Country topic
Visas in France
Citizens of the United States, Canada, Australia and New Zealand can stay up to 90 days in any 180 across the Schengen area without a visa. Days spent in other Schengen countries count towards the same 90. [Visas V1] [V2] [V3] [V4] US citizens get 90 more days in mainland France under a 1949 agreement, taken after the first 90. New Zealanders get 90 more under an agreement applied since 1947; the French stay must come after the Schengen one, and you tell the border officer when you enter France. We found no extra days for Canadians or Australians. [Visas V1] [V4] [V2]
What we found
The research, with its sources.
Research information, not advice. Rules change, so check the source before you act on one.
- Citizens of the United States, Canada, Australia and New Zealand can stay up to 90 days in any 180 across the Schengen area without a visa. Days spent in other Schengen countries count towards the same 90. [Visas V1] [V2] [V3] [V4]
- US citizens get 90 more days in mainland France under a 1949 agreement, taken after the first 90. New Zealanders get 90 more under an agreement applied since 1947; the French stay must come after the Schengen one, and you tell the border officer when you enter France. We found no extra days for Canadians or Australians. [Visas V1] [V4] [V2]
- The "visiteur" card is for staying more than 3 months without working. It is valid 1 year at most, is renewable and costs €350 (a €300 tax plus a €50 stamp). You need enough resources, health insurance for your stay and a handwritten statement that you will not work in France. [V5]
- The visitor card asks for resources of about €1,500 net a month for a single person, or about €17,700 over a year; to be safe, have more than €1,500 a month or €18,000 a year. They can be your own or a family member's, and child benefits don't count. The figure follows the Smic, which changes at least once a year. [V5] [V6]
- The "entrepreneur/profession libérale" card is for a main activity that is registered, economically viable and fits your qualifications or experience. You show the activity can bring in about €1,900 a month, the gross Smic; to be safe, more than €1,900. The first card lasts up to 1 year and costs €350. [V7] [V6] [V8]
- After the first freelance card, a four-year card can be requested if you still meet the conditions, show A2 French and pass a civic exam. For a liberal profession, registration with Urssaf is part of the file. [V7]
- The salaried card needs a work authorisation, which the employer requests online before you travel. A talent route, the EU Blue Card, asks for a gross salary of about €59,400 a year; to be safe, more than €60,000. We found no official page saying whether remote work for a foreign employer counts as work in France, so ask the consulate. [V9] [V10] [V11]
- Service-Public says to apply for a long-stay visa no more than 3 months before you leave; the French embassy in the US says up to six months. Silence for 2 months counts as a refusal. A VLS-TS must be validated online within 3 months of arrival, with a tax. [V12] [V13] [V14]
- For the liberal-profession visa, Service-Public says the visa asks you to request a card within 2 months of arrival, while one archived France-Visas page gives 15 days. Confirm which deadline applies to the visa you are issued. [V12] [V8]
- Years on a visitor, salaried, freelance or talent card count towards the five continuous years for the EU long-term resident card, which lasts 10 years and also asks for resources, health cover and integration. Absences of up to 6 months in a row, 10 in total, are allowed. [V15]
- Working holiday schemes exist for some passports. Canada's youth mobility agreement allows stays of up to 24 months in total for ages 18 to 35, Australia's visa is for ages 18 to 35 for up to 12 months with no extension, and New Zealand's is for ages 18 to 30 for 12 months. [V16] [V12] [V17]
The Fernshore Index
How the Index grades visas, by passport.
Each grade is against a published measure, with its source and the date we checked it. It is research information, not advice. Where we have no figure, the row says Unknown.
Visa, United States passport
85 of 100Strong
A visitor card is open without a French job offer: valid 1 year at most and renewable, no minimum age, no deposit, and resources of about EUR 17,700 a year (about US$19,900 at the ECB rate of 9 October 2026), well under US$60,000. To be safe, have more than EUR 18,000 a year. It does not allow work. A one-year renewable card is read here as a year or more.
Source: Carte de séjour "visiteur" (visitor residence card); Visa de long séjour (séjour de plus de 3 mois à 1 an). Checked 15 October 2026.
Visa, Canada passport
85 of 100Strong
A visitor card is open without a French job offer: valid 1 year at most and renewable, no minimum age, no deposit, and resources of about EUR 17,700 a year (about US$19,900 at the ECB rate of 9 October 2026), well under US$60,000. To be safe, have more than EUR 18,000 a year. It does not allow work. A one-year renewable card is read here as a year or more.
Source: Carte de séjour "visiteur" (visitor residence card); Visa de long séjour (séjour de plus de 3 mois à 1 an). Checked 15 October 2026.
Visa, Australia passport
85 of 100Strong
A visitor card is open without a French job offer: valid 1 year at most and renewable, no minimum age, no deposit, and resources of about EUR 17,700 a year (about US$19,900 at the ECB rate of 9 October 2026), well under US$60,000. To be safe, have more than EUR 18,000 a year. It does not allow work. A one-year renewable card is read here as a year or more.
Source: Carte de séjour "visiteur" (visitor residence card); Visa de long séjour (séjour de plus de 3 mois à 1 an). Checked 15 October 2026.
