Long stay visa (stay of more than 3 months to 1 year)
Verified 21 August 2026 - Public Service / (Prime Minister)
To enter and stay more than 3 months in France, a foreigner must have a long-stay visa (type D). This visa is granted by the French consular authorities. It is issued most often for studies, work or family reasons. What are the types of long-stay visas and how to apply for the visa? We're taking stock of the regulations.
A visa is a sticker affixed by the administration of a country to a person's passport to allow him to enter and stay for a specified period.
You don't need to of this document if you are a citizen European, Andorran, Monegasque, San Marino, Holy See/Vatican.
The long-stay visa, type D, allows you to enter and stay in France more than 3 month to 1 year. It also allows you to travel (without any other visa) throughout the space Schengen, provided that not to exceed 90 days during its period of validity.
If you are an adult, you must apply for a long-stay visa even if your nationality exempts you from a short-stay visa.
Please note
The visa shall not be issued in the following cases:
- Foreigner who has been under an obligation to leave France for less than 5 years and who does not provide proof that he left France within the time limit granted to him, except in humanitarian circumstances
- Nationals of States insufficiently cooperating on readmission, except for spouses of French nationals
- Foreigner who has been the subject of a judicial ban on the territory, an expulsion decision, a ban on return to the territory of France, a ban on movement within the territory of France or an administrative ban on the territory.
In some cases, you may be exempt from a long-stay visa.
Long-stay visa waivers
If you have a ‘retired’ or ‘retired spouse’ residence card, you can enter France at any time for stays of less than 1 year without applying for a visa.
If you have a « seasonal worker » residence card, you can enter France to work without exceeding a cumulative duration of 6 months per year.
Exemptions from long-stay visas under EU law
You are exempt from VLS, in accordance with the directives of the
- Citizen European
- Third foreigner holding the ‘residence card of a family member of a Union citizen’ issued by a Member State of theUE
- Holder of the long-term resident card granted in another Member UE and your family members
- Third foreigner with ICT employee status in another Member UE on the basis of long-term mobility and posted to an entity established in France, as well as their spouse and minor children
- Foreigner who has stayed for at least 1 year in another Member UE of the State under cover of a card identical to the one in France marked « talent – European Blue Card » and his family.
Exemptions under international agreements
You are exempt from long-stay visas under international agreements if you are a national of Andorra, Monaco, San Marino or the Holy See/Vatican.
There are different types of visas depending on the reason and length of your stay and your intention to install permanently in France.
Long-stay visa valid as a residence permit (VLS-TS): valid from 4 to 12 months
That visa says VLS-TS, is valid as a residence permit and waives the need for a residence permit in the prefecture upon arrival in France.
You are particularly concerned in the following cases:
- Student
- Employee (holder of a contract of indefinite duration)
- Spouse of French
- Talents residence card.
FYI
If you are married to a Frenchman, the VLS-TS is issued to you unconditionally. You may be refused if your marriage is fraudulent or has been annulled or if you pose a threat to public order.
Validation of VLS-TS
Within 3 months of your arrival in France, you must validate your VLS-TS and pay a fee that is added to the visa fee.
The approach on the internet allows to be regular stay and to be able to cross the border of the Schengen area :
Validate a long-stay visa as a residence permit (VLS-TS) and pay the fee
Visa mention "residence card to be requested within 2 months of arrival"
That visa shall bear the words residence card to be requested within 2 months of arrival. It allows you to enter France and obtain a residence card in the prefecture.
It is given to you in order to benefit from a residence card (annual, multiannual or 10 years depending on your situation), in particular in the following cases:
- French family (child aged 16 to 21 or dependent on a French person, ascending dependent on a Frenchman and his husband)
- Professional or independent (trader, craftsman, etc.)
- Worker (employee on mission, EU Blue Card, seasonal, talent) or working family
- Retired or retired spouse
- Artist.
Working holiday visa
This visa can only be issued to you if your country is bound by a bilateral "working holiday" agreement with France. It can also be issued without bilateral agreement for Taiwanese nationals.
