Student residence card "mobility program"
Non-European students who do part of their studies in France within a mobility programme.
- Main fee
- €150
- Money to show
- €877.50
- Decision time
- 90 days
Last checked 3 Nov 2026
Official points and wording18 routes with quoted facts
France: routes compared
The same published facts for everyone: who each route is for, the main fee, the money to show and how long a decision takes. Open a route for the official wording and every source.
Information, not immigration advice. These are general summaries from official pages; always confirm there before you pay or apply.
Side by side
Figures below are what we have quoted from official pages. “Not stated” means we have not recorded a quote yet — it is not a pass or fail.
Approximate, at rates of 27 Oct 2026. Banks use different rates.
Visa or residence card "student"
Non-European people who want to study in France; they first apply for a long-stay visa marked 'student'.
- Main fee
- €150
- Money to show
- €877.50
- Decision time
- 90 days
Last checked 3 Nov 2026
Official points and wordingJob search / company creation (VLS-TS or residence card)
Non-European graduates of a French institution at master's level or equivalent who want to look for work or start a business after their studies.
- Main fee
- €150
- Money to show
- Not stated on pages we read
- Decision time
- Not stated on pages we read
Last checked 3 Nov 2026
Official points and wordingResidence card "ICT posted employee"
Managers and experts sent by their non-European employer to work for a company of the same group in France.
- Main fee
- €350
- Money to show
- €1,867.02
- Decision time
- Not stated on pages we read
Last checked 3 Nov 2026
Official points and wordingTalent card: European Blue Card
Highly qualified non-European workers with a job in France; the employer does not need to apply for a work permit.
- Main fee
- €350
- Money to show
- Not stated on pages we read
- Decision time
- Not stated on pages we read
Last checked 3 Nov 2026
Official points and wordingTalent card: medical and pharmacy professions
Doctors, pharmacists and similar professionals who hold an authorisation to practise under the French Public Health Code.
- Main fee
- €350
- Money to show
- Not stated on pages we read
- Decision time
- Not stated on pages we read
Last checked 3 Nov 2026
Official points and wordingTalent card: qualified employee
Non-European workers with a French master's-level degree, staff of an innovative company, or employees sent to France within their company group.
- Main fee
- €350
- Money to show
- Not stated on pages we read
- Decision time
- Not stated on pages we read
Last checked 3 Nov 2026
Official points and wordingTalent card: researcher
People with at least a master's-level degree who come to France to do research or teach at university level under a hosting agreement.
- Main fee
- €350
- Money to show
- Not stated on pages we read
- Decision time
- Not stated on pages we read
Last checked 3 Nov 2026
Official points and wordingVisa or residence card "ICT intern"
Non-European employees who come to France for an internship in a company of the group that employs them.
- Main fee
- €350
- Money to show
- €1,867.02
- Decision time
- Not stated on pages we read
Last checked 3 Nov 2026
Official points and wordingTalent card: person of national or international renown
People with an established national or international reputation who come to work in a scientific, literary, artistic, intellectual, educational or sporting field.
- Main fee
- €350
- Money to show
- €22,404.20
- Decision time
- Not stated on pages we read
Last checked 3 Nov 2026
Official points and wordingResidence card "seasonal worker"
Non-European people who want to stay in France to do seasonal work.
- Main fee
- €150
- Money to show
- Not stated on pages we read
- Decision time
- 3 months
Last checked 3 Nov 2026
Official points and wordingTemporary residence card "au pair"
Young non-European people hosted by a family in France in exchange for light housework and childcare, under an agreement with the family.
- Main fee
- €250
- Money to show
- Not stated on pages we read
- Decision time
- 90 days
Last checked 3 Nov 2026
Official points and wordingTalent card: project leader
People who create a company, run an innovative project recognised by the Ministry of Economy, or make a direct economic investment in France.
- Main fee
- €350
- Money to show
- €22,404.20
- Decision time
- Not stated on pages we read
Last checked 3 Nov 2026
Official points and wording10-year resident card
Non-European people with family ties in France, international protection or services rendered to France, under conditions.
- Main fee
- €350
- Money to show
- Not stated on pages we read
- Decision time
- 4 months
Last checked 3 Nov 2026
Official points and wordingFamily reunification
The spouse and minor children of a non-European foreign national who lives legally in France with a residence permit.
- Main fee
- Not stated on pages we read
- Money to show
- €1,867.02
- Decision time
- 6 months
Last checked 3 Nov 2026
Official points and wordingLong-term resident card - EU
Non-European people who have lived legally and continuously in France for a long period, or hold a Blue Card, and meet the conditions.
