Residence card "entrepreneur / liberal profession" of a foreigner in France

Verified 01 June 2026 - Public Service / Directorate of Legal and Administrative Information (Prime Minister)

You are a foreigner and you come to work in France commercial, artisanal or liberal for a period of greater than 3 months ? You can apply for the residence card entrepreneur/liberal profession. We present you the information to know.

You are concerned by this card if you wish to reside in France to exercise a commercial, craft or industrial activity. It can also be a liberal activity.

Your activity must be exercised primarily. It must be the subject of a enrollment in one-stop shop for company formalities.

Your activity must be economically viable. It must also provide you with sufficient livelihoods.

Your activity must match your qualifications or professional experience.

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 false documents
  • Misdemeanors 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.

You must provide documents that depend on the nature of the activity you wish to engage in.

Submission of the application

You must submit your application to the prefecture or sub-prefecture of your home, within 2 months before the expiry date of your residence card. Find out more on the website of your prefecture.

Who shall I contact

Warning  

It is not possible to carry out the procedures in some sub-prefectures. Find out more on the website of your prefecture.

Documents to be provided

In all cases, you must provide the following documents:

  • Long-stay visa or valid residence permit
  • Proof of nationality (passport, identity card, consular card)
  • Proof of address less than 6 months old
  • 3 ID photos
  • Proof of payment of the stamp duty (to be delivered at the time of issue of the document)
  • Medical certificate issued by theOfii: titleContent (to be delivered at the time of the delivery of the title).
  • Declaration on the honor of no polygamy in France if you are married and are a national of a country that allows it

FYI  

Civil status documents must be accompanied by their translation into French by a certified translator/interpreter.

You must also provide, depending on your situation, the following documents:

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Commercial, industrial or craft activity

Creation of a commercial, industrial or craft activity

You must provide the following:

  • Cerfa form "trader, craftsman, industrial" completed
  • If you live outside France, extract from the criminal record or equivalent document of your country of origin
  • If you live in France, tax status slip regarding the payment of income tax
  • Documents proving your ability to carry out commercial, industrial or craft activities.
  • Opinion delivered by the platform in charge of foreign labor competent in the department in which the project is envisaged
  • Proof of registration of the company (statutes, K or Kbis extract) or of affiliation to the social system of self-employed (to be presented at the time of manufacture of the card)
  • Presentation on free paper of the creation project, the business plan and a multi-year budget
  • Proof of security taken by a credit institution or insurance company authorized in France, or certificate of credit balance of an account in your name opened in France.
  • If it is an activity regulated : authorization to practice

If you have set up a micro-company or are an individual entrepreneur:

  • In case of company creation: copy of the lease promise (or sublease agreement mentioning the activity and possibly authorization of the owner of the premises) or copy of the domiciliation contract
  • In case of takeover of a business: copy of the promise to sell or the contract of sale of the fund
  • In the case of management leasing: copy of the promise or the management lease, extract from the registration in the commercial and business register or in the business register of the previous operator (less than 3 months), copy of the lease in the name of the owner of the land.

If you have created a business:

  • In case of creation of a business under French law: copy of the promise of commercial lease or sublease agreement mentioning the activity and possibly authorization of the owner of the premises + copy of the draft statutes of the business indicating the project of share capital allocation
  • In the event of the creation of a business governed by French law, a subsidiary of a foreign business: proof of the appointment or, if applicable, letter of intent from the body competent for the appointment + copy of the statutes of the legal person governed by foreigners law + copy of the promise of commercial lease or sublease agreement mentioning the activity and possibly authorization of the owner of the premises + copy of the draft statutes of the business indicating the draft share capital allocation
  • In case of establishment of an establishment of a foreign legal person: proof of appointment or letter of intent of the body competent for the appointment + copy of the statutes of the legal person under foreigners law.
Continuation of a commercial, industrial or artisanal activity

You must provide the following:

