For high-skilled, research, founder, or employer-backed applicants.
Route overview
High-skill, founder, or researcher route
Typical timeline / duration: 3-8 months
Important notes
Fit one of the Talent Passport categories, such as qualified employee, EU Blue Card, researcher, innovative founder, business creator, company representative, or artist.
Provide category-specific evidence: for example, a qualifying French degree and employment contract, a research hosting agreement, or a genuine funded business project.
For the qualified-employee category, the current official page requires a French master-level qualification and a contract over three months paying at least €39,582 gross annually.
For the EU Blue Card category, the current official page requires at least three years of higher education or qualifying experience, a contract of at least six months, and at least €59,373 gross annually.
This is a family of routes rather than one single visa; eligibility, salary, evidence, and work rights depend on the selected Talent Passport category.
For stays under 12 months, a long-stay visa equivalent to a residence permit may be used; longer stays generally require the multi-year residence card process, with validity tied to the contract up to the permitted maximum.