Easiest Countries To Move To In 2021: Your full guide
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Your guide to moving to France. France visas, citizenship and more.
Whether you love picturesque villages, feel at home on a hilly countryside or a bustling metropolis is your scene, France has got your back. With magnificent cuisine, the EU’s third highest GDP and basically an entire continent at your doorstep this country has got a great deal to offer.
With many benefits for those seeking new opportunities France isn’t just a great location to live but also a fantastic place to work. In fact, it’s one of the world’s leading countries when it comes to enabling entrepreneurs to start a business. The process for starting a business is simple and efficient and has lead to many expats taking the plunge.
But working for a firm also has its perks. Many employers will set you up with health insurance or offer a collective plan that will save you money. In 2000 France adopted the 35-hour work week and although securing a permanent contract may not be the easiest thing, once hired, working conditions are generally excellent.
Many young French leave the country to explore the world, which leaves vacancies for qualified workers from abroad. With an ever growing demand for English-speaking immigrants, there are plenty of opportunities.
Are you from Europe? Your EU citizenship will make it easy for you to live and work in France and if you’re from the European Economic Area, you’ll have no problem getting in either.
French Tech Visa
The French Tech Visa, also known as the “Passeport Talent” (“Talent Passport”), is an expedited residency visa targeted at three categories of talent – startup founders, employees, and investors. It is valid for four years and extends to your immediate family permitting them to live and work freely in France. Here is further information on the three categories:
- If you have an economically innovative Startup project and financial resources at least equal to the French annual minimum wage (€17,800 in 2017), you could apply for the French Tech Visa. Your project will need approval from a French public organization called the Direccte.
- A number of French companies have been selected for their hyper-growth status. You can view these companies and vacant positions at these companies here. If you are successful in a role in one of these companies, have a graduate degree and an annual salary of at least double the French Minimum wage (€36,000 in 2017), you may apply for a French Tech Visa for employees.
- To qualify for a Business investor talent passport you must invest at least €300,000 in a company in which you have at least a 30% shareholding, own at least 10% of the company in which you are investing and create jobs within the fours years.
EU Blue Card
If you have a recognized university degree or professional experience as well as a work contract or binding job offer, you may be eligible for an “EU Blue Card”. The Blue Card is a four-year temporary work and residence permit. This also gives you free movement within the Schengen area and enables your family to join you. If you do not have a work contract or job offer, you can register on the EU Blue Card Network, where European employers can view your details and connect with you around job opportunities. This is also where you apply for the EU Blue Card.
Click here to view other work-related residency permits.
French Working Holiday Visa
If you are a citizen of Argentina, Australia, Canada, Chile, Colombia, Hong Kong, Japan, South Korea, New Zealand, Russia (4-months) and Taiwan between the ages of 18-30, you may be eligible to get a Working Holiday visa for a year.
France Visitor residence permit (carte de séjour visiteur)
France has an income visa that is easy to get. With an income of more than € 1,219 net monthly can you can get a 12-month renewable visa.
You must show you can support yourself, and so the amount you need depends on where you are living and the rent you’ll pay. You’ll also need Expat health insurance and a place to stay in France for the application.
Study visa to France
Study Visa options can be found here
To find out if you need a tourist visa to visit France, please use the VisaHQ tool below.
French Family Visas
- If your spouse is a citizen or permanent resident of France, you are eligible for residency. Please note that your status of spouse needs to be legally recognised in this country.
- See the citizenship section below for more information on residency or citizenship based on your descent.
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French Citizenship by Descent
If one or both of your parents were citizens of France when you were born, you are probably also a citizen.
French Citizenship by Birth
Entitlement to French citizenship is generally passed on from your parents. If you were born in France to non-French parents, the one way you can acquire French citizenship is by declaration, as long as you have lived in France for a substantial amount of time.
If one of your parents was born in Algeria before the 3rd July 1962, and you were born in France, you may be a French citizen
French Citizenship by Naturalisation
If your spouse is a citizen, you can apply for citizenship after being resident in France for a period of 4 years. Please note that your status of spouse needs to be legally recognised in this country.
You can apply for nationality by naturalization if amongst other requirements, you have lived in France for at least 5 years and are fluent in French
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