  • Proof of company registration (statutes, K or Kbis extract) or affiliation to the social system of self-employed persons
  • Any evidence of the effectiveness of the company and of the resources derived from the activity at least equal to €1,867.02 monthly.
To continue the created activity
  • Copy of the lease or direct debit agreement
  • Company Tax Status Statement (P237)
  • Certificate of insurance covering, depending on the nature of the activity, the premises occupied, the vehicle or any other property necessary for the activity
  • Income Tax Notice
  • If you are an employee, pay slips of the last 3 months or, in the absence of tax notice, of the last 12 months
  • If you are not an employee, extract from the account book indicating your remuneration for the last 3 months or, in the absence of a tax notice, the last 12 months.
To continue participating in an existing activity or company
  • Income Tax Notice
  • If you are an employee, pay slips of the last 3 months or, in the absence of tax notice, of the last 12 months
  • If you are not an employee, extract from the account book indicating your remuneration for the last 3 months or, in the absence of a tax notice, the last 12 months.

Liberal activity

In all cases, you must provide the following documents:

  • Long-stay visa or valid residence permit
  • Proof of nationality (passport, identity card, consular card)
  • Proof of address less than 6 months old
  • 3 ID photos
  • Proof of payment of the stamp duty (to be delivered at the time of issue of the document)
  • Medical certificate issued by theOfii: titleContent (to be delivered at the time of the delivery of the title).

You must also provide, depending on your situation, the following documents:

  • Creation of a liberal activity:
  • Continuation of a liberal activity:
    • Proof of continued activity
    • Justification of resources from the activity at least equal to €1,867.02 monthly
    • Authorization to practice or registration with the relevant order in the case of a regulated profession.

You have to pay €350 (stamp duty of €50 + tax of €300) by tax stamps.

Proof of payment of stamp duty and tax is requested when the card is handed over.

The card has a maximum duration of1 year.

Conditions to be fulfilled

To renew your residence card, you must continue to meet the conditions for issuing it.

At the end of the 1re temporary residence card, you can apply for the issuance of a multi-annual residence card of a duration of 4 years.

In addition, you must meet a condition ofrepublican integration assessed against the following criteria:

To examine your integration into the French business, the prefect takes into account the follow-up of your CIR.

Warning  

The prefecture may refuse to renew your residence card:

  • If you have not fulfilled an obligation to leave the country (OQTF)
  • If you have committed forgery and use of forged documents
  • If you have committed offenses serious or crimes (drug trafficking, trafficking in human beings, procuring, working conditions or undignified accommodation, among others)
  • If you have committed acts of violence against elected officials, public officials or security agents.

In addition, your temporary residence card may not be renewed more than 3 consecutive times with the same reason.

Submission of the application

You must submit the application for renewal of your residence card to the prefecture or sub-prefecture of your home, within 2 months before its end date. Find out more on the website of your prefecture.

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, in addition to the cost of the card, a visa fee of regularization of €180.

Who shall I contact

Warning  

It is not possible to carry out the procedures in some sub-prefectures. Find out more on the website of your prefecture.

Documents to be provided

The parts to be supplied are the same as for the 1re request.

In the case of an application for a multi-annual residence card, you will also have to provide the following documents:

  • Certificate of knowledge of the French language at A2 level for the issuance of a 1re multi-annual residence card, unless you are over 65 years old
  • Certificate of Success at civic examination mention of ‘multi-annual residence card’ for the issue of a 1re multi-year residence card, unless you are over 65 years old.

Cost

For the renewal of your temporary residence card, you have to pay €250 (stamp duty of €50 + tax of €200) by tax stamps.

For a multi-annual residence card, you have to pay €350 (stamp duty of €50 + tax of €300) by tax stamps.

Proof of payment of stamp duty and tax is requested when the card is handed over.

Duration of the card

The duration of the card varies depending on the type of card you have:

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You have a temporary residence card

This card is valid 1 year maximum.

You have a multi-year residence card

This card is valid 4 years.