France - Visa

Only non E.U. citizens need to obtain a visa. E.U. citizens only need to have a valid passport or a national identity card. If you want to stay in France to work, you need to obtain a residence permit at the Prefecture.

There are two types of visas : long or short-term. Depending on how long you want to stay in the country.
- short-term visa : 3 months
- long-term visa : more than 3 months

Short-term visa

• A short-term visa is for tourists or people who just want to stay for three months, not all nationalities require the short term visa. However, a long-term visa is necessary if you want to find a job in France. You need to obtain it before your departure, you need to go to the French Consulate or Embassy of your country. You will find the address and phone number for all the French Embassies and consulates, the required forms and all the necessary information here:
  website: http://www.diplomatie.fr/venir/visas/index.gb.html

Long-term visa

• For the long-term visa you need the following documents :
  - a  valid passport
  - a work contract or a letter from your future employer in France
  - proof of health insurance
  - the address of your future home in France
To find all relevant information regarding the documents and forms required to obtain a visa check the website

The residence card

If you want to stay in France more than three months, you need to obtain a residence card. This residence card is compulsory for all non french nationals.

• E.U. citizens
  To obtain your residence card you need to go to the townhall of your city or at the Prefecture.  It's better to go yourself in order to obtain quickly this card. Be patient with the French administration and everything will be fine !
  These are the documents that you will need to present :
  - three I.D. photographs
  - a valid passport
  - a birth certificate
  - a copy of your work contract (if you have)
  - a proof of your address in France (bills like EDF-GDF or France Telecom…)
  - a document that proves you have health insurance or the form E111 will be fine
  It's best to have several copies of each document.
• Non-E.U. citizens
  Before obtaining this card, your future employer must submit a dossier to different French Administration offices. When you have got your work contract, you can ask for a residence card within three months of your arrival in France.
  Here are the documents that you will need :
  - three I.D. photographs
  - valid passport
  - a birth certificate or family record book
  - your work contract stamped by the OMI (International Migrations Office)
  - a proof of your French residence (bills like EDG-GDF or France Telecom…)
  It's best to have several copies of each documents.
• For more information contact:
  Préfecture de Paris
  50 av Daumesnil
  75012
  PARIS
  Tel: + 33 (0)1 4928 4000

Be patient with the French administration!