France Digital Nomad Visa (How To Work Remotely In France)

France does not have a visa specifically designed for digital nomads but it does offer a number of options for US remote workers who are not EU (European Union) or EEA (European Economic Area) citizens.

If you’re looking to simply visit France for a while, then the Short-Stay Visa allows non-EU and non-EEA citizens to stay in the country (and the ​​rest of the Schengen European area) for up to 90 days.

However, this visa can’t be renewed and you can also only visit the country on this visa for 90 days within each six month period. You are not allowed to take up a job with a French employer while on this visa.

Page Contents

• Is There a Digital Nomad Visa for France?
• France Long-Stay Visa Options—The Profession Liberale
• Eligible Occupations for The Profession Liberale Visa
• How to Apply for the France Profession Liberale Visa
• Documents Required to Apply for the Profession Liberale Visa
• Cost of applying for the Profession Liberal Long-Stay Visa
• List of French Consulates in the US
• Extending Your Profession Liberal Visa and Becoming a Permanent Resident of France
• Other Digital Nomad Visa Options for France
• Applying for a Long-Stay Visa While Already in France
• How Can Total Law Help?
• Frequently Asked Questions

To live and work in France as a digital nomad, a long-stay visa is your best option. There are various kinds of long-stay visas for France and they usually allow non-EU and non-EEA citizens to stay in the country for a period of one to four years, depending on the visa type.

One of the best and most flexible France visa options for US digital nomads, freelancers, and remote workers is the Profession Liberale (liberal profession) Visa. The Profession Liberale Visa is initially valid for one year, which the French government treats as a probation period. Once it expires it is potentially renewable for up to four years.

This visa allows you to either:

• Work remotely in France as a digital nomad.
• Offer services to clients in France as an independent contractor.

There are no occupation restrictions for the Profession Liberale visa, making it very flexible. As long as you are offering services on a freelance basis, rather than seeking a job with a French employer, then you will be compliant with this visa. Examples of independent contractor services that digital nomads can offer include:

• Journalist
• Coder
• Virtual assistant
• Web designer
• Graphic designer
• Marketing consultant
• Business consultant
• Copywriter
• Architect
• Illustrator
• Translator
• Tutor

To apply for this visa, you will have to complete a number of steps both outside and within France.

Step one: Make an appointment with your nearest French consulate in the US or whichever country you are currently residing in.

Step two: Prepare all of the required documents and complete the long-stay visa form for “Entrepreneur/Independent Professional: Temporary Residence Permit”. You can access this via the Republique Francaise website.

Step three: Visit your nearest French consulate to process your application. Processing times for your application will generally take around two to three weeks but times can vary, so do check in advance. Once your form has been processed you will receive your Profession Liberale entry visa to France. However, this is only the first part of the process and you will also have to complete a second stage after entering France.

Step four: Once you arrive in France, you have to validate your visa online via the OFII online platform. You have to do this within 90 days of arrival and must supply all of your visa information, as well as your address in France. You will also have to pay your residence permit fees at this stage. Following this, you will receive your France temporary residence permit.

At each stage, you must make sure that all of your documents are in order and that the information you supply is accurate. Any inaccuracies or missing information might prolong or negatively affect your application processing.

You will need the following documents for your visa application (bear in mind that the French government might also ask you to supply additional information):

• A signed copy of the French long-stay visa application form, which you can access via the Republique Francaise website.
• Three recent and identical passport photographs in the ISO/IEC format.
• Copies of any previous French visas that you’ve had.
• Scanned pages of a US passport issued less than 10 years ago and with at least two blank pages available. Your passport must have an expiry date at least three months longer than the initial length of the Profession Liberal Visa, meaning it must be valid for three months longer than a year.
• If you are not an American citizen then you need to provide proof of your legal residency status in the US, for instance, a Green Card.
• A cover letter containing a statement explaining the purpose of your stay e.g. to work remotely. This should also include a business plan and projected income for the next few years.
• A signed statement outlining your professional experience. If your occupation requires a professional accreditation and official authorisation to practice, then you should provide evidence of this. It would also be useful to provide evidence of relevant educational qualifications related to your occupation, for instance, a Bachelor’s degree certificate.
• Proof that you have registered with the URSSAF (French body that manages social security).
• Proof of funds, for instance, bank statements showing that you earn a US dollar amount at least equivalent to the minimum wage in France of €1,747.20 per month or €20,966 euros per year (approximately $1870 per month or $22,500 per year).
• Proof that you have private travel health Insurance with a minimum coverage of €30,000 (approximately $32,000).
• Once you arrive in the country and are validating your visa online, you will also be asked to provide proof of your address in France. This can be in the form of an apartment lease or a hotel invoice.

The application cost for the Profession Liberal visa is €99 (approximately $105) and you will also have to pay tax of €200 (approximately $215) to the French Office of Immigration and Integration (OFII), as well as stamp duty of €25 (approximately $27).

A summary of france digital nomad visa fees

In total, the cost of applying for this long-stay visa is €324 (approximately $347).

You can find French consulates in the following US cities and it is important to make an appointment in advance. Bear in mind that depending on the season, there might be waiting times to secure an appointment:

The Profession Liberal long-stay visa offers a route for American digital nomads in France to extend their stay indefinitely.

Although the visa is initially valid for one year, it can potentially be extended for up to four years. To do so, you will need to prove that your earnings over your past year in France were equivalent to a full-time rate of the French minimum national wage. The cost of extending your long-stay visa is €225 (approximately $240).

You have to apply for your extension two months before your Profession Liberal Visa expires.

After five years of uninterrupted residence in France, you can apply to become a long-term resident, allowing you to stay permanently in the country and even to apply for French citizenship. To become a permanent resident, you will have to prove that you have knowledge of the French language at the immersion level.

Other France visa options that are potentially suitable for American digital nomads include:

• Artistic and Cultural Profession Visa—a skilled worker visa for creative people that allows you to work in France on either an employed or self-employed basis. It is valid for up to four years.
• The EU Blue Card Visa—a visa for highly skilled people with a university degree and five years of professional experience. It is valid for four years.
• The Talent Passport Visa—a visa for digital nomads who want to start a business in the country and have at least €30,000 (equivalent to $42,000) in funds. It is valid for four years.

If you arrive in France on a short-stay visa and want to prolong your stay, then you must apply for a long-stay visa within fifteen days of arrival. You must do so at your local government Préfecture (office of the prefect).

To apply for a long-stay visa while in France, you will have to provide all of the same documentation as you would if you were applying from within the US.