France Entrepreneur / Liberal Profession Residence Route

The applicant must intend to carry on the activity as their principal occupation in France. The activity must be lawful, economically viable, and consistent with the applicant's qualifications or professional experience. Regulated professions require the appropriate French authorization, qualification recognition, or professional registration.

EU, EEA, and Swiss nationals generally do not use this visa route. Special rules may apply to certain nationalities under bilateral agreements.

There is no fixed investment or personal net-worth requirement. Instead, the applicant must show that the activity is adequately funded and capable of generating sufficient income. The current official benchmark is at least €1,867.02 gross per month, or €22,404.20 per year.

For a new commercial, industrial, or artisanal business, the official requirements include a written project presentation, business plan, multiyear forecast budget, and evidence of French banking support or a positive account balance. Liberal professionals must demonstrate that their activity can generate the required income and must obtain professional authorization where the occupation is regulated.

A French company does not always need to be fully registered before the visa application. A new company may be supported by draft statutes, proposed ownership details, and premises or domiciliation evidence. Formal registration and operational compliance must be completed at the appropriate stage after arrival or before the residence card is produced.

Viamora can assist with market research, competitor analysis, business-model development, pricing and revenue strategy, marketing, operations, startup costs, investment allocation, financial projections, implementation planning, and supporting commercial documentation.

A note on AI-generated plans: Applicants should be cautious with AI-generated plans. Generic, inaccurate, unverified, unrealistic, copied, or non-original content may undermine credibility or be rejected. Any technology-assisted material should be independently researched, verified, and customized to the applicant's genuine project.

The process begins online through France-Visas. The applicant then attends an appointment at the competent French consulate or designated visa centre to submit the passport, biometrics, financial and business evidence, accommodation documents, and applicable fees. Processing times vary by nationality, purpose, local conditions, and additional checks, so France does not publish one guaranteed average for all cases.

After arrival, the VLS-TS must be validated online, and the applicant must complete the required business, tax, social-security, premises, and professional formalities. An eligible applicant may later request a multi-year residence card, subject to continuing business viability, integration requirements, A2 French, and the civic examination, where applicable.

This ordinary route does not provide the same immediate accompanying-family benefits as France's Talent routes. Standard family reunification may generally become available after at least 18 months of qualifying residence, subject to income and housing requirements.

After five years of lawful and continuous residence, the applicant may qualify for a long-term EU resident card, subject to the applicable conditions. Citizenship is a separate process.

Applicants may self-represent. France does not have a Canadian-style immigration consultant licence, but paid legal advice and legal representation are regulated. Viamora provides business and commercial support, while French legal advice should be obtained from an authorized French professional.