Its duration is set at 1 year maximum. You will not be able to extend your stay beyond this date, but there may be exceptions provided for in the agreements.
The regulations vary according to your nationality:
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Argentina
This visa is for young people from 18 to 35 years. It has a maximum duration of 12 months and exempts you from applying for a residence card.
You will not be able to extend your stay beyond the authorized duration.
You cannot apply for a residence card for any other reason, but there is an exception if you meet the conditions for issuing a residence card. multi-annual residence card ‘talent ».
The application for a « talent » card must be made 3 months before the end date of your « Working Holiday » visa.
Australia
This visa is for young people from 18 to 35 years. It has a maximum duration of 12 months and exempts you from applying for a residence card.
You will not be able to extend your stay beyond the authorized duration, nor can you request a residence card for any other reason.
Brazil
This visa is for young people from 18 to 30 years. It has a maximum duration of 12 months and dispenses with the need to apply for a residence card.
You will not be able to extend your stay beyond the authorized duration, nor will you be able to request a residence card for another reason.
Canada
This visa is for young people from 18 to 35 years. It has a maximum duration of 12 months and exempts you from applying for a residence card.
The length of stay can be up to 24 months. In certain cases specific to this agreement, it may be up to 36 months:
- Students wishing to complete part of their university course in a French institution under an inter-university agreement
- Students or young people in training, enrolled in an educational institution or training center, wishing to complete a practical internship.
Chile
This visa is for young people from 18 to 30 years. It has a maximum duration of 12 months and dispenses with the need to apply for a residence card.
You will not be able to extend your stay beyond the authorized duration, nor will you be able to request a residence card for another reason.
China (Hong Kong)
This visa is for young people from 18 to 30 years. It has a maximum duration of 12 months and dispenses with the need to apply for a residence card.
You will not be able to extend your stay beyond the authorized duration, nor will you be able to request a residence card for another reason.
Colombia
This visa is for young people from 18 to 30 years. It has a maximum duration of 12 months and dispenses with the need to apply for a residence card.
You will not be able to extend your stay beyond the authorized duration, nor will you be able to request a residence card for another reason.
South Korea
This visa is for young people from 18 to 3O years. It has a maximum duration of 12 months and exempts you from applying for a residence card.
You will not be able to extend your stay beyond the authorized duration.
You cannot apply for a residence card for any other reason, but there is an exception if you meet the conditions for issuing a residence card. multi-annual residence card ‘talent ».
The application for a « talent » card must be made 3 months before the end date of your « Working Holiday » visa.
Ecuador
This visa is for young people from 18 to 30 years. It has a maximum duration of 12 months and dispenses with the need to apply for a residence card.
You will not be able to extend your stay beyond the authorized duration, nor will you be able to request a residence card for another reason.
Japan
This visa is for young people from 18 to 30 years. It has a maximum duration of 12 months and dispenses with the need to apply for a residence card.
You will not be able to extend your stay beyond the authorized duration, nor will you be able to request a residence card for another reason.
Mexico
This visa is for young people from 18 to 30 years. It has a maximum duration of 12 months and dispenses with the need to apply for a residence card.
You will not be able to extend your stay beyond the authorized duration, nor will you be able to request a residence card for another reason.
New Zealand
This visa is for young people from 18 to 30 years. It has a maximum duration of 12 months and dispenses with the need to apply for a residence card.
You will not be able to extend your stay beyond the authorized duration, nor will you be able to request a residence card for another reason.
Peru
This visa is for young people from 18 to 30 years. It has a maximum duration of 12 months and dispenses with the need to apply for a residence card.
You will not be able to extend your stay beyond the authorized duration, nor will you be able to request a residence card for another reason.
Russia
This visa is for young people from 18 to 30 years. It has a maximum duration of 12 months and dispenses with the need to apply for a residence card.
You will not be able to extend your stay beyond the authorized duration, nor will you be able to request a residence card for another reason.
