What is a long-stay \u2018visitor\u2019 visa?<\/p>\n
Long-stay (three months or more) \u2018visitor\u2019 visas include:<\/p>\n
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\u2018Temporary\u2019 visas for people such as second-home owners, often issued for six months, with a fixed end date. Applicants asked to show enough savings or income (from pensions, investments etc) to support themselves during the stay and to sign an agreement not to work in France. They must have healthcare cover (Ehics\/Ghics are acceptable).<\/p>\n<\/li>\n
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Visa de long s\u00e9jour valant titre de s\u00e9jour (VLS-TS) \u2013 \u2018long-stay equivalent to a first residency card\u2019): usually for one year, renewable. Requirements similar to above but Ghics\/Ehics are not accepted. Typically issued to pensioners or early-retirees; often includes people intending to stay on a settled basis, in which case the visa may be renewed by requesting a \u2018visitor\u2019 residency card before expiry. The French consulate in London previously told us: \u201cIn the case of a stay of more than six months, the \u2018second home\u2019 becomes, de facto, the main home, at least for the year under way.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
VLS-TS \u2018visitor\u2019 applicants often take out comprehensive healthcare cover for the first year (not essential for state pensioners with \u2018S1\u2019 form for cover from their home state), but if settling, the health authorities allow them to register with French social security for cover after three months and remain registered if residency is \u2018legal and stable\u2019. France\u2019s social security code defines the latter as having your \u2018normal\u2019 or \u2018habitual\u2019 home in France and living there at least six months of the year (see article R111-2: tinyurl.com\/stable-res<\/a>).<\/p>\n
![](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/visas2.png\"\/)
<\/a><\/p>\nCan you do any work?<\/p>\n
The French immigration code says (article L426-20) applicants for the \u2018visitor\u2019 residency card must \u201cprendre l’engagement de n’exercer en France aucune activit\u00e9 professionnelle\u201d (promise to carry out in France no professional activity).<\/p>\n
Some websites say it is acceptable to work remotely for a foreign firm, especially if it has no clients in France.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Alexandre Gillioen, part of Gillioen Avocats, a team of two immigration lawyers in Lyon, stated he has \u201cnumerous American, Canadian, British and Australian clients who do it\u201d.\u00a0<\/p>\n
It is possible either as an employee of a foreign firm, or working for one\u2019s own foreign self-employment business and billing via this, he said.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe person never works in France as they don\u2019t have the right,\u201d he added.<\/p>\n
However, two other avocats took a different interpretation.<\/p>\n
Xavier Duquenne of Valoris Avocats, a Strasbourg-based firm of 24 lawyers in tax, social security, work and international mobility, said: \u201cWe have seen many websites advising using a long-stay \u2018visitor\u2019 visa as a \u2018digital nomad\u2019, but in our capacity as lawyers we can\u2019t legally validate this view for our clients.\u201d<\/p>\n
He said the immigration code, in saying that the holder should not work in France, does not distinguish between work for French or foreign employers.<\/p>\n
He added that in advising this, such sites make no mention of the tax and social charge consequences of such work.<\/p>\n
Read more:\u00a0What is a French \u2018visa d\u2019installation\u2019 and is it possible to apply for one?<\/a><\/p>\n
Ha\u00efba Ouaissi, from Cassius Avocats in Paris, a team of six specialised in work and business law, said: \u201cThe French visitor visa strictly forbids any professional activity, including working at a distance for foreign firms.\u201d<\/p>\n
He added: \u201cIf someone on this visa works in France there could be checks made \u2013 they\u2019re quite rare but there are possible sanctions, up to expulsion from France. To work, the person must have a long-stay visa which authorises professional activity in France.\u201d<\/p>\n
For example, if a person has an \u2018employee\u2019 or \u2018self-employment\u2019 visa, they can work in France, he said.<\/p>\n
Mr Ouaissi said non-EU foreigners should also not work in France if they are here on a \u2018visa waiver\u2019 short-stay basis (for less than three months); official website service-public.fr<\/a> gives limited exceptions, including providing services in someone\u2019s home, or doing artistic or cultural work, but none covering general employed\/self-employed work (tinyurl.com\/90-days-work<\/a>).<\/p>\n
A spokesman for French tax authorities DGFiP said: \u201cEven if a firm has no presence in France, the fact of carrying out one\u2019s activity, physically, from French territory, constitutes, in tax law as in residency law, a professional activity carried out in France.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cFrom the residency point of view it breaks the conditions of the \u2018visitor\u2019 visa, which forbids any professional activity, employed or self-employed. It can result in an administrative fine or refusal of renewal of a residency card.\u201d<\/p>\n
However, the Interior Ministry, responsible for foreigners\u2019 residency rights, gave a nuanced view stating the restriction listed in article L426-20 means the person \u201cmust carry out no professional activity falling under French law\u201d.<\/p>\n
\u201cOn the other hand, carrying out a job that does not fall under French law, notably with regard to social and tax aspects, is possible\u201d, a spokeswoman said.<\/p>\n
If a person works at a distance in France for a foreign firm are there consequences for French tax\/social charges\/work law?<\/p>\n
Mr Gillioen said: \u201cAs the service is provided abroad, there are no social or fiscal obligations in France.\u201d The person should in this case have comprehensive health insurance and not register with the French health service, he said.<\/p>\n
However, Mr Ouaissi said: \u201cIf a person works remotely in France as an employee of a foreign firm, there is an obligatory registration with Urssaf.<\/p>\n
Read more:\u00a0UK-EU summit: Will British travellers be allowed to use e-gates in EU?<\/a><\/p>\n
\u201cAny foreign firm that employs a single person residing in France must register itself with the firmes \u00e9trang\u00e8res service<\/a>, even if it has no set-up in France. From the moment that an employee works from France they are covered by French social security.\u201d<\/p>\n
He said it is an online declaration and is not too complicated.<\/p>\n
The firm must also respect basic French work law rules, he said, including subsidising mutuelle health cover, paying employer\u2019s and employee\u2019s French social charges and taking off French income tax at source [and repaying it to the French tax office].<\/p>\n
He added that the employee should also declare their earnings to France.<\/p>\n
He said if a person does self-employed work in France they should register a French self-employment business and pay social charges via this set-up, and their income is taxable in France.<\/p>\n
We note that working in France is one test of French tax residency, unless it is only a side activity<\/a>,\u00a0and French tax residents must declare worldwide income annually to France. Others include having one\u2019s \u2018habitual\u2019 home in France, spending more than half a calendar year in France (or more time in France than anywhere else).<\/p>\n