Visa requests

All people from non-exempt countries must apply for a visa in order to legally enter French territory, whether it be for a short or extended stay. The resquest of a visa concerns the scientist as well as their family (their spouse and children under the age of 18) should they be arriving all together on national grounds or after the scientist has settled in France.

Visa requests must be made at least two months prior to the scientist’s departure for France at a French consulate in the scientist’s country of residence. The French embassy or consulate in your home country can inform you of the procedure to follow to obtain your visa.
For all visa demand please check the official government website: France visa

The type of visa depends on both the duration of and the reason for your stay.

This visa concerns researchers and their families planning on staying for over 90 days.

This visa requires that you request a residence permit or a validation of your VLS-TS within two months following your arrival in France in order to legally stay in the country.

Depending on the reason(s) for your stay, your “extended-stay D visa” may be designated:

• a “Passeport talent-chercheur” (Talent-researcher Passport) visa: for people with a hosting agreement.
• a "Scientifique-chercheur" (Research Scientist) visa: for Algerian scientists with a hosting agreement.
• an “Etudiant” (Student) visa: for PhD students registered at a French higher-education establishment who do not have a French employment contract.
• a “Passeport talent-famille” (Family Talent Passport) visa: for the spouse and children under 18 years of age of a scientist or PhD student holding a “Passeport talent” visa.
• a "Conjoint de scientifique" (Scientist' spouse) visa: for the Algerian spouse and children under 18 years of age of an Algerian scientist or PhD student holding a “Scientifique-chercheur” visa
• a “Visiteur” (Visitor) visa: for the spouse of a PhD student in possession of an “Etudiant” D visa, spouses of visiting scientists and children over 18.

Your status, rights and obligations vary according to your visa. For instance, the “Passeport talent" and “Passeport talent-famille” visas grant their holders the right to work in France. The “Visiteur” visa, on the other hand, does not. For this reason, it is essential to request the appropriate visa prior to your departure. Once in France, you will no longer be able to modify your visa or legal status.

This visa concerns scientists and their families planning on spending up to 90 days in France. This visa does not require you to apply for a residence permit or validation online upon your arrival in France.

This kind of visa does not allow you to settle in France and cannot be extended unless there is a major reasoning behind it. No other residence permit will be attributed to you after the expiration of this type of visa.

To know more about the conditions of extending a visa accorded to a very specific and derogatory visa by the Rhône prefecture.