International service provider in France

Conditions

You are replying to invitations and requests from your partners in France. You want to attend or participate in trade fairs, seminars or conferences related to your professional activity or meet potential clients and do marketing research.

Business visitors for establishment purposes (BVEPs)

Category of visa, permit or any authorisation related to the entry and temporary stay

You need to obtain a short-stay visa (for stays of 90 days or less within a 6-month period) valid for the Schengen area. Your stay in France is limited to 90 days within a 6-month period. You do not need to apply for a residence permit.
For stays over 90 days, a long-term visa is required as “investor”, “business founder” or “entrepreneur” (see dedicated sections below), provided the required criteria are fulfilled especially regarding the development of the project.

Work permit requirements

You do not need to apply for a work permit.

Documentation required and conditions to be met

To obtain your visa, you must demonstrate or prove the link between your professional activity and the purpose of your trip. Examples of supporting documents:
the request letter, the summons or the invitation from your correspondent in France accurately describing the activity, the purpose, the duration and the location of the meeting, seminar or conference;
failing this, admission cards to trade fairs, seminars or conferences;
failing this, a commitment by the inviting organisation or company to cover all the visitor's costs during his/her stay.

Where and how to file an application

You must apply for a short-stay visa (if your nationality requires it) at the French Embassy or Consulate in your country of origin.

Application fees and indicative processing time

The applicable fee for short-stay visa for the Schengen area is 80 EUR.

The maximum period of stay under each type of authorisation

A short-stay visa for the Schengen area allows you to stay 90 days in France, within a 6-month period.

Conditions for any available extensions or renewal

Such visas are not renewable

Rules regarding accompanying dependents

There is no specific process, they have to apply for their own visa and file a visa application with the documents required for the purpose of their stay in France.

Available review and/or appeal procedures

You can appeal a refusal of a French entry visa to Consulate in your country of origin. Within two months after being notified of the refusal to be issued a visa, you can send a letter to the Consulate detailing your motivations for applying for a visa, with the required documents and any documents that might support your application attached. You must also attach a copy of the refusal letter.
If the informal appeal is rejected, you can appeal to the Commission for Appeals Against Visa Application Refusals within two months of the date of notification of the decision.
If the Commission rejects the appeal, or if, despite the favourable opinion of the Commission, ministers confirm the visa refusal, you may, within two months, submit a request for annulment before the Administrative Court of Nantes, which is responsible in the first instance for litigation on visa refusal.

More on appeals against visa refusal decisions

A hierarchical appeal may also be submitted to the Minister for Foreign Affairs.

More on administrative and hierarchical appeals

Relevant laws of general application pertaining to the entry and temporary stay of natural persons

See the Code on the entry and stay of third-country nationals and on the right of asylum (CESEDA).

Short-term business visitors (STVB)

Categories of visa, permits or any similar type of authorisation regarding entry and temporary stay

You need to obtain a short-stay visa (for stays of 90 days). Your stay in France is limited to 90 days within a 6-month period. You do not need to apply for a residence permit.

Work permit requirements

You do not need to apply for a work permit.

Documentation required and conditions to be met

To obtain your visa, you must demonstrate or prove the link between your professional activity and the purpose of your trip. Examples of supporting documents:
the request letter, the summons or the invitation from your correspondent in France accurately describing the activity, the purpose, the duration and the location of the meeting, seminar or conference;
failing this, admission cards to trade fairs, seminars or conferences;
failing this, a commitment by the inviting organisation or company to cover all the visitor's costs during his/her stay.

Where and how to file an application

You must apply for a short-stay visa (if your nationality requires it) at the French Embassy or Consulate in your country of origin.

Application fees and indicative processing time

The applicable fee for short-stay visa for the Schengen area is 80 EUR.

The maximum period of stay under each type of authorisation

A short-stay visa for the Schengen area allows you to stay 90 days in France, within a 6-month period.

Conditions for any available extensions or renewal

Such visas are not renewable

Rules regarding accompanying dependents

There is no specific process, they have to apply for their own visa and file a visa application with the documents required for the purpose of their stay in France.

