8 articles to read before applying for a French ‘visitor’ visa

If you’re a non-EU citizen moving to France, one of your first tasks is figuring out your visa. You may have heard that France’s ‘visitor’ visa is among the easiest to get, but there are some important things to know before applying.

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What type of visitor visa do you want?

Confusingly, France has two different visas which are both commonly known as the ‘visitor’ visa, but which are in fact completely different types and apply to people in very different situations.

In brief, one is intended for people who want to move to France, the other is for people who want to pay extended visits, but remain resident in another country.

Visa de long séjour temporaire visiteur – or VLS-T – this one is intended for visitors to the country, and is usually issued for six months although it can be less. A person with this type of visa does not live in France but wishes to pay extended visits here (more than the 90 days in every 180 permitted by the 90-day rule).

It does not give any kind of rights around residency, but neither does it bring with it obligations around tax. It cannot be renewed and must be applied for from scratch each time.

This visa type is most commonly used by second-home owners.

Visa de long séjour valant titre de séjour visiteur – or VLS-TS – this one is for people moving to France and is issued as a one-year visa.

A person with this type of visa is considered a resident of France, which brings with it various responsibilities, as well as privileges like unlimited stays.

Once the visa is issued, there is then a series of in-country admin tasks such as visiting the OFII offices and applying for a carte de séjour, which can then be renewed at the end of the first year in France.

This visa type is intended for people who want to live in France, but not work here – it’s most commonly used by retirees.

Fund a full explanation of the two visa types HERE.

Think about tax residency

The type of visa that you have may affect your tax situation – not only how much tax you pay, but where you complete your annual tax return.

Unlike residency for immigration purposes, tax residency can be triggered automatically simply by spending a certain number of days in the country, so those on the VLS-T visitor status may also need to count their days in France to ensure that they don’t become tax residents here – full details here.

For those who are living in France on the VLS-TS the situation is clear – you are a resident in France and therefore required to complete the annual tax declaration here. Everyone living in France must complete this declaration, even if they have no income in France (eg are living off a pension from another country).

However, completing the declaration does not necessarily mean that you will have to pay tax here if you have no income.

If you have assets in France, such as a house, the type of visa you have may also affect whether you are subject to French inheritance laws, or France’s wealth tax.

What about your work situation?

Those who are fully retired, or are simply visiting a second home in France for holidays, can skip this section.

However those who want to work while in France should consider that the visitor visa is intended for those who are not working in France, and requires you to sign a declaration saying that you will not “exercise any professional activity in France”. This would include things like, for example, running a Gîte or B&B.

When it comes to people working remotely for a company outside France, there is something of a grey area around whether this counts as “work in France”.

Although some have managed to exploit this loophole, the French tax authorities are clear that they see this as work in France, which would not be compatible with a visitor visa.

What’s the healthcare situation?

Those in France on the short-stay VLS-T are not entitled to register in the French health system and get a carte vitale, which is intended for residents.

However, this does not mean that you cannot access healthcare while in France – you can go to a doctor (GP or specialist), hospital or pharmacy for any type of treatment while in France. However the cost of your care will not be refunded by the French state, so you will have to pay the costs out of pocket – health insurance or travel insurance may reimburse some of the costs, depending on the policy.

Those moving to France on the VLS-TS are entitled to register in the French system after three months of residency – although be warned that the registration process can take many months.

Americans may also be affected by the new healthcare fee – this is a recent addition to French law that proposes a single annual fee for certain groups in France, mainly Americans who have never worked here, in order to access the state-funded health system. Not all the details have been finalised yet, but here’s what we know so far.

Finances and insurance

The visitor visa is one of the few French visa types to come with specific financial requirements – this is because it is intended for people who are not working here, so applicants must demonstrate that they will be able to support themselves financially without becoming a burden on the French state.

Here’s how much money you will need to have.

You may also need to show proof of health insurance for your first year in France, although there are some exemptions to this requirement.

How to apply

Having taken all the above into account and decided what type of visitor visa you want, the next step is to make your application – here’s how.

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