🇫🇷France Visa for Bahamas Citizens2026 Requirements, Fees & Documents

Long-Stay Student Visa (VLS-TS Etudiant)

Allows non-EU nationals to reside in France for the duration of their studies (above 3 months) at a French higher education institution or language school. Serves as both a visa and residence permit (VLS-TS) for the first year.

Long-stay visa (Type D). For higher education: application must be made via the Campus France / Etudes en France procedure in applicable countries. VLS-TS Student visa validates within 3 months of arrival via ANEF online platform. Fee variable (EUR 99 standard long-stay fee; some nationalities exempt including scholarship holders). Must be validated within 3 months of arrival. After first year, apply for student residence card at prefecture. Part-time work (up to 964 hours/year) is permitted.

Long-Stay Minor Student Visa (VLS-TS Etudiant Mineur)

Authorises foreign minors under 18 to attend a French school or educational programme lasting more than 3 months, while their parents reside abroad.

Maximum duration 11 months. Must not require a separate residence card (no prefecture registration required). Applicable to minors attending school in France whose parents live abroad. Applied for at the French consulate in the country of residence.

Long-Stay Work Visa - Salaried Employee (Salarié / Travailleur Temporaire)

Permits non-EU nationals to work in France under an employment contract, either as a permanent employee (salarié) or temporary worker (travailleur temporaire).

Long-stay visa (Type D). Employer must obtain work authorisation from DREETS (regional labour authority) before the visa can be issued, unless the occupation is on the shortage list. Visa fee EUR 99; some nationalities exempt (seasonal workers, etc.). After arrival, must apply for salarié or travailleur temporaire residence card at prefecture. Salarié card valid up to 1 year, renewable. Occupation-in-tension list allows simplified procedure.

Talent Passport Visa (Passeport Talent - multiple subcategories)

Multi-year long-stay visa for highly skilled workers, researchers, senior executives, artists of international renown, innovative company founders, and investors. The Passeport Talent consolidates multiple former permit types into a single framework.

Valid up to 4 years. Subcategories include: Salarié qualifié (qualified employee, min salary EUR 39,582/yr + Master's or equivalent); EU Blue Card (min salary EUR 59,373/yr + 3 years higher education); Chercheur (researcher, hosting agreement + min EUR 2,200/month); Projet innovant (startup founder); Investisseur économique (EUR 300,000+ investment + job creation); Professions médicales/pharmaceutiques; Personne de renommée internationale. No separate work permit required. Administrative fee EUR 350 (EUR 300 tax + EUR 50 stamp duty). Online application via ANEF. Family members eligible for Passeport Talent Famille permit.

ICT (Intra-Company Transferee) Visa (Salarié détaché ICT)

Allows managers, specialists, or trainees employed by a multinational company to be transferred to the company's French affiliate, subsidiary, or branch for a temporary assignment.

Long-stay visa (Type D), implemented under EU Directive 2014/66/EU. Maximum 3 years for managers/specialists, 1 year for trainees. Requires minimum 3 months seniority with the sending company. Salary must equal at least what a French employee in equivalent position earns. Intra-EU mobility: holders of ICT permit from another EU state may move to France for up to 90 days without a new visa.

Seasonal Worker Visa (Travailleur Saisonnier)

Authorises non-EU nationals to undertake seasonal agricultural or tourist-sector work in France for a maximum of 6 months per year without requiring a full residence permit.

Long-stay visa (Type D) with multiple-entry for repeated seasonal stays. Maximum 6 months in any 12-month period. Visa fee may be waived for seasonal workers. Employer must have a seasonal work contract pre-approved by DREETS. Card may be renewed annually for recurring seasonal workers.

Working Holiday Visa (Visa Vacances-Travail / Programme Vacances-Travail)

Enables young adults from partner countries to stay in France for up to 12 months (or 24 months for certain nationalities) for leisure and incidental work, to supplement their travel funds.

Long-stay visa (Type D). Available under bilateral agreements with: Argentina, Australia, Brazil, Canada (up to 24 months), Chile, Colombia, Ecuador, Hong Kong SAR, Japan, Mexico, New Zealand, Peru, Russia, South Korea, Taiwan, Uruguay. Age limits typically 18-30 or 18-35 depending on the bilateral agreement. Applicant must have sufficient funds (proof of at least EUR 2,500 typically required), valid health insurance, and no dependent children accompanying. Work must be secondary to travel. No residence card required on arrival for most nationalities.

Family Reunification Long-Stay Visa (Regroupement Familial)

Enables non-EU family members (spouse, minor children) of foreign nationals legally residing in France to join them through the official family reunification procedure.

Long-stay visa (Type D). The sponsoring family member in France must have been legally resident for at least 18 months, have adequate housing and stable income. Application submitted to OFII (French Office of Immigration and Integration). After arrival, family members must apply for a 'Vie privée et familiale' residence card at the prefecture within 2 months. Sponsor must also demonstrate receipt of OFII medical examination.

Spouse of French National Visa (Conjoint de Français)

Allows a non-EU national who is the legally recognised spouse of a French citizen to enter and reside in France, with the visa serving as a temporary residence permit.

Long-stay VLS-TS visa (Type D) valid 1 year, exempted from visa fee. Must be validated through ANEF within 3 months of arrival. After 1 year the holder may obtain a multi-year residence card. Marriage must be legally recognised. PACS (civil partnership) partners of French nationals may also be eligible for a long-stay visa but through the general family category.

Visitor Long-Stay Visa (Visa Visiteur / Retraité)

Allows non-EU nationals wishing to reside in France without working - including retirees and persons of independent means - to stay long-term provided they have sufficient financial resources and health insurance.

