French residence visa is classified into five different types. The first being the most preferred and the second being of a temporary nature, which applies to foreign nationals who plan to live in France for tourist purposes only.

If you are planning on staying in France for more than three months, you should definitely start figuring out how to obtain a visa for France. The process is not easy, as you well know. But it can be done. If you have a close relative living there (aka – family members or friends) and if your family member knows a lot of people in the country, he/she can arrange an introduction to a French solicitor or migration contractor to take over the procedure of the residence visa in France.

There are several types of residential visas in France. In this article, we will cover every aspect of them, so that you can make a decision based on in-depth information and personal opinions.

Residence Visa In France

French family reunification rules enable you to live in France with your spouse and/or children. If you are a non-EU foreign national and have a French citizen spouse, you can obtain the French Residence Visa.

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Long-stay visa

For any stay in France exceeding 90 days, you are required to apply in advance for a long-stay vis. In this instance your nationality does not exempt you from requirements.

Whatever the duration of your planned stay, the duration of your long-stay visa must be between three months and one year. In order to extend your stay beyond the period of validity of your visa, you must apply for a residence permit at a prefecture.

During its period of validity, the long-stay visa is equivalent to a Schengen visa, enabling you to move around and stay in the Schengen Area outside France for periods not exceeding 90 days over any period of 180 consecutive days, under the same conditions as if you held a Schengen visa.

Long-stay visas for Metropolitan France

Long-stay Visa Categories

Visas Specific to Certain Circumstances

In which cases is a long stay authorised without a visa?

Long-stay Visas for Non-European French Territories

Most nationalities are subject to long-stay visa requirements to stay in said territories for more than 90 days, with the exception of:

Citizens of the European Union, Monaco and Andorra, for all territories.
Citizens of the European Economic Area (EEA) and Switzerland, except French Polynesia, New Caledonia, Wallis-et-Futuna and the French Southern and Antarctic Lands (TAAF).