Available review and/or appeal procedures

You can appeal a refusal of a French entry visa to Consulate in your country of origin. Within two months after being notified of the refusal to be issued a visa, you can send a letter to the Consulate detailing your motivations for applying for a visa, with the required documents and any documents that might support your application attached. You must also attach a copy of the refusal letter.
If the informal appeal is rejected, you can appeal to the Commission for Appeals Against Visa Application Refusals within two months of the date of notification of the decision.
If the Commission rejects the appeal, or if, despite the favourable opinion of the Commission, ministers confirm the visa refusal, you may, within two months, submit a request for annulment before the Administrative Court of Nantes, which is responsible in the first instance for litigation on visa refusal.

More on appeals against visa refusal decisions

A hierarchical appeal may also be submitted to the Minister for Foreign Affairs.

More on administrative and hierarchical appeals

Relevant laws of general application pertaining to the entry and temporary stay of natural persons

See the code on the entry and stay of third-country nationals and on the asylum right (CESEDA)

Contractual service suppliers (CSSs)

Where and how to file an application

A foreign company with no establishment in France can temporarily post its employees to France to perform a service under the terms of a subcontracting agreement. The employer-employee relationship with the employer outside France is maintained.
Your employer must apply for a work permit to be enclosed with your residence permit application. The work permit issued is only valid for the host company named in the work permit application.
The permit will be issued for the period over which the service is to be provided, up to 12 months.
You must apply for a long-stay visa equivalent to a residence permit (VLS-TS) at the French Embassy or Consulate in your country of origin.
You must validate your VLS-TS on the official dedicated website within the first 3 months of your arrival in France.
If you wish to obtain a temporary residence permit with the mention “temporary worker”, you need to submit an application at the prefecture of your place of residence, two months before the expiry of your VLS-TS.

Documentation required and conditions to be met

For long-stay visa equivalent to a residence permit, documents may vary depending on your purpose of stay in France. There is no work permit requirement.
The applicable fee for long-stay visa is 99 EUR.

More on the documents required for a long-stay visa

For the temporary residence permit with the mention “temporary worker”, you must provide:
a work authorisation for the position occupied in your company (approved by the competent labour authority);
a certificate of employment by your employer (or the last three remuneration statements).

More on the documents required for the temporary residence permit with the mention “temporary worker”

Under certain conditions and if your stay in France is for less than 3 months you can be waived from a temporary work permit (and no residence permit for stays of less than 3 months):
audit and consulting in IT, management, finance, insurance, architecture and engineering, under the terms of a service agreement or intra-company transfer agreement

The maximum period of stay under each type of authorisation

The VLS-TS and the temporary residence permit are valid for the duration of the mission in France in compliance with tax law, within a one-year period.

Conditions for any available extensions or renewal

“Temporary worker” temporary residence permits can be renewed for a duration equal to that of the following, even where this is more than one year, in two cases:
The remaining term of the employee’s fixed-term employment contract or posting.
The employee’s new fixed-term employment contract or any extension to the employee’s posting.

Available review and/or appeal procedures

You can appeal a refusal of a French entry visa to Consulate in your country of origin. Within two months after being notified of the refusal to be issued a visa, you can send a letter to the Consulate detailing your motivations for applying for a visa, with the required documents and any documents that might support your application attached. You must also attach a copy of the refusal letter.
If the informal appeal is rejected, you can appeal to the Commission for Appeals Against Visa Application Refusals within two months of the date of notification of the decision.
If the Commission rejects the appeal, or if, despite the favourable opinion of the Commission, ministers confirm the visa refusal, you may, within two months, submit a request for annulment before the Administrative Court of Nantes, which is responsible in the first instance for litigation on visa refusal.

More on appeals against visa refusal decisions

A hierarchical appeal may also be submitted to the Minister for Foreign Affairs.

More on administrative and hierarchical appeals

Rules regarding accompanying dependents

Family members accompanying the holder of a temporary residence permit are not automatically entitled to stay in France. A separate visa and residence permit application must be submitted to the consular or diplomatic authorities in the temporary worker’s place of residence if they can prove sufficient financial means, social coverage and no professional activity.
Your children under 18 are admitted onto the territory without a residence permit.
Further information: for independent professionals, see the part on self-employed worker.
More about work permit in France
More on visa application to France
More on settling in France

Independent professionals (IPs)

Are you a non-EU citizen wishing to work as a self-employed person or engage in a liberal profession in France? You can find information below on the conditions to fulfil and procedures to follow, as well as the rights you can enjoy during your stay.

