Temporary residence card "visitor" of a foreigner in France
Verified 01 January 2026 - Public Service / Directorate of Legal and Administrative Information (Prime Minister)
Are you a foreigner and want to stay in France for more than 3 months as an inactive? You can get a temporary residence card visitor. It allows you to stay in France for more than 3 months without being able to work. It concerns in particular foreigners coming to exercise religious functions in France. The card is issued under resource conditions. It is valid for 1 year maximum and is renewable. We present you the information to know.
The regulations are different depending on your nationality.
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You are Algerian
If you are Algerian, you can get a 1 year certificate of residence visitor.
You are European
If you are European, you cannot obtain a temporary residence permit visitor.
You do not need a residence permit.
However, you can ask an EU/EEA/Swiss citizen residence card as a pensioner or inactive.
Other situation
If you are a foreigner (except European or Algerian) and you want to come to France for a period of more than 3 months, you must hold a long-stay visa as a residence permit (VL-TS) mention visitor.
You must commit not to work in France and you must have sufficient resources to live for the duration of your stay.
The minimum amount of resources required for a single person is €1,443.11 net monthly, over 1 year.
This can be your own resources (annuities or pensions, real estate income, etc.) or those of a family member. You can present bank statements or sureties or proof of income provided by creditworthy persons.
Housing conditions are also taken into account in the assessment of your resources, and possibly the sureties provided by creditworthy persons (your family in particular).
Family allowances are not taken into account (they are paid to maintain children).
You can obtain this title as:
- Dependent parent of your children legally resident in France
- Partner of Civil partnerships: titleContent (having less than 1 year of common life)
- Religious (priest, imam, etc.) if you come to exercise your functions in France.
Warning
The prefecture may refuse to deliver you your residence card if you have not complied with an obligation to leave the country (OQTF) or if you have committed any of the following acts:
- Forgery and use of forged documents
- Offenses severe or crimes (drug trafficking, trafficking in human beings, procuring, working conditions or undignified accommodation, among others)
- Violence against elected officials, public officials or security agents.
Submission of the application
You must submit your card application on the internet, at the earliest 4 months and at the latest 2 months before the end of validity of your residence document (visa, VLS-TS or title):
When you submit your application for a residence permit on the internet, you will immediately receive a dematerialized certificate of deposit.
Documents to be provided
- Long-stay visa or valid residence permit (unless you hold a residence card) "long-term resident - EU" issued by another member country of the European Union)
- Full copy of birth certificate with the most recent information
- Passport (pages concerning civil status, validity dates, entry stamps and visas)
or consular certificate with photo
or photo ID card
or consular card with photo
or certificate of nationality of less than 6 months with photo
- Proof of address less than 6 months old
- Signed copy of the commitment to respect the principles of the Republic
- e-photo : enter the e-photo code (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.
- Medical certificate issued by theOfii: titleContent (to be delivered at the time of delivery of the title)
- Proofs of your resources reaching an annual amount equal to €17,317.39 (bank certificates, sureties of solvent persons, pension vouchers for pensioners, etc.)
- If you are being cared for by a third party: documents justifying sufficient resources of the guarantor, certificate of financial care and identity card of the guarantor
- Attestation on the handwritten honor not to work in France
- Certificate of health insurance covering the duration of your stay
- Proof of payment of the tax on the residence permit and the stamp duty (to be submitted at the time of issue of the permit).
Study of the application
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Your request is accepted
If your application is accepted, you are summoned to the prefecture for the issuance of the title.
The card is given to you by the prefecture (or sub-prefecture) of your home.
Your request is denied
If the prefect has notified you of the refusal
The prefect's decision is yours notified by reasoned letter (explicit decision). Except in exceptional cases, this refusal shall be accompanied by a obligation to leave French territory (OQTF) determining the country to which you will be returned.
You can form a litigation before the administrative court (within 48 hours, 15 days or 30 days depending on the type of OQTF). The use of a lawyer is not mandatory.
No response from the prefect on your request
If the prefecture hasn't responded after 4 months, this is an implied refusal.
You can then train within 2 months from this refusal :
- One administrative appeal (ex gratia before the prefect and/or hierarchical redress before the Minister of the Interior)
- And/or a litigation before the administrative court. The use of a lawyer is not mandatory.
Cost
You have to pay €225 (tax of €200 + stamp duty of €25) by tax stamps.
Proof of payment of the stamp duty is requested when the card is handed over.
Handing over the card
Your card is given to you by the prefecture or sub-prefecture of your home (depending on where your application is submitted).
This card is valid for 1 year and renewable.
Approach
You must submit your card renewal application on the internet, at the earliest 4 months and at the latest 2 months before the end of validity of your residence document (visa, VLS-TS or title).
Warning
The prefecture can refuse you renew your residence card if you are in one of the following situations:
- You have not complied with an obligation to leave the country (OQTF)
- You have committed forgery and the use of forged documents
- You've committed offenses severe or crimes (drug trafficking, trafficking in human beings, procuring, working conditions or undignified accommodation, among others)
- You have committed acts of violence against elected officials, public officials or security agents.
Cost
You have to pay €225 by tax stamps.
Proof of payment of the stamp duty is requested when the card is handed over.
If you submit your application after the deadline, except in cases of force majeure or presentation of a valid visa, you will have to pay a visa fee for regularization of €180.
You must pay this visa fee by tax stamps.
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.
Temporary residence card "visitor"
Refusal and withdrawal of residence card
Contract of commitment to respect the principles of the Republic
Taxes and stamp duty payable
Refusal and withdrawal of residence card
Renewal of the residence permit
List of documents to be supplied: item 59