Intern foreigner in France: long-stay visa or residence card
Verified 01 May 2026 - Public Service / Directorate of Legal and Administrative Information (Prime Minister)
If you are a foreigner no European, you can stay in France as intern under certain conditions. You must come to France for more than 3 months to follow a vocational training or do an internship in a company or in a public or private hospital for non-profit. You have to take steps to obtain an entry visa for France. If your internship is extended, you must apply for a residence card in the prefecture. We're taking a look at the regulations.
To obtain the temporary residence card marked "trainee", you must come to France to one for the following reasons:
- Perform an internship in company as part of a training organized in your country of residence. This training must lead to the award of a diploma or a title or to the recognition of a level of professional qualification which depends on a school or university course, vocational training or a European Union or intergovernmental cooperation program in the fields of education, training, youth or culture.
- As an employee of a company established abroad to follow a training provided by a training organization, and, if necessary, an internship in a company with which your employer has business relations
- Do an internship in a health facility public or private non-profit-making with a view to receiving additional training which leads to the recognition of a level of professional qualification, within the framework of the Convention on International Cooperation in Hospitals.
Company
Step-by-step approach
You must complete your internship in company as part of an internship agreement.
This agreement shall be concluded between you, thetraining institution abroad and your company of welcome in France.
The internship agreement cannot give you the status of employee.
FYI
The duration of the internship cannot exceed 6 months.
You must have at least €615 per month of resources to live in France during your stay.
The company that welcomes you in France must, At least 2 months before the start of the internship (or 1 month if your internship is part of a European or intergovernmental cooperation program), have the internship agreement validated by the administration.
The approach is made by:
- Registered letter with acknowledgement of receipt to the prefecture
- Or online.
In case of agreement, the agreement referred to is transmitted to you before your entry into France.
If the administration has not replied within 30 days (or 15 days if your internship is part of a European or intergovernmental cooperation program), the request to validate your agreement is refused.
You must prepare the following documents to apply for a long-stay visa valid as a residence permit:
- Passport valid
- Tripartite internship agreement, approved by the administration and signed between you, the training institution or your employer established abroad and your host company in France
- Proof of your resources
- Proof of accommodation in France.
You must apply to the competent French authorities in your country of residence for a long-stay visa as a residence permit (VLS-TS) mention intern. This visa allows you to enter France and exempts you from applying for a residence card.
THEOfii: titleContent may summon you to complete additional formalities such as a medical examination.
Who shall I contact
Please note
If your internship is less than 3 months, the procedure is different: you must request a short-stay visa.
Validate the amendment to the initial internship agreement
To renew your internship, the company that welcomes you must have the administration validate a endorsement to your initial internship agreement.
Have an internship agreement of more than 3 months of a foreigner national
If the administration has not replied within 15 days, the request for validation of the endorsement is accepted.
Inquire about the tax stamp if the amendment to the agreement is validated by the administration
If the request to validate theendorsement at your initial internship agreement is accepted, you must pay €150 by tax stamps.
The stamps are requested at the time of the agreement on your request or the delivery of your card. Ask your prefecture.
Prepare the documents to apply for the residence card
You must prepare the following documents to apply for a temporary residence card mention intern :
- Long-stay visa coming to the end of validity
- Passport (pages concerning civil status, validity dates, entry stamps and visas)
- Or consular certificate with photo
- Or photo ID
- Or consular card with photo
- Or certificate of nationality of less than 6 months with photo
- Proof of address less than 6 months old
- Proof of payment of the stamp duty (to be delivered at the time of delivery of the title)
- Initial internship agreement and its amendment
- Proofs of your resources
- 3 photos
If the request is made on the internet: indicate the code of the e-photo (provided by the photographer or the authorized booth on the photo board)
If you don't have an e-photo yet, you can locate a digital photo and signature service.
Make an appointment
If the amendment to your internship agreement is validated, you must request a temporary residence card mention intern.