Long-stay visa (Type D). Applicant must prove sufficient stable income or savings to support themselves without working (typically at least EUR 1,200-1,500/month recommended by consulates). Private health insurance covering France is required for the first year. After arrival must apply for 'Visiteur' residence card at prefecture. Work of any kind is strictly prohibited under this status. Temporary long-stay variant available for 4-6 month stays without need for prefecture registration.

Temporary Long-Stay Visa - Short Studies / Cultural Activities

Covers stays of 4 to 6 months for short educational programmes (language courses, professional training), artistic activities, or visits by persons with sufficient independent means who do not need a full long-stay permit.

Long-stay visa (Type D) valid 4-6 months. No prefecture registration or residence card required. The holder cannot extend this visa or convert it to a residence card while in France; a new application must be made from abroad if a longer stay is needed. Suitable for courses under 6 months, internships of limited duration, and other temporary activities.

Talent Passport - Economic Investor Visa (Passeport Talent Investisseur Economique)

Grants residency rights to non-EU nationals making a direct economic investment of at least EUR 300,000 in tangible or intangible fixed assets in a French company, with a commitment to create or maintain employment.

Long-stay visa under the Talent Passport framework. Minimum EUR 300,000 direct investment in tangible or intangible fixed assets. Must create or maintain jobs within 4 years. Pure financial investments excluded. Administrative fee EUR 349 (EUR 300 tax + EUR 50 stamp duty - EUR 1 discount via online). After 5 years of continuous regular residence eligible for 10-year permanent residence card. French Tech Visa fast-track variant available for investors in the startup ecosystem.

Diplomatic / Official Visa

Issued to foreign diplomatic personnel, government officials, and their dependants for official missions and postings in France. Also covers diplomatic passport holders from countries with bilateral exemption agreements for short stays.

Fee is waived for diplomatic and official visas. Issued by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs diplomatic missions. Duration corresponds to the duration of the official posting. Many diplomatic and service passport holders from countries listed in Annexe B of the Arrêté du 10 mai 2010 (as amended, in force 19 June 2025) are exempt from any visa requirement for stays up to 3 months.

Au Pair Visa (Jeune au pair)

Allows young foreigners to live with a French host family, participate in family life, and perform light childcare duties, while attending French language classes.

Long-stay visa (Type D). Governed by the Strasbourg Agreement on au pair placement (1969). Requires a formal au pair placement contract (agreement) approved by the French labour authorities. Applicant must be aged 18-30, have adequate knowledge of French, and be enrolled in or commit to French language courses. Host family provides board, lodging, and pocket money. Duration usually up to 1 year, renewable once.

Intern / Trainee Visa (Stagiaire / Stagiaire ICT)

Permits non-EU nationals to undertake professional internships (conventions de stage) or intracompany training assignments in France for periods exceeding 3 months.

Long-stay visa (Type D). The trainee/intern category requires a signed training convention (agreement). The ICT (Intracompany Transferee) Trainee subtype is for trainees within multinationals, governed by EU Directive 2014/66/EU, maximum 1 year. Standard intern visa (stagiaire) is for academic internships. Minimum training allowance applies per French labour law.

Long-Stay Self-Employed / Liberal Profession Visa (Entrepreneur / Profession Liberale)

Allows non-EU nationals to create or take part in a commercial, industrial, artisanal or agricultural activity, or to practise a liberal (self-employed) profession in France.

Long-stay visa equivalent to a residence permit (VLS-TS) bearing the mention 'entrepreneur/profession liberale', valid 1 year. Must be validated within 15 days of arrival in France (via ANEF). Applicant must demonstrate the economic viability of a new business project, or (for an existing activity / liberal profession) prove financial resources at least equal to the French full-time minimum wage (SMIC). Regulated professions must meet qualification/diploma requirements. Private medical practitioners follow a separate regime tied to nationality and registration with the Ordre des medecins. Standard long-stay visa fee EUR 99. Projects contributing to France's economic attractiveness may instead qualify for the Passeport Talent.

Job Search / Business Creation Visa (Recherche d'Emploi ou Creation d'Entreprise)

Allows non-EU graduates of French higher-education institutions to remain in France after their studies to look for a job or start a business related to their qualification.

Long-stay visa equivalent to a residence permit (VLS-TS) or residence card marked 'recherche d'emploi ou creation d'entreprise', valid 1 year and NOT renewable. For holders of a professional licence, Master's, or equivalent French degree; graduates may apply within 4 years of obtaining the qualifying French degree. Permits salaried work related to the training with a gross monthly salary above EUR 2,800.53. Does not apply to Algerian students (governed by the Franco-Algerian agreement). Cost when applied for in France EUR 150 (EUR 50 stamp duty + EUR 100 tax); when issued abroad as a VLS-TS, the visa fee plus EUR 100 validation tax on arrival.

Short-Stay Visa (Type C) - Medical Treatment (Soins Medicaux)

Enables foreign nationals subject to visa requirements to travel to France to consult a doctor or specialised clinic, receive hospital treatment, or undergo aftercare.

Short-stay Schengen visa (Type C) issued for medical-care reasons; it does not exclude a private or tourism stay. Standard short-stay fee EUR 80. In addition to the general short-stay documentation, applicants must provide medical certificates, the agreement of the host hospital/clinic in France, proof of accommodation and proof of sufficient funds; supporting documents are examined under strict medical confidentiality. Medical care received is NOT covered by the French health insurance system. Urgent cases may be expedited and extensions are possible where medical necessity requires. For longer treatment, a long-stay visa may apply.