Investor Visa In France
The French government first introduced the investor visa limited to buy and refurbish a property with the minimum amount of $ 250,000. The old law has changed. The new law will be implemented since January 1st 2016 in France.
One of the first places people think of when starting a new business is France. Why? Because of their investor visa program. In French, it’s called ‘Permanent establishment for investment’. You do not need to reside in France in order to get it if you are a non- European Union (EU) citizen. There are several types, depending on the type of business investment and number of employees you intend to hire but we will only touch on two in this article, the ‘investor visa ‘, or “p permanent establishment for investment’ and ‘ setting up an active company .
Are you a wealthy foreign investor interested in obtaining an investment visa France that lets you live in France and other Schengen countries? If you are, it is important to know what you need to qualify for the French investment visa and meet the requirements of this particular protection.
Investor Visa In France
The investor visa program in France is designed to attract wealthy investors who can invest in a French company, create jobs and bring money into the local economy. From the French government’s perspective, the rising popularity of investor immigration is a huge success — particularly since it helps to combat age-old stereotypes that France is a country that attracts lots of immigrants only due to economic hardship.
The French investor visa program allows non-EU/EFTA nationals to qualify for a residence permit in France for the purposes of creating and directing a business and/or investing substantial capital in France.
Foreign company investors who are nationals of the EU, EEA or Switzerland are automatically entitled to pursue their activity in the same way as a French national, without any other formality. British citizens must now also apply for a residence permit as provided below for any arrival after January 1, 2021. Algerian citizens are subject to the stipulations of the French-Algerian Agreement (refer to our fact sheet on the topic).
For foreign executives from outside the EU, the EEA or Switzerland wishing to invest in the French economy and settle in France, a specific residence permit exists: the multi-year Talent Passport ‘Business investor’ residence permit.
Eligibility
Foreign investors wishing to settle in France to undertake a planned investment can apply for a Talent Passport marked ‘Business investor’ if they proceed to a direct investment either:
- Personnally; or
- Via a company they control; or
- Via a company in which they have at least a 30% shareholding.
They also need to meet the following cumulative criteria:
- They are creating or protecting, or committing to create or protect, jobs within the four years following the investment;
- They are investing, or committing to invest, at least €300,000 in fixed tangible or intangible assets.
Direct investments include share capital investments, reinvested earnings or ‘loans between affiliated companies’. Exclusively financial investments are therefore outside the scope of the scheme.
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- Residence-permit
- Investors
- Company directors
- Startup founders
- Employees
- Work permit
- Accompanying family
Length of stay
The maximum duration is four years on a renewable basis.
The validity period of this permit is variable and depends on the nature, characteristics and duration of the planned investment in France.