- Main fee
- €350
- Money to show
- €1,867.02
- Decision time
- Not stated on pages we read
Last checked 3 Nov 2026
Official points and wordingPermanent resident card
People who hold a resident card or an EU long-term resident card and ask for the permanent card on renewal.
- Main fee
- €350
- Money to show
- Not stated on pages we read
- Decision time
- Not stated on pages we read
Last checked 3 Nov 2026
Official points and wordingResidence card "retired"
Retired non-European people, and their spouses, who meet the conditions for a 'retired' residence card.
- Main fee
- €50
- Money to show
- Not stated on pages we read
- Decision time
- 4 months
Last checked 3 Nov 2026
Official points and wordingOther France visa types
19 more types from the official pages. Some have no quoted facts yet.
About this list. Long-stay and residence permits from service-public.gouv.fr (added as an official domain) and France Diplomatie, plus protection and humanitarian cards. Short-stay (visitor) and working holiday visas are not listed: they are only on France-Visas (france-visas.gouv.fr), which refuses automated fetches (403, also with WebFetch), and no page on our official domains describes them. Still missing: short-stay visa, working holiday visa, and any permit only described on france-visas.gouv.fr. Quoted facts (with fees) are recorded for 28 of the 31 non-humanitarian routes; still missing: Algerian 1-year certificate (fee depends on the case), talent cards for artistic/cultural professions and corporate officers (no section on the English page), short-stay and working holiday visas (France-Visas refuses our checker), and processing times (pages give only legal silence deadlines, recorded where stated).
Study
Visa or residence card "intern"
Non-European people who come to France for vocational training or an internship in a company or a non-profit hospital.
1 official requirements recordedWork with a sponsor
Residence card "employee" or "temporary worker"
People from outside Europe who have found a job in France, on a permanent or a fixed-term contract.
2 official requirements recordedTalent card: artistic and cultural profession
Performers and authors of literary or artistic works who live mainly from that activity in France.
Not yet checked against your profileBusiness and investment
Residence card "entrepreneur / liberal profession"
Non-European people who come to France to run a commercial, craft, industrial or liberal professional activity.
1 official requirements recordedTalent card: corporate officer
Legal representatives of a business in France who already work for a company in the same group.
Not yet checked against your profileJoin a partner
Residence card "private and family life"
Non-European people with family ties in France, for example the spouse of a French citizen or the parent of a French child.
1 official requirements recordedJoin family
Residence card as a family member of a European
Non-European family members who come with or join a citizen of another European country who settles in France.
1 official requirements recordedResidence card "talent family"
The spouse and children of a person who holds a 'talent' residence card, without going through family reunification.
2 official requirements recordedOther routes
Certificate of residence for Algerian nationals: 1 year
Algerian nationals, who have their own residence rules, for a first or renewed one-year certificate of residence.
Not yet checked against your profileCertificate of residence for Algerian nationals: 10 years
Algerian nationals, who have their own residence rules, for a ten-year certificate of residence.
1 official requirements recordedMulti-year residence card (general)
Foreigners who already hold a temporary residence card or a long-stay visa that counts as a residence permit and move on to the multi-year card.
2 official requirements recordedProvisional authorisation to stay (APS) for volunteers
Non-European people who want to carry out a volunteer mission with a foundation or association recognised as being of public utility.
1 official requirements recordedVisit
Temporary residence card "visitor"
Non-European people who want to stay in France without working and can support themselves, including people coming for religious functions.
3 official requirements recordedProtection and humanitarian
Listed with official links only. For help with a protection claim, contact the official service or a regulated adviser.
Application for asylum
People who come to France to seek protection as refugees; the application is registered at the prefecture.
Not yet checked against your profileRegularisation on humanitarian or exceptional grounds
Non-European people in an irregular situation who ask the prefecture for a card on humanitarian or exceptional grounds.
Not yet checked against your profileProvisional residence permit for a parent of a sick child
Non-European parents, or people with parental authority, of a seriously ill minor child who usually lives in France.
Not yet checked against your profileResidence card for a seriously ill foreigner
Non-European people living in France who are seriously ill and meet the conditions to be treated in France.
Not yet checked against your profileSubsidiary protection
People who do not meet the conditions for refugee status but are granted protection by OFPRA.
Not yet checked against your profileRegularisation of victims of human trafficking or procuring
Foreigners who are victims of human trafficking or procuring and ask to be regularised.
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