You must submit your application for a card to the prefecture (or sub-prefecture) of your home.
In most prefectures, you need to make an appointment.
Find out more on the prefecture's website.
Warning
It is not possible to carry out the procedures in some sub-prefectures. Find out more on the website of your prefecture.
Receive the residence card once it is available
If your application is accepted, you are informed by the prefecture that your title is available.
The card is given to you by the prefecture or sub-prefecture of your home (depending on the place where your application is submitted).
In most prefectures, you need to make an appointment.
Find out more on the prefecture's website.
Continuing education
Step-by-step approach
You must complete your internship as part of an internship agreement.
This agreement shall be concluded between you, your employer abroad and the continuing vocational training organization in France or the company with which your employer has a business relationship.
The internship agreement cannot give you the status of employee.
FYI
The duration initial of the traineeship cannot not more than 12 months.
You must have at least €1,823.03 of resources per month to live during your stay in France.
Validation of the internship agreement by the administration
Please note
If you are Canadian, you do not have to have your internship agreement validated.
The training organization in France must, At least 2 months before the start of the internship, have the probationary agreement validated by the administration.
The approach is made by:
- Registered letter with acknowledgement of receipt to the prefecture
- Or online.
In case of agreement, the agreement referred to is transmitted to you before your entry into France.
If the administration has not replied within 30 days (or 15 days if your internship is part of a European or intergovernmental cooperation program), the request to validate your agreement is refused.
You must prepare the following documents to apply for a long-stay visa as a residence permit:
- Passport valid
- Tripartite internship agreement, covered by the administration and signed between you, the training institution or your employer established abroad and your training organization in France or the company with which your employer has commercial relations
- Proof of your resources
- Proof of accommodation in France.
You must apply to the competent French authorities in your country of residence for a long-stay visa as a residence permit (VLS-TS) mention intern. This visa allows you to enter France and exempts you from applying for a residence card.
THEOfii: titleContent may summon you to complete additional formalities such as a medical examination.
Who shall I contact
Please note
If the duration of your internship is less than 3 months, the procedure is different and you short-stay visa.
Validate the amendment to the initial internship agreement
To renew your internship, the training organization or company with which your employer has business relations must have the administration validate a endorsement to your initial internship agreement.
The approach is made by:
- Registered letter with acknowledgement of receipt to the prefecture
- Or online.
If the administration has not replied within 15 days, the request for validation of the endorsement is accepted.
Please note
The internship can only be extended once. The duration of the internship cannot not to exceed 18 months.
Inquire about the tax stamp if the amendment to the agreement is validated by the administration
You have to settle €150 by tax stamps.
The stamps are requested at the time of the agreement on your request or the delivery of your card. Ask your prefecture.
Prepare the documents to apply for the residence card
You must prepare the following documents to apply for a temporary residence card mention trainee:
- Long-stay visa coming to the end of validity
- Passport (pages concerning civil status, validity dates, entry stamps and visas)
- Or consular certificate with photo
- Or photo ID
- Or consular card with photo
- Or certificate of nationality of less than 6 months with photo
- Proof of address less than 6 months old
- Proof of payment of the stamp duty (to be delivered at the time of delivery of the title)
- Initial internship agreement and its amendment
- Supporting documents on your resources
- 3 photos
If the request is made on the internet: indicate the code of the e-photo (provided by the photographer or the authorized booth on the photo board)
If you don't have an e-photo yet, you can locate a digital photo and signature service.
Make an appointment
If the amendment to your internship agreement is validated, you must request a temporary residence card mention intern.
You must submit your application for a card to the prefecture (or sub-prefecture) of your home.
In most prefectures, you need to make an appointment.
Find out more on the prefecture's website.
Warning
It is not possible to carry out the procedures in some sub-prefectures. Find out more on the website of your prefecture.
Receive the residence card once it is available
If your application is accepted, you are informed by the prefecture that your title is available.
The card is given to you by the prefecture or sub-prefecture of your home (depending on the place where your application is submitted).
