How to Obtain a Work Visa for France

Working in France is an opportunity that many foreign citizens would like to take advantage of, regardless of whether they have received a job offer or not. To legally pursue this goal, numerous administrative formalities must be completed, one of which is acquiring a work visa for France.

Previously, we discussed how to validate diplomas in France and the best cities for living and working.

How can one obtain a work permit in France? There are three main categories of visas that grant access to employment:

If an individual already holds a visa of another type — such as a student visa or a family member visa (if the spouse is French) — they will need a visa that allows them to work in France.

Seasonal and temporary workers will only need a short-term visa, while potential immigrants should focus on obtaining a long-term visa.

There is another type of work visa valid for one year — the working holiday visa — but it is only available to young people aged 18 to 30 from a very limited number of countries. Therefore, we will not go into detail about this visa in the article.

Can one work on a Schengen visa? Yes — the Schengen visa is a short-term Category C visa, which permits employment activities.

This type of visa is issued to specialists planning to work in France for no more than 90 days within a 180-day period. Employment can be carried out in a single visit or through multiple entries and exits from the country. This type of visa for France is also known as a circulatory visa.

The unique feature of this type of visa is that it is “accumulative.” If an individual has used 3 short-term visas in the past 2 years, they can apply for a circulatory visa valid for 1 year. After this, they can apply for a similar visa valid for 2 years. If the two-year visa is utilized, the next one can be issued for a term of 5 years.

The short-term visa is strictly limited to professional activities and does not grant the right to reside in the country for an extended period, with or without family. In other words, it is exclusively a business visa for France. It is issued in two cases:

Citizens from certain countries do not need to obtain a short-term visa to work in France (this mainly applies to citizens of the European Union or the European Economic Area). Please contact the consulate in your country to verify the requirements.

Pay attention to the new rules: Starting November 10, 2024 (with a tentative launch in October 2024), a new system, the Entry Exit System (EES), will be implemented in the Schengen Zone. This is a new automated IT system for registering personal data of citizens from non-EU countries visiting the EU for short stays.

The system applies to all citizens from non-EU countries, regardless of whether or not a short-term visa is required for travel.

EES modernizes the process of crossing the borders of the Schengen Zone by replacing manual passport stamps. Travelers will receive an online tool to track the number of days they are allowed to stay in the respective countries.

What Data is Recorded?
1. Date and time of entry/exit
2. Location of border crossing
3. Surname and first name
4. Information about the identity document (passport number)
5. Photograph
6. Fingerprints
7. If applicable, a decision regarding refusal of short-term entry

This type of visa allows individuals to work in the country for a duration ranging from 3 months to 1 year (Type D). It is issued by French consular authorities, most commonly for purposes of study, work, or family circumstances.

Certain categories of individuals are exempt from obtaining a long-term visa to work in France, including:

EU and European Economic Area citizens also do not require a visa.

The document known as VLS-TS (long-stay visa equivalent to a residence permit) serves as a full residence permit and exempts individuals from applying for the corresponding document at the prefecture upon their arrival in France.

A key feature of this document is the requirement for validation. Within 3 months of arrival, the individual must validate their VLS-TS and pay a tax in addition to the visa fee.

If the stay exceeds 12 months, it is advisable to apply for a residence permit.

Individuals whose professional activities are related to the following do not require a visa:

In all other cases, the employer is required to arrange a visa.

The short-term visa cannot be extended. However, the long-term visa can be renewed, or more accurately, one can apply for a residence permit in France up to 2 months before the expiration date. The residence permit is valid for one year and can be renewed.

The Talent Passport is a special document designed for highly qualified specialists who will have a favorable and long-term impact on the French labor market. This passport allows individuals to remain in the country for up to 4 years.

Such a document is granted in specific cases. Those eligible for the Talent Passport must meet the following criteria:

To begin the process of obtaining a work visa for France, foreign nationals must fill out the application form on the France Visa website. This web resource also provides all the necessary information regarding the required documents. Below is a summarized list of documents that will likely be needed by anyone planning to work in France.

When applying for a short-term or long-term visa, the applicant must gather:

Once in the embassy or visa center, the candidate may have biometric data collected. This data is stored in the Visabio file and contains a copy of the identity document along with fingerprints. All individuals over the age of 12 are required to submit biometric data.

To obtain the opportunity to apply for a work visa, the first step for the candidate should be to search for employment and receive a job offer. The employer and the prospective employee must sign an employment contract.

Once the employment-related documents are prepared, the employer must submit a request to OFII — the French Office for Immigration and Integration — for work authorization for the potential employee. This request can also be submitted to DIRECCTE (the Regional Directorate for Business, Competition, Consumer Affairs, Labor, and Employment). The process can take up to one and a half months.

No later than 3 months before the planned departure, the candidate must submit an application along with the required documents to the French embassy or consulate in their home country. It is also possible to approach an intermediary, as long as the service provider is reputable.

Applications can be filled out on the France-Visas website.

The application fee (visa fee) can range from €50 to €99, depending on the country where the document is being processed. In the case of a visa denial, the fees are non-refundable.

The information provided by the candidate during their interview with consulate representatives or staff at the visa center is verified within 15 days. In some cases, clarification of personal data can take up to 45 days.

Most denials occur due to mistakes made when filling out the application. However, even with a correctly submitted document package, there are several reasons why a visa might not be issued:

1. One or more of the provided documents was found to be counterfeit. In such cases, not only will the visa be denied, but entry to France may also be prohibited for 5 years.
2. There is insufficient proof of livelihood; consular services may determine that the applicant’s financial abilities do not meet the requirements for the visa.
3. There is no evidence that the candidate has signed an employment contract or received a job offer.
4. The applicant lacks clear evidence of their intended place of residence, or this information is incomplete/incorrect.
5. Measures have been taken against the applicant that prohibit their return to France.
6. The candidate poses a threat to public order, security, or health in France.

If you believe that the visa denial was unjust, you may submit a free appeal to the consulate requesting a review of the decision. You can also contact the Appeal Commission against decisions on visa denials to France (CRRV).

The appeal must be submitted within 30 days from the date you receive the written notice of denial, or if the consulate fails to respond within 2 months — this would be considered an implied denial, allowing you to take action.

In the appeal, the applicant must substantiate their protest against the denial by explaining the legal and factual aspects where the consulate, in the applicant’s view, made an error. The appeal must be written in French, signed, and accompanied by all relevant documents.

You can contact the CRRV in person, through a lawyer, or through any other interested party (such as a family member) who wishes for you to obtain a visa. The commission can:

Unacceptable and unfounded appeals may be dismissed by the president of the CRRV without convening the commission, so be careful and provide sufficient evidence to support your case.

1. Obtain an offer or enter into an employment contract with a French company.
2. Resolve practical matters: find accommodation and arrange insurance.
3. Register on the France-Visas website and provide all required information in the application.
4. Schedule an appointment at the French embassy or consulate, or another designated visa center in your country.
5. Upon arrival at the chosen location, you will need to pay administrative fees (costs vary depending on your country of residence).
6. Present the collected document package.
7. Do not obstruct the collection of your biometric data by the staff (fingerprints and photographs).

One of the common reasons people apply for a work visa and move to another country is to support family members remaining in their home country. To safely transfer money abroad, they use specialized applications, such as Korona.

Korona is favored for its ability to make transfers to over 50 countries worldwide, with minimal markup and with no fees for transfers with conversion. The application is available in popular app stores: App Store and Google Play.

On our blog, we discuss work and life in Europe extensively. If you’re interested in this topic, click the link to read more.