Residence card or VLS-TS - Job search/company creation
Verified 18 April 2024 - Directorate for Legal and Administrative Information (Prime Minister)
If you are a foreigner no European, whether you are a graduate of a French institution (master's or equivalent) and wish to work in France after your higher education, you can apply for a long-stay visa as a residence permit (VLS-TS) or a residence card job search or company creation. The rules are different if you have stayed in France with a talent-researcher. We explain what you need to know about this residence card.
You graduated in France
Temporary residence card or VLS-TS - job search or company creation allows you to stay in France and work there without restriction for 1 year to allow you to find a job or create a company related to your studies or research.
You are concerned if you fill in the 2 the following conditions:
- Staying (or having stayed) in France with a student residence card
- Have obtained a professional license, a Specialized Master'S Degree, one Master of Science (labeled by the colleges conference) or a other degree at least equivalent to the master's degree
If you come from a country which has concluded an agreement on migration flows with France, you can apply for a provisional residence permit (APS) for a 1re professional experience.
Warning
Other rules apply if you are European or Algerian.
The procedure is different depending on whether you have just graduated in France or have gone abroad after graduating in France.
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You just graduated from France
You must submit your application to the prefecture (or sub-prefecture) before the end of validity of your residence card.
Warning
It is not possible to carry out the procedures in some sub-prefectures. Find out more on your prefecture's website.
Documents to be provided
- Passport (pages concerning civil status, validity dates, entry stamps and visas)
or consular attestation with photo
or photo ID
or consular card with photo
or certificate of nationality under 6 months with photo
- Proof of domicile less than 6 months old
- 3 photos.
If the request is made on the internet: enter the code of the e-photo (provided by the photographer or the approved cabin on the photo board).
If you don't have an e-photo yet, you can locate a digital photo and signature service.
- Residence card student (or student - mobility program) valid, or a long-stay visa valid as a valid residence permit on the Internet.
- Diploma at least equivalent to the master's degree or diploma of professional license, obtained within the year (or proof of final completion of the diploma if you present it later)
- Health insurance voucher
- Proof of a company creation project in a field corresponding to your training (if that is your objective)
If your file is complete, you will receive a receipt awaiting the response of the prefecture.
Cost
You must pay a tax and a stamp duty €75 by tax stamps.
Card Delivery
It is given to you by the prefecture (or sub-prefecture) where you filed your application.
If your prefecture (or sub-prefecture) has not replied within 4 months, your request is refused.
You went abroad after graduating in France
If you left the French territory after graduating, you can apply for this visa within a maximum of 4 years from the date of issue of that diploma.
Who shall I contact
The visa issued is a long-stay visa valid as a residence permit (VLS-TS), marked ‘Job search/company creation’.
VLS-TS Validation
Within 3 months of your arrival in France, you must validate your VLS-TS and pay a tax in addition to the visa fee.
The Internet approach makes it possible to be in regular stay and to be able to cross the border again from the Schengen area.
Validate a long-stay visa as a residence permit (VLS-TS) and pay the tax
Documents to be provided
For a list of the documents to be provided, we invite you to use a simulator:
France-Visas - Visa Assistants - List of documents to be supplied
Cost
You must pay a tax and a stamp duty €75 by tax stamps.
The residence card or VLS-TS is valid 1 year. It shall not be renewable.
At the end of the validity of your VLS-TS card, if you have found a job, have a job promise or have set up a company, you can apply for a residence card in a professional capacity.
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You found a job
Salary Amount | Residence permit |
|---|---|
From €2,650.38 monthly gross and employment related to your training | |
From €42,406 annual gross | |
From €53,836.50 annual gross |
You're creating your company
Depending on your situation, you can ask for one of the following cards:
You have a talent-researcher residency card
If you have a talent-researcher residence card that is coming to the end of its validity, you can request a residence permit job search/company creation.
The temporary residence card job search or company creation allows you to stay in France and allows you to complete your training with a 1re professional experience of or creating a company in a field corresponding to your research.
This residence card or VLS-TS entitles you to search for and hold a job in connection with your training or research. Your compensation must be greater than €2,650.38.
You are concerned if you stay in France with a talent-researcher and have completed your research.
If you come from a country which has concluded an agreement on migration flows with France, you can apply for a provisional residence permit (APS) for a 1re professional experience.
Warning
other rules apply if you are European or Algerian.
You must submit your application for a residence card in the prefecture (or sub-prefecture) before the end of validity of your talent-researcher.
Warning
It is not possible to carry out the procedures in some sub-prefectures. Find out more on your prefecture's website.
Documents to be provided
- Passport (pages concerning civil status, validity dates, entry stamps and visas)
or consular attestation with photo
or photo ID
or consular card with photo
or certificate of nationality under 6 months with photo
- Talent Card - researcher (or mobility researcher) valid, or a long-stay visa valid as a valid residence permit on the internet
- Proof of domicile less than 6 months old
- 3 photos.
If the request is made on the internet: enter the code of the e-photo (provided by the photographer or the approved cabin on the photo board).
If you don't have an e-photo yet, you can locate a digital photo and signature service.
- Health insurance voucher
- Confirmation by the research organization of the completion of the research work (you may present it at the time of submission of the card)
- Proof of a company creation project in a field corresponding to your research (if that is your objective)
If your file is complete, you will receive a receipt awaiting the response of the prefecture.
Cost
You must pay a tax and a stamp duty €75 by tax stamps.
Card Delivery
The card is given to you by the prefecture (or sub-prefecture) where you submitted your application.
If your prefecture (or sub-prefecture) has not replied within 4 months, your request is refused.
The residence card is valid 1 year. It shall not be renewable.
At the end of the validity of your card, if you have found a job or if you have set up a company, you can apply for a residence card in a professional capacity.
Répondez aux questions successives et les réponses s’afficheront automatiquement
You found a job
Salary Amount | Residence permit |
|---|---|
From €2,650.38 monthly gross and employment related to your training | |
From €42,406 annual gross | |
From €53,836.50 annual gross |
You're creating your company
Depending on your situation, you can ask for one of the following cards:
Who can help me?
Find who can answer your questions in your region
Telephone administrative information - Allo Public Service
For more information on this topic, you can contact Allô Service Public.
Cost: free service
The informants who answer you belong to the Ministry of the Interior.
Attention: the service does not have access to users' personal files and cannot therefore provide information on their status.
The service is available at the following times:
- Lundi : de 08h30 à 17h30
- Mardi : de 08h30 à 12h15
- Mercredi : de 08h30 à 12h15
- Jeudi : de 08h30 à 17h30
- Vendredi : de 13h00 à 16h15
Student or researcher foreigners extending their stay for job search or company creation purposes
Minimum Wage
Refusal and withdrawal of the residence card
Refusal and withdrawal of the residence card
Taxes and stamp duty payable
List of documents to be supplied: points 26 to 28
FAQ
Ministry of the Interior