Taiwan
This visa is for young people from 18 to 30 years. It has a maximum duration of 12 months and dispenses with the need to apply for a residence card.
You will not be able to extend your stay beyond the authorized duration, nor will you be able to request a residence card for another reason.
Uruguay
This visa is for young people from 18 to 30 years. It has a maximum duration of 12 months and dispenses with the need to apply for a residence card.
You will not be able to extend your stay beyond the authorized duration, nor will you be able to request a residence card for another reason.
Minor visa enrolled in France: valid for up to 11 months
You can benefit from this visa if you meet the following 3 conditions:
- Be under 18 years of age on the day the visa is valid
- Follow your schooling or studies in France for more than 3 months
- Residence of parents abroad.
This visa allows you to enter France as many times as you want during its validity period, without having to apply for a new visa.
Please note
A minor enrolled visa is not issued to attend preparatory classes, which may include an apprenticeship or professionalization contract.
Please note
If you are a minor, you don't have to hold of residence permit.
Temporary long-stay visa valid for more than 3 months to less than 1 year
This visa lasts from more than 3 months to a maximum of 12 months. It is worth temporary authorization to stay in France.
It can be issued to you if you come to France in one of the following cases:
- Follow a short teaching
- Exercising an artistic activity
- Visitor (you must be able to live on your own resources).
During the validity of your visa, you are exempt from applying for a residence card in the prefecture. At its end, you need to return to your home country.
This visa does not allow you to work or receive social benefits.
The long-stay visa allows you to settle in France. The documents to be presented vary according to the reason for your stay: as an employee, student, family of French or a foreigner regularly settled in France, etc.
You must consult the France-Visas portal to know, according to your situation, the list of documents to be provided:
France-Visas - Assistant-visas - List of documents to be provided
General scenario
Where to submit your application?
You must apply for a visa (no more than 3 months) before departure provided) with the French consular authorities of the country where you live:
Who shall I contact
Validity of passport
Your passport must be valid at least 3 months after the end date of your visa. It must include at least 2 blank pages. It must have been issued since less than 10 years.
Student
In general, you need to apply for a visa (no more than 3 months) before departure provided) with the French consular authorities of the country where you live:
Who shall I contact
But beware:
Foreigners from 72 countries must apply for their visa on the site Studies in France at the time of online pre-enrollment in French higher education. Foreigners from other countries must go through the visa application procedure by France-Visas.
Regional area | Nationality | Application procedure |
|---|---|---|
Africa | South Africa | |
Angola | ||
Benin | ||
Burkina Faso | ||
Burundi | ||
Cameroon | ||
Comoros | ||
Congo-Brazzaville | ||
Côte d'Ivoire | ||
Djibouti | ||
Ethiopia | ||
Gabon | ||
Ghana | ||
Guinea | ||
Kenya | ||
Madagascar | ||
Mali | ||
Mauritius | ||
Mauritania | ||
Nigeria | ||
Central African Republic | ||
Democratic Republic of Congo | ||
Rwanda | ||
Senegal | ||
Chad | ||
Togo | ||
Other country | ||
Asia / Oceania | Burma | |
Cambodia | ||
China | ||
South Korea | ||
India | ||
Indonesia | ||
Japan | ||
Malaysia | ||
Nepal | ||
Pakistan | ||
Singapore | ||
Taiwan | ||
Thailand | ||
Vietnam | ||
Other country | ||
Europe | Armenia | |
Azerbaijan | ||
Georgia | ||
United Kingdom | ||
Russia | ||
Turkey | ||
Ukraine | ||
Other country | ||
America | Argentina | |
Bolivia | ||
Brazil | ||
Canada | ||
Chile | ||
Colombia | ||
Ecuador | ||
United States | ||
Haiti | ||
Mexico | ||
Peru | ||
Dominican Republic | ||
Other country | ||
North Africa / Middle East | Algeria | |
Saudi Arabia | ||
Bahrain | ||
Egypt | ||
United Arab Emirates | ||
Iran | ||
Israel | ||
Jordan | ||
Kuwait | ||
Lebanon | ||
Morocco | ||
Qatar | ||
Tunisia | ||
Other country |
The request is made on the site Studies in France at the time of online pre-enrollment in french higher education:
Registration of applicant data
Your biometric data is stored in a file, called Visabio.