Visa, New Zealand passport
85 of 100Strong
A visitor card is open without a French job offer: valid 1 year at most and renewable, no minimum age, no deposit, and resources of about EUR 17,700 a year (about US$19,900 at the ECB rate of 9 October 2026), well under US$60,000. To be safe, have more than EUR 18,000 a year. It does not allow work. A one-year renewable card is read here as a year or more.
Source: Carte de séjour "visiteur" (visitor residence card); Visa de long séjour (séjour de plus de 3 mois à 1 an). Checked 15 October 2026.
The country
More on France.
Topics
More about France.
Questions about Visas in France.
How long can I stay in France without a visa?
Citizens of the US, Canada, Australia and New Zealand can stay up to 90 days in any 180 across the Schengen area. US citizens get 90 more days in mainland France under a 1949 agreement and New Zealanders 90 more under a 1947 one, taken after the first 90. We found none for Canadians or Australians.
Can I work in France on a visitor card?
No. The "visiteur" card lets you stay more than 3 months without working, and you give a handwritten promise not to work. It lasts 1 year at most and costs €350. We found no official page saying whether remote work for a foreign employer counts as work in France, so ask the consulate.
How much income or money does a French residence card ask for?
The visitor card asks for a net monthly income for a single person; to be safe, have more than €1,500 a month or €18,000 a year. The freelance card asks for a monthly activity income; to be safe, more than €1,900. Both follow the Smic, which changes yearly.
When should I apply for a French long-stay visa, and what happens after I arrive?
Service-Public says apply no more than 3 months before you leave; the French embassy in the US says up to six. Silence for 2 months counts as a refusal. Validate a VLS-TS online within 3 months of arriving, with a tax. For a liberal-profession visa, confirm whether the card deadline is 2 months or 15 days.
Do years on a French residence card lead to long-term residence?
Years on several permits count towards the five continuous years for the EU long-term resident card, including the visitor, salaried, freelance and talent cards. It is valid 10 years and also asks for resources, health cover and integration. Absences up to 6 months in a row (10 in total) are allowed.
Sources
Where each figure comes from.
Every figure on this page links to the page we read, with the date we checked it.
- [K1] Carte de séjour "visiteur" (visitor residence card), Service-Public.fr (French government information service). Checked 15 October 2026. Page verified 1 June 2026: valid 1 year at most and renewable; resources of EUR 1,477.93 net a month for a single person; health insurance; no work in France.
- [FR V1] Visa de long séjour (séjour de plus de 3 mois à 1 an), Service-Public.fr (French government information service). Checked 15 October 2026. Page verified 9 October 2026: more than 3 months in France needs a long-stay visa (type D) from the French consulate, valid from 3 months to 1 year; one of its cases is a visitor who can live on their own resources; it does not allow work.
- [Visas V1] Gradual implementation of the Entry/Exit System (EES): US citizens and the bilateral agreement, Embassy of France in the United States. Checked 15 October 2026.
- [V2] Travel advice and advisories: France (entry and exit requirements), Government of Canada (travel.gc.ca). Checked 10 October 2026.
- [V3] Travelling to Europe and the Schengen Area (archived copy), Smartraveller (Australian Government, DFAT), Internet Archive copy of 6 September 2026. Checked 10 October 2026.
- [V4] Séjour prolongé en Europe: rules for New Zealand citizens, Embassy of France in New Zealand. Checked 15 October 2026.
- [V5] Carte de séjour "visiteur" (visitor residence card), Service-Public.fr (French government information service). Checked 15 October 2026.
- [V6] Minimum wage (Smic): amounts, Service-Public.fr (French government information service). Checked 15 October 2026.
- [V7] Carte de séjour "entrepreneur/profession libérale", Service-Public.fr (French government information service). Checked 15 October 2026.
- [V8] Self employed person or liberal activity (archived copy), France-Visas (official French visa portal), Internet Archive copy of 11 January 2026. Checked 10 October 2026.
- [V9] Carte de séjour "salarié" ou "travailleur temporaire", Service-Public.fr (French government information service). Checked 15 October 2026.
- [V10] Carte de séjour "talent", Service-Public.fr (French government information service). Checked 15 October 2026.
- [V11] Séjour touristique de plus de 3 mois (visitor long-stay visa, archived copy), France-Visas (official French visa portal), Internet Archive copy of 6 October 2026. Checked 10 October 2026.
- [V12] Long-stay visa (more than 3 months to 1 year), Service-Public.fr (French government information service). Checked 15 October 2026.
- [V13] Applying for a visa, Embassy of France in the United States. Checked 10 October 2026.
- [V14] Validate a VLS-TS and pay the tax (online procedure), Service-Public.fr (French government information service). Checked 10 October 2026.
- [V15] Carte de résident de longue durée-UE (étranger en France depuis 5 ans), Service-Public.fr (French government information service). Checked 15 October 2026.
- [V16] Accord franco-canadien relatif à la mobilité des jeunes (France–Canada youth mobility agreement), Embassy of France in Canada. Checked 10 October 2026.
- [V17] Working Holiday Scheme (France), New Zealand Embassy in Paris (Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade). Checked 10 October 2026.