France · Spouse visas
France Spouse of a resident
Income needed: €1,867+ a month ≈ $2,090
Family reunification (regroupement familial) for the spouse of a foreign resident
First checked against official sources on Change log
Key facts
Spouse of a resident is a spouse visas route for France. Applicants need income of €1,867+ a month ≈ $2,090. You can stay 1 yr, renewable. Checked 2026-10-11 against the official source.
- Money needed
- €1,867+ a month ≈ $2,090
- Government fees
- €150 ≈ $170
- Processing
- 6 months
- First stay
- 1 yr
Cost, time and long term
To apply: government fee €150 ≈ $170; income to show €1,867+/mo ≈ $2,090; decision: 6 months. No lawyer or agent fee is included.
Government fees€150 ≈ $170
- EUR 150 (≈ $170)Fee paid by the family for the residence permit application at the prefecture.
Shown, not spent€1,867+/mo ≈ $2,090
- EUR 1,867.02 a month (≈ $2,090)Average monthly resources over the 12 months before the application equal to the gross Smic (EUR1,867.02 (≈ $2,090) from 1 June 2026) for a household of 2 or 3 people; EUR2,053.72 (≈ $2,290) for 4 or 5 people and EUR2,240.42 (≈ $2,500) for 6 or more.
RenewalRenewable
The VLS-TS covers the first year, then a one-year private and family life card follows; the sponsor's card type can give the spouse the same card type.
Permanent residenceAfter 5 years of residence
The EU long-term resident card needs 5 years of uninterrupted legal stay on a listed permit, stable resources, health cover, French at level B1 and the civic exam; absences up to 6 consecutive months (10 in total) are allowed.
CitizenshipAfter 5 years of residence
Naturalisation needs at least 5 years of residence in France, a valid residence permit at the time of application, integration into the French community and sufficient French.
Processing6 months
The prefect must answer the family reunification application within 6 months; silence counts as a refusal.
Where to applyFrom abroad
The sponsor files the application in France; the spouse then receives a VLS-TS and validates it online within 3 months of arrival.
Why this route may not fit
Check this before you apply.
- Applications are made from outside France, not after arriving
- Not open to EU, EEA or Swiss passports
What you'll need
Who can apply6
- Sponsor holds a 1-year or longer temporary card, multi-year card or 10-year resident card.
- Sponsor has lived in France for at least 18 months with a valid residence title.
- The spouse is at least 18, legally married to the sponsor and lives abroad.
- A sponsor already living in France with a first wife cannot reunite a second wife.
- Sponsor respects the essential principles governing family life in France.
- Sponsor has housing of at least 22 to 28 m2 for two people, depending on the zone.
What you must show2
- Sponsor has stable resources averaging the gross monthly Smic over the last 12 months.
- Family benefits, RSA, ASPA, ATA and similar allowances do not count as resources.
Documents2
- Residence permit, marriage and birth certificates with marginal mentions, and translations into French.
- Proof of resources for the last 12 months, such as tax notice, pay slips and employer certificates.
Steps2
- The sponsor files the family reunification application on the official cerfa form.
- The spouse receives a VLS-TS and validates it online within 3 months of arrival, then completes a medical examination.
After you arrive1
- After one year the spouse requests a "private and family life" temporary card valid for 1 year, for most nationalities.
When you become tax resident
How France decides tax residence and treats foreign-source income, from its tax records.
- Stay on this route
1 year at first, renewable
- Tax residence
Tax domicile rules in Art. 4 B CGI.
- Income tax
Progressive scale per family-quotient share: 0% to EUR11,600, (≈ $13,000) 11% to EUR29,579, (≈ $33,000) 30% to EUR84,577, (≈ $94,500) 41% to EUR181,917 (≈ $203,000) and 45% above, set by Finance Act 2026-103 of 19 February 2026.
All tax rules for France Tax records checked
Full official text
For the spouse of a non-EU national who has lived in France for 18 months with a residence card of at least one year. The spouse gets a long-stay visa valid as a residence permit for the first year and then a private and family life card. 1 2
What you must show and pay
- Income of at least EUR 1,867.02 a month (≈ $2,090) · Average monthly resources over the 12 months before the application equal to the gross Smic (EUR1,867.02 (≈ $2,090) from 1 June 2026) for a household of 2 or 3 people; EUR2,053.72 (≈ $2,290) for 4 or 5 people and EUR2,240.42 (≈ $2,500) for 6 or more. 1 2
- A fee of EUR 150 (≈ $170) · Fee paid by the family for the residence permit application at the prefecture. 1
Requirements
- Sponsor holds a 1-year or longer temporary card, multi-year card or 10-year resident card. 1
- Sponsor has lived in France for at least 18 months with a valid residence title. 1
- The spouse is at least 18, legally married to the sponsor and lives abroad. 1
- A sponsor already living in France with a first wife cannot reunite a second wife. 1
- Sponsor respects the essential principles governing family life in France. 1
- Sponsor has housing of at least 22 to 28 m2 for two people, depending on the zone. 1
- Sponsor has stable resources averaging the gross monthly Smic over the last 12 months. 1 2
- Family benefits, RSA, ASPA, ATA and similar allowances do not count as resources. 1
- Residence permit, marriage and birth certificates with marginal mentions, and translations into French. 1
- Proof of resources for the last 12 months, such as tax notice, pay slips and employer certificates. 1
- The sponsor files the family reunification application on the official cerfa form. 1
- The spouse receives a VLS-TS and validates it online within 3 months of arrival, then completes a medical examination. 1
- After one year the spouse requests a "private and family life" temporary card valid for 1 year, for most nationalities. 1
Stay
- The VLS-TS covers the first year; afterwards a one-year private and family life card is issued. Moroccan and Tunisian sponsors follow bilateral rules; the sponsor's card type (1-year or 10-year) can give the spouse the same card type.