These data are the digitized images of the following information:
- Photo ID
- Fingerprints (except children under 12 years)
You may not object to this registration (you have a right to access and correct the file).
The amount of the visa fee is variable. It is expressed in euros or CFA francs depending on the country.
To find out, you must consult the section Price list of the country pages of the France-Visas assistant:
Reasons for refusal of visa
Any refusal of a visa must state the reasons.
Appeals against refusal of visa
In case of refusal of your visa application, you can form a ex gratia to the consulate, asking it to review its decision.
Who shall I contact
You can also appeal to the Commission for Appeals against decisions refusing entry visas to France (CRRV).
Who shall I contact
This remedy is mandatory before any appeal to the administrative judge. You must present it in 30 days next:
- Either the notification of the written refusal
- Either the implicit refusal of your visa application (if the consulate has not replied to you within 2 months).
You must give reasons for your appeal (set out the legal and factual elements). You must write it in French, sign it and attach any useful document.
You, your lawyer, or anyone with an interest in challenging the visa refusal (for example, a family member) may refer the matter to the VRA.
The CRRV may:
- Dismiss your appeal (in the absence of a response within 2 months, this is an implied dismissal)
- Or recommend to the Minister of Foreign Affairs and the Minister of the Interior to grant you the visa.
Please note
If your appeal is manifestly inadmissible or ill-founded, the president of the CRRV may dismiss your appeal alone, without convening the CRRV.
If the CRRV rejects your appeal, or if the ministers confirm the visa refusal despite the CRRV's favorable opinion, you can file an appeal for annulment within 2 months. This appeal must be filed with the administrative court of Nantes.
Who shall I contact
Your long-stay visa as a residence permit may be repealed by the prefect for one of the following 3 reasons:
- Fraudulent acquisition of your visa
- Entry into France for installation for purposes other than issuing your visa
- Disruption of public order
The prefect responsible for deciding to revoke your visa is the one in the department where you are staying or the one in the department where you have been checked.
You can file an appeal against the decision to repeal a ex gratia appeal to the prefect and/or a hierarchical appeal to the Minister of the Interior.
You can also apply to the administrative judge of a action for annulment in the following cases
- Administrative appeals were unsuccessful
- Or directly without going through these administrative appeals
If you wish to stay in France at the end of the validity of your visa, you must apply for a residence card. According to the reason of this residence card, you will have to submit your application;
- With the prefecture of your department
- Or on the website of ANEF.
To know where to submit this request and within what time frame, you must read the information on the website of your prefecture or on the pages presenting each type of residence permit.
Warning
It is not possible to carry out the procedures in some sub-prefectures. Find out more on the website of your prefecture.
Who can help me?
Find who can answer your questions in your region
Administrative information by telephone - Allô Service Public
For more information on this subject, you can contact Allô Service Public.
Please note: the service does not have access to users' personal files and cannot therefore provide information on their progress.
- Lundi : de 08h30 à 17h30
- Mardi : de 08h30 à 12h15
- Mercredi : de 08h30 à 12h15
- Jeudi : de 08h30 à 17h30
- Vendredi : de 13h00 à 16h15
- Service free
The informants who answer you belong to the Ministry of the Interior.
Principle of long-stay visa in CESEDA
Obligation to present, with exceptions, a long-stay visa to obtain a temporary residence card
Mandatory long-stay visa for the issuance of the residence card in the ascending line of French: article L423-11
Mandatory long-stay visa for the issuance of the residence card to the child of French
Repeal of the visa by the Prefect
Reasons for decisions/modalities
Cost (Schedule of Fees: Item 18 B.1 B2. B3. B4.)
Ministry of the Interior
Ministry for Europe and Foreign Affairs
Ministry for Europe and Foreign Affairs
Campus France Agency