Country

Pathways to French Residency and Citizenship

France

France offers residence routes for skilled workers, the self-employed, students, families, and those of independent means, in one of Europe's largest economies. Most build toward long-term residence and citizenship, and France allows dual nationality.

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Ways to qualify

Career & business

For people with a job offer, in-demand skills, or a business to build. Most of these routes lead to settlement, and in time to citizenship.

France EU Blue Card France's EU Blue Card is a Talent residence route for highly qualified non-EU workers with a qualifying French job. It generally requires a… residency France Talent Employee France's Talent employee route is for specific kinds of French jobs, including qualified employees with French master's-level credentials, employees… residency France Talent Researcher France's Talent researcher route is for researchers and university-level teachers with a master's-level degree or higher and a hosting agreement from… residency France Talent Project Leader France's Talent project-leader route covers some business creators, recognized innovative projects, and direct economic investors. The requirements… residency France Talent Medical France has a Talent route for some medical and pharmacy professionals who can show the required French authorization or temporary-practice basis. It… residency France Employee Work Permit France's employee and temporary-worker residence route is for non-EU/EEA/Swiss citizens with a real job offer from a French employer. It generally… residency France Profession Libérale This residence pathway is for founders, business owners, or self-employed applicants who will run real activity in France. It generally requires a… residency France Talent Artist France's Talent artistic and cultural route is for performers and authors of literary or artistic works with a real paid professional project in… residency France Talent Officer France's Talent corporate-officer route is for certain legal representatives of a French establishment or business who already have seniority in the… residency France Talent Renown France has a Talent route for people with established national or international reputation, or a project that would significantly contribute to… residency

Retirement

For retirees and people of independent means who can show a pension, savings, or other passive income.

France Visitor Visa This residence pathway is for financially self-supporting applicants who want to live in France without relying on local employment. It generally… residency

Family

For joining a partner, parent, or child who already lives there — or claiming citizenship through marriage.

France Family of French National This residence pathway is for close family members of a French citizen, such as a spouse, parent of a French child, child of a French citizen, or… residency French Citizenship by Marriage French citizenship by marriage is for someone married to a French citizen long enough to apply by declaration. It generally requires a continuing… citizenship France Family Reunification France family reunification is for a spouse or minor child joining a non-French foreign resident who is already legally settled in France. It… residency French ascendant declaration France has a narrow citizenship declaration for some older parents or grandparents of French citizens who have lived in France for a long time. It… citizenship

Ancestry & heritage

A parent, grandparent, or birth in the country can make you a citizen already — or let you claim it, often without relocating.

French Citizenship by Birth This citizenship pathway is for people who may already be citizens because they were born in France or in another qualifying birth situation connected… citizenship French Citizenship by Descent French citizenship by descent is for people who had a French parent when they were born, including cases where French nationality passed through an… citizenship French citizenship by adoption French nationality can sometimes pass through adoption by a French citizen, especially where the adoption created a qualifying parent-child… citizenship French reintegration People who previously held French nationality may be able to ask France for reintegration. The exact route depends on how French nationality was lost,… citizenship French sibling declaration Some people born in France can declare French nationality as the sibling of a person who became French through France's birth-and-residence rules.… citizenship

Study

Routes to study there, and often to stay on and work after you graduate.

France Post-Study Job Search France has a one-year job-search or business-creation status for some recent graduates of French institutions and some former Talent researcher card… residency France Student Visa France's student visa and student residence route is for people accepted into qualifying study or training in France. It generally requires admission… residency

Citizenship by residence

Once you've lived there long enough and settled, you can often apply to become a citizen.

French Naturalization French naturalization is for people who have made France their main home and can show enough residence, integration, French language, and good… citizenship

Other routes

Nationality-specific schemes and special cases.

France EU/EEA/Swiss Residence EU, EEA, and Swiss citizens can usually live in France through free-movement rights rather than a French national visa. For stays over three months,… residency France Long-Term Resident France's EU long-term resident card is for non-EU citizens who have already lived legally and continuously in France for about five years. It… residency France Working Holiday France's working holiday visa is a temporary route for young adults from countries that have a working-holiday agreement with France. It generally… residency France Au Pair France's young au pair route is for non-European young adults who will live with a host family in France to improve their French and cultural… residency