To qualify for the Talent Passport under the Startup category, an applicant must:

– Obtain an investment commitment of EUR 225,000 from a recognized business incubator; and
– Create an innovative startup project, incorporated as a legal entity in France; and
– Designate at least EUR 30,000 of the incubator financing to the startup’s R&D phase; and
– Demonstrate financial means equivalent to the French minimum wage.

To qualify for the Talent Passport under the Business Creation category, an applicant must:

– Submit a satisfactory business plan; and
– Incorporate the business in France and invest at least EUR 30,000; and
– Hold at least a Master’s degree or equivalent, or at least 5 years of relevant business experience; and
– Demonstrate financial means equivalent to the French minimum wage.

Program benefits

• Low investment requirement;
• Increased visa-free travel;
• Freedom of movement (but not settlement) within Schengen;
• Path to EU citizenship;
• Permits dual/multiple citizenship;
• Enhanced education opportunities;
• Enhanced business access to large economies;
• Short processing time

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 applicant can renew the residence permit as long as the startup or business remains active.

After the completion of the fifth consecutive year of residency, the applicant can apply for the Settlement Permit (Permanent Residency), which is valid for 10 years. At this stage, the applicant need not continue the business.

Note that while France imposes no minimum physical presence requirements for applicants at the temporary residency stage, obtaining permanent residency (or citizenship) is only possible if the applicant has spent at least 183 days a year in France.

The investor may apply for citizenship after 5 years, i.e immediately after receiving permanent residency. To naturalize in France, applicants must 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