Long-Stay Visa for France: A Guide for US Citizens
Moving to France, or simply staying longer than a few months, requires more than a valid passport. As a US citizen, you can enter France without a visa, but the 90-day Schengen limit applies regardless of your plans. Beyond that threshold, a long-stay visa is mandatory.
Here is what you need to know.
What is a Long-Stay Visa?
A long-stay visa, known in French as a visa de long séjour or VLS, is a type D visa that authorises a stay of more than 90 days. As a US passport holder, you do not need a visa for short stays in France, but beyond that threshold, a long-stay visa is mandatory. The visa is issued by a French consulate in the United States, and the application is submitted through the France-Visas portal.
Which Type of Visa Do You Need?
The right visa depends on why you are coming to France:
Visitor (visiteur): you live on your own means and will not work in France. This is the most common route for financially independent Americans: retirees, remote workers on foreign payroll, or people who simply want to live in France without professional ties there.
Employed / Salaried: you have a job offer from a French employer.
Talent Passport (passeport talent): for investors, highly skilled professionals, and researchers. Investors from the US benefit from a specific fast-track arrangement linked to the French-American E-visa equivalence agreement, which can lead to a four-year residence permit.
Family: if you are married to a French national, you are automatically entitled to a long-stay visa.
Student: for enrolment in a French higher education institution.
Choosing the correct category matters. Applying under the wrong heading is one of the most common reasons for refusal.
What Are the Key Requirements for the Visitor Visa?
If you are applying as a visiteur, you need to demonstrate three things:
Sufficient resources: your income must be at least equivalent to the French minimum wage (SMIC) on an annual basis. This can include pension income, rental income, dividends, or any stable personal income, including income from abroad.
Health insurance: a private policy covering the full duration of your stay in France. French public health coverage is not available at this stage.
Commitment not to work in France: you will be asked to sign an undertaking confirming that you will not take up any professional activity in France.
Stable housing for the duration of your stay must also be documented.
How to Apply from the United States ?
Applications are submitted online through france-visas.gouv.fr, then followed up with an in-person appointment at one of the VFS Global centres across the United States. The consulate handling your application is the Consulate General of France in Washington, D.C., regardless of where you submit your physical file.
Applications cannot be submitted more than three months before your intended departure date. Processing times vary, applying early is advisable.
What Happens After You Arrive in France?
The formalities do not end once you land. If your visa is a VLS-TS (long-stay visa equivalent to a residence permit), you must validate it online through the ANEF portal within three months of arrival. If your visa carries the note "carte de séjour à solliciter", you must attend your local préfecture within two months to obtain a residence permit.
This step is frequently overlooked and can jeopardise your legal status in France.
Can You Stay Beyond the First Year?
It depends on the type of visa you obtained. For some categories, once you are in France, you can apply directly for a residence permit (carte de séjour) from within France, without having to return to the United States. The application is filed with the prefecture responsible for your place of residence.
⚖️French immigration law can be complex to navigate alone. As a French lawyer based in Paris, I advise English-speaking clients on visas, residence permits and citizenship. To learn more about my practice and services, visit lz-avocat.com.