In most prefectures, you need to make an appointment.
Find out more on the prefecture's website.
Hospital
Step-by-step approach
You must complete your internship as part of an internship agreement.
This agreement shall be concluded between you, thehost hospital and the body party to the health cooperation agreement and, if different, the organization that pays you.
The internship agreement cannot give you the status of employee.
Please note
The initial duration of the internship cannot not to exceed 6 months.
You must have a minimum amount of resources to live during your stay in France, corresponding to the amount of the gratuity that will be paid to you.
The receiving hospital must, At least 2 months before the start of the internship, have the probationary agreement validated by the administration.
The approach is made by:
- Registered letter with acknowledgement of receipt to the prefecture
- Or online.
In case of agreement, the agreement referred to is transmitted to you before your entry into France.
If the administration has not replied within 30 days (or 15 days if your internship is part of a European or intergovernmental cooperation program), the request to validate your agreement is refused.
You must prepare the following documents to apply for a long-stay visa valid as a residence permit:
- Passport valid
- Tripartite internship agreement, approved by the administration and signed between you, the training institution or your employer established abroad and your host health institution in France
- Proof of your resources
- Proof of accommodation in France.
You must apply to the competent French authorities in your country of residence for a long-stay visa as a residence permit (VLS-TS) mention intern. This visa allows you to enter France and exempts you from applying for a residence card.
THEOfii: titleContent may summon you to complete additional formalities such as a medical examination.
Who shall I contact
Please note
If your internship is less than 3 months, the procedure is different: you must request a short-stay visa.
Validate the amendment to the initial internship agreement
To renew your internship, the hospital that welcomes you must have the administration validate a endorsement to your initial internship agreement.
Have an internship agreement of more than 3 months of a foreigner national
If the administration has not replied within 15 days, the request for validation of the endorsement shall be accepted.
Inquire about the tax stamp if the amendment to the agreement is validated by the administration
You have to settle €150 by tax stamps.
The stamps are requested at the time of the agreement on your request or the delivery of your card. Ask your prefecture.
Prepare the documents to apply for the residence card
You must prepare the following documents to apply for a temporary residence card mention trainee:
- Long-stay visa coming to an end
- Passport (pages concerning civil status, validity dates, entry stamps and visas)
- Or consular certificate with photo
- Or photo ID
- Or consular card with photo
- Or certificate of nationality of less than 6 months with photo
- Proof of address less than 6 months old
- Proof of payment of the stamp duty (to be delivered at the time of delivery of the title)
- Initial internship agreement and its amendment
- Supporting documents on your resources.
- 3 photos
If the request is made on the internet: indicate the code of the e-photo (provided by the photographer or the authorized booth on the photo board)
If you don't have an e-photo yet, you can locate a digital photo and signature service.
Make an appointment
If the amendment to your internship agreement is validated, you must request a temporary residence card mention intern.
You must submit your application for a card to the prefecture (or sub-prefecture) of your home.
In most prefectures, you need to make an appointment.
Find out more on the prefecture's website.
Warning
It is not possible to carry out the procedures in some sub-prefectures. Find out more on the website of your prefecture.
Receive the residence card once it is available
If your application is accepted, you are informed by the prefecture that your title is available.
The card is given to you by the prefecture or sub-prefecture of your home (depending on the place where your application is submitted).
In most prefectures, you need to make an appointment.
Find out more on the prefecture's website.
Who can help me?
Find who can answer your questions in your region
Administrative information by phone - Allô Service Public
For more information on this subject, you can contact Allô Service Public.
Attention: the service does not have access to users' personal files and therefore cannot 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.
Special provisions applicable to trainee foreigners
Refusal and withdrawal of the residence card
Stamp duty payable and taxes
Conditions and procedures for issuing the temporary residence card with the words ‘trainee’
Renewal of the residence permit
List of documents to be supplied: item 62
FAQ
Service Public
Service Public
Ministry of Social Affairs