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Staying longer

More than 90 days in France

France has no digital nomad visa and no special visa for second-home owners. The usual route for longer stays without working is the long-stay visitor visa.

Updated · checked against official sources

Why a national visa

As a visitor you may spend at most 90 days in any 180-day period in the whole Schengen area. Days spent under a national long-stay visa or residence permit are not counted (Schengen Borders Code, Article 6(2)). So if you want to spend more of the year in France, the way to do it is one of the routes below, applied for before you travel.

Long-stay visitor visa (visa de long séjour « visiteur » (VLS-TS) / carte de séjour « visiteur »)

Who it is for
People who can live on their own resources without working in France: retirees, second-home owners, people on sabbatical.
Money
Resources at least equal to the net minimum wage (SMIC): €1,477.93 a month, or €17,735.19 a year, for a single person in 2026 (Service-Public.fr, verified 1 June 2026).
Work
No work in France: you sign a handwritten statement that you will not work.
  • For stays of 3 to 6 months there is a temporary visitor visa (VLS-T), which is not meant to be renewed in France. For stays over 6 months, the VLS-TS counts as a residence permit for up to 12 months.
  • After that, the visitor residence card is valid for 1 year and renewable; the fee for the card is €350.
  • Health insurance is required. Applications go through the France-Visas website.

Second-home owners

A 2023 immigration bill would have given British second-home owners a long-stay visa as of right, but the Conseil constitutionnel struck that article down on 25 January 2024 (decision 2023-863 DC). The Ministry of the Interior confirmed in June 2025 that the ordinary rules apply. In practice, second-home owners use the visitor visa, or stay within 90 days in any 180.

Amounts change every year with minimum wages and reference indicators, and consulates add their own document lists. Treat the figures here as a planning guide and confirm with the consulate responsible for where you live before applying.

Until your visa is granted

While you apply, you are still a visitor: every day in France or any other Schengen country counts towards the 90. Keep your trips in the 90/180 calculator so a visa delay never turns into an overstay.

Frequently asked questions

Does France have a digital nomad visa?

No. None of the French residence permit categories covers remote work for a foreign employer.

Can I just stay 90 days in France, leave, and come back?

Yes, but only within the 90/180 rule: after a continuous 90-day stay you have to stay out of the whole Schengen area for 90 days. The calculator shows exactly when your days come back.

Official sources