Categories of visa, permits or any similar type of authorisation regarding entry and temporary stay

To come to France as a self-employed worker, you must either obtain a multiyear “entrepreneur/liberal profession” residence permit card, a multiyear “passport talent” residence permit with the mention “business founder”, or a multiyear “passport talent” residence permit with the mention “innovative project recognised by a public entity”.
If you want to set up a new business in France, you must be able to demonstrate the economic viability of your project. If you want to set up an innovative business, you must be able to prove its innovative nature as well.
If you want to work in a liberal profession or in an activity that has already been created, you must be able to prove that you have sufficient financial resources i.e. the equivalent to the minimum legal wage in France for a full-time worker representing 18,655 EUR gross per year as of 1 January 2021 (SMIC - Salaire minimum interprofessionnel de croissance);
If your company’s activity or the liberal profession you are engaged in is subject to specific regulations, you must meet the requirements in terms of qualifications/diplomas as well as any other conditions.

Where and how to file an application

If you wish to undertake an independent activity in France, you need to apply for a visa at the French Embassy or Consulate in your country of origin.
If you meet the requirements and plan on staying in France for 12 months or less, the Embassy or Consulate will grant you a long-stay visa equivalent to a residence permit bearing the mention corresponding to your situation, valid for 12 months.
Within the first 3 months of your arrival in France, you must validate your VLS-TS online on the official dedicated website.
Two months before the end of your visa, you will then have to go to the prefecture to either renew your VLS-TS or to apply for a multiyear residence permit corresponding to the mention of your visa and your situation.
If you meet the requirements and plan on staying in France for at least 12 months, the Embassy or Consulate can also grant you a long-stay visa bearing the mention corresponding to your situation, valid for 3 months.
Within the three months of your arrival in France, you have to apply for a multiyear residence permit corresponding to the mention of your visa and your situation.
The prefect will inform you of the decision in writing as soon as possible and no later than 60 days from the date of the application being made. If there is no decision, the application is approved.

Documentation required and conditions to be met

Required documents may vary depending on the type of project and financial resources related to this project.

The residence permit “entrepreneur/liberal profession”

You must:

have a non-salaried activity;
demonstrate the economic viability of your project;
show that your project provides you with sustainable financial resources at least equivalent to the minimum legal wage in France for a full-time worker representing 18,655 EUR gross per year as of 1 January 2021 (SMIC – Salaire minimum interprofessionnel de croissance);
provide documents showing the respect of the legislation of your field of activity.

The “passport talent” with the mention “business founder”

You must:

have a serious and real intention of creating a business in France;
show a diploma at least equivalent to a Master’s degree or prove a professional experience of a least 5 years at the same level;
invest at least 30,000 EUR in your project.

The “passport talent” with the mention “innovative project recognised by a public entity”

You must:

provide documents certifying the innovative nature of your economic project;
have a project whose innovative nature is recognised by a public entity.

To prove the innovative nature of your project, you must fulfil one of these conditions:

your business must receive or have received in the last 5 years public support for innovation;
a share of the capital of your business must be hold by a corporate entity or an alternative investment fund specialised in financing or investing in innovative business, with unlisted shares (the list of corporate entities and investment funds is fixed by decree by the Ministry of the Economy and Finances);
your business was supported by an incubator dedicated to innovative companies.

The applicable fee for each permit is 225 EUR.

The maximum period of stay under each type of authorisation

The multiyear residence permit “entrepreneur/liberal profession”, the “passport talent” with the mention “innovative project recognised by a public entity” and the “passport talent” with the mention “founding a business” are valid for a period of 4 years and renewable.

Available review and/or appeal procedures

You can appeal a refusal of a French entry visa to the Commission for Appeals Against Visa Application Refusals within two months of the date of notification of the decision.
If the Commission rejects the appeal, or if, despite the positive opinion of the Commission, ministers confirm the visa refusal, you may, within two months, submit a request for annulment before the Administrative Court of Nantes, which is responsible in the first instance for litigation on visa refusal. An administrative appeal may also be submitted to the Minister of Foreign Affairs.