France · Retire or live on savings
France Visitor card
Income needed: €1,478+ a month ≈ $1,650
Residence permit "visiteur" (long-stay visitor)
First checked against official sources on Change log
Key facts
Visitor card is a retire or live on savings route for France. Applicants need income of €1,478+ a month ≈ $1,650. You can stay 1 yr, renewable. You can't take local work. Checked 2026-10-11 against the official source.
- Money needed
- €1,478+ a month ≈ $1,650
- Government fees
- €350 ≈ $390
- Processing
- 4 months
- First stay
- 1 yr
Cost, time and long term
To apply: government fee €350 ≈ $390; income to show €1,478+/mo ≈ $1,650; decision: 4 months. No lawyer or agent fee is included.
Government fees€350 ≈ $390
- EUR 350 (≈ $390)Residence card fee: EUR 300 (≈ $340) tax plus EUR 50 (≈ $56) stamp duty, paid by tax stamps.
Shown, not spent€18k+/yr ≈ $20k · €1,478+/mo ≈ $1,650
- EUR 17,735.19 a year (≈ $19,800)Annual resources for a single applicant, shown by bank statements, pension certificate or guarantors.
- EUR 1,477.93 a month (≈ $1,650)Net monthly resources for a single person over one year.
RenewalRenewable
The card lasts one year and can be renewed.
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.
Processing4 months
The prefecture must answer within 4 months; silence counts as a refusal.
Why this route may not fit
Check this before you apply.
- Work isn't allowed on this route
- Not open to EU, EEA or Swiss passports, or passports from Algeria
What you'll need
Who can apply2
- The applicant is a non-EU/EEA/Swiss national; Algerian nationals follow the bilateral agreement.
- The applicant is inactive and stays over three months.
What you must show2
- Net resources of EUR1,477.93 (≈ $1,650) per month for a single person.
- Resources of EUR17,735.19 (≈ $19,800) for the year for a single applicant.
Documents2
- Resources are shown by bank statements, pension certificate or guarantors.
- A handwritten declaration not to work in France, including self-employment.
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
One-year renewable card for inactive foreigners staying over three months who commit not to work in France; suited to retirees and pay-to-stay applicants. 1
What you must show and pay
- Income of at least EUR 17,735.19 a year (≈ $19,800) · Annual resources for a single applicant, shown by bank statements, pension certificate or guarantors. 1
- Income of at least EUR 1,477.93 a month (≈ $1,650) · Net monthly resources for a single person over one year. 1
- A fee of EUR 350 (≈ $390) · Residence card fee: EUR 300 (≈ $340) tax plus EUR 50 (≈ $56) stamp duty, paid by tax stamps. 1
Requirements
- The applicant is a non-EU/EEA/Swiss national; Algerian nationals follow the bilateral agreement. 1
- The applicant is inactive and stays over three months. 1
- Net resources of EUR1,477.93 (≈ $1,650) per month for a single person. 1
- Resources of EUR17,735.19 (≈ $19,800) for the year for a single applicant. 1
- Resources are shown by bank statements, pension certificate or guarantors. 1
- A handwritten declaration not to work in France, including self-employment. 1
Stay
- Card valid one year and renewable.
- Initial permitted stay: 12 months.
- Renewable, subject to the conditions in force at renewal.
Nationality
Non-EU nationals; Algerians receive a one-year visitor certificate instead Not open to: Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Switzerland, Cyprus, Czechia, Germany, Denmark, Algeria, Estonia, Spain, Finland, France, Greece, Croatia, Hungary, Ireland, Iceland, Italy, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Latvia, Malta, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Sweden, Slovenia, Slovakia.
Work
No work allowed.
Official sources
- Residence permit "visiteur" · Service-Public (DILA) · checked 2026-10-10
- 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
Visitor card and its alternatives
| Route | Money needed | Stay | Work |
|---|---|---|---|
| Visitor card | Needs income of €1,478+ a month ≈ $1,650 | 1 yr, renewable | No |
| D7 passive income visa Portugal | Needs income of €920+ a month ≈ $1,030 | 2 yr, renewable | – |
| Non-lucrative visa Spain | Needs income of €2,400+ a month ≈ $2,680 | 1 yr, renewable | No |
| Elective residence Italy | Needs income of €31k+ a year ≈ $35k | – | No |
| Independent means permit Greece | Needs income of €3,500+ a month ≈ $3,910 | 3 yr, renewable | – |
Questions people ask
How much money do I need for the Visitor card?
Income of at least EUR 17,735.19 a year (≈ $19,800). Annual resources for a single applicant, shown by bank statements, pension certificate or guarantors. Income of at least EUR 1,477.93 a month (≈ $1,650). Net monthly resources for a single person over one year. A fee of EUR 350 (≈ $390). Residence card fee: EUR 300 (≈ $340) tax plus EUR 50 (≈ $56) stamp duty, paid by tax stamps.
How long can I stay on the Visitor card?
Card valid one year and renewable.
How long does the Visitor card take to process?
The prefecture must answer within 4 months; silence counts as a refusal.
Can I work on the Visitor card?
No. No work allowed.
Who can apply for the Visitor card?
Non-EU nationals; Algerians receive a one-year visitor certificate instead Not open to: Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Switzerland, Cyprus, Czechia, Germany, Denmark, Algeria, 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 Visitor card lead to permanent residence in France?
Time on the Visitor card counts toward permanent residence in France, which the rules allow after 5 years of residence. Time on the Visitor card counts toward citizenship, which the rules allow after 5 years of residence.
More in France
Retirement and live-on-savings 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 3 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.
- Residence permit "visiteur" · Service-Public (DILA) · checked 2026-10-10
- 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.