Temporary residence card "visitor" of a foreigner in France

Verified 15 April 2024 - Directorate for Legal and Administrative Information (Prime Minister)

Are you a foreigner and would like to stay in France for more than 3 months as an inactive person? You can obtain a temporary residence card visitor. It allows you to stay in France for more than 3 months without being able to work. It concerns in particular foreigners who come to exercise religious functions in France. The card is issued under resource conditions. It is valid for a maximum of 1 year and is renewable. We present you with the information you need to know.

The regulations are different depending on your nationality.

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You're Algerian

If you are Algerian, you can get a 1-year certificate of residence visitor.

You're European

If you are European, you cannot obtain a temporary residence card visitor.

You do not need a residence permit.

However, you can ask an EU/EEA/Switzerland Citizen residence card as a pensioner or inactive person.

Other situation

If you are a foreigner (except European or Algerian) and you wish to come to France for more than 3 months, you must have a long-stay visa as residence permit (VL-TS) mention visitor.

You must commit not to work in France and you must have sufficient resources to live throughout your stay.

The minimum amount of resources required for a single person is €1,398.70 monthly net payments, over 1 year.

This may be your own resources (annuities or pensions, real estate income, etc.) or those of a family member. You can present bank certificates or bonds or proof of income provided by creditworthy persons.

Housing conditions are also taken into account in the assessment of your resources, and possibly bonds provided by creditworthy persons (your family in particular).

Family allowances are not taken into account (they are paid to maintain children).

For example, you can get this title as:

  • Dependent parent of your children who are legally resident in France
  • Partner of Civil partnerships: titleContent (less than 1 year of shared life)
  • Religious (priest, imam, etc.) if you come to exercise your duties in France

Warning  

The prefecture may refuse to deliver you your residence card if you are in one of the following cases:

  • You have not complied with an obligation to leave the territory (OQTF)
  • You committed acts of forgery and used false documents
  • You committed crimes offenses bass or crimes (drug trafficking, trafficking in human beings, procuring, working conditions or undignified accommodation, in particular)
  • You have committed acts of violence against elected officials, public officials or security officers

Filing of the application

You must submit your card application on the Internet, at the earliest 4 months and at the latest 2 months before the end of validity of your residence document (visa, VLS-TS or title):

Apply online for a residence permit, a change of situation, a travel document, an application for ANEF naturalization

When you apply for a residence permit on the Internet, you immediately get a dematerialized certificate deposit.

Documents to be provided

  • A valid long-stay visa or residence permit (unless you hold a travel card) Long-term resident - EU issued by another Member State of the European Union)
  • Full copy of birth certificate with the most recent entries
  • 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
  • Medical certificate issued by theOfii: titleContent (to be delivered at the time of delivery of the security)
  • Proof of your resources reaching an annual amount equal to €16,784.32 (bank certificates, surety bonds for creditworthy persons, pension security for pensioners, etc.)
  • If you are under the care of a third party: documents proving sufficient resources of the guarantor, proof of financial responsibility and identity card of the guarantor
  • Certificate on the handwritten honor of not working in France
  • Proof of sickness insurance covering the duration of your stay
  • Proof of payment of the tax on the residence permit and stamp duty (to be submitted at the time of issue of the permit)

Study of the demand

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Your request is accepted

If your application is accepted, you are summoned to the prefecture for the issue of the title.

Your request is denied

If the prefect has notified you of the refusal

The decision of the prefect is yours notified by reasoned letter (explicit decision). Except in exceptional circumstances, such refusal shall be accompanied by a obligation to leave French territory (OQTF) setting the country to which you will be returned.

You can form a litigation before the administrative court (within 48 hours, 15 days or 30 days depending on the type of OQTF). You don't have to have a lawyer.

Who shall I contact
No reply from the prefect on your request

If the prefecture hasn't responded after 4 months, it's an implicit refusal.

You can then train within 2 months from such refusal :

Who shall I contact

Warning  

If your receipt reaches the end of its validity period and you do not have a response from the prefecture, it is possible that the processing time will be extended. In this case, you can obtain the renewal of your receipt. Find out more on your prefecture's website.

Cost

You have to pay €225 (tax of €200 + stamp duty €25) by tax stamps.

Proof of payment of stamp duty is requested when the card is handed over.

Card Delivery

Your card is given to you by the prefecture or sub-prefecture of your residence (depending on the place where your application is filed).

This card is valid for 1 year and renewable.

Approach

You must submit your card renewal application on the Internet, at the earliest 4 months and at the latest 2 months before the end of validity of your travel document (visa, VLS-TS or title).

Apply online for a residence permit, a change of situation, a travel document, an application for ANEF naturalization

Warning  

The prefecture may refuse to accept you renew your residence card if you are in one of the following situations:

  • You have not complied with an obligation to leave the territory (OQTF)
  • You committed acts of forgery and used false documents
  • You committed crimes offenses bass or crimes (drug trafficking, trafficking in human beings, procuring, working conditions or undignified accommodation, in particular)
  • You have committed acts of violence against elected officials, public officials or security officers

Cost

You have to pay €225 by tax stamps.

Proof of payment of stamp duty is requested when the card is handed over.

If you submit your application after the deadline, except in cases of force majeure or presentation of a valid visa, you will have to pay a visa fee for regularization of €180.

You must pay this visa fee by tax stamps.

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

    Request a call