The long-stay “Visitor” visa allows a foreign national to stay in France for more than 3 months without carrying out any professional activity on French territory.
This scheme is mainly intended for people who have sufficient financial resources abroad or who are financially supported in France, and who wish to live in France for an extended period (family stay, retirement, accompanying a relative, long personal stay, or private studies).
JJP Visas Consulting assists you in verifying your eligibility and securing the entire procedure, from preparing the application to completing residence formalities in France.
Who is eligible for this type of visa?
The “Visitor” visa generally concerns the following profiles (non-exhaustive list):
- Ascendants of French nationals or their foreign spouses, when they do not qualify for the “dependent ascendant” visa.
- PACS partners or unmarried partners of French nationals or foreign residents legally living in France.
- Parents of foreign minor children enrolled in private schools in France.
- Retirees or individuals with stable income wishing to stay long-term in France.
- Any non-European person wishing to stay more than 3 months for personal, family or exploratory reasons (assisting a relative, extended stay, discovering the country).
If the stay exceeds 12 months, a VLS-TS Visitor is issued. After this period, a Visitor residence permit is generally required.
If the stay is under 12 months, a temporary long-stay visa (VLST) Visitor may be issued.
What are the main conditions to meet?
Obtaining the “Visitor” visa requires meeting several cumulative conditions:
- Stable and sufficient financial resources, generally at least equivalent to the French net minimum wage (around €1,400 net per month).
- Stable accommodation in France (personal housing or formalised hosting).
- Health insurance covering the first year of the stay.
- A commitment not to work in France.
The French authorities also verify the overall coherence of the stay project and the stability of the applicant’s personal situation.
What does the “Visitor” visa allow?
This visa authorises:
- Legal residence in France for more than 3 months.
- Living in France without professional activity.
- Maintaining a long-term personal or family life in France.
- The possibility of renewing or changing status, under certain conditions, at the end of the stay.
What JJP Visas Consulting does for you
To help you obtain this visa, we offer a complete programme tailored to each person and situation.
Step 1: Assistance with the long-stay “Visitor” visa application
We intervene from the preparation stage to secure your file. During this step, we:
- Analyse your personal and financial situation.
- Verify the compliance and coherence of supporting documents.
- Prepare the complete visa application file.
- Complete the France-Visas online form.
- Organise the appointment at the consulate or visa centre.
- Ensure follow-up of the application.
- Prepare and draft an appeal in case of visa refusal, if necessary.
The fee for this step is €600 (excluding consular fees and service provider fees).
Step 2: Assistance with residence formalities in France
Once the visa is issued, additional administrative steps may be required in France. We assist you with:
- Registration of the long-stay visa upon arrival.
- The first application for a “Visitor” residence permit, when required.
- Responding to additional requests from prefectures.
- Administrative follow-up throughout the stay.
The fee for residence formalities in France is €1,000.
A complete visa + residence package
For full and continuous support, JJP Visas Consulting offers a comprehensive package including:
- Visa application.
- Entry and installation formalities in France.
- First residence permit application.
- Assistance with any subsequent administrative requests.
The total fee for this package is €1,500.
Payment and refund conditions
Payment is made as follows:
- €600 at the start of the procedure (visa application).
- €1,000 after the visa is issued, for residence formalities in France.
For the full package:
- €600 at the start.
- €900 after the visa is issued.
Refunds related to the visa application
Partial refunds may apply in the following situations:
- If regulatory conditions are not met: refund after deduction of €250 management fees (i.e., €350 refunded).
- If a relevant alternative is proposed but refused by the applicant: refund after deduction of 50% (i.e., €300 refunded).
- In case of visa refusal and if the applicant waives appeals: refund after deduction of 50% (i.e., €300 refunded).
Refunds for residence formalities in France
Partial refunds may apply in case of visa refusal or non-eligibility, according to the general terms and after deduction of management fees.