- Initial permitted stay: 12 months.
- Visa validity: 12 months. Validity is the window to use the visa, not the length you may stay.
- Renewable, subject to the conditions in force at renewal.
Nationality
Non-EU/EEA/Swiss nationals. Not open to: Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Switzerland, Cyprus, Czechia, Germany, Denmark, Estonia, Spain, Finland, France, Greece, Croatia, Hungary, Ireland, Iceland, Italy, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Latvia, Malta, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Sweden, Slovenia, Slovakia.
Family
Minor children under 18 are reunited together with the spouse; family reunification does not cover parents.
Official sources
- Family reunification of a foreigner in France · Service-Public.gouv.fr · checked 2026-10-11
- The Smic increases on 1 June 2026 · Service-Public.gouv.fr · checked 2026-10-11
- Long-term resident card - EU (foreigner in France for 5 years) · Service-Public.gouv.fr (Direction de l'information légale et administrative) · checked 2026-10-11
- French naturalization by decree · Service-Public.gouv.fr (Direction de l'information légale et administrative) · checked 2026-10-11
Spouse of a resident and its alternatives
| Route | Money needed | Stay | Work |
|---|---|---|---|
| Spouse of a resident | Needs income of €1,867+ a month ≈ $2,090 | 1 yr, renewable | – |
| Spouse of a citizen | – | 1 yr, renewable | Yes |
| Spouse of a citizen Portugal | – | – | – |
| Spouse of a resident Spain | Needs income of €900+ a month ≈ $1,010 | – | Yes |
| Spouse of a resident Georgia | – | 1 yr, renewable | – |
Questions people ask
How much money do I need for the Spouse of a resident?
Income of at least EUR 1,867.02 a month (≈ $2,090). Average monthly resources over the 12 months before the application equal to the gross Smic (EUR1,867.02 (≈ $2,090) from 1 June 2026) for a household of 2 or 3 people; EUR2,053.72 (≈ $2,290) for 4 or 5 people and EUR2,240.42 (≈ $2,500) for 6 or more. A fee of EUR 150 (≈ $170). Fee paid by the family for the residence permit application at the prefecture.
How long can I stay on the Spouse of a resident?
The VLS-TS covers the first year; afterwards a one-year private and family life card is issued.
How long does the Spouse of a resident take to process?
The prefect must answer the family reunification application within 6 months; silence counts as a refusal.
Can I bring my family on the Spouse of a resident?
Minor children under 18 are reunited together with the spouse; family reunification does not cover parents.
Who can apply for the Spouse of a resident?
Non-EU/EEA/Swiss nationals. Not open to: Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Switzerland, Cyprus, Czechia, Germany, Denmark, Estonia, Spain, Finland, France, Greece, Croatia, Hungary, Ireland, Iceland, Italy, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Latvia, Malta, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Sweden, Slovenia, Slovakia.
Does the Spouse of a resident lead to permanent residence in France?
Time on the Spouse of a resident counts toward permanent residence in France, which the rules allow after 5 years of residence. Time on the Spouse of a resident counts toward citizenship, which the rules allow after 5 years of residence.
How are Spouse of a resident holders taxed in France?
No special regime in our records is tied to the Spouse of a resident. The standard rules apply: Progressive scale per family-quotient share: 0% to EUR11,600, (≈ $13,000) 11% to EUR29,579, (≈ $33,000) 30% to EUR84,577, (≈ $94,500) 41% to EUR181,917 (≈ $203,000) and 45% above, set by Finance Act 2026-103 of 19 February 2026.
More in France
Spouse and partner visas elsewhere
≈ USD figures are approximate: daily reference rates from ExchangeRate-API, dated 12 Oct 2026, refreshed when the site is updated.
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How this was checked
Checked on 2026-10-11 against 4 official sources. Status: verified against the official sources.
Every figure on this page comes from the official source it links to. The record was researched against these sources, then reviewed separately, with special attention to effective dates and amendments. Where a source does not state something, the page leaves it out.
- Family reunification of a foreigner in France · Service-Public.gouv.fr · checked 2026-10-11
- The Smic increases on 1 June 2026 · Service-Public.gouv.fr · checked 2026-10-11
- Long-term resident card - EU (foreigner in France for 5 years) · Service-Public.gouv.fr (Direction de l'information légale et administrative) · checked 2026-10-11
- French naturalization by decree · Service-Public.gouv.fr (Direction de l'information légale et administrative) · checked 2026-10-11
Tracked since 2026-10-10. Rule changes and corrections are listed on the changes page, and the methodology page explains how facts are checked. Found something out of date? Email contact@stayglobe.app with a link to the official source.