Long Stay Visa Visitor VLS
A France long-stay visitor visa allows non-EU nationals to stay in France for more than three months.
This visa is for people who do not intend to work in France. Applicants must show that they can support themselves during their stay.
The visa may suit people who wish to stay in France for retirement, private reasons, family reasons, or a long temporary stay.
What Is a Long-Stay Visitor Visa France?
A long-stay visitor visa (visa de long séjour “visiteur”) allows non-EU nationals to stay in France for more than three months without taking up professional activity in France.
It is generally intended for people who wish to spend a longer period in France for personal reasons, whether for retirement, a long private stay, or to enjoy more time with family or friends, provided they meet the relevant legal and documentary requirements.
Who Can Apply for a VLS Visitor Visa??
In general, the visa de long séjour “visiteur” may be suitable for applicants who wish to remain in France for an extended period on a private basis, without entering the French labour market, and who are able to support themselves through sufficient resources. This often includes retirees, financially self-sufficient applicants, and, in some situations, individuals whose income or ongoing professional ties remain based abroad.
- Retirement: This visa may suit applicants who wish to spend their retirement in France. They can rely on pensions or other stable resources.
- Financially Self-Sufficient Applicants: Appropriate for those able to support themselves through savings, investments, or other resources from abroad.
- Long Private Stay: For individuals wishing to remain in France for an extended period on a private basis.
- Family or Personal Reasons: For applicants seeking to spend more time in France with family members, friends, or a partner.
- International Income or Ties Abroad: Suitable in certain situations where the applicant’s income, resources, or ongoing ties remain outside France. The applicant must not intend to enter the French labour market.
Two Main Types
For the visa de long séjour “visiteur”, the type of visa issued often depends on how the stay is presented in the application and how long the applicant intends to remain in France.
Where the stay is clearly temporary, for example six or seven months, the consulate may issue a visa intended for a limited stay.
Where the applicant intends to live in France for a longer period, the visa may instead be issued in a form that must be validated after arrival. This is generally the form used when the applicant plans to establish a longer residence in France and may later apply for the next residence document from within France.
Long-Stay Visitor Visa Type T
- Validity: For a stay of more than 3 months and up to 1 year.
- Mention on the visa: The visa vignette includes the word “dispense”.
- Validation: The holder does not need to validate this visa after arrival.
- Residence effect: This visa does not function as a residence document in France.
- Practical effect: This visa is intended for a temporary stay. The holder is expected to leave France when it expires.
Long-Stay Visitor Visa Type TS
- Validity: Usually issued for several months and up to 1 year.
- Validation: The holder must validate this visa after arrival in France.
- Residence effect: Once validated, it serves as a residence document during its validity.
- Practical effect: If the holder wishes to stay longer, they can apply in France for the next residence document.
Main Benefits of the Visitor TS
- Longer stay in France: The Visitor TS is generally issued for several months and up to one year. This makes it a practical option for applicants planning a more settled stay in France.
- Ability to continue the stay from within France: If the holder wishes to remain in France beyond the initial visa period, they can apply for the next residence document from within France. This avoids starting the process again from abroad.
- Validation after arrival: Once validated after arrival, the Visitor TS serves as a residence document during its validity. The holder must complete the online validation within three months of arrival.
- Straightforward core documentation:In most visitor applications, the main supporting documents focus on identity, accommodation, sufficient resources, and medical insurance. This makes the file relatively clear and structured to prepare.
- No standard language test at the visa stage: For this category, the standard visa process does not include a general language test requirement.
- No standard police background certificate in the core visitor file: In the usual supporting-document framework for a visitor stay, the core documents focus on the purpose of stay, resources, accommodation, and insurance. A routine police clearance certificate is not part of the core visitor file.
- Often processed relatively quickly:Processing times depend on the country of application and the time of year. In some posts, visitor visa applications may be handled quite quickly.
- May open the way to later residence steps in France: After a Visitor TS, later residence applications and even changes of status may be possible. This depends on the applicant’s situation and the category sought.
- Possible access to French health coverage in some situations after arrival: Access to French health coverage may become available after arrival and lawful residence in France. This depends on the person’s residence situation and the applicable rules.
- Travel within the Schengen Area during validity: A French long-stay visa allows travel within the Schengen Area for up to 90 days in any 180-day period during the visa’s validity, subject to the usual conditions.
Main Limitations of the Visitor TS
- No Employment: The visa does not permit employment or entrepreneurial activity in France.
- Limited Term: The visa or residence permit is usually valid for a maximum of 12 months. It therefore requires annual renewal if the holder wishes to remain in France.
- Personal Attendance: Renewal may be completed online in many cases. However, the holder may still need to attend the prefecture or a local appointment to collect the residence card or complete certain administrative steps.
Changing from a Visitor TS to Another Status
Holding a long-stay visitor visa does not always mean that the applicant must remain under the same status in the future. Depending on the individual circumstances, the applicant may be able to apply in France for another residence category.
This may include, for example, student status, certain family-based statuses, some talent passport categories, or, where applicable, statuses linked to vulnerability or medical grounds.
For this reason, the visitor visa may sometimes provide a useful initial basis for residence in France. A later application under a different category may then be possible, subject to the applicable legal conditions.
