Unsung IM Programs Part 2: France’s Talent Passport – Business Investor
France’s EUR 300,000 active investor visa offers a straightforward path to EU citizenship but only to those willing to live and pay tax there.
A little-known though perfectly viable route to French – and, by extension, EU – permanent residency and citizenship, the Business Investor segment of France’s Passeport Talent scheme is well-suited to investors intending to settle in France.
To qualify for permanent residency and subsequent citizenship, investors need to spend most of the year in France and, consequentially, become tax residents as well.
Program Type | Active Investor Visa |
Time to citizenship | 5 years |
Time to permanent residency | 5 years |
Minimum investment | EUR 300,000 |
Physical presence requirement | 183 days a year (to qualify for PR) |
Application processing time | 4 months |
Citizenship grants visa-free travel to | 187 destinations, including Schengen countries and the US |
Contribution types available | Business Investment |
General program requirements
To qualify for the initial 4-year visa, the applicant must – personally or through a company in which he has at least a 30% shareholding – invest or commit to invest €300,000 in the fixed assets of a business in France.
The investment must create or protect jobs within the four years following the investment and the investor must own at least 10% of the shares of the company in which he invests.
The main applicant’s dependent spouse and children under 18 can apply immediately for the ‘Talent Passport – Family Permit’.
€600 in processing fees apply, along with a €269 spouse permit fee and €99 for dependent children.
The investment value does not need to increase per additional dependent.
Program benefits
Requirements to qualify for citizenship
Applicants start by preparing the application online and applying for a long-stay visa no earlier than 3 months before the date of arrival in France. This visa, granted at the consulate and attached to passport, grants initial entry. Once in France, the applicant will present the long-stay visa at the local préfecture (French government administrative office) which will then issue the residence permit, allowing the investor to stay and work in France for 4 years.
The residence permit may be extended if the investment is held and not withdrawn. After the completion of the fifth consecutive year of Residency the applicant may apply for the Settlement Permit (Permanent Residency) which is effective for 10 years. At this stage, the investment may be withdrawn from the business.
The investor may apply for citizenship after 5 years. i.e immediately after receiving permanent residency. There are possibilities for part of the residency to be waived and reduced to 2 years.
Applicants are required to have integrated into French society (that is, through language skills and understanding of the rights and responsibilities of a French citizen), to be demonstrated during an interview with the French authorities.
Applications for this program may be directed to:
Direction Générale des Etrangers en France (DGEF) & Business France
Legislation upon which this program is based:
Code de l’entrée et du séjour des étrangers et du droit d’asile” (CESEDA) November 2004
No statistics are available for this program yet.
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France’s EUR 300,000 active investor visa offers a straightforward path to EU citizenship but only to those willing to live and pay tax there.
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Programs that offer citizenship within months in exchange for investments or donations, with minor/no physical presence requirements.
Programs that offer citizenship in exchange for investments following a 1-2 year period, with minor/no physical presence requirements.
Bulgaria Investor Program (discontinued)
Malta MEIN
Programs that offer residence permits within months in exchange for passive investments, with limited physical presence requirements.
Andorra Residence Without Lucrative Activity
Anguilla Permanent Residency Program
Australia BIIP Investor Streams
Bahamas Economic Permanent Residence
Barbados SERP Program
Bermuda Economic Investment Certificate (EIC) Program
Brazil Investor Visa (VIPER)
Cambodia My 2nd Home
Cayman Islands Investor Visa
Colombia Investor Visas M and R
Costa Rica Investor Visa
Curaçao Investor Permit Program
Cyprus Golden Visa
Georgia Investor Visas
Greece Golden Visa
Guernsey Investor & Entrepreneur Residency
Ireland Immigrant Investor Program (discontinued)
Italy Investor Visa
Latvia Investor Visa
Luxembourg Investor Visa
Malaysia M2H Visa
Malta Permanent Residence Program
Mauritius Permanent Residency Program
Monaco Carte de Séjour
Netherlands Investor Visa
New Zealand Investor Visa
Nicaragua Investor Permanent Residency Program
Panama Qualified Investor Visa
Philippines Special Investor Residence Permit
Portugal Golden Visa
Russia Investor Visa
South Korea Investor Visa
Spain Golden Visa
Taiwan Golden Visa (APRC Plum Blossom Card)
Thailand Elite Residence Program
UAE Golden Visa
UK Investor Visa (discontinued)
United States EB-5
Programs that offer residence permits within months to those who can demonstrate income or personal wealth above a certain level, usually requiring that the holder not take up employment locally.
Argentina Rentista and Pensionado Residency
Austria Independent Means Visa
Barbados Welcome Stamp
Gibraltar Category 2 HNWI Residence
Greece FIP Visa
Indonesia Retirement Visa (KITAS)
Ireland Independent Means (Stamp 0)
Italy Elective Residency Visa
Jersey High Value Residency
Mexico Legal Residency Visa
Nicaragua Pensionado and Rentista Visas
Panama Rentista Retirado Visa
Paraguay Permanent Residency Program
Portugal D7 Visa
Spain Non-Lucrative Visa
Uruguay Independent Means Visa
Programs that offer residence permits within months to those who physically relocate to start and/or run a business. Startup and entrepreneur visas fall under this category.
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