France Tech Visa

The French Tech Visa is a fast-track route into the multi-year talent card for three profiles: employees of innovative companies, startup founders and investors (La French Tech). It isn't a separate permit or a digital nomad visa. Algerian nationals fall under a separate agreement and can't use it.

• Employees: salary of at least €39,582 a year
• Founders: resources of at least €22,404.20 a year and project funding of €30,000 when creating a company
• Investors: at least €300,000 invested in France
• Card length: up to 4 years, renewable

The France guide sets it beside the other routes.

Each profile has its own test (Service-Public, La French Tech):

• Employees: a job with a young innovative company or a company recognized as innovative by the economy ministry, paying at least €39,582 a year gross. A company can request an attestation of its innovative status online through the French Tech program.
• Founders: an innovative economic project recognized by a public body, with resources of at least the full-time SMIC, €22,404.20 a year gross. A founder creating a company also shows funding of at least €30,000.
• Investors: a direct investment of at least €300,000 in tangible or intangible assets in France, with jobs created or kept within 4 years.

The founder threshold follows the SMIC, so it moves when the minimum wage is revalued.

• a valid passport and the long-stay visa application
• Employees: the work contract and proof that the employer is recognized as innovative
• Founders: proof of the project's recognition, the funding and personal resources
• Investors: proof of the investment and the job plan

Business France's Welcome to France platform explains how to prepare each file (La French Tech). The consulate sets the final document list.

• Long-stay visa: €99 (France-Visas fee list), plus any visa center service charge
• Talent card: €350 (€50 stamp duty plus €300 tax), paid in France

The card fee applies since May 1, 2026 (Service-Public). Insurance, translations and legal help are extra.

Eligibility step through Business France's Welcome to France platform, then a long-stay visa from the French consulate in the country of residence and the card online (ANEF) after arrival.

1. Check eligibility and prepare the file through the Welcome to France platform.
2. Apply for the long-stay visa at the French consulate in the country of residence (France-Visas).
3. After arrival, apply online for the talent card on the ANEF portal.

No official processing time is published.

The talent card lasts up to 4 years. Employees get a card that matches the contract within that limit (Service-Public). It's renewable while the job, project or investment still meets the conditions, and renewals are filed online between 4 and 2 months before the card expires.

• Family: spouse and children can come under the same conditions and may work (La French Tech)
• Long-term residence: Yes, under the general rule: after 5 years of continuous legal residence a holder can apply for the 10-year EU long-term resident card, with French at level B1 and stable resources at least equal to the SMIC.

Holding a talent card through the French Tech Visa doesn't change how France taxes income. Service-Public lists no special tax regime for it.

France treats a person as a tax resident when any one of four tests is met: the household or main home is in France, the person spends at least 183 days there in the year, the main professional activity is in France, or the center of economic interests is there (Service-Public). Meeting one test is enough, so staying under 183 days doesn't guarantee non-residence. A tax treaty between France and another country can set different rules.

Anyone who keeps income or a home in another country should check the treaty and ask both tax authorities before the first French return.