How To Apply
- Prepare Your Documentation : Gather the necessary documents, including a valid passport, proof of financial means, health insurance, and accommodation proof.
- Complete the Application Form: Complete the long-stay visa application form through the official France-Visas platform.
- Schedule an Appointment: Book an appointment with the relevant visa centre or consular service in your country of residence.
- Submit Your Application:Attend your appointment and submit your application with the required documents and visa fee.
- Validation in France: If you receive a long-stay visitor visa that requires validation, you must usually complete this step online. The validation must be completed within three months of entering France.
Essential Documents You Need
Before you embark on your visa application, ensure you have the necessary documents at hand:
Travel Document
- A valid travel document issued within the last 10 years, with at least two blank pages. The document should have a validity period of at least three months beyond your intended departure from the Schengen Area.
- ID photograph
- Visa application completed
Purpose of Travel/Stay:
Demonstrate the purpose of your visit with the following documents:
- Provide a letter from your employer or proof of business ownership/business license if you’re self-employed.
- If you’re retired, include your pension certificate as proof.
- Students should submit a certificate of enrollment from their educational institution.
- Write a letter explaining your project and confirm that you won’t engage in any professional activity in France during your stay.
Financial Means:
To apply for a long-stay visitor visa, the applicant must show sufficient financial resources for the entire stay in France. Supporting documents may include recent bank statements, pension statements, proof of investment income, or other evidence of stable available funds. The French authorities assess financial means in light of the length and purpose of the stay.
As a practical benchmark, resources are generally expected to be at least in line with the French minimum wage. Since 1 January 2026, the monthly SMIC has been €1,823.03 gross, or approximately €1,443.11 net.
Applicants who do not have regular monthly income may still support their application with sufficient savings or other available resources. Because there is no single official savings amount published for all visitor visa applications, each case is assessed on the basis of the documents provided and the overall consistency of the application
Travel Health Insurance:
Provide a travel health insurance certificate covering medical repatriation, emergency, and hospital treatment, with a minimum coverage of €30,000 valid for your entire stay in France. However, the requirements may vary based on the country from which you are applying.
For example, if you are applying from the UK:
• For stays in France up to 6 months: UK-insured reciprocal healthcare entitlement documents (valid EHIC/GHIC).
• For stays over 6 months: Private health insurance covering the entire validity of the visa (up to 1 year), except for retirees receiving a British retirement pension who may provide the S1 Form delivered by the NHS
Accommodation:
Submit proof of your accommodation in France. This could be in the form of a property title deed, tenancy agreement, or similar supporting document. If your accommodation will be provided by someone residing in France, include a document explaining the arrangement.
Service Fees
Visa Application Fee
For a standard long-stay visitor visa, the visa application fee is generally €99. This amount corresponds to the government fee for examining the application and is paid whether the visa is granted or refused, except where a specific exemption applies.
Appointment Booking Fees
In addition to the French government visa application fee, applicants may also need to pay a separate service fee to the external provider responsible for appointment booking and file intake, such as TLScontact or VFS Global. These fees vary depending on the country of submission.
In the United States, French visa appointments are now handled through TLScontact, which has replaced VFS Global, and applicants should generally expect a service fee of about USD 254 for a long-stay visa appointment.
In the United Kingdom, appointments are also handled through TLScontact, and the service fee is usually around £55 to £60.
As with all third-party provider fees, the exact amount may vary depending on the country and the provider’s current pricing at the time of booking.
Validation
Importance of Validating Your Long-Stay Visitor Visa in France
Validating your Visitor Visa (TS) is a critical step once you arrive in France. This process allows you to:
• Renew Your Visa: After your visa expires, you can renew it at the local Prefecture in France, enabling you to obtain a Residency Permit.
• Declare Your Permanent Address: Validation helps you officially declare your permanent address in France.
• Integrate into the Social Security System: Gradually become part of the French social security system
Long Stay Visa Visitor For Minors
Travel Document:
- Valid travel documents issued within the last 10 years, with at least two blank pages. Its validity should extend at least 3 months beyond the intended departure from the Schengen Area, or 3 months beyond the visa’s expiry date for long stays.
- ID photograph.
- Application Visa competed
Purpose of Travel/Stay
- Details of your child’s enrollment in an educational institution.
- Proof of rights of custody in case of parental separation or divorce, or written agreement from the parent with custody rights for the child’s stay in France
Financial Means:
For a minor applicant, proof of financial means is still required, but it will usually be assessed through the resources of the parent, parents, or legal guardian supporting the stay, rather than through the child’s own income. The file should therefore clearly show who is financing the stay and how the child will be accommodated and cared for in France.
Travel Health Insurance:
Provide a travel health insurance certificate, covering medical repatriation, emergency, and hospital treatment, with a minimum coverage of €30,000 valid for your entire stay in France.
Accommodation:
Submit proof of your accommodation in France. This could be in the form of a property title deed, tenancy agreement, or similar supporting document. If your accommodation will be provided by someone residing in France, include a document explaining the arrangement.
Tailor Your Situation:
Kindly remember that while we’ve outlined the general requirements, the French authorities might occasionally request additional documents based on individual cases. We truly understand that each person’s circumstances are unique. If you have any specific questions or concerns about your application, please don’t hesitate to reach out. We’re here to assist you in tailoring the visa application process according to your situation, ensuring a smoother journey for you.