🇫🇷 France · Type D
France long-stay visa documents — Visa de Long Séjour valant Titre de Séjour (VLS-TS).
France issues national long-stay visas under several categories. The most common, the VLS-TS, doubles as a residence permit for the first year and must be validated online with the OFII/ANEF within three months of arrival.
Start your long-stay kit — $49Type D kit · flat fee · monthly stay plan included
Which long-stay category applies to you?
- Visitor (VLS-T "visiteur")
Self-funded residents who do not intend to work in France
Financial means: ~€1,443/month net (SMIC reference, January 2026)- France does not publish an official fixed threshold for the visiteur visa.
- Consulates assess sufficient resources against the SMIC — bank statements typically cover the full stay.
- Student(VLS-TS étudiant)
Accepted by a French higher-education institution
Financial means: ~€615/month- Campus France pre-consular procedure for many nationalities.
- Work / Salarié
Holding a French employment contract approved by DREETS
- Employer files the work authorisation before the consulate stage.
- Family reunification
Joining a spouse, parent or child legally residing in France
- Procedure handled through OFII for sponsors already in France.
Core requirements at the consulate
The list below is the baseline every France consulate expects. Sub-types add documents (employment contract, lease, bank statements, etc.).
| Passport validity | ≥ 3 months beyond visa expiry, 2 blank pages |
|---|---|
| Photos | 2 recent biometric photos |
| Insurance | Travel insurance covering the period before social-security registration |
| Accommodation | Lease, attestation d'accueil or host certificate |
| Tax stamp (OFII) | €200 droit de timbre, paid after arrival |
After you arrive in France
- 1Validate the VLS-TS online with the ANEF (administration-etrangers-en-france.interieur.gouv.fr) within 3 months.
- 2Pay the €200 OFII tax stamp via timbres.impots.gouv.fr.
- 3Open a French bank account and register with CPAM for social security after 3 months.
Official sources
France long-stay visa — FAQ
- What income do I need for the French visiteur visa?
- There is no published statutory minimum. French consulates assess resources against the SMIC, which is roughly €1,443/month net as of January 2026. You should be able to demonstrate equivalent funds for the duration of your stay through bank statements, pension proof or sponsor commitment.
- Do I need to validate the VLS-TS after arrival?
- Yes. Within three months of entering France you must validate your VLS-TS online with the ANEF and pay the €200 OFII tax stamp. Failure to do so makes the visa invalid for residence.
- Can I work on a visitor visa?
- No. The visiteur category explicitly excludes paid activity in France. Choose the salarié, passeport talent, or profession libérale visa if you intend to work.
- How long does processing take?
- Counts from biometrics: typically 15 working days for visitor and student files, longer for work and family categories that require pre-approval from DREETS or OFII.
- Do I need a real flight ticket for the long-stay visa appointment?
- For long-stay applications, consulates focus primarily on your accommodation contract, financial evidence, and purpose documentation. A flight reservation is a supporting document only — a verifiable one-way or onward booking (live PNR) is sufficient; a paid non-refundable ticket is not required. Submitting unverifiable documents can trigger refusal on grounds of false or misleading documentation under the applicable national visa rules of the destination country. Best practice is a hold-the-fare or refundable booking kept live until the decision. The SchengenDoc kit produces the monthly stay plan sample that accompanies your file.