence-permit application on the ANEF platform and receive an attestation while the card is produced.
-
4
Validate VLS-TS
If issued as a 1-year VLS-TS, validate online within 3 months of arrival on the ANEF portal.